Asked by: Will Stone (Labour - Swindon North)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to (a) reduce decibel levels in fireworks, (b) restrict sales of fireworks to licensed shops and (c) create firework-free zones.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
There are currently no plans to bring forward legislation in relation to fireworks. However, the Government is continuing to engage with businesses, consumer groups and charities to gather evidence on the issues with and impacts of fireworks to inform any future action.
The Government has also launched a public campaign on fireworks safety for this year’s fireworks season. The campaign includes new guidance for those running community fireworks events, and new social media posts that emphasise the risks from the misuse of fireworks.
Asked by: Will Stone (Labour - Swindon North)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support UK businesses seeking to (a) enter and (b) expand in the Moroccan market in (i) green energy, (ii) agritech and (iii) other high growth sectors.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
The Department for Business and Trade is committed to helping UK businesses export to Morocco. Supported by the UK-Morocco Association Agreement bilateral trade has been rising and reached £4.2 billion in 2024.
During the Foreign Secretary’s visit to Rabat on 1st June, he co-chaired the 5th session of the UK-Morocco Strategic Dialogue with the Moroccan Minister of Foreign Affairs. They signed a series of Memoranda of Understanding to deepen collaboration in priority sectors, including healthcare, water, transport, defence and procurement. These will enable commercial engagement, supporting UK firms expanding in Morocco’s high-growth sectors, such as digital health, infrastructure, and ports.
Asked by: Will Stone (Labour - Swindon North)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of appointing trade envoys to Nordic countries.
Answered by Gareth Thomas
We carry out analyses of suitable countries, regions, and markets to identify where the appointment of a Trade Envoy can be of greatest benefit to our trade and investment objectives.
We remain committed to strengthening our long, positive and wide-ranging trading relationship with each of the Nordic Countries, but there are no plans at present to add any Nordic Countries to the Trade Envoy Programme.
Markets such as these already have significant diplomatic, trade and investment networks, as well as receiving regular high-level visits by Ministers.