theodi/ndl-core-corpus huggingface dataset:
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Max Wilkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether her Department has made an impact assessment of the decision to allow up to 80 gaming machines in certain casinos. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Department has considered the available evidence and a full impact assessment will be published for the measure which allows casinos to site up to 80 gaming machines. The Government’s Better Regulation Framework classifies the sports betting measure as a de minimis measure, and therefore a de minimis assessment will be completed for this measure, although this won’t be published.
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Max Wilkinson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how many Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme projects (a) were completed between 5 July 2024 and 27 March 2025 and (b) were incomplete on 27 March 2025; how much and what proportion of the funding allocated for the provision of multi-sport grassroots facilities in this financial year has (i) been and (ii) not been committed. \p Stephanie Peacock: Since 5 July, a total of 728 Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities projects were completed in England (as of 13 March), 14 projects were completed in Scotland, 17 projects were completed in Wales and 11 projects were completed in Northern Ireland (all as of 27 March).

A total of 513 Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities projects remained incomplete in England, 16 remained incomplete in Scotland, 37 remained incomplete in Wales and 4 remained incomplete in Northern Ireland.

For the financial year 2024/25, other than a £1.2k underspend, the full £125m proposed investment into the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities programme has been committed, with delivery of projects funded ongoing. The Programme has sought to maximise value for money to ensure this funding directly impacts communities across the UK by providing high-quality sports facilities and offering places for people of all backgrounds to get active.
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Stuart Andrew:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Spring Statement of 26 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to her Department's planned budget for the 2025-26 financial year on the provision of youth services. \p Stephanie Peacock: This Government fully recognises the importance of youth services to help young people live safe and healthy lives, and we remain committed to giving all young people the chance to reach their full potential. That is why we are developing a National Youth Strategy to set out a new vision for young people and an action plan for delivering this.

In 2025/26, has committed to funding over £85 million of capital funding to create fit-for-purpose spaces in places where it is most needed, which includes £26 million for youth clubs to buy new equipment and do renovations under the Better Youth Spaces Fund. Further funding allocations for specific youth programmes will be set out in due course.
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Stuart Andrew:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Business and Trade on the effectiveness of proposed exemptions to cooling-off rights within the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 subscription regime for preventing consumers from accessing digital content for free. \p Stephanie Peacock: My Department regularly engages with the Department for Business and Trade on a range of issues relating to the implementation of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumer Act 2024.

The Department for Business and Trade’s consultation on the implementation of these measures closed on 10 February 2025, and they are currently analysing responses.
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Stuart Andrew:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she is taking steps with Ofcom on implementing fair terms of carriage for public service broadcasters on streaming platforms under the Media Act 2024. \p Stephanie Peacock: My Department is working closely with Ofcom to progress implementation of the Media Act 2024. The Act delegates certain powers to the Secretary of State and to Ofcom in terms of designating ‘in-scope’ services and developing relevant guidance.

The new online prominence regime, under the Act, seeks to support effective negotiations between public service broadcasters and TV platforms for the carriage of designated PSB services (referred to in the Act as “internet programme services”). It does so via a set of “agreement objectives” which both parties must act consistently with, as well as Ofcom guidance, which they are required to consult on.

Further information on Media Act implementation can be found on Ofcom’s website: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and-on-demand/Media-Act-Implementation/.
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Graham Leadbitter:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to reply to correspondence from the hon. Member for Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey on the closure of local area radio broadcasters of (a) 3 December 2024, (b) 20 January 2025, (c) 20 February 2025 and (d) 12 March 2025. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Hon Member was issued with a response on 26th March.
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Luke Taylor:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to take steps to support the celebration of Ahmadiyya culture in the UK. \p Chris Bryant: DCMS has no specific plans to do so.
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Lee Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what diversity, equality and inclusion targets her Department has for staff recruitment. \p Stephanie Peacock: In line with the wider Civil Service, DCMS does not have recruitment targets for EDI, but is committed to represent the diversity of the UK population.
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Ann Davies:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she has made an assessment of the potential impact of the cessation of BBC Sounds coverage outside of the UK on the (a) Welsh, and (b) Scottish Gaelic speaking diaspora. \p Stephanie Peacock: The BBC is operationally and editorially independent of the Government, and decisions on how it discharges its obligations, such as its changes to its BBC Sounds service, are a matter for the BBC. The Government has therefore not assessed the potential impact of the BBC’s changes to its BBC Sounds service.
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Mrs Sureena Brackenridge:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 7047 on Holiday Accommodation: Licensing, what progress she has made on developing a short-term rental registration scheme. \p Chris Bryant: We hope to be able to make further announcements soon.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will take steps to ensure that local authorities are carrying out their statutory duty to deliver youth services. \p Stephanie Peacock: Local authorities hold the statutory duty to secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient provision of educational and recreational leisure-time activities for young people. Local Authorities fund youth services from their Local Government Settlement in line with local need, and this was increased to more than £69 billion in 2025/26 - a 6.8% increase in cash terms compared to 2024/25.

