Written questions by Snell.

What the total number of potential redundancies disclosed in HR1 forms received by his Department was in the last 12 months; and what assessment he has made of the potential impact of energy costs on those figures.

In the financial year 2025/2026, the Insolvency Service recorded a total of 315,424 potential redundancies from HR1 (Advance Notice of Redundancy) forms: April 202523,769May 202524,643June 202532,428July 202525,162August 202523,436September 202524,504October 202525,461November 202530,396December 202522,076January 202628,493February 202627,903March 202627,153 No assessment of the potential impact of energy costs on those figures has been made as no specific questions about energy costs are asked on the HR1 form.

How many HR1 redundancy notices received by his Department in the last six months originated from the manufacturing sector.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What steps his Department takes to share data from HR1 redundancy notices with the Department for Work and Pensions to help ensure rapid response support is available for affected workers.

The Redundancy Payments Service (RPS), acting on behalf of the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, collects information from HR1 submissions and distributes it on a daily basis to the appropriate government departments and agencies who offer job brokering services and/or training services.These agencies include The Department for Work and Pensions who provide rapid response services in England and Wales and the Scottish Government’s Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) who provide these services in Scotland.

What assessment he has made of the impact of energy costs on the survival rate of new businesses in Freeports.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What assessment he has made of the impact of take-or-pay clauses in commercial energy contracts on business liquidity.

It has not proved possible to respond to the Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What steps he is taking to protect businesses from withdrawal of credit insurance due to rising energy liabilities.

It has not proved possible to respond to the Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of AI-driven energy management systems on reducing business overheads.

It has not proved possible to respond to my hon. Friend in the time available before Prorogation.

What steps he is taking to support the development of private wire networks for industrial parks to reduce transmission costs.

Network regulation and charging arrangements are a matter for Ofgem as the independent regulator. The Government’s role is to ensure Ofgem has the appropriate framework to make decisions in the interests of consumers. While private wire arrangements may reduce reliance on the public network for individual users, they are unlikely to reduce overall transmission system costs, which are largely driven by fixed investment needed to meet peak demand, security and resilience requirements. In practice, such costs remain and would be redistributed across and recovered from remaining users. Ofgem’s Targeted Charging Review reformed network charges to ensure that all users of the electricity network make a fair contribution to its fixed costs and to address inefficiencies in the previous framework.

What support his Department provides to cold-storage logistics providers to manage peak-time energy tariffs.

Government recognises the importance of electrification of transport, including heavy goods vehicles, in delivering transport decarbonisation targets, and is aware of the impact that energy costs are having on different sectors, including logistics.Government is addressing wholesale and network costs through long‑term investment in clean, homegrown power to reduce exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices.The Department for Business and Trade regularly engages across Government, including with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department for Transport, on matters relating to the cost of the electrification of transport. The Secretary of State for Business and Trade and his ministerial team will continue to have regular discussions with all Cabinet colleagues on energy costs.

What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on energy costs associated with the electrification of commercial heavy goods vehicle fleets.

Government recognises the importance of electrification of transport, including heavy goods vehicles, in delivering transport decarbonisation targets, and is aware of the impact that energy costs are having on different sectors, including logistics.Government is addressing wholesale and network costs through long‑term investment in clean, homegrown power to reduce exposure to volatile fossil fuel prices.The Department for Business and Trade regularly engages across Government, including with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department for Transport, on matters relating to the cost of the electrification of transport. The Secretary of State for Business and Trade and his ministerial team will continue to have regular discussions with all Cabinet colleagues on energy costs.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the time taken for grid connection on the ability of businesses to lower energy costs through onsite generation.

Following Ofgem’s decision to increase the threshold for generation requiring a transmission impact assessment from 1MW to 5MW in England and Wales[1], it is now quicker and cheaper for businesses customers to install onsite generation. Ofgem’s Connections End‑to‑End Review will also improve customer service and reduce connection times for such projects[2]. 1 https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2025-05/CMP446%20-%20Authority%20decision%20to%20approve%20WACM%201.pdf2 https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/consultation/connections-end-end-review-updated-proposals-and-next-steps

What plans he has to consult with British Chambers of Commerce on the design of future energy cost mitigation policies.

The Government is committed to working closely with industry to support business competitiveness and mitigate energy costs and regularly meets with business representative organisations, such as the British Chambers of Commerce. The design of the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme has been informed by ongoing engagement with stakeholders, including the recent consultation on scheme eligibility and open consultation on regulatory changes and scheme delivery. The British Industry Supercharger and the Energy-Intensive Industries Compensation Scheme will both be reviewed this year. I encourage the British Chamber of Commerce and others to engage with the upcoming public consultation.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of high energy costs on the R&D budgets of manufacturing firms.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What assessment he has made of the impact of energy costs on the government’s regional growth objectives.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What support is available to the automotive supply chain to manage the energy-intensive processes of battery component manufacturing.

The Department for Business and Trade manages two electricity cost support schemes, the British Industry Supercharger and the Energy-Intensive Industries Compensation Scheme, to support eligible energy-intensive industries with the indirect costs of emissions levies and electricity policy and network costs.Manufacturing of batteries and accumulators is a sector eligible for electricity price support through these schemes. These schemes provide support to around 550 manufacturing businesses across the whole of Great Britain, including businesses in the automotive sector and its supply chain.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of energy prices on the operational costs of independent breweries.

The Government recognises the pressures that high energy costs can place on independent breweries. We engage regularly with colleagues across Government on measures to support businesses, and we keep the impact of energy prices under close review. The Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband, and the interim CEO of Ofgem, Tim Jarvis, have written to business energy suppliers setting clear expectations that customers, particularly small businesses such as independent breweries, must be treated fairly. The letter makes clear that any unfair practices will not be tolerated, and that suppliers should take a fair and supportive approach, offering maximum flexibility and transparency for small business customers. The Government also plans to legislate on Third Party Intermediaries, including energy brokers, through the forthcoming Energy Independence Bill to strengthen protections for SMEs, including independent breweries, when they engage in the business energy market.

What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on the energy costs of heritage businesses and listed commercial buildings.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

What assessment he has made of trends in the level of energy cost pressures for the life sciences and laboratory sectors.

The Government is aware of the pressure of high industrial energy costs in the life sciences and laboratory sectors. Officials from the Office for Life Sciences regularly engage with both companies and Trade Associations to understand the challenges facing the sector.As one of the sectors within the UK Government’s Industrial Strategy, many manufacturing life sciences businesses will benefit from the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme. The scheme will bring GB electricity costs more in line with other major economies in Europe, and level the playing field for British businesses.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of energy costs on the survival of high-street independent retailers.

Through our Clean Power 2030 mission we are taking action to accelerate the transition to clean, homegrown electricity helping to improve energy security and reduce exposure to the volatility of fossil fuel prices across of the UK economy. Alongside this, the government is considering and intends to consult stakeholders on a range of options to address the relative cost of electricity for non‑domestic users and to support the wider take‑up of low‑carbon heat.We have introduced permanently lower business‑rates multipliers for retail, hospitality and leisure properties, worth nearly £900 million a year and benefiting over 750,000 premises and introduced a £4.3 billion transitional support package to protect ratepayers from large overnight increases. Later this year, we will bring forward a new High Streets Strategy, to help reinvigorate our communities. These measures will provide meaningful, long-term support to independent retailers at the heart of their communities.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of energy costs on business investment in the agricultural sector.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.