Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has met Royal Mail since becoming Secretary of State for Business and Trade.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
As Minister responsible for postal services policy, I have met Royal Mail to discuss a range of issues relating to its role as the universal postal service provider.
Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many officials in her Department are working on legislative proposals on audit reform.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
There are fifteen officials in the Department for Business and Trade working on legislative proposals on reform of audit and corporate governance.
Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make an assessment of the compatibility of the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill with the Windsor Framework.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Windsor Framework protects the economic rights of the people of Northern Ireland and provides us with the basis to move forward together as one united country. The Retained EU Law Bill does not impact the Framework.
Furthermore, the Government has always been clear that we are committed to taking the necessary steps to uphold the UK’s international obligations after the sunset date, including those obligations in the Withdrawal Agreement and now in the Windsor Framework.
Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department has appointed a Ministerial Disability Champion.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Department for Business and Trade has appointed Minister Hollinrake as Ministerial Disability Champion.
Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has made an estimate of the number of subpostmasters who received compensation following the settlement of the civil court case on the Post Office's Horizon IT system who have sought tax advice on that compensation; and if she will make an assessment with her Cabinet colleagues of the potential financial loss that may be sustained by affected people who have not sought such advice.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
The Government is working with Post Office to ensure all victims of the Horizon IT scandal are returned to the financial position they should have been in had the wrongs not occurred.
Both Post Office and the Government want to see fair compensation for all victims and are looking at the tax issues raised so that if any unfairness is identified in individual cases, this can be addressed.
Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has made an assessment with her Cabinet colleagues of whether the interest portion of compensation given to subpostmasters impacted by the failure of the Post Office Horizon system is liable to tax.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
The Government is working with Post Office to ensure all victims of the Horizon IT scandal are returned to the financial position they should have been in had the wrongs not occurred.
Both Post Office and the Government want to see fair compensation for all victims and are looking at the tax issues raised so that if any unfairness is identified in individual cases, this can be addressed.
Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether compensation received by subpostmasters following the failure of the Post Office Horizon IT system will be treated as loss of earnings for tax purposes.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
The Government is working with Post Office to ensure all victims of the Horizon IT scandal are returned to the financial position they should have been in had the wrongs not occurred.
Both Post Office and the Government want to see fair compensation for all victims and are looking at the tax issues raised so that if any unfairness is identified in individual cases, this can be addressed.
Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of the number of weighing and measuring equipment inspections conducted by local weights and measures authorities in the latest period for which data is available.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
Section 70 of the Weights and Measures Act 1985 requires Local Weights and Measures Authorities in Great Britain to report on their Weights and Measures enforcement work over a twelve-month period.
The most recent report for 2021-22 was published on GOV.UK on 31 October 2022 and includes information on staffing levels and numbers of inspections.
Local authorities make resourcing decisions relating to the delivery of their statutory duties and local priorities.
Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of staffing levels at local weights and measures authorities.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
Section 70 of the Weights and Measures Act 1985 requires Local Weights and Measures Authorities in Great Britain to report on their Weights and Measures enforcement work over a twelve-month period.
The most recent report for 2021-22 was published on GOV.UK on 31 October 2022 and includes information on staffing levels and numbers of inspections.
Local authorities make resourcing decisions relating to the delivery of their statutory duties and local priorities.
Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what her planned timetable is for the publication of the findings of the payment and cash flow review.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
As set out in the published terms of reference (www.gov.uk/government/publications/prompt-payment-and-cash-flow-review/payment-and-cash-flow-review-terms-of-reference), we anticipate delivery of a conclusions document in 2023 which would: