Written questions by Aldridge.

What steps the Government is taking to reduce the potential impact of inflationary pressures on the pub industry, including rising energy costs, business rates, supply chain costs, and staffing pressures.

The Government recognises the significant pressures facing pubs, including those in Weston‑super‑Mare, and is taking action to support them.Through the Zero Carbon Hospitality Trial, 615 small and medium‑sized hospitality businesses are receiving free carbon‑footprinting and energy‑saving advice to help reduce costs. We have permanently lowered business rates multipliers for eligible Retail, Hospitality and Leisure properties, and have introduced a £4.3 billion support package over the next three years to protect ratepayers from increases following the business rates revaluation, with over half seeing no rise in bills.In addition, we have raised the Employment Allowance to £10,500, meaning 865,000 employers will pay no NICs this year, helping small businesses manage staffing costs.

What steps his Department is taking with regulators to help tackle (a) the use of inflation linked price rises in consumer communications contracts and (b) the advertising of VAT exclusive prices.

Ofcom, the independent regulator of telecommunications, has banned inflation-linked in-contract price rises. Since 17 January 2025, all retail telecom providers have been required to set out clearly ‘in pounds and pence’ the price the consumer will pay at the point of sale and be up-front about any increases.The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Act 2024 prohibits unfair commercial practices against consumers, including misleading omissions and actions. The Department is not currently working with regulators regarding the advertising of VAT exclusive prices. The Advertising Standards Agency has provided advice to businesses on advertising prices: https://www.asa.org.uk/advice-online/compulsory-costs-and-charges-vat.html

Whether his Department plans to introduce a statutory right to paid menstrual health leave for individuals suffering from (a) endometriosis and (b) adenomyosis.

The Government has set out its immediate priorities for reforming employment law in the Plan to Make Work Pay. The Plan includes a number of measures which may help people manage endometriosis and adenomyosis at work - including making sure people can benefit from flexible working. Our plan aims to deliver change so that people are more able to balance working life with their personal circumstances.

If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of including measures to require boards to report on cyber resilience in the draft Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill.

All large and medium-sized companies are already required to report on their material risks within their annual strategic report, including on cyber risk where this is a material risk. Recognising the important strategic role that boards of directors play in risk management, the Government intends to launch a Cyber Governance Code of Practice, and cyber governance training, to support boards in governing cyber risks and building cyber resilience. We will bring forward the draft Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill shortly, with which we intend to provide the audit and governance regulator with important new powers and objectives relating to the audit and reporting duties of directors.

What discussions he has had with Meta on preventing the sale of illegal e-bikes on their marketplace platform.

Product safety law requires that all consumer products placed on the UK market must be safe. The Office for Product Safety and Standards, in my Department, has a programme of work focused on making sure online platforms, including Meta, are aware of their responsibilities for preventing the supply of unsafe products to UK consumers, and requires them to remove unsafe or non-compliant products made available on their sites.