Although there is no legal requirement for local authorities to publish their plans, the guidance encourages local authorities to publish their assessment of local needs for youth services as well as the rationale for their actions and decisions. We will be launching the Local Youth Transformation pilot this year, which will support local authorities to build back capability to improve local youth offers.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of reductions in youth service funding on young people. \p Stephanie Peacock: Local authorities have a statutory duty to secure, so far as is reasonably practicable, sufficient youth services for young people in their area. This is funded through the Local Government Funding Settlement.

We acknowledge the challenges facing the sector and the disparities across the country. That is why this Government has launched the co-production of an ambitious new National Youth Strategy, which will be developed together with young people and the youth sector.

We will also launch the Local Youth Transformation pilot in 2025/26, which will support local authorities to build back capability to improve local youth offers. We also have allocated over £85m of capital funding to create fit-for-purpose spaces in places where it is most needed. Further funding allocations for specific youth programmes will be communicated in due course.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to ensure long-term sustainable funding for youth services. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government will publish the National Youth Strategy this summer. The detail and scale of the funding commitments included in the strategy will be shaped by engagement with young people and the youth sector and will be dependent on Spending Review decisions.

In 2025/6, DCMS youth funding will include over £85 million of capital funding to create fit-for-purpose spaces in places where it is most needed. This includes the £26 million Better Youth Spaces Fund for youth clubs to buy new equipment and do renovations, and the completion of Youth Investment Fund projects underway. The new Local Youth Transformation pilot will improve capability to improve local youth offers. Further funding allocations for specific youth programmes will be communicated in due course.
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Zöe Franklin:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of establishing to a one-off relief package within the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme to support (a) churches and (b) cathedrals in areas with lower economic activity. \p Chris Bryant: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport funds listed places of worship through the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. This is as generous as we are able to be within existing resources. We have no plans to set up a new grant scheme or package of support.
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Zöe Franklin:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme on (a) businesses and (b) suppliers in the (i) building and (ii) crafts sector. \p Chris Bryant: DCMS Ministers received advice on changes to the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, including careful consideration of the potential impacts of various options to scale the scheme.

We believe that the changes announced were necessary and adequate given the tight fiscal challenges we inherited from the previous government and considering competing financial demands in other parts of the heritage and cultural sector, and will continue the widest distribution of the scheme’s benefits within the available means. Based on previous scheme data, we expect 94% of claims to be unaffected by this change.
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Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to help tackle sexual harassment in sports settings. \p Stephanie Peacock: The safety, wellbeing and welfare of everyone taking part in sport is absolutely paramount. Everyone should be able to participate in sport in safe and secure environments, and where allegations about inappropriate or harmful behaviour are made, these should be taken seriously. National Governing Bodies are responsible for the regulation of their sports and for ensuring that appropriate measures are in place to protect participants from harm. Any matter meeting the criminal threshold should be taken forward through the criminal justice system. Where there is evidence that a crime may have been committed, this should be reported directly to the police.

DCMS's Arm's-Length Body for grassroots sport, Sport England, provides support to the sport and physical activity sector around preventing harm, including sexual harassment, through funding the Ann Craft Trust and the NSPCC’s Child Protection in Sport Unit. This totalled £330,917 and £527,525 respectively in 2024/25.

