Written questions by Griffith.

With reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports of 26 February 2025, Official Report, column 857, what his Department's timetable is for launching the business growth service.

We hope to launch the Business Growth Service (BGS) in the summer.The BGS will, over time, simplify the government’s business support ecosystem, with locally led support underpinned by an improved online service. It will help realise the government’s Small Business Strategy, complementing the Industrial Strategy, Trade Strategy and Make Work Pay plans as part of a comprehensive approach to our Growth Mission.

With reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports of 26 February 2025, Official Report, column 857, whether his Department plans to undertake public consultation before bringing forward legislative proposals to reduce late payments.

In September 2024 we announced a package of measures to help ensure small businesses are paid promptly by the large businesses they supply. This included launching a new Fair Payment Code and a commitment to including payment performance information in large companies’ annual reports, and the launch of a public consultation. We will soon be launching our public consultation on further measures to address late payments and long payment terms, including new powers for the Small Business Commissioner to tackle large businesses who pay late.

With reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports of 26 February 2025, Official Report, column 857, how many staff in his Department have been allocated to the working on the development of the new business growth service; and at what the total staff cost is for the (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26 financial years.

The Business Growth Service (BGS) and the broader plans for small business are a priority for the Department for Business and Trade. There is currently a flexible resourcing model in place to develop the Business Growth Service. As of March 2025, a small, full-time core team has been put in place dedicated to developing the BGS with a range of other teams supporting the programme in areas such as Digital, Communications, and Stakeholder Engagement. Final plans for 2025-26 are not yet available but, at launch, the BGS will encompass a much wider range of DBT staff delivering for businesses.

How many infrastructure contracts awarded by her Department since 5 July 2024 have included mandatory collective bargaining clauses.

There are no infrastructure contracts awarded by the Department since 5 July 2024 that have included mandatory collective bargaining clauses.

What proportion of public transport procurement projects contracted by her Department have included net zero requirements since 5 July 2024; and what estimate she has made of the cost of those requirements.

The Department for Transport does not record the net-zero requirements included in procurement projects.

How many public contracts awarded by the Crown Commercial Service since 5 July 2024 have included mandatory commitments to publish suppliers’ (a) gender and (b) ethnicity pay gaps.

Contracts are established between the supplier and the individual contracting authority.

What proportion of procurement training for staff in his Department since 5 July 2024 has been delivered by organisations affiliated with trade unions.

Information on supplier organisations’ affiliation with trade unions is not held.

How many public contracts awarded by his Department since 5 July 2024 have required suppliers to recognise trade unions as a condition of contract award.

The Department of Business and Trade uses Government standard contract templates and these do not contain a specific requirement to recognise trade unions as a condition of a contract award.

What steps he is taking to improve access to fertility treatments.

The Government recognises that fertility treatment across the National Health Service in England is subject to variation in access. Work continues on joint advice from the Department and NHS England about the offer around NHS-funded fertility services. Funding decisions for health services in England are made by integrated care boards and are based on the clinical needs of their local population. We expect these organisations to commission fertility services in line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, ensuring equal access to fertility treatment across England. NICE are currently reviewing these guidelines.

Pursuant the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 22722 on Fertility: Medical Treatments, whether he will make it his policy to collect these data centrally.

There are no current plans to collect these data.

Pursuant the Answer of 13 January 2025 to Question 22721 on Fertility, whether he will make it his policy to collect these data centrally.

There are no current plans to collect these data.

Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to Question 25350 on Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Paternity Leave, tabled on 21 January 2025.

A response to Question 25350 is being prepared and will be provided as soon as possible. I apologise for the delay in responding to the hon. Member.

When she plans to respond to the letter of 20 December 2024 from the hon. Members for Arundel and South Downs, East Surrey and Wyre Forest.

I can confirm a response was sent on 21 February 2025 to the hon. Members for Arundel and South Downs, East Surrey, and Wyre Forest.

Whether he plans to change the number of staff in his Department working on new free trade agreements.

DBT's Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations (TPIN) Group operates a flexible resourcing model to maximise efficiency across its priorities. The Department has committed to delivering six Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations alongside leading work on the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), work on the U.S. and the reset of the UK-EU relationship, and multilateral, implementation and market access work.

Whether any staff in his Department have been allocated to negotiating a free trade agreement with the United States.

DBT's Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations (TPIN) Group operates a flexible resourcing model to maximise efficiency across its priorities. The Department has committed to delivering six Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations alongside leading work on the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), work on the U.S. and the reset of the UK-EU relationship, and multilateral, implementation and market access work.

Communities and Local Government, what HM Land Registry's average response time is on requests to merge title deeds.

The government does not hold the information in the format requested.HM Land Registry processing times for a range of broad application categories can be found on gov.uk here.

When he plans to respond to the letter dated 19 December 2024 from the hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs.

My noble Friend Lord Hunt of Kings Heath wrote to the hon Member on 6 February about Rampion 2.

On what date the Incorporated Companies in the UK statistical release for October to December 2024 will be published.

Companies House aims to release the specific statistics for October to December 2024 by the end of February 2025. Further information about the reason for the delay will accompany the statistics when they are published. Updates on this matter are available on the gov.uk website:Incorporated companies in the UK October to December 2024 - Official statistics announcement - GOV.UK

Pursuant to the answer of 4 February 2025 to Question 26598 on Rules of Origin, whether he has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the economic impact on the UK of joining the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention on Rules of Origin.

The Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Business and Trade meet regularly to discuss a wide range of pertinent issues, including through relevant Cabinet Committee meetings. At this time we do not currently have plans to join the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention on Rules of Origin, and we will not be giving a running commentary on specific discussions taking place. Any decisions will follow a robust and pragmatic consideration of benefits, risks and the national interest.

With reference to his Department's press notice of 2 September 2023 entitled Consultation launched into unregulated cosmetic procedures, if he will publish the response to the consultation.

The Government is committed to taking action to address concerns about the safety of the cosmetics sector, and is exploring options for further regulation in this area. We will set out the details of our approach at the earliest opportunity.