Small Businesses: Economic Growth
(Southend West and
Leigh) (Lab)
1. What assessment he has made of the potential contribution of
small businesses to the Government's growth mission. (900170)
(Aldershot) (Lab)
4. What assessment he has made of the potential contribution of
small businesses to the Government's growth mission. (900174)
(West Lancashire) (Lab)
18. What assessment he has made of the potential contribution of
small businesses to the Government's growth mission. (900192)
The Secretary of State for Business and Trade ()
small businesses are the beating heart of our high streets and
communities, and they are essential to economic success and our
growth mission. We want growth in every part of the UK, and small
businesses have an enormous role to play in that.
In Southend and Leigh, there are over 7,100 small and
medium-sized enterprises, and in areas like Leigh Road, the
Broadway and London Road, very few units are empty. Will my right
hon. Friend meet me and representatives of the local business
community to understand the challenges they face, and to discover
some of the opportunities that businesses have taken to really
capture the market?
I welcome my hon. Friend to his place. I have always enjoyed my
visits to his constituency, particularly enjoying an ice cream at
Rossi's ice cream parlour. Those visits had a serious purpose:
they helped us to build our programme for small business, which
recognises not only issues such as late payments, which this
Department will deal with, but the need for the whole Government
to tackle access to finance and retail crime—the things that make
a difference. I will be delighted to make sure that my hon.
Friend gets the meeting that he requests with my officials, so we
can continue to do that important work.
Small businesses in my constituency are keen to play their part
in the Government's growth agenda, but they tell me that they
have been priced out of trading in Farnborough town centre
because of rising costs. Will the Secretary of State join me in
congratulating the Federation of Small Businesses, which this
September celebrates its 50th year of supporting small businesses
in the UK? What is his Department doing to ensure that small
businesses that want to trade on the high street are supported to
do so?
I also welcome my hon. Friend to her place. I was pleased to meet
her at the Farnborough air show, of which I am sure her community
is extremely proud. I also extend birthday wishes to the
Federation of Small Businesses, with which we work very closely,
particularly on policies on issues such as late payments. I am
always aware of the FSB's incredible coverage; it has over
150,000 members across the country. Of course, the FSB began in
Blackpool, so it is another great thing that the north-west of
England has given this country.
West Lancashire is rich in small and medium-sized enterprises and
boasts several markets, but local business owners and market
traders tell me that a lack of access to cash banking services is
a major obstacle to growing their businesses and is placing
additional costs on trading. How are the Government planning to
support SMEs' access to cash banking services, especially in
rural areas?
This issue is important to Members in all parts of the country,
but I recognise my hon. Friend's particular point about
prosperous rural economies. Access to banking and financial
services is a prime example of the fact that the Government will
work across every Department to make sure we are giving
businesses what they need. I am not nostalgic, and I understand
that banking has changed, but small businesses need to be able to
deposit cash on the high street. The key policy in this area will
be run by the Treasury, but this is about changing the
eligibility for banking hubs, so that we have more of them. We
will see at least an additional 350 in this Parliament, including
in my constituency; tomorrow, I will take a sneak peek at the new
banking hub in Stalybridge.
Mr (Old Bexley and Sidcup)
(Con)
Under the Labour Mayor of London's proposals, many small
businesses that drive vans via the Blackwall tunnel will soon
have to pay charges of up to £40 a day—the congestion charge, the
ultra low emission zone charge, and the Mayor's new tunnel tax.
Do the Government agree that this is neither fair nor good for
economic growth?
I thank the hon. Member for raising a matter that is important to
his constituency. My Department works very closely with a range
of devolved arrangements around the UK, and it is important to
work with them with respect and good faith. This question is
clearly for the Mayor of London, but I recognise the hon.
Member's point. We always take heed of the aggregate impact on
business of everything at every level of government, which is why
having an industrial strategy and a small business plan is
key.
(Glastonbury and Somerton)
(LD)
Small businesses in the south-west have a huge role to play in
growing the economy. However, the latest south-west small
business index score, which measures the confidence of small
businesses, has declined by 23%—there has been a fall of 30
points since the last quarter. Will the Minister meet me to
discuss how we can support small businesses across the
south-west?
Business confidence was strengthened considerably across the
United Kingdom as a whole following the general election and the
return to some political stability, which businesses of every
size have sorely missed over recent years. However, I hear the
hon. Lady's point about her area and region, which is an
important priority for me. I will ensure she gets the meeting she
needs, so we can have a conversation about how we can work
together to give people in her area a platform for success.
Mr (Mid Leicestershire)
(Con)
What action is the Government taking to support small and
medium-sized businesses in getting access to finance, so that
they can grow for the future?
I thank the hon. Member for that question. That is a key issue.
There have been positive developments in recent years,
particularly through the work of the British Business Bank. The
Government feel that the landscape for public finance
institutions is now quite busy. The key policy is to ensure that
the national wealth fund aligns with priorities in this area,
expands the work that has been done, and ensures consistency, so
there is a ready way for businesses to understand what can
sometimes be a confusing landscape. Also, policies such as that
on growth hubs will continue, so the interface for businesses is
straightforward and simple, and, fundamentally, the product to
access finance will be there when they need it.
Mr Speaker
I call the spokesperson for the Liberal Democrat party.
(Richmond Park) (LD)
It is a pleasure to see the Secretary of State at the Dispatch
Box. Recent years have seen our SMEs struggling with reams of red
tape when they attempt to trade with the rest of the world.
Reporting this week has detailed the chaos and extortionate
expense that small businesses in the agrifood industries have
been dealing with since April's introduction of the common user
charge. I appreciate that this is yet another occasion on which
the Government must deal with a mess not of their making, but
what concrete steps is the Minister taking to support and empower
our small businesses to trade internationally?
I thank the hon. Lady for her kind words. I recognise that the
Liberal Democrat manifesto shows that we have many common areas
of interest, particularly on industrial strategy and trade. Under
this Government, trade policy will match our domestic, economic
and business priorities. We will be able to reset our
relationship with the European Union because, to be frank, we are
unencumbered by some of the internal politics of the last
Government. We believe that we can make the most of opportunities
around the world. Businesses tell me, as I am sure they tell
every hon. Member here, that for many years, politics has been
driving the agenda, rather than what businesses need. That will
change, and has already begun to change. We will work with anyone
in the House who is keen to provide a platform for success on
knocking down barriers and getting businesses what they need.
