Oral Answers to Questions

Michael Payne Excerpts

Thursday 11th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Chris Bryant]

It is a bit of a cheek, isn’t it, the Conservatives coming and talking about a steel strategy when they had absolutely no strategy and did not even choose to go and visit some of the steelworks that we are talking about. There will be a steel strategy. The Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Chris McDonald) has been having discussions with trade unions and industry, both downstream and the producers, and we will be producing a comprehensive steel strategy very soon. I am happy to deal with the tariff issues if there is a little time later.

[Michael Payne (Gedling) (Lab)]

T5. I recently visited Boutique Flowers on Carlton Hill in Gedling, which is a brilliant local business owned by Sally and Tina. They told me that they are losing thousands of pounds as a result of fraudulent chargebacks, and many small businesses are facing the same issue across the country. Will the Minister work with small businesses, banks, and payment providers to reform the chargeback system and put an end to this growing fraud scandal that is hitting small businesses across the country?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Blair McDougall)]

I thank Boutique Flowers for everything that it contributes to my hon. Friend’s local community. That sort of fraud is galling when someone is trying to keep a local business going, and colleagues in the Home Office and my Department are working on a new expanded fraud strategy to be published early next year. I will make sure that the experience of his constituents is fed in to that strategy.

Oral Answers to Questions

Michael Payne Excerpts

Thursday 30th October 2025 Commons Chamber

[Peter Kyle]

I am grateful for the hon. Gentleman’s question, and I know that his community will be grateful for his question, too. I can assure him that we are working to mobilise the strategic sites accelerator, which will operate across the nation. We expect to communicate how and when the programme will deploy in the coming period into spring. As he knows, RAF Wyton is a key site for cyber and specialist operations command. It is an important asset for our nation. I, or the relevant Minister, will of course meet him to discuss how we can better support that site going forward, but already within Government it is a very highly valued asset.

[Michael Payne (Gedling) (Lab)]

T3. Luxfer Gas Cylinders in my constituency employs more than 200 people and is a key supplier to hydrogen allocation round 1 projects. It wants to expand to become the UK’s only manufacturer of high pressure hydrogen cylinders for hydrogen tube trailers and hydrogen vehicle fuel systems, which are currently imported. Will the Minister meet me and other MPs who have significant hydrogen and fuel cell manufacturers in their constituencies to discuss how existing Government support for hydrogen can best drive UK growth and jobs?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade (Chris McDonald)]

I was pleased to address a meeting of Hydrogen UK just last week, where I reaffirmed Government support for the sector, which we have recognised through our industrial strategy and the clean energy industries sector plan. I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss in particular Luxfer’s ambitions to invest more in the UK.