Written questions by Poynton.

Whether his Department has undertaken a recent review of the effectiveness of enforcement mechanisms for CE marking of imported products.

We keep the effectiveness of our enforcement regime under review. The Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025, received Royal Assent in July and contains powers to strengthen product enforcement.The Office for Product Standards and Safety (OPSS) is the UK's national product regulator. It uses risk to target its enforcement activities, protecting people and places from product-related harm. OPSS has established a co-ordinated system of targeted product safety checks at the border. In 2024-25 this resulted in checks covering over 14 million goods at the border, with 2.63 million non-compliant goods refused entry to the UK.

Whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of reinstating funding for UK exhibitors at key international trade fairs in (a) the natural stone sector and (b) other sectors where export potential is strong.

Through our Trade Strategy, Industrial Strategy, and Small Business Plan, we are putting in place the policies, support, and services needed to drive export-led growth. For the first time, DBT is integrating its support for SMEs across all sectors in a single, accessible platform - the Business Growth Service - designed to help businesses across the UK start, scale, and succeed globally.From tailored market advice and free Export Academy training to UK Export Finance and our on-the-ground network around the world that facilitate trade missions, we are making it easier for businesses to navigate global markets. We continue to review how we can improve our support, including how we connect firms to new opportunities, and build the capability to seize them.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the availability of international trade show funding on the competitiveness of (a) exports and (b) exports by the (i) construction and (ii) natural materials sectors.

Though our Trade Strategy, Industrial Strategy, and Small Business Plan, we are putting in place the policies, support, and services needed to drive export-led business growth.We continue to review how we can improve our support, and as part of this process, we target resources that will have the greatest impact for UK businesses.From tailored market advice and free training to UK Export Finance and our on-the-ground international network, we are helping connect firms to new opportunities, and build the capability to seize them.

What steps his Department is taking to support British manufacturers to attend (a) Marmomac in Verona and (b) other major international trade shows.

Through our Trade Strategy, Industrial Strategy, and Small Business Plan, we're putting in place the policies, support, and services needed to drive export-led growth, particularly in high-growth potential sectors like advanced manufacturing.We routinely run targeted trade missions, support business at international trade shows, and connect international buyers with exporters at home to help them grow their businesses. In addition, businesses have access to support from tailored market advice and free training to UK Export Finance and our on-the-ground international network.We continue to review how we can improve our support, including how we connect firms to new opportunities, and build the capability to seize them.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Industrial Strategy on Scotland.

Our modern Industrial Strategy will drive growth in Scotland's globally competitive sectors – from advanced manufacturing in Glasgow and the UK’s second-largest financial services sector in Edinburgh, to life sciences in Dundee and Aberdeen’s status as a global energy capital. Investments including up to £750 million in a new supercomputer at the University of Edinburgh and our support for the Acorn Carbon Capture and Storage project will have a major positive impact on Scottish growth.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of e-invoicing for small businesses on (a) exports and (b) imports.

Usage of digital technology such as e-invoicing can streamline business processes, including for trading businesses, whether they are importing or exporting.Usage of e-invoicing software and standards that are compatible with those used by trading partners in other countries can be particularly beneficial. However, small businesses may find adoption of new tools and processes more onerous than larger businesses.DBT and HMRC recently ran a 12 week consultation to gather views on promoting e-invoicing in the UK. The consultation closed on 7 May, and we will be publishing a summary of responses and updating on next steps in due course.

What discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential merits of introducing e-invoicing.

Business adoption of digital technologies such as e-invoicing can offer benefits that include reduced administrative burdens and fewer data processing errors. This can lead to increased productivity, improved payment times, and streamlined tax administration and collection.However, we recognise the need to think carefully about introduction of any e-invoicing requirements or standards, especially for smaller businesses who might find this to be an additional burden. We recently ran a 12 week consultation jointly with HMRC, to gather views on promoting e-invoicing in the UK. The Government will publish a summary of responses and provide an update on next steps in due course.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of e-invoicing for small businesses on reducing payment times.