Industrial Strategy
(West Bromwich) (Lab)
2. What recent progress his Department has made on introducing an
industrial strategy. (900171)
(Middlesbrough South and East
Cleveland) (Lab)
5. What recent progress his Department has made on introducing an
industrial strategy. (900175)
(Great Grimsby and
Cleethorpes) (Lab)
8. What recent progress his Department has made on introducing an
industrial strategy. (900179)
(Rochester and Strood)
(Lab)
9. What recent progress his Department has made on introducing an
industrial strategy. (900180)
(Knowsley) (Lab)
12. What recent progress his Department has made on introducing
an industrial strategy. (900183)
(Luton South and South
Bedfordshire) (Lab)
14. What recent progress his Department has made on introducing
an industrial strategy. (900186)
The Secretary of State for Business and Trade ()
It is lovely to see you in the Chair, Madam Deputy Speaker, and
it is great to see so much interest in the industrial strategy
from my hon. Friends. However, I believe Members in all parts of
the House can and should support the strategy, and we will seek
to make cross-party arrangements. The need is great. We must
improve on the UK's poor business investment performance, which
has been the lowest in the G7 for some time. We must recognise
that so much chopping and changing of policy in recent years has
been to our detriment. That will come to an end under this
Government and this industrial strategy.
The Black Country has long been a manufacturing heartland, home
to numerous businesses, large and small, that support thousands
of good-quality local jobs. Given the Government's commitment to
supporting British manufacturing, will the Minister set out how
the upcoming industrial strategy will support manufacturing
businesses in the west midlands?
It is wonderful to hear a strong and authentic voice from the
Black Country making a charge for industrial strategy; I thank my
hon. Friend for her comments. The purpose of the industrial
strategy is to capture a much greater share of the big
international investment cycles, to explain straightforwardly to
investors what those are, to provide consistency and to choose
sectors. That does not mean the sectors that are not part of the
strategy are not important, but is simply because the strategy
must have priorities in it. I think my hon. Friend will support
our choices, which will be revealed in the forthcoming weeks. Her
area will play a major role in the success of the strategy for
the whole of the country.
A key plank of our industrial strategy must be green jobs, which
Teesside is perfectly positioned to deliver. Inward investment is
important—I had a positive meeting this week with a company that
wants to invest millions in green fuel—as is backing British
manufacturers, which will require the development of the
country's skills base. Will the Minister provide assurances about
his work with the Department for Education to ensure vocational
education is protected, and British manufacturing is protected as
well?
I thank my hon. Friend for his question. Teesside is a hugely
exciting part of the country. There is so much to be proud of
there, and so much to be excited about for the future, because of
its advantages and the offer that it can make. He asks about
green jobs. I have said many times that decarbonisation cannot be
deindustrialisation; that is very important. We must recognise
that the policy mix that we have inherited is not the right one
for delivering decarbonisation, so changes will have to be made.
For any business at any level, skills and access to talent in the
labour market will always be the foundational issue. We work very
closely with our colleagues in the Department for Education. The
creation of Skills England and a better link between the skills
system and immigration are key parts of that. Moreover, changing
the apprenticeship levy to the growth and skills levy, which we
co-designed with business, shows that we are addressing this
agenda in a comprehensive way for the step change that is
required to make our policy a success.
The Secretary of State will be aware of Air Products, which
intends to invest £2 billion in northern Lincolnshire and green
hydrogen projects. Does he agree that that investment would not
only transform the south bank of the Humber, including my
constituency of Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes, bringing 1,400 new
jobs, but be an ideal project to include in the global investment
summit? Perhaps he would be interested in meeting representatives
of Air Products and me at some point.
Let me say how wonderful it is to see my hon. Friend back in her
place, representing her community and bringing with her even more
expertise from the roles that she has held and the work that she
has done in her time outside Parliament. It is a key priority for
me to ensure that good jobs in the supply chain come with the
transition that we all now support. I can tell her not only that
we are interested in Air Products, but that my colleague, the
Minister of State for Industry, already has a meeting with it
scheduled in the next few days, and we look forward to working
with my hon. Friend not just on that, but on many issues in the
weeks and months to come.
The voluntary sector had a strong voice under the previous Labour
Government, and partnership with it was key to our achievements
in office. How will my right hon. Friend ensure that the
voluntary sector has a strong voice once again under Labour, so
that we can deliver the Government's industrial strategy,
particularly as it relates to the creative industries and the
mission to ensure high-quality care for all?
It is also great to see my hon. Friend in her place. I enjoyed
working with her in her previous role in local government, and
she brings all that expertise and achievement with her to this
House.
I wish to embed our industrial strategy for the long term. I want
to focus it on long-term, sustainable, inclusive and secure
growth that will cover many sectors of the economy, as my hon.
Friend has mentioned. That will mean the Government having to
work in partnership not just with business, but with civil
society, trade unions and local and regional leaders in a way, to
be frank, that we have not been doing for some years. We will
make sure, as she requests, that that is a priority, and is
visible in the work that we do.
A Labour Government brought secure, well-paid working-class jobs
to Knowsley with Ford Halewood. My dad getting a job there
changed my family's life and lifted us out of poverty. It did the
same for thousands of families like ours. Does the Secretary of
State agree that any successful industrial strategy must provide
good-quality, unionised jobs to lift living standards in areas
such as mine?
It is also a pleasure to welcome my hon. Friend to her place, and
I thank her for those comments, with which I thoroughly agree.
This is what it is all about—good work and good wages in every
part of the country. I will work with anyone to deliver that. Her
personal story shows the difference that such a policy can make.
I often reference, for instance, the difference that Nissan's
investment made to communities in Sunderland. When such
investment is made and got right, it delivers long-term benefits
for communities and for the UK—more so perhaps than any other
policy area. If we want to address, as I do, the UK's profound
regional inequality, policies such as these are so important, so
I thoroughly endorse her comments. The industrial strategy is
only one part of the growth mission, but it is at the heart of
the pro-worker, pro-business agenda not just of my Department,
but of the whole Government.
I welcome our Labour Government's commitment to decarbonisation,
particularly for Britain's automotive industry. It is a vital
step in securing the sector's future and safeguarding
high-quality jobs, which are critical for the Vauxhall plant in
my constituency of Luton South and South Bedfordshire. Will the
Secretary of State update the House on how his Department is
working across Government, including with the Treasury and the
Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, to drive innovative
decarbonisation solutions, to ensure the success of our growth
mission?
My hon. Friend is not a new colleague, and her advocacy of the
automotive sector, particularly given her constituency interest
in Stellantis, is well known and welcome. This was a challenging
area, particularly for her constituency, that we inherited. The
previous Government had neglected engagement with the business.