The Government will continue to discuss athlete safety with relevant stakeholders and the sports sector to ensure that everyone can take part in sport as safely as possible.
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Liam Conlon:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that sports facilities funding will encourage broader participation in sports by under-represented communities in (a) Beckenham and Penge constituency and (b) the UK. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government recognises that sports facilities are important to communities up and down the country. High-quality, inclusive facilities help people get active. Everyone, no matter who they are or where they live, should have access to high quality facilities and opportunities to participate in sport and physical activity.

The Government has committed to continued funding for grassroots facilities. On 21 March, we announced £100 million funding to be delivered through the Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme, supporting high-quality, inclusive facilities across the UK.

Projects are required to demonstrate how they increase access and participation levels among under-represented groups, which includes women and girls, ethnic minority groups and disabled players. From 2025/26, the Football Foundation will use learnings from the Lionesses Futures Fund to inform the minimum ‘Women and Girls’ criteria for all major capital projects, which includes reserved peak-time slots, women and girls only evenings and priority booking for women and girl’s teams.

Grassroots sport is also funded through the Government’s Arm’s Length Body, Sport England, who invest over £250 million in Exchequer and Lottery funding each year.
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Liam Conlon:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to improve access to sports facilities for disabled people in (a) Beckenham and Penge and (b) the UK. \p Stephanie Peacock: The Government is dedicated to making sport in this country accessible and inclusive for everyone. The Government has announced a further £100 million in funding to deliver new and improved multi-sport grassroots facilities and pitches across the whole of the UK. The Multi-Sport Grassroots Facilities Programme’s aims include regular, weekly use by under-represented groups, including disabled people, so that everyone has the opportunity to participate.

Sport England, the Government’s Arm’s Length Body for grassroots sport, is committed to increasing participation in sport and physical activity for disabled people and improving their access to sport facilities. Sport England runs specific initiatives like the 'We are Undefeatable' campaign, impacting directly on disabled people, and those with a long-term health condition. Sport England also has partnerships with organisations such as Disability Rights UK, Activity Alliance, Aspire, and Sense, to help more disabled people get active.
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Stuart Andrew:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, with reference to the Spring Statement of 26 March 2025, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to her Department's planned budget for the 2025-26 financial year on support for charities. \p Stephanie Peacock: At the recent Spring Statement, we reiterated the fiscal rules that would guide this Government. The government has taken a number of difficult but necessary decisions on tax, welfare, and spending to fix the foundations of the public finances, fund public services, and restore economic stability.

However, we recognise the vital role that charities play up and down the country, by providing crucial support to different groups and communities.

DCMS continues to support charities in several ways. This includes delivery of a number of grant schemes, such as the £25.5 million Voluntary, Community, and Social Enterprise (VCSE) Energy Efficiency Scheme, which is supporting frontline organisations across England to improve their energy efficiency and sustainability.

Support for charities is also available through social investment which provides access to grants, repayable finance and a blend of the two. This government is continuing to look at how dormant assets can be used to support the availability of finance to facilitate VCSEs becoming more entrepreneurial and financially resilient. An estimated £350 million will flow into the Dormant Assets Scheme between 2024-28, with details on how this money will be distributed to be provided in due course.

Within the tax system, we provide support to charities through a range of reliefs and exemptions, including reliefs for charitable giving. The tax reliefs available to charities are a vital element in supporting charitable causes across the UK, with more than £6 billion in charitable reliefs provided to charities. The biggest individual reliefs provided are Gift Aid at £1.6 billion and business rates relief at nearly £2.4 billion.
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Dr Luke Evans:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to formulate the National Youth Strategy. \p Stephanie Peacock: We are co-producing the National Youth Strategy with young people and cross-sector experts.

We have already conducted Ministerial roundtables with young people as well as in-person and online focus groups. We have also launched a national survey to ask young people about their worries and hopes for the future, and created an engagement toolkit so organisations or MPs can run their own workshops and discussions with young people.

In addition, we have set up a Youth Advisory Group and an Expert Advisory Group to work alongside us throughout the development of the Strategy. We are also working closely with other Government Departments to ensure the Strategy is cross-cutting and better coordinates youth policy.

