Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department plans to take to ensure there will be parliamentary oversight of reforms to the Universal Service Obligation for postal services.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Parliament has made Ofcom the independent regulator for the postal sector, and as such Ofcom has the responsibility to ensure the provision of the universal service obligation.
Ofcom proposed reforms to the universal service obligation in its consultation ending on 10 April. These specific proposals will not require ministerial or Parliamentary approval, but Ofcom remains accountable to Parliament, through mechanisms such as select committee evidence sessions and its statutory obligation to lay its Annual Report and Accounts in Parliament.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions his Department has had with Ofcom on their consultation on the future of the universal service obligation for postal services.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ministers and officials meet with Ofcom regularly to discuss a range of issues in relation to its role as the regulatory authority for the postal sector.
The government is committed to a universal service obligation and know Ofcom will use this consultation to ensure that Royal Mail is able to effectively serve its customers in the years to come.
A reliable and affordable universal postal service is crucial to the UK, and we are clear it must work for customers, workers and businesses that help drive growth across the country.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to change the threshold of full audit requirements for smaller businesses.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The qualifying criteria that determine company size for the purposes of accounting and audit have not changed in over a decade. It is right that these thresholds are reviewed periodically so they are set at appropriate levels.
Company size thresholds are being considered as part of the Government's broader non-financial reporting review, intended to ensure that more companies are able to benefit from simpler reporting and accounting frameworks, as well as take advantage of the small company exemption from statutory audit.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will introduce a licencing regime for builders.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
This Government backs our wonderful construction industry and is working to ensure we have a high-quality and professional construction industry, with consumer protection at the heart of this. TrustMark, sponsored by the Department and licenced by the Government, is the Government Endorsed Quality Scheme that covers work a consumer chooses to have carried out in or around their home. In addition the Building Safety Act 2022 has introduced competence requirements for both individuals and businesses working in the built environment.
Any action that the Government takes forward more widely on licensing to protect customers and standards needs to be robust, proportionate and evidence based.
Asked by: Mark Garnier (Conservative - Wyre Forest)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to help reduce economic loses caused by rogue builders operating in the repair, maintenance and improvement sector.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities
The domestic repair, maintenance, and improvement (RMI) sector is a vital part of the construction industry. It is one where genuine concern exists about consumer protection. The Government is committed to ensuring that we have a high-quality and professional construction industry and works with the industry and Local Authority trading standards, to improve standards of competence, consumer protection and redress, and to act against rogue builders.
The Department consulted last year on proposals to make alternative dispute resolution mandatory in the home improvements sector as part of a broader attempt to strengthen consumer rights in problematic sectors. We are now working with the Ministry of Justice to help inform and support their policy development on the use of mediation as an integrated part of the justice system.