Since we took office, we have had extensive engagement with
Carlos Tavares and the Stellantis team. The journey that the
automotive sector has to go on for decarbonisation presents
challenges, and there is a challenging picture across all of
Europe, but the neglect of the previous Government has ended. Not
only am I closely engaged on the issue, as are my ministerial
team, but so is the Secretary of State for Transport,
particularly in relation to the zero emission vehicle mandate—a
key area of policy for the business. We will continue that work,
and I will continue to keep my hon. Friend, and any other local
MPs, updated, as we have done to date.
(Mid Norfolk) (Con)
I welcome the Secretary of State and his team to what I think is
one of the most important Departments in Government. As a
sometimes lonely voice on the Conservative Benches advocating for
industrial strategy, I signal support for his intention. I am
sure that he agrees that the big challenge is to convert our
phenomenal science and technology leadership into sovereign
industrial supply chain leadership around this country. Having
led the strategy for life sciences—quantum, engineering biology,
fusion—may I ask whether he agrees that the key to this is
cross-departmental Whitehall work, and ensuring that we do not
end up with endless earnest, well-intended committees, but
actually engage the small businesses, entrepreneurs and investors
who are driving these sectors of tomorrow?
I genuinely thank the hon. Member for those comments, because I
am serious when I say that I believe that industrial strategy
should command support across the political spectrum. That is the
norm in a lot of comparable countries to ours. I recognise not
just the work that he did, but the number of times he did it; he
was called back repeatedly by the last Government to do that
work. I am often struck by the comments that made in the Policy Exchange
pamphlet about the lack of a supply chain for offshore wind
really benefiting Scandinavian economies, rather than ours.
There are common areas of interest, and to make this industrial
strategy more successful than the very credible approach taken by
the Conservative Government when was Prime Minister, we need it
to last longer, and for it to have consistency and permanence. I
know that the advocates and designers of that policy wanted the
chance to do that. The strategy must also be cross-departmental.
It will be led by my Department, but it cannot be solely my
Department that is engaged. I can tell the hon. Member that all
my Cabinet colleagues share our objectives and a keenness to make
this work. We do not just want strategies put on the shelf for
the short or long term; we want the strategy to make a difference
in the communities that everyone in the Chamber represents. I
welcome that cross-party support.
(Westmorland and Lonsdale) (LD)
A successful industrial strategy obviously has to include a wise
workforce strategy. In the lakes and dales of Westmorland, the
workforce is far too small for our needs and is sadly
shrinking—66% of hospitality and tourism businesses in the second
busiest visitor destination in the country are working below
capacity because they do not have enough staff. There are two
main issues: a lack of affordable places for people to live, and
an inability to bring people in from overseas. Will the Secretary
of State support the extension of housing grants to build more
social rented homes in Westmorland, and a youth mobility visa
deal with the European Union, which would allow us to bring in
people to supplement our far-too-small workforce?
The hon. Member makes a really important point. We all have
common areas of concern about the United Kingdom economy as a
whole—the poor productivity since the financial crisis, the level
of growth not delivering the living standards and public services
that we want, and the low investment figure—but there are also
specific challenges in each part of the country. The relationship
between national policy, local policy and local leadership is the
way to address those issues.
The hon. Member is an extremely skilled parliamentarian, and he
added on a couple of issues that are clearly beyond the remit of
the Department for Business and Trade—he did it very well. On the
reset of the relationship with the European Union, there are
practical, pragmatic measures that I will ask all Members to
support, particularly on the recognition of professional
qualifications, which I think could have been part of the deal,
and what we are planning for food and agricultural products, if
we can be successful in that negotiation. Those are our asks.
There will be asks from the other side, and we will have to work
with our partners to negotiate these things, but I recognise the
hon. Member's key point: yes, there are UK-wide needs, but there
are specific needs in each area, and we have to get them
right—for his area, for mine, and for everyone's present.
(Brigg and Immingham)
(Con)
Further to the question about Air Products asked by the hon.
Member for Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes (), she and I met the company
last night; as is often the case, business wants to move faster
than the Government. Will the Secretary of State give an
assurance that he will do his very best to ensure that his
Department meets the deadlines that Air Products hopes for? In a
wider context, as the hon. Lady said, northern Lincolnshire is a
prime area for the renewables sector, and the Air Products
development is key to that.
The hon. Gentleman is right to say that business is often
frustrated by the pace at which the Government can go. We are
doing a considerable amount of work on how business interfaces
with the Government as a whole, how that is managed as a
relationship, and how we can assemble the different parts of the
state in the way needed to respond to some of our big investment
opportunities.
Frankly, in the past, we have often seen the UK miss out,
particularly to, for instance, the French. The “Choose France”
policy has been fairly successful from their point of view by
taking some investments that I believe should have come to the
UK. They have got ahead of us. We have to understand that the
competitive environment that we are now in is extremely
challenging and we have missed out on things. We have to change
and get it right and better. I will work with the hon. Gentleman—
I have already highlighted the meeting scheduled with my Minister
of State—and he makes a fair point that we all recognise has to
be addressed.
(Strangford) (DUP)
I welcome the Secretary of State to his place and wish him well
in the position he now controls. In Northern Ireland we have many
businesses that can excel, but when it comes to an industrial
strategy I particularly highlight the defence sector and the
cyber-security sector. Just last Friday, my right hon. Friend the
Member for Belfast East () and I had a chance to
visit Thales in east Belfast. Staff there explained to us that
they employ almost 700 people on the site, and they also have an
apprenticeships plan that is in action and are taking on another
25 apprenticeships. When it comes to expertise, they have the
skills, experience and success, but they do not have the defence
contracts, as they have in the rest of the United Kingdom. Will
the Secretary of State say some words into the ear of the
Secretary of State for Defence to ensure that Northern Ireland
can play a bigger part when it comes to accessing those
contracts?
I absolutely agree with the strengths that the hon. Gentleman
identified; he will know that I visited Northern Ireland as the
shadow Secretary of State, partly to make that point. We are
responsible for the promotion of the defence trade, so the
relationship with the Ministry of Defence and the Secretary of
State for Defence is very strong. I will absolutely do as the
hon. Gentleman requests.
Madam Deputy Speaker ()
I call the shadow Minister.
(Orpington) (Con)
The Government have repeatedly stated that securing economic
growth is their fundamental mission, and that is, of course, an
entirely laudable aim, but the fact is that more red tape will
have the opposite effect. In the light of the right hon.
Gentleman's plans to introduce radical new labour laws, what
would he say in response to the Federation of Small Businesses,
which has made it clear that firms are increasingly worried about
the Government's proposals, fearing that they will drive up the
costs and risks of doing business and thereby reduce their
competitiveness and financial stability?
I welcome the hon. Gentleman and the new shadow ministerial team
to their posts. I have sat on those Benches in many questions
sessions and understand how it can be at times.
