Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps the Government is taking to address the rural premium faced by workers in North East Hampshire; and what assessment his Department has made of the extent to which higher rural living costs are reflected in the setting of the National Living Wage.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
This government is responsible for setting the statutory minimum National Living Wage (NLW) which applies to all employers across the UK. A key strength of the NLW is its administrative simplicity, with consistent rates applying across the country.
When setting rates, we carefully consider the independent and expert advice of the Low Pay Commission (LPC). The government asks the LPC to use two-thirds of UK median earnings as a key reference point, alongside a range of other factors, including the cost of living.
Our published impact assessment estimates around 270,000 workers in the South East received a pay rise due to increases in the NLW on 1 April 2026. More granular estimates are not available, due to greater data reliability issues given survey response rates.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department are taking to hold companies to account who make sleep products for babies that cause potential hazards.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
Under UK law, businesses are responsible for placing safe baby sleep products on the market, including where sold online. The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) carries out market surveillance and has powers to require unsafe products be withdrawn from sale, and can seek prosecution or fines where businesses fail to act.
Targeted OPSS testing of baby sleep products in 2025 identified non-compliant or unsafe items online, and OPSS acted to ensure platforms removed listings and identified problem sellers. OPSS previously issued a Safety Alert for dangerous baby sleep pillows and published messaging to raise consumer awareness of hazards.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of rural pub closures on community cohesion and local economies in constituencies such as North East Hampshire.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Government recognises that rural pubs can play an important role as community hubs, supporting local economies and social interaction. Through business rates support and initiatives such as Pub is the Hub, we are helping communities retain valued local assets and sustain economic activity. We are reforming business rates to better support the high street, with over 750,000 properties benefitting from permanently lower rates worth nearly £1 billion annually. From April, pubs have benefitted from an additional 15% cut followed by a two-year freeze worth around £1,650 and we have increased and extended the Hospitality Support Fund to £10 million over the next three years so we can continue to help more pubs, help more people into work and find more innovate ways to improve business productivity and sustainability.
We are also working closely with industry through the Hospitality Sector Council, to ensure pubs can remain viable and continue contributing to social cohesion in rural areas.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make a comparative assessment of the potential impact of (a) the covid-19 pandemic and (b) increases in business rates and National Insurance contributions on small and medium-sized enterprises.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
DBT has no current plans to make a comparative assessment of the potential impact of the covid-19 pandemic and increases in business rates and NI contributions on SMEs.
At the Budget 2026, the Valuation Office announced updated property values from the 2026 revaluation. This revaluation has led to significant increases in rateable values for some properties as they recover from the pandemic.
The Government has already acted to limit increases in bills, including a support package worth £4.3 billion. We are also introducing new permanently lower tax multipliers for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure (RHL) properties. These new tax rates are worth nearly £1 billion per year benefiting over 750,000 properties.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure access to supermarket provision in North East Hampshire where large retailers have recently announced closed stores.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
Retail plays a vital role in communities such as North East Hampshire, supporting local jobs, access to essential goods and vibrant high streets, and we recognise the importance of sustaining this provision. Local retail provision is ultimately determined by commercial decisions of individual companies. However, through the Retail Sector Council and wider high street support, we are helping retailers adapt and continue serving communities, including areas affected by store closures.
We are delivering permanently lower business rates multipliers for over 750,000 retail, hospitality and leisure properties, backed by a £4.3 billion support package over three years, including transitional relief to protect businesses from large bill increases following revaluation. Later this year we will bring forward a new High Streets Strategy, to help reinvigorate our communities.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to undertake a review of private debt‑recovery practices for unpaid fuel transactions; what assessment his Department has made of the (a) fairness and (b) impact on consumers of private debt‑recovery practices in this area; and what steps his Department is taking to improve debt‑collection practices.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has no plans to make a specific assessment of the merits of private debt recovery practices for fuel transactions. However, the Government expects all firms to treat individuals in debt fairly and to act in a responsible manner. Under general commercial law, businesses may claim reasonable debt recovery costs and interest on late payments. The specific imposition of administration fees by private firms in fuel recovery is a commercial matter, though such fees must remain transparent and proportionate to the costs incurred.
The Government funds free, impartial debt advice for people struggling with problem debt. Individuals can use the MoneyHelper debt advice locator tool to find an advisor - https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/money-troubles/dealing-with-debt/debt-advice-locator
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what measures are in place to support The Post Office in the development of the proposed joined-up plan for positive culture.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has set clear expectations for the development of a joined-up and positive organisational culture at Post Office Ltd, as outlined in its response to the Green Paper on the Future of the Post Office and through correspondence with the Post Office Chair. The Department continues to monitor progress against the commitments made in the Green Paper response.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress has been made on the Post Office trial of the ‘Hub of the High Street’ model.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As set out in the Government’s response to the Green Paper on the Future of the Post Office, the ‘Post Office Plus’ initiative (formerly known as Hubs of the High Street) aims to convert post office branches to offer a dedicated space for a new advisory service each day of the week. Post Office Ltd has made good progress and plans to open the first pilot sites this summer. I have written to Departments encouraging them to propose services that could be delivered through this model.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, Trade what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the geographical accessibility of (a) Post Offices (b) bank branches in North East Hampshire constituency.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
My Department conducted social value research into the most frequent users of Post Office services to inform the Green Paper on the Future of the Post Office, published last year. The research found that frequent users are more likely to be older, live in rural areas, or be less confident using digital technology.
In the Government’s response to the Green Paper, we committed to protecting access to services for these and other users by maintaining a minimum network of 11,500 Post Office branches and retaining all six geographical access criteria. This includes, for example, the requirement that 99% of the UK population live within three miles of a Post Office outlet. The Post Office network continues to meet and exceed these Government-set access criteria at a national level.
The Government is also committed to ensuring that those who need in-person banking services can continue to access essential services. To support this, the Government is commissioning an independent Review into Access to Banking Services. This Review will assess whether changes in the availability of in-person banking services are causing consumer detriment, the scale of any such detriment, and which groups are most affected, including older people.
Asked by: Alex Brewer (Liberal Democrat - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of how best to provide (a) Post Office services (b) bank branch services for ageing population in North East Hampshire.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
My Department conducted social value research into the most frequent users of Post Office services to inform the Green Paper on the Future of the Post Office, published last year. The research found that frequent users are more likely to be older, live in rural areas, or be less confident using digital technology.
In the Government’s response to the Green Paper, we committed to protecting access to services for these and other users by maintaining a minimum network of 11,500 Post Office branches and retaining all six geographical access criteria. This includes, for example, the requirement that 99% of the UK population live within three miles of a Post Office outlet. The Post Office network continues to meet and exceed these Government-set access criteria at a national level.
The Government is also committed to ensuring that those who need in-person banking services can continue to access essential services. To support this, the Government is commissioning an independent Review into Access to Banking Services. This Review will assess whether changes in the availability of in-person banking services are causing consumer detriment, the scale of any such detriment, and which groups are most affected, including older people.