Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when he expects to bring forward the Product Safety and Metrology Bill.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Product Regulation and Metrology Bill was introduced into the House of Lords on 4 September 2024.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when he plans to bring forward legislative proposals to amend the Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations 2017 to introduce new metrics on retentions; and whether he plans to bring into force new metrics on the value of invoices paid and disputed invoices from 1 January 2025.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Legislation is expected to be laid before Parliament in 2024 to amend the Reporting on Payment Practices and Performance Regulations 2017 to require new retention reporting requirements.

Amendments were made to the Payment Practices and Performance Regulations which introduced two new reporting metrics which will cover the value of payments, and the level of invoices not paid because of disputes. Businesses will be required to collect data and report on these new metrics from January 2025 as planned.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will have discussions with (a) Citizens Advice and (b) other stakeholders on the safety of battery-operated products imported from China.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

UK product safety law requires that all products must be safe before being placed on the market and enforcement authorities have powers to take appropriate action where unsafe or non-compliant products are identified. The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) works with stakeholders to ensure the safety of products on the UK Market regardless of their origins.

This Product Regulation and Metrology Bill will ensure the UK is better placed to address product safety issues we face today and in the future. It will allow for agile and robust regulatory measures for products, including lithium-ion and button batteries, placed on the UK market.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to include in the Product Safety and Metrology Bill (a) changes to safety standards for and (b) measures to help prevent ingestion of button batteries.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

UK product safety law requires that all products must be safe before being placed on the market and enforcement authorities have powers to take appropriate action where unsafe or non-compliant products are identified. The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) works with stakeholders to ensure the safety of products on the UK Market regardless of their origins.

This Product Regulation and Metrology Bill will ensure the UK is better placed to address product safety issues we face today and in the future. It will allow for agile and robust regulatory measures for products, including lithium-ion and button batteries, placed on the UK market.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 6 September 2024 to Question 2408 on Department for Business and Trade: Ministers, whether he plans to appoint an adviser for business engagement and trade strategy.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

There are no current plans to appoint a specific adviser for business engagement and trade strategy.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of business relief for Inheritance Tax in supporting family owned businesses.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC publishes data regularly about the number of claims and the cost of non-structural tax reliefs, such as agricultural property relief and business property relief. The information can be found at www.gov.uk/government/statistics/main-tax-expenditures-and-structural-reliefs.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of agricultural relief for Inheritance Tax in supporting farming businesses.

Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)

HMRC publishes data regularly about the number of claims and the cost of non-structural tax reliefs, such as agricultural property relief and business property relief. The information can be found at www.gov.uk/government/statistics/main-tax-expenditures-and-structural-reliefs.

Social Security

Found: ConferenceFirst Minister's Environmental CouncilEnvironment2023-03-13 00:00:00Meeting / Video Conference Kevin

Found: [OUT OF SCOPE] Kevin Hollinrake MP Parliamentary Under Secretary of State Department for Business

Found: HorizonCompensationAndConvictions#contribution -1AA2BFF0 -D78D -4736 - 9516 -3E5E2A889C5A View the Hansard contribution by Kevin