Businesses of all sizes overwhelmingly supported the Labour party
at the general election. How we behave in government will be
exactly how we behaved in opposition, and we will co-design
policy to ensure that. There is nothing in what we call the plan
to make work pay—the new deal for working people—that is not
already in the public domain. We had a manifesto with all that in
it.
It is important to recognise—[Interruption.] There is a bit of
chuntering coming from the Opposition Front Bench; again,
something that I am not unfamiliar with. Look at the success of
businesses in this area. Look at the businesses that already
recognise trade unions and that already pay the living wage—look
at that success. We are going to raise the employment floor, but
it will be to a level above which many UK businesses are already
operating. It is important to talk about the really successful
things that businesses are doing to make sure that their
workforces are treated with dignity and respect and get the
living standards and prosperity that Members on this side of the
House are all about delivering more of.
High Street Businesses
(Hitchin) (Lab)
3. What steps his Department is taking to help support high
street businesses.(900172)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade
()
The decline of too many high street businesses was one powerful
example of the failure of the last Government's economic record
and the cost of living crisis they caused. Working with business
and others, we are determined to breathe new life into our high
streets. In particular, we will stamp out late payments, tackle
soaring levels of retail crime and create a fairer business rates
system.
High street businesses such as Rose's café in Shefford and
Jamie's Shoe Repairs in Hitchin do so much to bring joy and life
to their high streets and make the towns and villages in my
constituency so special, but far too many high street businesses
right across my constituency have been feeling the squeeze over
recent years and just did not feel that the previous Government
had their back. What will we be doing differently to make sure
that we will always be on the side of the high street businesses
that make our communities such fantastic places to live?
First, let me take this opportunity to say how much of a pleasure
it is to see my hon. Friend back in this House; I went up to his
constituency during the by-election campaign, and his result was
one of many on election night that brought us all great
pleasure.
We set out a five-point plan when we were in opposition to
support businesses on high streets. At the heart of that was a
plan to introduce a fairer business rates system, which I know
colleagues in the Treasury are working very hard on. We also want
to tackle the high levels of retail crime that scar too many of
our high streets, and we will be bringing forward proposals on
that in due course too.
(Eastbourne) (LD)
To grow, high street businesses in Eastbourne are relying on
Government investment through initiatives such as the towns fund,
of which my town was selected to be a beneficiary. Our towns fund
board is fired up and ready to go, but still awaiting further
instructions from Government on how to proceed. Will the
Secretary of State, working with his Ministry of Housing,
Communities and Local Government colleagues, urgently update me
on whether Eastbourne's high street businesses can still expect
to benefit from the £20 million towns fund investment that they
need and deserve?
As the hon. Gentleman may know, the towns fund is the
responsibility of colleagues in MHCLG. I will happily draw his
comments to the attention of the Minister who has responsibility
for it. But we are determined to work across Government to
breathe new life into our high streets, and I am sure that the
Minister will be very interested to meet the hon. Gentleman and
take forward his concerns.
(Stoke-on-Trent Central)
(Lab/Co-op)
Whether it is better buses, more policing or city centre living,
support for our high streets ought to be a cross-Government
approach, because of the many levers that are available. Can the
Minister say a bit more about what conversations he is having
with other Departments to ensure that support for high streets
stretches across every facet of this new Labour Government?
My hon. Friend is absolutely right to say that there are policies
across the whole of Government that impact on small businesses
and particularly on high street businesses. One of the most
significant issues is the need to see a fairer business rates
system that creates better incentives for businesses to invest in
the high street, in comparison with the competition from online
giants, so we are working with colleagues in the Treasury on
that. We are working with colleagues in the Home Office to
address retail crime—there has been a huge surge in
shoplifting—which my hon. Friend knows has scarred too many high
streets. We are also working with other colleagues, as I
referenced in response to the previous question, to try to bring
forward a stronger offer to small businesses.
Sir Ashley (Bridgwater) (Con)
Small and medium-sized enterprises are the lifeblood of our high
streets, and there are many such businesses in my constituency of
Bridgwater. I understand, though, that SMEs now face paying
thousands of pounds in fines if they do not uphold the
Government's new French-style employment reforms. Will the
Minister consider exempting SMEs from any financial sanctions by
the new fair work agency?
I congratulate the hon. Gentleman on his election to this House.
I gently say that he will have heard from my right hon. Friend
the Secretary of State that we have already consulted widely with
the business community about our plans to improve rights for
employees. We did that when we were in opposition and we have
continued to do it in government. I am struck by the support that
our plans have from small businesses and high street businesses,
but we will continue to work with small businesses on the details
of those plans.
Madam Deputy Speaker ()
I call the Liberal Democrat spokesperson.
(Richmond Park) (LD)
For too long, our high streets have been hostages to an outdated
and damaging business rates system. Empty shopfronts and
shuttered windows should never become the norm in our town
centres. Small businesses in desperate need of a helping hand
will have been deeply concerned not to see any mention of
business rates system reform in the King's Speech. Can the
Minister assure us that business rates system reform is coming
soon and that, when it does, it will be a comprehensive
replacement of that damaging system?
As I have said in response to previous questions, we are looking
at that with Treasury colleagues. In opposition, we made
commitments to introduce a fairer business rates system. Work on
that is being led by Treasury colleagues, who will bring forward
proposals in due course.
UK-EU Trade
(Dulwich and West Norwood)
(Lab)
6. What steps his Department is taking to improve the UK's
trading relationship with the EU. (900177)
(Clwyd East) (Lab)
13. What steps his Department is taking to improve the UK's
trading relationship with the EU. (900184)
The Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security (Mr )
Forty-seven per cent of the United Kingdom's total trade is with
the European Union, and improving trade is a central part of the
Government's ambition to reset our relationship with Europe.
Ministers have already been engaging positively on trade issues
with our EU and member state counterparts, including EU Executive
Vice-President Dombrovskis, German Vice-Chancellor Habeck and
Italian Minister Tajani. The Government are seeking the practical
changes needed to ensure smoother trade between the United
Kingdom and Europe—for example, on mutual recognition of
professional qualifications, which have already been
mentioned.
Goods exports to the European Union are still 11% lower than in
2019, before the Brexit agreement took effect. Can the Minister
confirm that, in seeking to grow the UK economy, the Government
will take an evidence-based approach to the UK's trading
relationship with our nearest neighbours, and will take all
possible measures to remove the barriers to trade that are
holding our country back?
Mr Alexander
I thank my hon. Friend for her question and her observation on
the character of trade in recent years. There has been better
performance on services than on goods, but she is absolutely
right to recognise the fall in goods trade with the European
Union. Overall trade since 2018 has essentially flatlined. That
is why the Government are determined to reset our relationship
with the European Union more broadly. Within that broader
objective, we will look specifically at the border in order to
achieve less friction for trade.
