Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what fiscal steps he plans to take to help support small businesses with their business costs in Hornsey and Friern Barnet constituency.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government's Plan for Small Businesses, published in July, sets out the measures that Government is taking to support small businesses across the UK. This includes legislation to end the scourge of late payments which costs the UK economy £11bn annually and proposals to increase access to finance through the British Business Bank.
The Department for Business and Trade provides core funding to 41 Growth Hubs across England, with £15 million (including £540,700 for Grow London Local) committed for 2025/26. Businesses in London can access advice and support for any stage of their business journey via Grow London Local, and business.gov.uk.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Written Statement of 8 January 2024 on Wine Quantities and Units of Measurement Update HCWS168, when retailers will be able to sell still and sparkling wine in the 200ml size.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake
The Government is planning to introduce legislation in spring 2024 on the proposals for new prepacked wine quantities announced on 27 December. All new legislative changes are subject to parliamentary scrutiny and due process, including in this case the need to notify the World Trade Organisation. Once this legislative process is complete, the legislation is expected to come into force around Autumn 2024, permitting the sale of still wine in pre-packed 200ml formats. The sale of pre-packed sparkling wine in the 200ml size is already permitted.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many standard individual export licenses were granted to UK university sponsored applications for proposed exports to China in (a) 2020, (b) 2021 and (c) 2022.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
(a) 2 SIELs were granted to UK universities for proposed exports to China in 2020.
(b) 2 SIELs were granted to UK universities for proposed exports to China in 2021.
(c) 2 SIELs were granted to UK universities for proposed exports to China in 2022.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many standard individual export licenses were granted for proposed exports to Chinese universities in (a) 2020, (b) 2021 and (c) 2022.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
(a) 238 Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) were granted for proposed exports to Chinese universities in 2020.
(b) 223 SIELs were granted for proposed exports to Chinese universities in 2021.
(c) 125 SIELs were granted for proposed exports to Chinese universities in 2022.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many times military end-use controls were applied to proposed exports to Chinese universities in (a) 2020, (b) 2021 and (c) 2022.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The military end-use controls did not apply to China until 19 May 2022. Military end-use controls were applied to proposed exports to Chinese universities 45 times in 2022.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she has taken to help support British green-energy businesses to expanding into Indian markets.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Department for Business and Trade has dedicated teams across the UK and India who provide specialist export support for the UK’s green energy industries. In addition, the Clean Growth Faculty within our Export Academy provides training and practical support for SMEs looking to export.
We promote the UK’s capabilities through bringing together government, industry, and buyers at major events, including last November’s Green Trade and Investment Expo, and our annual UK-India Offshore Wind Summit.
These services are complimented by UK Export Finance, which ensures no viable UK green energy export fails for lack of finance or insurance.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the European Critical Raw Materials Act on the security of the UK's supply of critical raw minerals.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
The UK welcomes the publication of the EU Critical Raw Materials Act as an important step for EU Member States to increase the diversity, security, and sustainability of these essential supply chains. It is in our collective interests to ensure that supplies of critical minerals are not geographically concentrated and that the overall supply of critical minerals is robust and able to meet demands. We are considering the implications of the Act for UK industries and how the UK might work with our European partners.
In March, we published a Critical Minerals Refresh which sets out our approach to promoting resilience in the UK’s critical minerals supply chains.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 9 June to Question 185347 on Visits Abroad: Hong Kong, which Hong Kong and UK businesses and investors the Minister met.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The details of the Minister’s meetings with external stakeholders/interlocutors will be published through the quarterly Transparency Return.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment her Department has made of the impact of Royal Mail failing to meet their USO letter delivery targets on people who rely on letters to receive (a) health appointment invitations and (b) energy support vouchers.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake
The Government’s objective continues to be ensuring the provision of a sustainable, accessible and affordable universal postal service.
It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to set and monitor Royal Mail’s service standards and decide how to use its powers to investigate and take enforcement action should Royal Mail fail to achieve its obligations without good justification.
On 15 May 2023, Ofcom announced an investigation into Royal Mail’s quality of service performance for 2022-23.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Friern Barnet)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if her Department will publish all meetings and appointments undertaken by Lord Johnson of Lainston on his recent Ministerial visit to Hong Kong.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Lord Johnson visited Hong Kong to discuss opportunities to expand investment and business links between the UK and Hong Kong. He also raised bilateral issues, including the erosion of rights and freedoms in Hong Kong.
During his visit Lord Johnson of Lainston met the Secretaries for Commerce, and Financial Services and the Treasury, as well as several leading Hong Kong and UK businesses and investors.