Written questions by Griffiths.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of taking account of recurring seasonal fluctuations in demand in the tourism and hospitality sectors when developing regulations on guaranteed hours.

Awaiting answer.

If the Department will publish an assessment of the potential impact of the guaranteed-hours provisions in the Employment Rights Act 2025 on (a) seasonal recruitment and (b) employment opportunities for people under 25 in the tourism and hospitality sectors.

Awaiting answer.

How the Government plans to help ensure that guaranteed-hours offers calculated by reference to hours worked during a seasonal peak do not require employers to provide the same hours during periods of lower seasonal demand.

Awaiting answer.

(a) what estimate he has made of the average amount owed to small and medium-sized enterprises through overdue invoices in each of the last five years, and (b) what additional financial and staffing re

The Government does not hold data on the average amount owed to SMEs in overdue invoices over the last 5 years. However, research commissioned by DBT and published last year highlighted that late payments cost the UK economy £11 billion each year, causing...

What estimate he has made of the number of small and medium-sized enterprises expected to benefit from the proposed 60-day payment limit; and whether he will publish the methodology underpinning that e

The Government has not published an estimate of how many SMEs will benefit from the 60-day maximum payment term, as impact varies across sectors, supply chains and contractual practices. The supporting evidence is set out in the Department’s Impact Assess...

What estimate his Department has made of the average annual cost per business of complying with the provisions of the Employment Rights Act 2025 by (a) business size and (b) sector.

The Government has published 29 Impact Assessments representing a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Act: Employment Rights Act 2025: impact assessments - GOV.UK. Each Impact Assessment considers the cost of the polic...

Whether his Department has made a quantitative assessment of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Act 2025 on recruitment intentions among (a) micro businesses and (b) small businesses.

The Government has published 29 Impact Assessments representing a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Act. The analysis shows that the Act could have small, positive effects on the level of employment: Employment Right...

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Act 2025 on administrative and compliance costs for (a) micro businesses employing fewer than 10 people, (b) small businesse

The Government has published 29 Impact Assessments representing a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Act: Employment Rights Act 2025: impact assessments - GOV.UK. Each Impact Assessment considers the cost of the polic...

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the cumulative potential impact of (a) changes to employer National Insurance contributions, (b) changes to the National Minimum Wage, and (c) the Emplo

The Government has published a range of analytical documents covering the policies referenced, which set out their likely impacts on businesses of different sizes.As per our Better Regulation requirements, each Impact Assessment covering the Employment Ri...

What assumptions his Department uses in relation to trade elasticities when modelling the long-term effects of UK accession to plurilateral digital trade agreements.

The Department for Business and Trade has not undertaken modelling of the long-term effects of UK accession to plurilateral digital trade agreements. Consequently, no assumptions regarding trade elasticities have been applied in this context.The OECD has published analysis on the potential economic impacts of concluding the WTO’s Joint Initiative on E-Commerce. However, this analysis is not UK-specific.

Whether his Department has updated its computable general equilibrium models to incorporate post-2024 trade flow data.

DBT uses data provided by the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) for CGE modelling. The latest publicly available data is GTAP 11 with the latest reference year 2017. As a consortium member of the Project, we have early access to forthcoming newer versions before they are published. Making use of this we used the pre-publication GTAP 12 dataset, with latest reference year 2019, for the modelling presented in the Impact Assessment of the UK-India Free Trade Agreement.

With reference to the Written Ministerial Statement published on 10 December 2025, what specific robust measures regarding trade are currently under development; and whether these measures require primary legislation to be introduced following the publication of the Steel Strategy.

The Government has committed up to £2.5 billion to rebuild the steel sector, delivered in part through the National Wealth Fund. This is in addition to the £500m we have invested in the transformation of Port Talbot.We are also committed to delivering a steel strategy. A robust position on trade is a critical element of this strategy, underpinning our approach to defending against unfair practices and global over-capacity. We are prioritising developing robust measures in light of the UK steel safeguard expiring during 2026. These measures will protect our domestic sector, ensuring its future viability and securing steel supply chains. This will follow a Call for Evidence which was open throughout July and sought views from across the steel supply chain on future steel trade measures. We will therefore publish the steel strategy in early 2026.Where required, we will work with Parliament to implement measures under domestic law.

If he will publish a timeline for the remaining milestones to be met before the Steel Strategy is presented to Parliament.