Farmers in Clwyd East continue to raise concerns with me about
trading barriers with the EU. They feel that the current
arrangements disadvantage them, and that not enough has been done
since we left the EU to facilitate trade between British farmers
and EU countries. Will the Minister outline what steps his
Department is taking to remove those barriers and get a better
deal for the farming community of Clwyd East?
Mr Alexander
My hon. Friend is already establishing herself as a powerful
voice for all constituency interests in Clwyd East. Alas, the
concerns that she raises are not limited to that constituency.
That is why, as part of the broader resetting of our relationship
with the European Union, we are determined to tackle barriers to
trade such as those she describes in relation to farmers,
including through the negotiation of a UK-EU veterinary agreement
that will help to reduce unnecessary border checks.
Madam Deputy Speaker ()
I call the shadow Minister.
(Kingswinford and South
Staffordshire) (Con)
I welcome the Minister back to the House and back to the
Government Front Bench. On the final sitting day before recess,
the Secretary of State slipped out an announcement that he
expected trade talks to begin with a number of countries this
autumn, and the Minister has just confirmed the intention to open
talks with the European Union. When can we expect the Government
to publish their negotiating objectives for scrutiny by the House
ahead of those talks, as demanded by the Select Committee and
committed to by the previous Government?
Mr Alexander
I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for his kind words of welcome
both to this House and to the Dispatch Box. I hope that we will
be able to exchange in exactly this kind of constructive dialogue
in the months and years ahead. Clearly, we inherited a number of
open negotiating mandates from the previous Government—not least
in relation to the Gulf Co-operation Council and to India—and we
are carefully reviewing those mandates, but we have already been
clear that, as well as resetting the relationship with the
European Union, we are keen to pursue essentially a twin-track
strategy, whereby we take forward the work in relation to those
free trade agreements.
Inward Investment
(Earley and Woodley) (Lab)
7. What steps he is taking to attract inward
investment.(900178)
The Minister for Industry ()
I thank my hon. Friend for her question, and welcome her and her
expertise to this House. As she knows, investment by private
corporations was the lowest in the G7 for almost all of the last
Parliament, and the new Government are determined to reverse that
decline. That begins with economic stability, something every
business we talk to is crying out for. It involves the
development of our industrial strategy, the levers to encourage
investment, the national wealth fund, the British jobs bonus and
the Industrial Strategy Council, which will provide the
infrastructure that investors can understand and deal with. Next
month, we will host the international investment summit with 300
industry leaders, demonstrating our mission of long-term growth,
and because there is not a moment to lose, I am going to Italy
tomorrow to meet key Italian investors to the UK and show that
Britain is back.
I thank the Minister for her remarks, and wish her the best of
success on her trip tomorrow. One of Europe's best-performing
sites for foreign direct investment in the life sciences is the
Thames valley, including my constituency of Earley and Woodley,
and our local hospital trust—the Royal Berkshire NHS foundation
trust—recently became the first in the country to be awarded for
world-class excellence in its clinical research. Will the
Minister meet with me, local life science businesses and hospital
staff to discuss how to accelerate investment in our life
sciences industrial cluster?
I thank my hon. Friend for championing such a vital sector—our
most recent data shows that UK life sciences employs over 300,000
people, generating a turnover of over £100 billion. With the NHS
back on its feet under this new Government, working hand in hand
with life sciences, research institutions and others, we can
drive the development of new treatments and help grow our
industries. Of course, I would love to meet with my hon.
Friend.
(South Antrim) (UUP)
The Minister has expressed the importance of life sciences. Can I
seek her assurance that Northern Ireland is part of that trade
mission as well, especially as it relates to my constituency?
Also, regarding the Minister for Trade Policy and Economic
Security's statement about removing barriers to trade, can I ask
this Government to ensure that there are no EU barriers to trade
when it comes to promoting businesses in Northern Ireland? Those
businesses want to thrive, flourish, and be part of this United
Kingdom's outreach in regards to business and investment across
the United Kingdom and, indeed, the world.
Of course, Northern Ireland is incredibly important to our plans
and to us. In opposition, many of us went to Northern Ireland and
met with businesses. I certainly did: I met with the Chamber of
Commerce and talked about the opportunities for the future in
Northern Ireland. I will meet with the Secretary of State for
Northern Ireland next week to talk about some of these issues,
and I hope the hon. Gentleman will be reassured that we will do
what we can to grow jobs, skills and investment and make sure
there are no barriers to trade.
Employment Rights
(Newcastle-under-Lyme)
(Lab)
10. What steps his Department is taking to strengthen employment
rights. (900181)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade
()
We have already taken a number of steps to improve employment
rights in this country. We have written to the Low Pay Commission
to ask it to end the discriminatory age bands, so that all adults
will be paid the same minimum wage rates. We have also asked it
to look at including the cost of living when setting future wage
rates, and have announced that we will repeal the unconscionable
and unworkable Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Act 2023, but
there will be more. We will transform workers' rights in this
country, and will introduce the employment rights Bill within 100
days of taking office, as we promised.
I thank the Minister for setting out just how much this
Government are on the side of workers in our country. Can I ask
him to gently remind the Secretary of State that there is a pint
waiting for him at the Bridge Street Ale House in
Newcastle-under-Lyme from the owner, Grum Newbury? The people of
Newcastle-under-Lyme believe in hard work, decency, respect and
dignity at work, so can the Minister set out what this new
Government are doing to end the exploitative use of zero-hours
contracts in north Staffordshire and across our country?
My hon. Friend is right: the explosion of zero-hours contracts in
this country has been shameful. Over 1 million people are now on
zero-hours contracts, and one in five of those people report that
they would like to be able to get more hours of work, so we are
going to end the uncertainty of zero-hours contracts. We are
going to make sure that work pays, and we are going to give those
people a legal right to a contract that reflects the number of
hours they regularly work over a 12-week period.
Madam Deputy Speaker ()
I call the shadow Secretary of State.
(Thirsk and Malton)
(Con)
I welcome the Secretary of State and his Ministers to their
places. The Secretary of State seems to imply that businesses are
comfortable with his changes to the workplace, but this morning I
and my fellow shadow Ministers met business representative
organisations that are far from comfortable with the changes he
is making, such as day one employment rights, a four-day week, a
right to switch off and a higher and broader national living
wage, as well as changes to business taxes, including in relation
to business property relief, and the fair work agency. Does he
not realise—do his Ministers not realise—that until he brings
forward the detail on these plans, businesses' recruitment and
investment plans are completely on hold? When will he bring
forward those plans?
