Written questions by Pinkerton.

What steps his Department is taking to support victims of the Post Office scandal in Surrey Heath constituency.

As of 30 September 2025, approximately £1,229 million has been paid in total redress to over 9,100 claimants across all Horizon redress schemes. This represents a more than fivefold increase since July 2024, with more than 6,300 victims receiving compensation for the first time.We are taking a variety of measures to increase the pace of the delivery of redress across our schemes. This includes launching the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS) and Horizon Shortfall Scheme Appeals process, committing to providing first offers on receipt of detailed claims within 40 working days.We continue to seek the views of the Horizon Compensation Advisory Board to ensure fairness and consider ways we can speed up redress.

What steps his Department is taking to help (a) tackle unfair purchasing practices and (b) protect (i) suppliers and (ii) workers in fashion industry supply chains in Surrey Heath.

The Government expects all UK companies to respect human rights, workers’ rights and the environment throughout their operations and supply chains in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines for Responsible Business Conduct (RBC). If there are concerns related to a multinational enterprise contravening the OECD Guidelines, a case can be raised with the Office for Responsible Business Conduct. In the Trade Strategy, the Government also launched a review into the UK’s approach to RBC, focused on tackling human rights and labour abuses, modern slavery, and environmental harms in global supply chains. This includes the fashion industry.

What steps his Department is taking to help ensure that electric vehicles are manufactured (a) sustainably and (b) with appropriate environmental considerations.

The Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan announced DRIVE35 (Driving Research and Investment in Vehicle Electrification) which will support the latest research and development, accelerate commercial scale up, and unlock capital investment in zero emission vehicles, batteries and their supply chains. This programme contributes to our net zero objectives by helping to cut millions of tonnes of CO2 emissions – both in the UK, and globally in our EV manufacturing supply chain.This Government is committed to transitioning to a circular economy and has convened a Circular Economy Taskforce of experts from industry, academia, and civil society. They are developing a series of roadmaps, including one for transport, detailing the interventions that the Government will make on a sector-by-sector basis. The Strategy will support the Government’s Missions to kickstart economic growth and make Britain a clean energy superpower.

What steps his Department is taking to support pubs in Surrey Heath constituency.

The Government recognises the vital role pubs play, including those in Surrey Heath in supporting local economies and fostering community cohesion, as well as the pressures they face.In April we established the Licensing Taskforce, bringing together representatives from the hospitality sector to help shape reforms. The Government’s response was published on 31 July, setting out a new National Licensing Policy Framework to simplify outdated rules and protect long-standing venues from noise complaints. This forms part of the recently announced Small Business Strategy, which aims to tackle late payments, boost access to finance, and remove red tape to enable small businesses, including pubs, grow and thrive.Additionally, we’re creating a fairer business rates system that protects the high street and supports investment, including permanently lower rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties under £500,000 rateable value. We’ve also launched a Hospitality Support Scheme to co-fund projects aligned with DBT and Hospitality Sector Council priorities such as Pub is The Hub to encourage local investment.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the US-UK trade deal on Northern Ireland businesses.

The UK-US economic deal protects jobs in the automotive, steel, aluminium, pharmaceutical and aerospace sectors - sectors that directly employ over 320,000 people across the UK including Northern Ireland. What we have agreed will provide the foundation for a new reciprocal trading partnership between the US and the UK, as well as secure actions that will protect jobs and businesses across the country.All along, we have continued to act in the best interests of all UK businesses which of course includes those in Northern Ireland, and we continue to engage with Northern Ireland counterparts to ensure the deal delivers for Northern Ireland business.

What steps he has taken to support young entrepreneurs in (a) creating and (b) sustaining small businesses in Surrey Heath constituency.

We will publish our Small Business Strategy later this year with a clear ambition to promote startups and encourage entrepreneurship in Surrey Heath and across the UK including amongst young people, built around the new Business Growth Service. There is a range of existing support offers available via the Business Support Service, Gov.uk, the network of local Growth Hubs across England, and The Help to Grow: Management scheme to help improve leadership, performance and management capabilities.The Government continues to support entrepreneurs with funding and mentoring through the British Business Bank, via Start-up Loans.