Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley South)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what proportion of her Department’s (a) advertising and (b) marketing expenditure was on (i) local newspapers in print and online, (ii) national newspapers in print and online, (iii) social media, (iv) search engines, (v) broadcast and on-demand television and (vi) other channels in the most recent year for which data is available.
Answered by Alan Mak
The Department buys marketing media, including advertising, through its retained media buying agency.
2022/23 is the most recent year for which the data is available.
The proportion of this marketing media expenditure by major marketing channel was as follows:
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley South)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department plans to take steps to expedite the visa process for UK models accepting roles in Europe on a tight deadline.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government recognises the importance of mobility for UK businesses, and regularly engages other European countries to address any bilateral mobility issues and to ensure the visa information they provide is clear. To help businesses navigate the visa and work permit rules of EU Member States, the Government has published guidance on GOV.UK on entry requirements, as well as for Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. This includes a specific ‘landing page’ for the fashion sector.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley South)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps her Department is taking to support UK based fashion businesses to compete with businesses in the EU.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
The Export Support Service (ESS) brings together information from across government, making it easier for exporters to find what they need in one place. The service also includes an Export Policy Hub which helps answer complex queries and analyse business intelligence to identify barriers to exporting and a Europe Market Access Centre, where local market experts in Europe will provide exporters with expertise.
Officials work closely with representatives from the textile and footwear sectors to understand how government can help businesses increase their UK manufacturing capabilities while increasing their exports.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley South)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help the fashion industry secure skilled workers to employ.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
The Government is increasing skills investment by a total over the Parliament of £3.8bn by 2024-25. Officials are working with stakeholders including the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) and UK fashion and Textiles association, to accelerate the talent pipeline, such as the Production Sewing Machinists Skills bootcamp in Greater Manchester.
Where employers cannot get the skills they need in the domestic labour market, it is appropriate that they make the most of the points-based immigration system to access talent from around the world, including the Skilled Worker Visa. We also consider other important routes to increasing employers' access to skills, including addressing non-skill barriers to work such as childcare.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley South)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to ensure that businesses supplying the fashion industry have access to the same support across UK regions.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
We engage with businesses across all sectors, including fashion, via a one-to-many approach through programmes like Export Academy, Export Champions, local events and trade missions.
The British Business Bank’s website hosts the online information platform, the Business Finance Hub, which helps raise awareness of appropriate finance options for SMEs in all sectors at all stages of their growth.
Additionally, Local Enterprise Partnership Growth Hubs can also be a source of free advice and finance.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley South)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what (a) algorithmic and (b) other automated decision making systems her Department uses; and for what purposes.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
The Department uses a range of tools to aid decision making, including services built by our staff and externally procured software and tools. These tools include use of what is commonly referred to as artificial intelligence to generate insight from large and complex data. However, all final decisions are made by humans, using the insight generated from these tools. Individuals are made aware of the limitations of these tools which only form part of the decision-making process.
Asked by: Stephanie Peacock (Labour - Barnsley South)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Data and Digital Infrastructure of 14 June 2023 at Topical Questions, T7, Official Report, column 286, what plans her Department has to (a) utilise the provisions in Part 3 of the Data Protection and Digital Information (No. 2) Bill and (b) use smart data in new sectors.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
There is exciting potential to explore Smart Data in further sectors. The Department chairs the Smart Data Council which brings together government, regulators and industry experts to ensure that the UK continues to be at the forefront of developments in this space.
Before committing to utilise the provisions in Part 3 of the Data Protection and Digital Information (No.2) Bill in any given sector, there is work to be done to understand how Smart Data can empower consumers and turbo charge competition.
Officials from the Department for Business and Trade are working with HM Treasury officials on the new long-term regulatory framework for Open Banking, which intends to use these powers.