Written questions by Hamilton.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of eliminating tariff rates quotas on Moroccan fresh produce at times of the year when the produce is not in season in the UK.

The UK and Morocco are currently undertaking a review of tariffs on Agriculture goods, of which greater access to the UK market for tomatoes is a priority for Morocco. Tomatoes are amongst a number of products which are being considered as part of the negotiation. Any final agreement will need to benefit UK business and consumers.

Whether he plans to review Investor-State Dispute Settlement provisions in UK trade and investment agreements.

Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provides an independent means for investors to resolve disputes with states where they believe they have experienced arbitrary, discriminatory or unfair treatment or expropriation without compensation. The Government is aware of the interest in this important policy area and, in line with HMG’s Trade Strategy, the UK will continue to work with trading partners multilaterally, such as the OECD and the UN, to pursue opportunities to improve ISDS practice.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that companies comply with section 830 of the Companies Act 2006 on dividend payments; and whether he plans to (a) strengthen enforcement and (b) introduce disclosure requirements.

Under section 830, companies may only pay a dividend if they have sufficient accumulated realised profits to make the payment. The Government intends to give the audit regulator responsibility for issuing guidance on how companies calculate their realised profits for such purposes as part of wider plans to introduce an Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill when Parliamentary time allows. Additionally, the Government intends in the coming months to consult on options to modernise the corporate reporting framework, which will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to give feedback on how to simplify and reduce reporting as well on possible additional disclosure requirements around realised profits.

Whether he has had recent discussions with the Office for Product Safety and Standards on the enforcement of standards for e-bike (a) batteries and (b) conversion kits.

Under existing UK product safety law, all consumer products, including e-bike batteries and conversion kits, must meet legal requirements for safety when placed on the market. Tackling unsafe e-bikes is a priority for the Office for Product Safety and Standards, in my Department. They and Local Authority Trading Standards have powers to enforce the law including removing non-compliant products from sale. OPSS has prohibited the supply of certain models of unsafe e-bike batteries, and published 22 separate product recalls for non-compliant e-bikes and similar products since 2022.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that online marketplaces are held accountable for the sale of (a) unsafe and (b) non-compliant e-bike products.

UK product safety law is clear: all products must be safe before being placed on the market, including e-bikes.The Office for Product Safety and Standards leads a national Online Marketplaces Programme of regulatory action to reduce risks from unsafe and non-compliant goods sold online. This involves a range of activities, including regulatory engagement with online marketplaces on products such as e-bikes and enforcement action where necessary.The Government has also introduced the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill to allow updates to the product safety framework and ensure consumers are protected; recognising the increasingly important role of online supply chains.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of implementing the proposals of the Better Business Act campaign.

The Better Business Act campaign seeks changes to Section 172 of the Companies Act 2006 to provide for company directors to deliver benefits to shareholders, society and the environment. Section 172 already enables companies to amend their articles of association to provide for this purpose, or any other corporate purpose. Section 172 also requires directors to have regard to a range of interests, including those of employees and the community and the environment. Large companies must report each year on how this has informed their directors’ decision-making. Therefore, the Government has no plans currently to amend Section 172.

If he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the ruling by the Unitary Agrarian Court Number 28 in Mexico that the company Fresnillo PLC must pay damages to farmers in El Bajío for illegal extraction of gold on the community's land from 2005 to 2013.

The Department for Business and Trade is aware of the case between the Unitary Agrarian Court and Fresnillo PLC. This is a domestic legal matter for Mexico.

If he will make an assessment of the (a) effectiveness of and (b) implications for his policies of recent investor-state dispute settlements under the bilateral investment treaty with Colombia; and whether he plans to retain that treaty.

The Government regards the UK-Colombia Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) as playing an important role in the investment relationship between our two countries. The stock of total investment between the UK and Colombia was £6.8 billion in 2023. The BIT contains legally binding investment protection commitments which ensure UK and Colombian investors are treated in line with the rule of law, and are protected against unfair, arbitrary or discriminatory treatment, and expropriation without adequate compensation.

If the Prime Minister will create a Minister for Manufacturing post in the Department for Business and Trade.

I am responsible for manufacturing as Minister for Industry.