We will be publishing an interim report this spring and the Strategy will be published this summer.
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Mr Andrew Mitchell:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent steps her Department has taken to increase tourism in the West Midlands. \p Chris Bryant: The Government is delivering the largest reform of destination management in a generation. We now have a network of 41 Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) across England and two Regional Destination pilots in the North East and West Midlands. The programmes have been looking at how we make it easier for people to visit those regions and enjoy a range of things to do when they are there, including great places to eat, shop and stay.

In March 2025, during English Tourism Week, we announced that the government is now providing an extra £1.35 million of support so the pilots can operate for another year. The extension will provide an opportunity to keep testing how a regional approach to managing the visitor economy can help drive visitor numbers, increase spending and create jobs, and secure the West Midlands’ reputation as a world-class destination to visitors.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will ensure that the Listed Places of Worship Grant scheme continues beyond 2026. \p Chris Bryant: I refer the Hon Member to my answer to PQ 29531.
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Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to support grassroots music venues in Greater Manchester. \p Chris Bryant: The government is urging the live music industry to introduce a voluntary levy on tickets for stadium and arena shows, to help safeguard the future of the grassroots music sector. We welcome steps taken by industry to set up a charitable trust to distribute funds from the ticket levy, and commitments made by artists to support grassroots music.

The government has announced £2.5m of continued funding for the Arts Council England’s (ACE) Supporting Grassroots Music Fund (SGMF) for 2025-26. This enables grassroots music venues, recording studios, promoters and festivals to apply for grants of up to £40k to develop new revenue streams, make repairs and improvements, and enhance the live music experience for fans.

Through the SGMF, ACE has provided funding to support various music venues in Manchester, such as Matt and Phreds, who have received funding to upgrade equipment and develop a new website for streaming. The Snug in Atherton received £40k to launch The Early Doors Club, bringing high-quality events to local audiences, and in Stockport, The Strines Nightingale secured £26k to expand live programming and enhance accessibility.
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Lisa Smart:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 18 November 2024 to Question 13614 on Arts: Finance, what progress her Department has made on ensuring that artists and creators are appropriately remunerated for the use of their works. \p Chris Bryant: This government is committed to ensuring that all creators receive the recognition, respect, and fair compensation they rightfully deserve for their work, while also fostering an environment that enables the creative industries to flourish, innovate, and sustain long-term success.

We also recognise the principle that rights holders should have control over and seek payment for their work, including when thinking about the role of AI. The current UK Copyright Framework enables creative right holders to prevent the use of protected works, but we are aware that this can be difficult to implement in the context of AI, especially for individual firms and creators.

Our consultation on the impact of AI on the copyright regime, which closed on 25 February, received over 11,500 responses. We will now consider the full range of responses and will continue to develop our policy approach in partnership with creative industries, media and AI stakeholders. Addressing this is an urgent priority for the government, but no decisions will be taken until we are confident we have a practical plan that delivers for the creative industries.

On music streaming, we are continuing to engage with stakeholders across the music industry. This includes through the Creator Remuneration Working Group, which is dedicated to pursuing industry initiatives in this area. The group has convened four times so far, most recently in February, and is set to meet again in the coming weeks.
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Pippa Heylings:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, whether she plans to provide additional support for owners of listed buildings. \p Chris Bryant: In terms of financial support, the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s current 10 year strategy, Heritage 2033, increased the maximum funding available to owners from £100,000 to £250,000 to support designated assets, such as listed buildings. Owners must demonstrate that the public benefit of their project outweighs any private gain.

Historic England also offers repair grants to owners of listed buildings, which in total amounts to between £8.5 - £9 million per year. Historic England also offers various guidance and resources which may be useful to owners and occupiers of listed buildings, as well as the heritage sector more broadly, such as the guidance on Adapting Historic Buildings for Energy and Carbon Efficiency, published July 2024.
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James Wild:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, when she plans to publish updated guidance for the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. \p Chris Bryant: Updated guidance was published on the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme website on 19 March 2025.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of not funding the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme beyond 2026 on those places of worship. \p Chris Bryant: Future Government spending is a matter for the 2026 Spending Review.
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Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what recent discussions she has had with religious leaders on the Listed Places of Worship Grant scheme. \p Chris Bryant: The Government holds a range of meetings with representatives of religious organisations.

