Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
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 consumers are provided with adequate and clear information on the value of extended warranties at the point of sale.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Manufacturers are not required to provide warranties on their products. Whether they choose to do so and under what terms is a commercial decision for them. Where warranties are given, they are benefits in addition to consumers’ rights against the trader under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which requires that products are fit for purpose, as described and of satisfactory quality.
Terms of warranties must be clearly communicated to consumers. The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 prohibits unfair commercial practices, including misleading actions that are likely to impact the average consumer’s transactional decision.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
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 tackle misleading practices in the sale of extended warranties.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Manufacturers are not required to provide warranties on their products. Whether they choose to do so and under what terms is a commercial decision for them. Where warranties are given, they are benefits in addition to consumers’ rights against the trader under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which requires that products are fit for purpose, as described and of satisfactory quality.
Terms of warranties must be clearly communicated to consumers. The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 prohibits unfair commercial practices, including misleading actions that are likely to impact the average consumer’s transactional decision.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
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 that communities relying on a mobile post office service continue to have provision when vehicles are undergoing repair or maintenance.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government sets the overall access criteria for the Post Office network, but day‑to‑day operational matters – including the deployment and management of mobile post office services – are the responsibility of the Post Office. Where mobile units are temporarily unavailable due to repair or maintenance, the Post Office works to restore services as quickly as possible and to minimise disruption for the communities affected.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what guidance his Department provides to the Post Office to ensure continuity of service in areas served by mobile post offices.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government sets the overall access criteria for the Post Office network, but day‑to‑day operational matters – including the deployment and management of mobile post office services – are the responsibility of the Post Office. Where mobile units are temporarily unavailable due to repair or maintenance, the Post Office works to restore services as quickly as possible and to minimise disruption for the communities affected.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of regulations allowing people whose companies’ debts are written off to retain personal wealth on public confidence in (a) fraud investigation and (b) public bodies.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
There are no plans for any such assessment.
Companies are separate legal entities from their directors; those directors only become liable for company debts in limited circumstances. This protection encourages entrepreneurship and is central to the health of the UK economy.
Most companies become insolvent for genuine reasons, however insolvency office-holders have wide powers to recover funds from directors who have not acted in the company’s best interests. The Insolvency Service may also take disqualification action against reckless or dishonest directors and can apply for a compensation order against them, as well as prosecute breaches of company and insolvency legislation.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to review company insolvency rules that permit company directors to retain significant personal assets following corporate bankruptcy.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Companies are separate legal entities and directors only become liable for company debts under limited circumstances. This protection encourages entrepreneurship and is central to the health of the UK economy.
Most companies do not become insolvent due to any wrongdoing by the company directors. However, when there is evidence of misconduct, the Insolvency Service may take action to disqualify a director, and where the disqualified director’s conduct has caused a quantifiable loss, can apply to the court for a compensation order to recover personal assets for the benefit of creditors.
There are no plans to review this legislation.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of restricting the sale of high-noise fireworks in response to reports of harm to livestock and working farm dogs in West Dorset.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
No assessment has been made of the potential impact of unregulated fireworks use on animal welfare, or merits of restricting sales of high-noise fireworks. Building on the work of my predecessor, I will continue to engage with stakeholders, including veterinary organisations, to gather evidence on the issues with and impacts of fireworks to inform any future action.
The Government launched a public campaign on fireworks safety for this year’s fireworks season. The campaign includes guidance for those running community events, which encourages the use of low-noise fireworks and social media posts that emphasise the risks from the misuse of fireworks.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions he has had with veterinary organisations on the effects of fireworks noise on dogs and companion animals in (a) rural constituencies and (b) West Dorset constituency.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
No assessment has been made of the potential impact of unregulated fireworks use on animal welfare, or merits of restricting sales of high-noise fireworks. Building on the work of my predecessor, I will continue to engage with stakeholders, including veterinary organisations, to gather evidence on the issues with and impacts of fireworks to inform any future action.
The Government launched a public campaign on fireworks safety for this year’s fireworks season. The campaign includes guidance for those running community events, which encourages the use of low-noise fireworks and social media posts that emphasise the risks from the misuse of fireworks.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to improve public awareness of the potential impact of fireworks on animals in (a) rural constituencies and (b) West Dorset constituency.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
No assessment has been made of the potential impact of unregulated fireworks use on animal welfare, or merits of restricting sales of high-noise fireworks. Building on the work of my predecessor, I will continue to engage with stakeholders, including veterinary organisations, to gather evidence on the issues with and impacts of fireworks to inform any future action.
The Government launched a public campaign on fireworks safety for this year’s fireworks season. The campaign includes guidance for those running community events, which encourages the use of low-noise fireworks and social media posts that emphasise the risks from the misuse of fireworks.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
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 unregulated fireworks use on animal welfare in (a) rural constituencies (b) West Dorset constituency.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
No assessment has been made of the potential impact of unregulated fireworks use on animal welfare, or merits of restricting sales of high-noise fireworks. Building on the work of my predecessor, I will continue to engage with stakeholders, including veterinary organisations, to gather evidence on the issues with and impacts of fireworks to inform any future action.
The Government launched a public campaign on fireworks safety for this year’s fireworks season. The campaign includes guidance for those running community events, which encourages the use of low-noise fireworks and social media posts that emphasise the risks from the misuse of fireworks.