I thank the shadow Secretary of State for his question. I just
remind him that he has to direct the question to the Minister
responding—I am sure we will get there in the end.
I also remind the shadow Secretary of State that during the
general election, the front page of The Times had 120 businesses
supporting the Labour party in full knowledge of our plans to
make work pay. We are consulting regularly and frequently—almost
on a daily basis—with businesses about how the plans will work. I
am afraid that the shadow Secretary of State has spent the summer
putting out scaremongering statements about what this all means.
In fact, the only statement he made over the summer on which I
agreed with him was that his party deserved to lose the general
election.
The Minister talks about statements, so I will read him some. The
Federation of Small Businesses says its members view these
measures with “trepidation”. The Institute of Directors says that
confidence is fizzling out, with the biggest one-month drop on
record. The Recruitment and Employment Confederation says that
these changes
“risked fuelling long, complex litigation”
for businesses defending themselves at employment tribunals. Will
he—and the Secretary of State—at least consider exempting small
and medium-sized enterprises from these ruinous, French-style
regulations?
Again, I have to point out that I am not the Secretary of
State—perhaps one day.
We heard all these arguments 20 years ago with the minimum wage.
Conservative Members were wrong about that, and they are wrong
about this. I just hope they are a bit quicker to come round to
realising that this country is going to prosper with improved
workers' rights, working in partnership with businesses to
improve the economy for the benefit of everyone.
Electric Vehicles: Chinese Share of Market
(Farnham and Bordon)
(Con)
11. What steps his Department is taking with Cabinet colleagues
to mitigate the potential risks posed by the Chinese share of the
electric vehicle market.(900182)
The Minister for Industry ()
China's role in the automotive industry is growing, and that
invites risks and opportunities. We are working closely with
other Government Departments, as the hon. Gentleman would expect,
to analyse how this impacts the UK. Where we need to act, we will
do so, and any action taken on Chinese electric vehicles has to
be the right one, including for our UK industry.
I thank the Minister for her response, but could she outline the
Department's wider strategy on challenging China's global
monopoly on critical minerals, including lithium, much of which
is extracted by forced labour?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for his supplementary question. As I
said, we are working closely with our colleagues across
Government to make sure we have the right intelligence and can
make the right decisions where we need to act. He will be aware
that other countries are introducing tariffs and taking a range
of measures. Our sectors are very different from those of other
countries—we are not the same as the US or the EU—and we need to
respond in the right way when it comes to electric vehicles. For
example, 80% of the vehicles we manufacture in the UK are
exported, so our challenges are different.
However, the hon. Gentleman is right to raise these important
issues, including the need to look at critical minerals and
supply chains, and at how we can ensure we are getting as many
parts as possible from countries with which we want to have a
different relationship. That is why we have set up things such as
the solar taskforce to ensure that when it comes to solar panels,
for example, we are using the supply chains as best we can to
make sure there is not a global monopoly and that we are
economically secure as a country.
Madam Deputy Speaker ()
I call the shadow Minister.
Greg (Mid Buckinghamshire) (Con)
What we have this morning is another chapter in the growing theme
of what the Government said before the election and what they are
doing after the election being entirely different things. The
Chancellor of the Exchequer talked in May about reliance on
Chinese EVs undercutting British workers and leaving us exposed,
but by July she was talking about the benefits of trade with
China. What we have seen in this Chamber this morning is that,
while the rest of the world—the United States, Canada, the
European Union—is acting on Chinese dominance in the EV market,
the United Kingdom Government continue to dither. What is it to
be: clear action on behalf of the UK automotive sector, or
continued dither and failing to make a decision?
I do not know whether the hon. Gentleman is aware that until
recently his party was in government, and inward investment from
China grew over four times since 2014, so I will take no lessons
from him on these issues. The automotive industry, which I work
with closely and meet regularly, has not asked for what he
suggested—
(Thirsk and Malton)
(Con)
It will do.
No, it has not. The hon. Gentleman is chuntering again from a
sedentary position. It has not asked for that. This is something
we are monitoring. We will work closely with the industry and do
the right thing, and if we need to intervene we will intervene.
As I said, the UK's economy and industry differ very much from
those of other countries, and 80% of UK auto production is
exported. It is not that we have the risk of EVs in the other
direction. The hon. Member for Mid Buckinghamshire (Greg ) needs to recognise the part that his
Government played in the development of these matters over many
years, and be reassured that we are working closely with our
colleagues to make sure we do the right thing.
Topical Questions
(Southport) (Lab)
T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental
responsibilities.(900195)
The Secretary of State for Business and Trade ()
My Department's four priorities are to reset our trade relations,
deliver a new deal for working people, support small business and
implement a mission-focused industrial strategy. In just a few
short weeks, we have begun preparing no fewer than four Bills for
the King's Speech. I have attended the G7 trade summit, and set
up the Horizon convictions redress scheme. We have ensured UK
Export Finance support for the defence of Ukraine, changed the
remit of the Low Pay Commission and organised an international
investment summit for 14 October. I have spoken to my
international counterparts, to all my colleagues in the devolved
Administrations and to several hundred business leaders. That is
how we will build the pro-innovation, pro-worker, pro-business
economy that the British people voted for.
I thank my right hon. Friend for that reply. This Government were
elected on a platform to embed economic growth and break down
barriers to opportunity. In the past couple of weeks, I have
spoken to colleges and businesses across my Southport
constituency, including our rightly famous Silcock's family
entertainment centre, to see how we can develop our skills policy
to ensure that for towns such as Southport, the best days lie
ahead. How will the Department work to support the next
generation of entrepreneurs to ensure that our economic mission
is furthered?
I hope you will allow me, Madam Deputy Speaker, to pay tribute to
my hon. Friend after what his community has been through, and the
incredible way that he stepped up to represent that community.
That is something we would all like to acknowledge.
The points that my hon. Friend makes are right: small businesses,
entrepreneurs and start-ups are essential to our economic
success, in Southport and in every part of the UK, and the
support we will give them covers advice, guidance and training.
On his point about skills, that is why we have established Skills
England. If we want entrepreneurs to take real risks with their
own property and income, we must give them stability. We cannot
change policy every year; we cannot elect as Prime Minister and expect people to take those
risks. The stability and consistency we will bring is as
important as the policy environment we will create to do exactly
what my hon. Friend says.
Madam Deputy Speaker ()
I call the shadow Minister.
(Broadland and Fakenham)
(Con)
When dealing with the Post Office Horizon scandal, does the
Secretary of State understand that by sitting on the letters
informing Horizon victims that their convictions have been
quashed, the Department is exacerbating the trauma of this
terrible injustice? After two months in office, I understand that
fewer than one in six letters have been sent. When does he plan
to get a grip on the situation?