DCMS officials have discussed the changes with the Church of England and Catholic Bishops’ Conference. Ministers have also exchanged correspondence and met with representatives from most religious organisations.
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Stuart Anderson:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support the tourism sector in South Shropshire. \p Stephanie Peacock: With coastal and countryside destinations making up 25% of domestic day trips and 31% of domestic overnight stays in 2023, tourism is recognised as a key sector with the potential to contribute strongly to economic growth and pride in place of an area.

The Government is implementing a range of measures to support the sector and maximise its benefits for local economies, including working with VisitBritain to champion visits to the British countryside to a worldwide audience, and promoting rural areas

DCMS, through VisitEngland, has accredited 38 Local Visitor Economy Partnerships (LVEPs) so far, which aim to drive investment and spend across the regions - including in rural and coastal areas. In November 2024, Telford and Shropshire became an accredited LVEP and continues to provide strong local leadership and governance.
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Dr Simon Opher:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps she is taking to support women wanting to become professional musicians. \p Chris Bryant: This government is committed to providing the essential foundations and support for everyone, including women, to pursue successful careers in music. We are developing a 10 Point Plan to drive growth, foster innovation, and create a thriving environment for those who work in the sector.

The ongoing, independent Curriculum and Assessment review seeks to deliver a broader curriculum so children and young people do not miss out on subjects such as music, the arts and drama. The Government is collaborating with Young Sounds UK on a music opportunity pilot to support music progression, including through opportunities to learn an instrument. The Department for Education (DfE) is also developing a National Centre for Arts and Music Education to promote opportunities for all children and young people to pursue artistic and creative interests - including through Music Hubs.
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Tessa Munt:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, which of the 106 Listed Places of Worship in Wells and Mendip Hills constituency have received Grants under the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme since its inception. \p Chris Bryant: Since 2022, the Department has awarded 50 grants, totaling £173,587.94, to Listed Places of Worship in the constituency of Wells and Mendip Hills. This includes grant funding to Wells Cathedral, Holy Trinity Church and St Mary's Church East Brent.
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Alison Taylor:To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme on Paisley and Renfrewshire North constituency; and if she will make it her policy to review that Scheme beyond March 2025. \p Chris Bryant: Since 2022, the Department has awarded 9 grants, totalling £67,674.80 to Listed Places of Worship in the constituency of Paisley and Renfrewshire.

As announced in January, the Scheme has been extended for one year with a budget of £23 million, until 31 March 2026, the end of this Spending Review period. This will enable religious organisations to continue to claim grants in respect of eligible VAT costs paid towards repairs and renovations. The scheme has an overall budget of £23 million with a cap of £25,000 per place of worship.
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Mr Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK retains steelmaking capacity. \p Sarah Jones: National security is a top priority for this government. DBT are working closely with MOD and other Government Departments as we develop the Plan for Steel, the Defence Industrial Strategy, and the Strategic Defence Review respectively, to ensure that key government priorities are reflected across these strategies.

At the recent Business and Trade Committee on 26 March, along with the Minister for Defence, I emphasised the importance of retaining steelmaking capabilities in the UK with the Government providing up to £2.5bn for steel through the National Wealth Fund and other routes.

This is why we continue to work tirelessly to safeguard the future of Scunthorpe and protect its workers. We have made a generous offer to British Steel designed to achieve that.
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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many employees from the Trade and Investment Hub in Northern Ireland are working with Invest NI to promote investment before the Open Golf Championship at Royal Portrush in July 2025. \p Sarah Jones: At end February 2025 DBT had 76 FTE from across the organisation based in our Belfast Hub. There are 10 people working in the trade and investment team, who all work collaboratively with Invest Northern Ireland on a range of events and initiatives throughout the year.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-03)

