Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
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 (a) engage with and (b) educate postmasters on the practical implications of the potential mutualisation of the Post Office.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My department has been actively engaging postmasters through the Green Paper consultation on the future of the Post Office, which closed earlier this month. This included two postmaster focus groups to ensure postmaster voices are clearly heard on the full range of issues covered by the Green Paper, including mutualisation and other governance options.
The Green Paper itself included information on mutualisation as one potential future ownership model, and the department is continuing to analyse feedback on this and other options. However, it is worth noting that decisions on long-term governance will not be taken until the second volume of Sir Wyn Williams inquiry has been published. In the interim both the department and the Post Office will continue to actively engage Postmasters on this topic.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what proportion of (a) tableware and (b) crockery used in his Department is made by a British manufacturer.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
A small amount of crockery and tableware has been purchased locally using departmental funds. No central record is maintained of these purchases. To determine the country of origin of all such items would require a check of all items in use. The cost of this would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold of £850.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
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 removing the business-level test from the Energy Intensive industry scheme eligibility requirements for UK ceramic manufacturers.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The business level test was introduced to focus support under the British Industry Supercharger at those individual businesses most at risk of carbon leakage and to balance the cost of the scheme to other electricity users with the benefits to Energy Intensive Industries. There are currently no plans to amend that business level test and any proposed amendments to the scheme criteria would be subject to consultation.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 36726 on Energy Intensive Industries: Ceramics, whether he has undertaken a sectoral assessment.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Department for Business and Trade has a close and productive relationship with the UK ceramics sector, particularly its leading Trade Association Ceramics UK who meet regularly with officials and Ministers.
As part of our ongoing dialogue, we will continue to engage with ceramics business on the challenges they face now and in the future.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2025 to Question 36726, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the eligibility criteria for accessing the British Energy Supercharge scheme for sectors that already qualify.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Sectors have been assessed against their electricity and trade intensity. As part of our review of eligibility in 2026, we will assess whether these data sets and the thresholds we have previously used remain the best approach to judging eligibility for the Supercharger.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will make an assessment of the adequacy of the long-term viability of the UK ceramics sector.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Department for Business and Trade has a close and productive relationship with the UK ceramics sector, particularly its leading Trade Association, Ceramics UK, who meet regularly with officials and Ministers.
As part of our ongoing dialogue, we will continue to engage with ceramics business on the challenges they face now and in the future.
I will continue to work to ensure that long-term viability of the UK ceramics sector.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will convene a ceramics taskforce, chaired by a Minister.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Department for Business and Trade works closely with the ceramics sector through Ceramics UK and directly with businesses to understand its challenges and provide support to help its global competitiveness. If we take a view that a ceramics taskforce is required, we will convene it.
Our engagement includes the Energy Intensive Users Group which includes representation from the ceramics sector. I recently held a roundtable with members of EIUG and met with a ceramics sector delegation today.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
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 opening the Energy Intensive Industry Exemption scheme to all ceramics manufacturers.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Eligibility for relief through the British Energy Supercharger scheme is based on an assessment of the electricity and trade intensity of an individual sector and how exposed it is to the risk of carbon leakage.
The list of eligible sectors is set out in legislation, meaning we are unable to add to it without a full public consultation. The Government plans to review eligibility of sectors in 2026 and my officials will keep interested stakeholders updated on developments.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what aspects of the (a) UK-Australia and (b) UK-New Zealand free trade agreements will be assessed as part of the biannual monitoring reports that will be published on those treaties.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
The department is considering its approach to monitoring Free Trade Agreements, including the UK-Australia and UK-New Zealand agreement. The government will provide an update on this in due course to align with the Trade Strategy.
Asked by: Gareth Snell (Labour (Co-op) - Stoke-on-Trent Central)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with which relevant stakeholders it plans to consult when preparing its biannual monitoring reports on the (a) UK-Australia and (b) UK-New Zealand free trade agreements.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
The Department for Business and Trade engages with and recognises the need to understand a range of stakeholder perspectives in its aims to monitor Free Trade Agreements, including UK-Australia and UK-New Zealand.