Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South and Walkden)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what progress the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has made on developing a fact-based evidence base relating to firework safety; and if the OPSS will make that evidence base available to the public.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) is developing a fact-based evidence base on the key issues that have been raised around fireworks. This includes looking at data on noise and disturbance, anti-social behaviour, non-compliance, environmental impact, and the impact on humans and animals. This will build a fuller picture of the data around fireworks in order to identify whether further action is appropriate.
The evidence base work includes reviewing existing literature, research and data sources which are already publicly available. The work to develop a full evidence base is an ongoing exercise which is not time limited and we will report in due course.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South and Walkden)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how frequently she plans to raise the National Living Wage to meet the Government target of two-thirds of median earnings by 2024.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Government has announced that in April 2020 the National Living Wage (NLW) will increase by 6.2 per cent to £8.72 for those aged 25 and over. The Government has also announced inflation-beating increases in the National Minimum Wage (NMW) rates for younger workers and apprentices of between 4.6 per cent and 6.5 per cent.
My Rt. Hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer has pledged that the NLW will increase further, reaching two-thirds of median earnings by 2024, providing economic conditions allow. The Government also plans to expand the reach of the NLW, bringing down the eligibility threshold first to age 23 in 2021 and then to 21 by 2024.
The Government increases the NLW and NMW rates annually with consideration to recommendations made by the independent Low Pay Commission (LPC). The Government will publish the LPC’s 2020 remit, which will include details of the new target for the NLW to reach two-thirds of median earnings by 2024.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South and Walkden)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, when he plans to begin a review of the Pubs Code.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Government is currently considering the format of the statutory review of the Pubs Code which will cover the operation of the Code from when it came into force to 31 March 2019.
Asked by: Yasmin Qureshi (Labour - Bolton South and Walkden)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how many pubs closed in the 12 months (a) before the business rates revaluation came into force in 2017 and (b) after that revaluation.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The Government does not hold the requested information.