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Mr Gregory Campbell:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what meetings he has had Northern Ireland based businesses following the publication of guidance for businesses on the new General Product Safety Regulation. \p Justin Madders: My officials have been engaging regularly with businesses from across the UK on the updated General Product Safety Regulation in Northern Ireland. Since the guidance for businesses was published, officials have hosted numerous drop-in sessions for businesses, both before and after the Regulation took effect in Northern Ireland. The Department for Business and Trade will be publishing updates to the guidance to provide additional clarity to businesses, reflecting the queries and feedback we have received.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-03 conversation_127

Nick Timothy:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking with the Secretary of State for the Home Department to prevent the online sale of illegal e-bikes. \p Justin Madders: Product safety law requires that all consumer products placed on the UK market must be safe. The Office for Product Safety and Standards, in my Department, has a programme of work focused on tackling the sale of illegal e-bikes, making sure online platforms are aware of their responsibilities and working closely with Border Force on the issue at the UK Border. My officials work closely with counterparts across Government, including the Home Office on e-bike safety.

The Product Safety and Metrology Bill will provide powers that can be used to place new duties on online marketplaces with regards to unsafe products.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-03 conversation_128

Richard Foord:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of increasing the level of financial penalty for employers who do not pay their ex-employee promptly after losing a tribunal. \p Justin Madders: The Government is committed to considering further improvements to the way that people can enforce their employment rights, including the role that Acas, Employment Tribunals and the Fair Work Agency play in ensuring workers’ have access to an effective justice system.

The Civil Justice Council (CJC) is currently considering how to improve enforcement methods and recently held a call for evidence on court users’ experiences of enforcement.The government will consider any recommendations that the CJC makes.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-03 conversation_129

Jim Shannon:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to increase UK aviation exports. \p Sarah Jones: DBT works with UK aerospace companies to open markets, tackle trade disputes, provide SME support, and connect business to export opportunities.

Through the Aerospace Growth Partnership and Aerospace Technology Institute, we support industry to increase supply chain productivity, competitiveness, innovation and exports. In defence, we work with industry to develop campaigns to pursue a pipeline of global opportunities. In 2024 the UK aerospace industry exported £23 billion of its production and over 5 years to 2023 on average achieved annual orders of £5.4 billion across aerospace products relating to defence.

The Industrial Strategy will set out our further support for these sectors.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-03 conversation_130

Danny Beales:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on (a) drivers employed by app companies, (b) couriers employed by app companies and (c) gig economy workers. \p Justin Madders: The impact of the Employment Rights Bill on those individuals will depend largely on their employment status. Individuals in the platform economy can be any status: employee, limb (b) worker, or self-employed, depending on the reality of the relationship between them and their employer.

The Employment Rights Bill, once implemented, will represent the biggest upgrade of workers’ rights in a generation. It will raise the minimum floor of employment rights, raise living standards across the country and level the playing field for those businesses who are engaged in good practices.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-03 conversation_131

Ben Obese-Jecty:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the impact of (a) employers national insurance contributions and (b) national minimum wage increases on the hair salon industry. \p Justin Madders: For national insurance contributions, increasing the employment Allowance to £10,500 will mean that 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all and more than half of employers see no change or gain overall from this package, including many businesses in the hair and beauty industries.

On minimum wage, approximately 40,000 workers in the hair and beauty sector, representing around half of the sector's workforce, are expected to benefit from a direct pay rise due to the increases in the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage in April 2025.

The Government is also creating a fairer business rates system, which will further benefit the hair salon industry.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-03 conversation_132

Andrew Griffith:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent estimate his Department has made of the financial impact of Employment Tribunal delays on UK businesses. \p Justin Madders: We are committed to ensuring that Employment Tribunals operate effectively, ensuring workers have access to justice while minimising burdens on the majority of businesses which play by the rules.