The Government is committed to tackling late payments, which can be a major obstacle for small businesses. In September 2024 we announced new measures including a new Fair Payment Code (launched in December 2024), legislation requiring large companies to report headline payment performance data in their annual reports, and a public consultation on further measures.Business adoption of e-invoicing can also help improve payment times by reducing administrative burdens and streamlining invoicing processes. DBT and HMRC recently ran a consultation to gather views on promoting e-invoicing in the UK and will be publishing a summary of responses in due course.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of e-invoicing for small businesses on productivity.

This Government is committed to driving business productivity and economic growth in the UK. Adoption of digital technologies, such as e-invoicing, can significantly improve firm-level productivity by streamlining business processes and reducing administrative work and errors.However, few small businesses use e-invoicing in the UK. Adoption of e-invoicing by SMEs in the UK is behind countries like France and Germany. This is why, as announced at Budget 2024, DBT and HMRC recently ran a 12 week consultation on promoting e-invoicing in the UK. We will be publishing a summary of responses and updating on next steps in due course.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the statutory minimum level of paternity leave on the economy.

The government is committed to supporting working families and is already delivering on this commitment. The Employment Rights Bill will make Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave ‘day one’ rights, increasing flexibility for families and helping them to better balance work and family responsibilities. The government has also committed to a review of the whole parental leave system. This review will assess the effectiveness of the current system across a range of metrics, ensuring it offers the best possible support to working families. Work is already underway on planning for its delivery.

If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of improving paternity leave provisions on health disparities in lower-income families.

The government is committed to supporting working families and is already delivering on this commitment. The Employment Rights Bill will make Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave ‘day one’ rights, increasing flexibility for families and helping them to better balance work and family responsibilities. The government has also committed to a review of the whole parental leave system. This review will assess the effectiveness of the current system across a range of metrics, ensuring it offers the best possible support to working families. Work is already underway on planning for its delivery.

If he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the potential impact of extending the statutory minimum paternity leave on (a) early childhood development and (b) reliance on formal childcare in a child's first year.

The government is committed to supporting working families and is already delivering on this commitment. The Employment Rights Bill will make Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave ‘day one’ rights, increasing flexibility for families and helping them to better balance work and family responsibilities. The government has also committed to a review of the whole parental leave system. This review will assess the effectiveness of the current system across a range of metrics, ensuring it offers the best possible support to working families. Work is already underway on planning for its delivery.

If he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the potential lessons learned from the parental leave policies of other countries in the OECD.

The government is committed to supporting working families and is already delivering on this commitment. The Employment Rights Bill will make Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave ‘day one’ rights, increasing flexibility for families and helping them to better balance work and family responsibilities. The government has also committed to a review of the whole parental leave system. This review will assess the effectiveness of the current system across a range of metrics, ensuring it offers the best possible support to working families. Work is already underway on planning for its delivery.

If he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the level of uptake of Shared Parental Leave.

The government is committed to supporting working families and is already delivering on this commitment. The Employment Rights Bill will make Paternity Leave and Unpaid Parental Leave ‘day one’ rights, increasing flexibility for families and helping them to better balance work and family responsibilities. The government has also committed to a review of the whole parental leave system. This review will assess the effectiveness of the current system across a range of metrics, ensuring it offers the best possible support to working families. Work is already underway on planning for its delivery.

What steps his Department is taking to reform the audit sector; what his planned timetable is for (a) introducing the Draft Audit and Corporate Governance Reform Bill and (b) establishing a new audit regulator; and whether he plans grant any new regulator powers over Director's accountability.

As set out in the King’s Speech, the Government intends to publish a draft Audit Reform and Corporate Governance Bill in this session. The Government will keep the House updated as we work towards publication and scrutiny of a draft Bill. This involves careful consideration of measures relating to the audit sector and corporate reporting, including transitioning to a new regulator with powers relating to directors’ accountability.