The Government has committed up to £2.5 billion to rebuild the steel sector, delivered in part through the National Wealth Fund. This is in addition to the £500m we have invested in the transformation of Port Talbot.We are also committed to delivering a steel strategy. A robust position on trade is a critical element of this strategy, underpinning our approach to defending against unfair practices and global over-capacity. We are prioritising developing robust measures in light of the UK steel safeguard expiring during 2026. These measures will protect our domestic sector, ensuring its future viability and securing steel supply chains. This will follow a Call for Evidence which was open throughout July and sought views from across the steel supply chain on future steel trade measures. We will therefore publish the steel strategy in early 2026.Where required, we will work with Parliament to implement measures under domestic law.

Whether the Treasury has approved funding required for the Steel Strategy.

The Government has committed up to £2.5 billion to rebuild the steel sector, delivered in part through the National Wealth Fund. This is in addition to the £500m we have invested in the transformation of Port Talbot.We are also committed to delivering a steel strategy. A robust position on trade is a critical element of this strategy, underpinning our approach to defending against unfair practices and global over-capacity. We are prioritising developing robust measures in light of the UK steel safeguard expiring during 2026. These measures will protect our domestic sector, ensuring its future viability and securing steel supply chains. This will follow a Call for Evidence which was open throughout July and sought views from across the steel supply chain on future steel trade measures. We will therefore publish the steel strategy in early 2026.Where required, we will work with Parliament to implement measures under domestic law.

Whether the Employment Rights Bill roadmap includes contingency measures if key stakeholders report insufficient capacity to meet implementation requirements.

The Government will continue working with businesses and trade unions throughout policy development and subsequent delivery. The timelines in our Roadmap have been carefully considered to ensure implementation works for workers and businesses of all sizes, and in all sectors. We understand that adjusting to these new reforms will take time and we are committed to ensuring that all stakeholders receive appropriate time to prepare for these changes ahead of their commencement. We will continue to work hard, including with Acas and other delivery partners to provide guidance and support so that employers aren’t left in the dark. This is the work of years, not months, and businesses will have lots of time to prepare for the changes.

What resources her Department provides to employers to help them meet compliance obligations during each stage of the Employment Rights Bill roadmap’s implementation.

The Government will continue working with businesses and trade unions throughout policy development and subsequent delivery. The timelines in our Roadmap have been carefully considered to ensure implementation works for workers and businesses of all sizes, and in all sectors. We understand that adjusting to these new reforms will take time and we are committed to ensuring that all stakeholders receive appropriate time to prepare for these changes ahead of their commencement. We will continue to work hard, including with Acas and other delivery partners to provide guidance and support so that employers aren’t left in the dark. This is the work of years, not months, and businesses will have lots of time to prepare for the changes.

What assessment she has made of the potential impact of the measures scheduled for implementation in the Employment Rights Bill on businesses in (a) 2026 and (b) 2027.

My department has published a set of Impact Assessments that provide a comprehensive analysis on the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill, including on businesses. This analysis is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessmentsThis represents the best estimate for the likely impacts given the current stage of policy development. We are refining our analysis as policy development continues, working closely with external experts, businesses and trade unions.

What criteria will be used to evaluate the phased implementation approach outlined in the Employment Rights Bill roadmap.

Our phased approach to implementation provides clarity and time to prepare, while raising standards across the board—creating a level playing field, improving staff retention, leading to a happier, more secure and productive workforce.The Government's Impact Assessments outline plans for monitoring and evaluating the impact of the Bill and subsequent secondary legislation. This will allow us to evaluate the effectiveness of the Bill’s measures in achieving its stated objectives and influence future policy making. It is important to note that many of the final impacts will depend on further policy decisions that are for secondary legislation.

What discussions he has had with business representatives on the feasibility of the commencement dates set out in the Employment Rights Bill implementation roadmap.

We have listened to and incorporated views from business, trade unions, and others in our timings to make sure implementation works for workers and employers alike. We have collaborated directly with over 190 stakeholders, working in partnership to deliver on our Plan. We have also worked closely with delivery partners such as Acas, to determine onward steps needed to implement the measures in the Bill. We will ensure employers, workers, trade unions and other stakeholders are given time to prepare for change.

On what dates (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have met with their United States counterparts since 5 November 2024.

The Department for Business and Trade holds regular engagement with US counterparts at both Ministerial and official level.