Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has had recent discussions with his counterpart in the Scottish government on the potential impact of the Subsidy Control Act 2022 on the bus manufacturing industry.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Subsidy Control Act 2022 enables public authorities to deliver targeted and timely interventions to address local needs and drive economic growth while minimising harm to competition within the UK. It also implements the UK’s international commitments, including those in the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement and World Trade Organization rules.
The UK and Scottish Governments established a joint taskforce in June to consider the situation at Alexander Dennis, and ministers from both Governments have been in correspondence on the matter since then.
The Scottish Government recently announced it would provide additional subsidy to Alexander Dennis for a furlough scheme.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
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 merits of introducing a ban on employer deductions for tipped workers.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023 ensures all tips, gratuities and service charges must be passed on to staff in full – except for permitted deductions like tax.
It is estimated this ban on employer deductions ensures workers receive around £200 million worth of tips each year that was previously retained by employers. A statutory code of practice was published to support employers on fair and transparent distribution of tips and ensure the requirements are followed.
This Government will go further, making it mandatory for employers to consult with workers at their place of business when developing their tipping policies.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
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 the long-term competitiveness of the bus manufacturing sector.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to strengthening the long-term competitiveness of the UK bus manufacturing sector and accelerating the shift to zero-emission vehicles. This includes reforms to bus procurement, supporting the work of the DfT UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panels, and a £15 billion investment over five years to improve local transport in the North and Midlands, supporting sector growth and new zero-emission buses. Through DRIVE35, we are providing funding to support R&D and commercial scaling of zero-emission vehicles, creating skilled jobs and attracting private investment for sustained sector success.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether any arms export licences held by Elbit Systems UK were suspended on 2 September 2024 following the review of Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We suspended export licences for Israel where these relate to items for use in military operations in Gaza. This includes licences for components for fighter aircraft, helicopters and drones, naval systems and targeting equipment.
Since the details of individual suspended licences contain sensitive information relevant to the individual exporter companies, the government is not providing further comment on them.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions his Department has had with the Scottish Government on the impact of 10% tariffs on UK exports to the USA on the Scottish economy; and what steps he is taking with the Scottish Government to help mitigate that impact.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
The US market is Scotland's second largest export market for goods, worth £4bn in 2024. In response to US tariffs, the government launched a Request for Input on the 3 April to gather feedback directly from stakeholders across the whole of the UK that could be affected by our possible response options.
On 8 May, the UK concluded a landmark economic deal with the US, saving thousands of jobs, protecting key British industries, and helping drive economic growth. DBT Ministers and officials engaged regularly with the Devolved Governments on US tariffs during the progress of the talks with the US and continue to do so.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of changes in the market share of e-bikes imported from China out of all e-bikes sold in the UK since 6 February 2025.
Answered by Gareth Thomas
UK bicycle manufacturers play a key role in supporting our green growth ambitions. The Government’s Industrial and Trade Strategies are designed to support innovation, sustainability, and skills development, to help businesses grow, create new jobs, and compete internationally.
The independent Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) assessed the market share of e-bikes imported from China as part of its recent anti-dumping review. Following the TRA's recommendation, anti-dumping measures on Chinese folding e-bikes were extended on 6 February 2025. The TRA will continue to assess the effectiveness of these measures, including any changes in market share.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
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 potential impact of the ongoing UK–US trade negotiations (a) in July 2025 and (b) at other times on (i) manufacturers and (ii) exporters in Scotland; and what steps he is taking to ensure that (A) automotive manufacturing and (B) other sectors with a significant presence in Falkirk are included in any future trade agreement.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
We are currently implementing the first phase of the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal. The deal protects manufacturing through the removal of tariffs for aerospace goods and reducing tariffs for automotive, alongside the implementation of a new quota. The US was the 2nd largest goods export market for Scotland in 2024.
We will continue our extensive engagement with businesses from across the UK, including those in Scotland, throughout these remaining negotiations.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when he plans to bring forward the Industrial Strategy Bill.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
We will introduce an Industrial Strategy Bill to implement measures within the White Paper that require primary legislation when parliamentary time allows. This will include provisions to put the Industrial Strategy Council on a statutory footing, underlining our commitment to policy stability, continuity, and delivery of our 10-year plan. We will also use the Bill to legislate for wider measures, such as supporting businesses with their electricity costs.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions his Department has had with (a) the Scottish Government and (b) industry representatives on supporting the growth of Scotland’s offshore wind supply chain; and what steps he is taking to ensure Scottish businesses can gain from UK offshore wind deployment targets and associated manufacturing opportunities.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Department ensures Scotland benefits from our world-leading offshore wind deployment by supporting the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero with the Contract for Difference’s Clean Industry Bonus, which awards developers who invest in sustainable supply chains. The Energy Secretary has already increased the bonus from an initial £200m to £544m to support clean energy growth, including in Scotland’s industrial heartlands and coastal communities. We are also supporting the delivery of Great British Energy’s £300m grant funding to secure investment in domestic supply chains, including in Scotland.
The Department regularly engages with Scottish Government and industry representatives. For example, UK and Scottish Governments participated in a roundtable in Edinburgh to discuss clean energy supply chains, including floating offshore wind.
Asked by: Euan Stainbank (Labour - Falkirk)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will take steps to support small businesses following the introduction of US tariffs.
Answered by Gareth Thomas
We remain committed to discussions with the US on a wider economic deal that works for both countries but this Government will do what is necessary to defend the UK’s national interest. On 3 April, we launched a Request for Input from businesses, offering them a chance to influence the design of a possible UK response.
We continue to support businesses of all sizes to grow and export globally, including to the US. Through Great.gov.uk, businesses will be able to access export support programmes including the Export Academy, International Markets Network, Growth Hubs and Help to Grow: Management scheme.