Written questions by Mayer.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the UK-India free trade agreement on levels of investment in (a) Bedfordshire, (b) the East of England and (c) the UK.

This comprehensive agreement is expected to boost increase bilateral trade by £25.5 billion, increase UK GDP by £4.8 billion and boost wages by £2.2 billion each and every year in the long run.This deal is expected to make trade between the UK cheaper and easier, which could encourage more businesses to expand and invest. In the East of England, science and technology hubs like Bedford will benefit from reduced tariffs on technologies such as medical devices, alongside improved customs processes.We will set out further information on the regional impacts of this agreement in our Impact Assessment.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to (a) improve toy safety and (b) protect children’s health.

Government is committed to ensuring that only safe products can be sold. Under the Toys (Safety) Regulations 2011, all toys placed on the market must meet essential safety requirements. Following the Government Response to the Product Safety Review, government intends to perform sector reviews of product regulation and will also consider how cross-cutting hazards may impact consumer safety.Government recently introduced the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill. The Bill powers will allow us to reflect modern supply chains and create a proportionate regulatory framework to ensure UK consumers are protected from risk, regardless of product origin or where purchased.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of US tariffs on the bus and coach sector.

Buses and coaches are exempt from the additional 25% tariffs the US is imposing on the automotive sector. However, they are still included in the 10% baseline tariffs, posing challenges for businesses. In March 2025, the Minister for Local Transport launched the UK Bus Manufacturing Expert Panel, regularly bringing together industry experts to ensure the UK remains a leader in bus manufacturing. This government is committed to supporting the automotive sector, a crucial part of our manufacturing base. While preparing for all scenarios, our priority is to strengthen our economic relationship with the US through constructive discussions.

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on improving public transport for construction workers accessing the site of the future Universal theme park.

The Government worked closely with Universal Destinations & Experiences to secure its first investment in Europe, which could be worth £50 billion in economic benefits, and create an estimate 28,000 jobs in the creative, hospitality and construction sectors. The Government will continue to work with Universal and other organisations involved in the delivery of this project to ensure operations are sustainable, which will include enabling construction and other workers to access the site via public transport.

What steps his Department is taking to (a) protect and (b) support trade unions in (i) Bedfordshire, (ii) the East of England and (iii) the UK.

The government believes that trade unions play a vital role in ensuring that workers have a genuine voice at work and have the ability to act collectively. The Employment Rights Bill represents the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation. Through the Bill, we will update trade union legislation to reduce unnecessary re-strictions on trade union activity, streamline the trade union recognition process, introduce a new right of access framework and enhance the rights and protections for trade union representatives. These reforms will help ensure that industrial relations are based on good faith negotiation and collective bargaining.

What steps his Department is taking to support business and trade in market towns.

Government values the historic role of market towns in the economic and social life of the United Kingdom and is focused on its plan to breathe life back into our high streets.This means addressing anti-social behaviour and crime, stamping out late payments, empowering communities to make the most of vacant properties, strengthening the Post Office network, and reforming business rates. We are also working with the banking industry to roll out banking hubs, to ensure essential banking services are maintained for businesses and residents.To drive further progress, we will publish a Small Business Strategy Command Paper later this year.

What discussions his Department has had with the Post Office on the number of expressions of interest for remaining directly-managed Crown Post Office branches.

As the Minister responsible for the Government's interest in Post Office Limited, I meet regularly with the CEO and Chair of Post Office to discuss various issues related to Post Office Limited, including directly managed branches. My officials also meet ...

What steps his Department is taking to support the cold chain sector with (a) resilience and (b) preparedness for potential disruption as a result of (i) heat waves, (ii) power loss and (iii) cyberatta

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) works with other departments and industry to proactively mitigate the risks and impacts of unplanned power outages, cyber-attacks, and severe weather events like heatwaves, through ongoing horizon-scanning, data...

How many DVLA photocard renewals were made at a Crown Post Office last year.

According to the Post Office, the number of DVLA photocard renewals made at Directly Managed Branches for the 2023/2024 Financial Year was 55,014. Across the total network, the number of DVLA photocard renewals made for the same Financial Year was 525,827...

How many Crown post offices make a profit.

Directly Managed Branches are loss-making for the Post Office. As such, Post Office has been clear that it’s their ambition to operate the network on a fully franchised basis in time, as they believe that this is a more sustainable model. The Post Office'...

How many Security Industry Authority licence applications were made at a Crown Post Office last year.

According to the Post Office, the number of Security Industry Authority (SIA) licence applications made at Directly Managed Branches for the 2023/2024 Financial Year was 15,150. Across the total network, the number of SIA licensed applications made for th...

How many Paper Check and Send for (a) new and (b) renewal Passports appointments were made at Crown Post offices in the last year for which figures are available.

As it is not possible to categorise Paper Check & Send applications by whether they are ‘New’ or ‘Renewal’, the Post Office have also shared their statistics for Digital Check & Send applications. The number of Passport Paper Check & Send appl...

If his Department will bring forward legislative proposals to strengthen the duties of online marketplaces to protect consumers.

Online marketplaces, like other traders, will be required to comply with new laws arising from the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act, which the Government is currently implementing and updates the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regul...

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2024 to Question 9980 on Products: Labelling, if his Department will make an estimate of the number of items of (a) furniture and (b) other products that have been

Animal testing of chemical substances is prohibited in all but a very limited number of circumstances where it is essential for the protection of human and animal health or environmental safety, as prescribed by the REACH Regulation. Therefore, where test...

If his Department will introduce an enforceable liability provision in legislation to ensure that consumers can seek redress for defective products bought via online marketplaces.

The UK’s product liability legislation has been in place since 1987. My department is undertaking a review of this legislation and, as part of the review, we will consider the range and types of products that should be in scope, given recent technological...

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing mandatory labelling on (a) furniture and (b) other products that have been tested on animals.

Animal testing of chemical substances is prohibited in all but a very limited number of circumstances where it is essential for the protection of human and animal health or environmental safety, as prescribed by the REACH Regulations. As a result, there a...

What steps his Department is taking to limit the number of dangerous toys sold by third-party sellers on online marketplaces.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards leads a national programme of regulatory action to tackle risks from unsafe and non-compliant goods from online marketplaces. This includes test purchasing products, including toys, to assess compliance and remo...

What discussions the Joint Committee established by the bilateral Free Trade Agreement between the Faroe Islands and the United Kingdom has had about whale and dolphin hunts.

The Government is strongly opposed to the hunting of whales and dolphins. The Department for Business and Trade utilises the opportunities provided by the UK-Faroe Islands Free Trade Agreement to engage the Faroese government on this important matter. The...

Whether he is taking steps to ensure commitments to academic freedom are discussed in the negotiation of trade agreements.

The Department for Business and Trade are currently assessing progress across the programme of Free Trade Agreements (FTA) currently under negotiation and determining which matters will be raised in negotiations. The Department's trade deals will be aligned with our industrial strategy and designed to bring prosperity to communities across the country and fulfil our mission of securing the highest sustained growth in the G7.The UK maintains the right to regulate public services, including the education sector, in all our trade agreements. FTA commitments typically do not prevent treaty partners from imposing domestic restrictions on academic freedom.