I welcome the hon. Gentleman to his place. We have been in office
for two months, and we have already set up the Horizon
convictions redress scheme. Indeed, I was pleased to work with
the former Minister, the hon. Member for Thirsk and Malton
(), on creating the legal
environment necessary to do that. The letters are an issue for
the Ministry of Justice and its database. We have not sat on
anything, and we have moved at pace to give people the
compensation they deserve. We will continue to do that, and to
work with those on the Opposition Front Bench to deliver what we
all want to see.
(Hendon) (Lab)
T3. Many of my constituents in Hendon rely on the national
minimum wage, but as we know from research, employers got away
with failing to pay that wage to more than one in five workers
who were due it under the last Government. Can the Secretary of
State tell the House what steps his Department is taking to
reverse that shameful legacy of weak enforcement?(900197)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade
()
The introduction of the minimum wage was one of the proudest
achievements of the last Labour Government, but for too long the
UK's labour market enforcement system has been fragmented and
ineffective. That is bad for workers and bad for the majority of
businesses that want do to the right thing and comply with the
law. That is why we will create a fair work agency to bring
together employment rights enforcement, including of the minimum
wage.
Madam Deputy Speaker ()
I remind Members that these are topical questions, so can we have
short questions and short answers?
Sir (Goole and Pocklington)
(Con)
T2. Can I bring the Secretary of State back to the issue of the
postmasters who have not received their letters? There have been
battles across this House, but those on all sides support fast
responses to the postmasters. , the erstwhile Member for North
Durham, is no longer with us in the House, but he and I and many
others fought this battle. I am sorry to say to the Secretary of
State that in saying, “It is another Department,” he says what we
have heard too many times. We hear it is another Department,
another piece of the organisation or another set of lawyers, but
it is his job to make this happen. Can he please do so
quickly?(900196)
I thank the right hon. Member for his role, which I have referred
to in the past and has been important in these matters. I am not
passing the buck to anyone; I am simply saying that it is the
Ministry of Justice, rather than me, that sends those letters
out. As of 30 August, 130 letters have been sent out, quashing
more than 370 convictions. I think that is real progress since
the election. It is not fast enough for me, and we will continue
to push that. We are working closely with the Northern Irish and
Scottish Administrations, because of the devolved nature of
justice, exactly as he would expect. I can assure him that this
matter was a priority for me in opposition, and it will continue
to be a priority for me in government.
(Runcorn and Helsby)
(Lab)
T4. I welcome the ministerial team to their places. Business
rates are a broken system that has hollowed out many high streets
up and down the country. We are rightly committed to radically
reforming that. What recent discussions have Ministers had with
the Treasury to make sure that we do that at pace? Will a
Minister meet me so that I can establish a banking hub in my
Runcorn and Helsby constituency?(900198)
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade
()
I would be happy to meet my hon. Friend to discuss the question
about a banking hub in his constituency. As he will have heard in
answers that I gave earlier, reform of the business rates system
to tackle some of the egregious disincentives in respect of the
need to invest in our high streets and the competition from
online giants is something we took seriously in opposition and
continue to take seriously in government. Colleagues in the
Treasury are working hard to bring forward proposals to reform
the business rates system.
Madam Deputy Speaker ()
I remind Members to speak through the Chair.
(North Shropshire) (LD)
T7. Rural businesses in the agricultural, horticultural and
equine sectors in North Shropshire are struggling to trade with
Europe. Will the Secretary of State update us on progress on
making a sanitary and phytosanitary agreement and a veterinary
agreement with the EU, so that they can trade without all the red
tape that is bogging them down?(900201)
The Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security (Mr )
I assure the hon. Lady that the SPS agreement—the veterinary
agreement, as it is called—is one of the priorities we are
pursuing. That matter is being led by the Cabinet Office, as is
the reset with the European Union. I assure her that dialogue is
under way between the Department for Business and Trade, the
Cabinet Office and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs. It is a priority. It will take time to reset, but I
assure her that we are fully aware of the urgency.
(Great Grimsby and
Cleethorpes) (Lab)
T5. Are there any plans to crack down on the dodgy vape shops
that are damaging the appearance of our high streets? Is
consideration being given to improving trading standards to
protect our young people and children who are exploited by these
premises?(900199)
Good product regulation and public confidence in our system are
important across the board for every sector of the economy. My
hon. Friend will have seen the Product Regulation and Metrology
Bill in the King's Speech. It will give powers to the UK
Government to regulate in a range of fields. What she raises is
exactly the kind of area we will be able to consider and debate
in more detail.
Dr (Solihull West and
Shirley) (Con)
T8. Postmasters in my constituency, like many others, have had
their lives adversely affected by errors in the Horizon IT
system. When does the Secretary of State anticipate that the
Horizon shortfall scheme appeal process will be fully
operational?(900202)
I thank the hon. Member for his interest in this incredibly
important issue and the work, which he will be aware of, that
ensured that we got to this point. I think this is the biggest
miscarriage of justice in British history, and the moves to
provide some form of redress are extremely important.
We have moved at pace to put the scheme in place. We were able to
do so because of the legislation we got through in the wash-up at
the end of the last Parliament. The hon. Member will have heard
what I said about the letters that we got out to get that
information to people. [Interruption.] What was that? We will
take that up offline. I welcome his interest and will continue to
work with him on it.
(Kensington and Bayswater)
(Lab)
T6. Businesses—especially creative industries—in Kensington and
Bayswater tell me that they are fed up with the adversarial
relationship we have had with the EU and the pointless red tape
and trade barriers that have come with it. Will the Minister
outline what steps the Government are taking to address that
challenge?(900200)
Mr
The reset, of which we have spoken today, is fundamentally about
turning the page and reinvigorating our alliance with our
friends, neighbours and partners in the European Union. As well
as securing a broad-based security pact and tackling barriers to
trade, we aim to build stronger and wider co-operation in a whole
range of areas including foreign and defence policy, irregular
migration, law enforcement and judicial co-operation, while
promoting climate, energy and economic security.
Sir Iain Duncan (Chingford and Woodford Green)
(Con)
I ask this question on the basis that I am sanctioned by the
Chinese Government for having raised the evidence of genocide and
slave labour in Xinjiang. We know that the vast majority of
polysilicon is now produced in Xinjiang using slave labour. Will
the Secretary of State give the undertaking that, as required
under section 54(11) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015, there will
be no use of any solar arrays that have polysilicon in them made
under slave labour in Xinjiang?
I give the right hon. Gentleman an absolute assurance that I
would expect and demand there to be no modern slavery in any part
of a supply chain that affects products or goods sold in the UK.
