Written questions by Bennett.

What discussions he has had with the Leader of the House on the timetable for bringing forward statutory instruments to make amendments to The Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988.

I have not discussed this with the Leader of the House. As announced in the policy paper ‘The fire safety of domestic upholstered furniture’, published on January 22, the Government will bring forward amendments to the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, in advance of longer-term reforms.The SI will be laid when parliamentary time allows.

If his Department will take steps with Companies House to create a database to enable consumers to check whether builders have previously liquidated their companies and opened new businesses under a new name.

Companies House does not have any plans to build a specific database for the purpose outlined. Companies House is taking action to improve the quality of the information on the Register of Companies using powers made available by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023. The Act also provides for the compulsory identity verification of directors, persons with significant control and those acting on behalf of companies. This will ensure that consumers are able to more easily trace the previous appointments of company directors. The systems needed to enable the deployment of identity verification are currently being implemented.

What plans his Department has to introduce a licensing scheme for builders undertaking domestic building works.

This Government is working to ensure we have a high-quality and professional construction industry, with consumer protection at the heart of this. TrustMark, sponsored by the Department and licenced by the Government, is the Government Endorsed Quality Scheme that covers work a consumer chooses to have carried out in or around their home. In addition, the Building Safety Act 2022 has introduced competence requirements for both individuals and businesses working in the built environment. Any action that the Government takes on licensing to protect customers and standards needs to be robust, proportionate and evidence based.