Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment has has made of the potential merits of entering into reciprocal arrangements with individual EU member states to (a) waive or (b) reduce the costs of short-stay visa and work permits for temporary seasonal tourism workers.
Answered by Paul Scully
The end of freedom of movement between the UK and the EU will inevitably have some consequences for cross-border business travel, and we are engaging regularly with businesses to help them understand the new requirements for travel to the EU. We respect the right of individual Member States to determine their own immigration policies. Here in the UK, we have adopted a global immigration system that treats EU and non-EU citizens equally.
Tourism personnel are included in the list of permitted activities for short-term business visitors in the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement (TCA), removing the requirement for a work permit for up to 90 in 180 days. In addition, travel agencies, tour operators’ services and tourist guides are included in the scope of TCA commitments for contractual service suppliers and independent (self-employed) professionals.
Commitments in the TCA provide certainty and clarity for those who travel to another country temporarily to do business. The TCA guarantees market access to key economic sectors, and ease some burdens on business travellers, such as: removing the need for work permits for some short-term trips and reducing the number of economic needs tests a country could impose to block access to exporters. They also ensure that the UK and EU Member States have a minimum standard for how business travellers and service providers should be treated when working abroad through non-discrimination clauses.
We have published guidance on GOV.UK to help those intending to travel to the EU, EEA and Switzerland for work or other business purposes. The Government will continue to enhance this guidance and to engage with our embassies to better understand the requirements in Member States, on behalf of UK businesses.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what discussions he has had with Royal Mail on covid-19 protective measures for workers in delivery offices.
Answered by Paul Scully
Safety of workers is a priority for the Government. It is essential that postal workers are, and feel, safe in their working environment.
Postal operators should put appropriate measures in place to follow the latest public health guidance and legal obligations set out under health and safety legislation to protect their staff at work. Postal workers should continue to follow the advice of their employer and work with them to ensure sensible workplace adjustments are in place.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps he has taken to (a) protect and (b) enhance the resilience of postal services in rural areas from covid-19-related disruption.
Answered by Paul Scully
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, postal operators have continued to provide a valuable service to this country, including in rural communities.
The Universal Service Obligation is set out in the Postal Services Act 2011 and ensures a six-day a week, one price goes anywhere, service for the delivery and collection of letters (and five days a week for parcels) throughout the United Kingdom. Royal Mail, a private company, has well-established contingency plans to mitigate disruption to universal postal services, overseen by Ofcom, the UK’s designated independent regulator of postal services.
The Government’s objective in relation to postal services continues to be to secure a sustainable universal service for users throughout the UK, including those in remote and rural areas.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December to Question 122583, what discussions he has had with the Office for Product Safety and Standards as part of the review of the Product Safety Framework on the adequacy of protections in place for those who use menstrual products.
Answered by Paul Scully
The UK has one of the most robust product safety systems in the world and only safe products, including safe menstrual products, may be placed on the market. The safety of sanitary products is regulated by the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (GPSR).
These regulations are within scope of the review of the Product Safety Framework which is being carried out by the Office for Product Safety and Standards.
This work will ensure that the UK product safety framework continues to be fit for purpose and adequately protects consumers so that our product safety system remains one of the best in the world.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December to Question 122583, whether the current Product Safety Framework adequately protects the health of those who use menstrual products.
Answered by Paul Scully
The UK has one of the most robust product safety systems in the world and only safe products, including safe menstrual products, may be placed on the market. The safety of sanitary products is regulated by the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (GPSR).
These regulations are within scope of the review of the Product Safety Framework which is being carried out by the Office for Product Safety and Standards.
This work will ensure that the UK product safety framework continues to be fit for purpose and adequately protects consumers so that our product safety system remains one of the best in the world.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether he has had discussions with (a) officials within his Department, (b) Cabinet colleagues and (c) other stakeholders, on the Senate Bill S2387 passed by the New York State Senate which relates to menstrual product labelling and which mandates the disclosure of ingredients used to make menstrual products on the packages or boxes that they are sold in.
Answered by Paul Scully
The safety of sanitary products is regulated by the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (GPSR), which require a product to be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use when placed on the market.
Under the GPSR, manufacturers are not required to list ingredients for their product. But the law is clear that any sanitary products placed on the UK market must be safe for use.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards is currently conducting a review of the Product Safety Framework and Officials will consider relevant international developments to ensure our product safety system remains one of the best in the world.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of requiring menstrual products to include labels detailing the ingredients in the product.
Answered by Paul Scully
The safety of sanitary products is regulated by the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 (GPSR), which require a product to be safe in normal or reasonably foreseeable use when placed on the market.
Under the GPSR, manufacturers are not required to list ingredients for their product. But the law is clear that any sanitary products placed on the UK market must be safe for use.
The Office for Product Safety and Standards is currently conducting a review of the Product Safety Framework and Officials will consider relevant international developments to ensure our product safety system remains one of the best in the world.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, for what reasons sports therapists' premises in England are required to close during the second national covid-19 lockdown while physiotherapists', chiropractors', osteopaths', sports rehabilitators' and podiatrists' premises are permitted to stay open during that lockdown.
Answered by Paul Scully
Massage therapists qualified to levels 1-3 are considered personal care service providers which are required to close under the national restrictions for England, but they can continue to sell retail goods online or via click-and-collect.
Massage therapists qualified to level 4-6 are classified as clinical practitioners. Further information regarding them can be sought from the Department for Health and Social Care.