He is right to say that under the Modern Slavery Act, which was
put in place by a previous Conservative Government, any business
with a turnover above £36 million needs to have a reporting
regime around that. I promise him that, where there are specific
allegations, I will look at those to ensure that. It is an area
where we have existing legislation, and indeed we would go
further if that was required.
(Rochdale) (Lab/Co-op)
T9. The Secretary of State pledged to be the most accessible
Business Secretary, so will he give us an update on his most
recent business engagement? May I also invite him to meet me, the
Rochdale Development Agency and the Rochdale business improvement
district to discuss our exciting plans for advanced manufacturing
in Rochdale and for town centre regeneration?(900203)
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that question. I meet
businesses every day, and my most recent engagement was the
breakfast we did on our plans to make work pay, where businesses
themselves were pointing out the things they are doing because
they value and care for their workforce and will invest in them.
The issue in Rochdale he refers to is close to my heart as a
Member of Parliament from just down the road in Tameside. I will
of course have that meeting with him and continue to work closely
with him to deliver on his objectives.
(East Antrim) (DUP)
As part of the Government's net zero strategy, car manufacturers
are expected to produce 22% of their cars as electric vehicles
and face a £15,000 penalty for every car by which they fall short
of that. The target is expected to be missed by 100,000 cars this
year because of consumer resistance. The effect on the car
industry is that producers are restricting supplies of petrol
cars to retailers, and some are threatening to pull out of the UK
market altogether. In the light of consumer resistance, will the
Secretary of State look again at the target set, since consumers
are clearly not going to be forced to purchase cars they do not
want, and producers will be forced to try to get rid of cars they
cannot sell?
I am grateful to the right hon. Member for that question. The
policy to which he refers—the zero emission vehicle mandate—and
its penalties as we ramp up to the phasing out of petrol and
diesel vehicles is actually a Department for Transport policy of
the previous Government. We supported it, because there is no
point in having an objective to phase out petrol and diesel
vehicles without a corresponding ramping up of regulation to do
that.
There is an issue with consumer demand, which affects all of
Europe. We are working closely on that. Under the policies of the
last Government, there are flexibilities—things that can be
transferred from one financial year to the next. We keep
everything under close review, but we are committed to the
transition. That is essential to industry and consumer confidence
and making sure that that happens. Every country in the world has
similar policies. This is an ongoing transition, and we are
absolutely going to make it work for British industry.
(Liverpool Walton) (Lab)
T10. I thank the Secretary of State for his visit to the Spellow
library hub on County Road in my constituency in the days after
the riots. He saw the challenges that the area faces. We need
support to deliver a vibrant high street, big investment in new
housing and delivery on skills and employment. Will he work with
Cabinet colleagues and the local city council to ensure that, by
the end of this Parliament, real improvement has been delivered
for the residents of County Road?(900204)
I thank my hon. Friend for his question and for hosting me when I
visited after the riots. I extend all my sympathies to the
businesses affected. There is no excuse under any circumstances
for looting shops, or in this case burning down a library. I was
very much affected by my visit. He knows that we work very much
in collaboration with the Association of British Insurers to
ensure that claims are processed quickly. By now, I hope that
businesses are aware that if they are underinsured or uninsured,
help is still available to them under the Riot Compensation Act
2016, the details of which are on the gov.uk website.
(Twickenham) (LD)
One Air is a small and growing cargo airline based in my
constituency, which is having to deal with huge amounts of
additional red tape and costs as a result of the Brexit deal and
the end of reciprocal arrangements with the EU. Can the Secretary
of State give an assurance that, when Ministers negotiate mutual
recognition of professional qualifications, the aviation sector
will be included?
I can give the hon. Lady that reassurance. The aviation sector
often complains about the lack of recognition, particularly
relating to pilots. There is mutual interest in this area, and it
could be a solid basis for negotiation. We can never promise the
outcome of negotiations, but I can promise her that it is a
priority for us.
(Harlow) (Lab/Co-op)
I welcome my right hon. Friend to his place. Before the election
I met fruit growers in Nazeing and more recently farmers in
Hatfield Broad Oak, both in my constituency, who raised concerns
about hiring seasonal workers caused by Britain's exit from the
EU. What can his Department do to address that issue?
I recognise the point that my hon. Friend raises. Our reforms to
zero-hours contracts will not affect seasonal labour—we recognise
that it is an important part of the labour market. Additional
burdens have been placed on businesses because of Brexit, as he
outlined. We do not want to relitigate the arguments of the past,
but we believe that we can make tangible improvements for
businesses in his area and for everyone.
(Tipton and Wednesbury)
(Lab)
My right hon. Friend will be aware of the disgraceful
union-busting tactics and intimidation employed by Amazon against
GMB members seeking union recognition at the Amazon warehouse in
Coventry. Despite more than 1,000 votes in favour, union
recognition was lost by just 28 votes. What steps is he taking to
ensure that workers, such as the brave and determined GMB
activists at Amazon, can more easily win union recognition?
I draw the House's attention to my proud membership of the GMB
trade union. We believe that businesses work best when they give
workers a voice through a recognised trade union. I would be very
interested to hear more about what has happened at the Amazon
warehouse in Coventry. The Government will look closely at that
as part of our plan to make work pay. We will simplify the
process and laws around statutory recognition.
(Warwick and Leamington)
(Lab)
Last weekend, hundreds of thousands of Oasis fans were left
angered by the notion of dynamic pricing—a concern that we are
seeing across the wider economy. Does the Minister agree that we
need an urgent review of such price gouging systems?
That certainly took the nation's interest in more than one way.
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has already announced
a review into it, and we will look at secondary pricing. The
whole system needs urgent reconsideration, and we understand that
the Competition and Markets Authority is looking into the matter,
too.
(Birmingham Hodge Hill and
Solihull North) (Lab)
What thought has the Secretary of State given to attending the
inquiry? The Post Office scandal
is unfinished business. It is now vital that we not only learn
the lessons, but accelerate redress for the innocent and,
crucially, punish the guilty fast.
I am very grateful to my right hon. Friend for that question. As
a new Secretary of State, the inquiry and the whole issue has
affected deeply how I believe accountability and power should be
considered in the roles we have as Ministers. It comes on the
back of what we heard about Grenfell yesterday, and what we have
heard about Bloody Sunday and Hillsborough. I believe that,
although this is essentially a legacy issue, it is exactly the
agenda that we have on coming into these jobs. The future of the
Post Office must be linked to the inquiry not just in terms of
redress, but in how the business model works better for
sub-postmasters. I do not believe that this has been put into the
public domain yet, but I have received a request to attend the
inquiry. I will, of course, do so, and believe it is an essential
way to put across what we will take from that inquiry and our
plans for long-term reform in the future.
