Asked by: Connor Naismith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential role of (a) railways and (b) rail freight in supporting the forthcoming industrial strategy.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government recognises that the supply chain is crucial for the day-to-day running, maintenance, and development of the railway.
Under the strategic leadership of Great British Railways, there will be more coordination between track and train, a centralised point of contact and more certainty for rail suppliers, but equally the Government requires a resilient and productive rail supply chain that invests in skills, technology, and innovation to reduce costs and increase competitiveness.
The Industrial Strategy Green Paper, Invest 2035, identified eight growth-driving sectors. All sectors will benefit from wider policy reform, including rail, through the Industrial Strategy’s cross-cutting policies alongside the broader Growth Mission. This will create the pro-business environment for all businesses to invest and employ, with growth that supports high-quality jobs and ensures that the benefits are shared across people, places, and generations.
Asked by: Connor Naismith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 on consumer protection laws.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act updates existing prohibitions on unfair trading in the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (2008) and introduces new consumer protections for subscription contracts.
The impact assessment for the DMCCA can be found here: Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill - Impact Assessment Summary.docx. We will continue to monitor the impact of the measures on consumers.
Asked by: Connor Naismith (Labour - Crewe and Nantwich)
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 help protect workers on sponsored visas from mistreatment by unscrupulous employers.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government is committed to tackling serious labour abuse and exploitation. Workers on sponsored visas have the same protections and rights under employment law as British and settled workers. All employers are expected to comply with UK employment law.
The Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority (GLAA), Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate and HM Revenue and Custom’s National Minimum Wage enforcement team work together to ensure that workers are aware of their rights. If anyone thinks they are not getting their employment rights, they should contact Acas on 0300 123 1100 for advice on next steps.
Through the Employment Rights Bill and the Fair Work Agency we are delivering a much-needed upgrade to employment rights enforcement, including for workers on sponsored visas.