As part of the development of the Employment Rights Bill, the Government has consulted with businesses extensively and further engagements (including on this topic) are planned.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-03 conversation_133

Emma Foody:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, for what reason the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council does not include representatives from the (a) life sciences and (b) advanced manufacturing sectors. \p Sarah Jones: The Industrial Strategy Advisory Council is made up of sixteen of the UK’s business leaders, policy experts and trade union leaders who have been appointed based on their expertise and wide-ranging experience. Diversity of background has been a key focus in the decisions on membership to ensure we reflect the broadest range of perspectives this country has to offer, including in the Industrial Strategy’s growth-driving sectors such as advanced manufacturing and life sciences.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-03 conversation_134

Ellie Chowns:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many products have been investigated in detail by the Competition and Markets Authority as part of its fast-moving consumer goods investigation announced in January 2023. \p Justin Madders: In January 2023 the Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) announced a compliance review into the Fast Moving Consumer Goods sector – these include essential everyday items such as toiletries and cleaning products. Over the period following that announcement, the CMA carried out an initial review of hundreds of products.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-03 conversation_135

Ellie Chowns:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has made on their investigation into misleading environmental claims made in relation to fast moving consumer goods announced in January 2023; and when he expects the CMA to report publicly on any findings. \p Justin Madders: Following its compliance review into environmental claims, in December 2023 the Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) opened an investigation into certain claims made by Unilever in relation to some of its fast-moving consumer goods, which include everyday items such as toiletries and cleaning products.

In November 2024 the CMA announced its decision to close the investigation. In making this decision, the CMA took into account a range of factors, including changes Unilever had made to claims on some of its products and the wider impact of the CMA’s programme of work tackling misleading green claims.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-03 conversation_136

Martin Wrigley:To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department is taking steps to help protect the (a) brewery, (b) distillery and (c) pub sector from US tariffs. \p Mr Douglas Alexander: The UK and US have a strong economic relationship which is fair, balanced and reciprocal. We have £1.2 trillion invested in each other’s economies and over 2.5 million jobs across both countries.

Breweries, distilleries and pubs play a key role in the UK economy.

We will continue to engage closely and productively with the US to press the case for UK business interests. We will keep all options on the table and won’t hesitate to respond in the national interest.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-03 conversation_137

Liz Saville Roberts:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the number of pubs and breweries which pay costs associated with the management of packaging waste under the Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme who also manage their packaging waste through private waste contracts. \p Mary Creagh: Packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) obligates brands and packaging producers to pay the costs of managing household packaging waste. In most cases, this will not be individual pubs but the business supplying the pub with packaged goods where they have an annual turnover of £2 million or more and are responsible for supplying or importing more than 50 Tonnes of packaging. It is up to individual producers whether to pass these costs on to their customers.

In October 2024, the Government published an updated assessment of the impact of introducing the pEPR scheme on packaging producers as a whole. This impact assessment did not split the assessment by sector.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-03 conversation_138

Satvir Kaur:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on improving responsible access to nature. \p Mary Creagh: The Government recognises the importance of providing access to the outdoors for people’s health and wellbeing and is working to ensure that this access is safe and appropriate. We are committed to increasing access to nature, and have already set out several ambitious manifesto commitments to expand opportunities for the public to enjoy the outdoors, including the creation of nine new national river walks and three new national forests in England.

We are currently developing policy to improve access to nature, working closely with other Government departments and key stakeholders. In addition, we are already delivering key initiatives aimed at increasing access to green spaces and the countryside, including:

In addition, the Government has made the decision to repeal the cut-off date for the registration of historic rights of way, preventing the loss of hundreds of miles of unregistered paths. This will ensure that these paths remain available to the public for future generations. This change will be formally enacted when parliamentary time allows.
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Source: hansard.parliament.uk (2025-04-03)

UK Parliament Hansard data: wrans/answers2025-04-03 conversation_139

Sarah Champion:To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether he plans to include an exemption in the veterinary agreement that is being negotiated with the European Union that would protect the United Kingdom's ability to implement animal welfare method-of-production labelling, including on imports. \p Daniel Zeichner: The Government is committed to resetting our EU relationship, including by seeking to negotiate an SPS agreement. We have been clear that an SPS agreement could boost trade and deliver significant benefits on both sides. It’s too early to discuss any specific areas in detail and we will not be providing a running commentary on discussions with the EU.

A public consultation on proposals to improve and extend current mandatory method of production labelling was undertaken last year by the previous Government. We are now carefully considering all responses before deciding on next steps and will respond to this consultation in due course.