Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the capacity of local authority Trading Standards services to proactively prevent rogue trading activity; and what steps he is taking to ensure those services have the (a) skills, (b) staffing, and (c) resources to intervene before consumer harm occurs in local communities.

Trading Standards are provided by local authorities who operate independently from central government, so local authorities make decisions according to their individual needs.

The final 2026-27 Local Government Finance Settlement makes available £78 billion in Core Spending Power for local authorities in England in 2026-27, a 6.1% increase on 2025-26. Much of this funding is not ringfenced, recognising that local leaders are best placed to identify local priorities.

My officials are undertaking a review of Trading Standards duties, to ensure that consumers remain protected from harm and that local enforcement teams are able to focus on the issues that have the most impact on citizens and communities.