Written questions by Baldwin.

What information his Department holds on the number and proportion of (a) hairdressing and (b) beauty businesses that are considering closing in the next 12 months.

There are no official statistics on the number of hair and beauty businesses that are considering closing down in the next 12 months. We regularly engage with the sector and review industry surveys to understand sector confidence.The Government are protecting the smallest businesses by increasing the Employment Allowance to £10,500, meaning that 865,000 employers will pay no National Insurance Contributions at all. We are also creating a fairer business rates system and to support hair and beauty businesses through this transition, we are extending business rates relief for Retail, Hospitality and Leisure sectors for one year at 40% up to a cash cap of £110,000.

What estimate she has made of the number and proportion of barber shops that are linked to money laundering.

According to a report by the Local Data Company and Green Street, the average number of barber shops per 10,000 people has more than doubled in the last 10 years, from 1.4 per 10,000 people in 2013, to 3.1 per 10,000 in 2023. The Government recognises that cash intensive businesses such as barber shops can be exploited by criminals who seek to legitimise their criminal cash enabling them to profit from their illegal activities.That is why addressing cash-based money laundering is one of the strategic priorities of the National Economic Crime Centre which sits within the National Crime Agency, and who are currently working with partners to facilitate an increased operational response to this threat.In parallel, the National Police Chiefs’ Council economic crime co-ordinators are engaged in the development of Clear Hold Build strategies to help police forces tackle serious and organised crime. Clear Hold Build aims to reclaim and rebuild neighbourhoods affected by organised crime and increase public confidence in the police and partner agencies. This includes tackling financial crime on the high street.

What assessment she has made on the potential impact of the Autumn Budget 2024 on the levels of employment of women in the (a) hairdressing and (b) beauty industries.

The Government has taken a number of difficult but necessary decisions on tax, welfare, and spending to fix the public finances and fund public services.The Government has set out the impacts of the policy changes from Autumn Budget 2024 in the usual way.The Office for Budget Responsibility’s October 2024 forecast, which considers the impact of all the Budget measures, expects the employment level to increase from 33.1 million in 2024 to 34.3 million in 2029.

If she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of trends in the level of disguised employment in the (a) hairdressing and (b) beauty industries; and what steps she plans to take with Cabinet colleagues to help tackle disguised employment.

HMRC is committed to ensuring that the tax system operates fairly and efficiently and creates a level playing field for compliant businesses. Most businesses pay what they owe but a minority fail to register with HMRC or only declare a portion of their earnings.HMRC is committed to tackling false self-employment and will investigate evidence suggesting businesses have misclassified individuals for tax purposes. In these cases, HMRC will take steps to ensure they pay the right Income Tax and National Insurance contributions.HMRC recognises that some customers can find it hard to understand their tax obligations. HMRC is developing and testing new educational material specific to the hair and beauty sector to explain better the rent-a-chair model making it easy for customers to get things right and reduce mistakes. HMRC is planning for this to be ready for publication on GOV.UK in the spring. HMRC is continuing to work on updates to the Taxable Persons manual and these will be published in due course.

Whether her Department made an assessment of the potential impact of changes made to (a) National Insurance and (b) the National Living Wage at the Autumn Budget 2024 on the number of apprenticeships offered by high street businesses.

To repair public finances and help raise the revenue required to increase funding for public services, the government has taken the difficult decision to increase employer National Insurance.The government recognises the need to protect the smallest employers, which is why the Employment Allowance has been more than doubled to £10,500. This means more than half of businesses with National Insurance contributions (NICs) liabilities either gain or see no change next year. Employers will continue to be able to claim employer NICs reliefs, including the relief for employing apprentices under 25, where eligible.From April 2025, the National Living Wage will increase by 6.7% from £11.44 to £12.21 and the Apprentice Minimum Wage will increase by 18% from £6.40 to £7.55. The government has accepted the findings of the independent Low Pay Commission in full and this increase to the Apprentice Minimum Wage will boost the hourly wage for thousands of young apprentices across a range of sectors and those in their first year of an apprenticeship.The government remains committed to ensuring that apprentice wages support the attraction of talented individuals into apprenticeships and remain fair for employers. High quality apprenticeships are key to unlocking a more skilled and productive economy.The department also continues to pay employers and training providers £1,000 when they take on apprentices under 19, or 19 to 24-year-olds who have an education, health and care plan, or have been in care.

Whether his Department has included diversity quotas as selection criteria for contracts awarded since 5 July 2024.

The Department has not have included diversity quotas as selection criteria for contracts awarded since 5 July 2024.

Whether her Department has included mandatory commitments to equality, diversity and inclusion training in contracts awarded since 5 July 2024.

In accordance with government commercial policy, the department uses centrally maintained frameworks provided by the Crown Commercial Service and otherwise uses the suite of standard contracts maintained by Cabinet Office, for the majority of its contracts. These terms and conditions require the supplier to perform its obligations under the contract in accordance with equality law, but do not include a requirement to undertake mandatory training.

With reference to the National Procurement Policy Statement published on 13 February 2025, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that supplier requirements include statutory sick pay from day one in healthcare contracts.

The National Procurement Policy Statement states that contracting authorities should ensure that their suppliers are committed to providing high quality jobs, safe and healthy working conditions, fair pay, and opportunity and progression for their workers.Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) is the minimum amount an employer is required to pay to their employee when they are sick, where the employee meets the qualifying conditions. Through the Employment Rights Bill, the Government is widening eligibility to the up to 1.3 million employees who are currently not entitled to SSP by removing the Lower Earnings Limit and removing the waiting period, so that SSP is paid from the first day of work missed due to sickness absence. We are also creating a single enforcement body, The Fair Work Agency, which will bring existing state enforcement functions together into one place, so employment rights are enforced more effectively and efficiently. This will include the enforcement of the right to SSP. These measures are part of our commitment to implement our Plan to Make Work Pay, ensuring the safety net of sick pay is available to those who need it most.

With reference to his Department's National Procurement Policy Statement published on 13 February 2025, whether he has made an estimate of compliance costs for contracting authorities in implementing the (a) updated statement and (b) the Employment Rights Bill.

Contracting authorities must have regard to the NPPS when undertaking their procurement activities, as set out in the Procurement Act 2023. An Impact Assessment in relation to the Procurement Act was published in May 2022 and can be found at https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/46429/documents/1767. Impact assessments for the Employment Rights Bill led by the Department for Business and Trade can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments.

With reference to the National Procurement Policy Statement published on 13 February 2025, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) the updated statement and (b) the Employment Rights Bill on public sector procurement timelines.

Contracting authorities must have regard to the NPPS when undertaking their procurement activities, as set out in the Procurement Act 2023. An Impact Assessment in relation to the Procurement Act was published in May 2022 and can be found at https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/46429/documents/1767. Impact assessments for the Employment Rights Bill led by the Department for Business and Trade can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments.

What training programmes his Department has put in place to help procurement officials navigate the (a) recently updated National Procurement Policy Statement and the (b) Employment Rights Bill.

Contracting authorities must have regard to the NPPS when undertaking their procurement activities, as set out in the Procurement Act 2023. An Impact Assessment in relation to the Procurement Act was published in May 2022 and can be found at https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/46429/documents/1767. Impact assessments for the Employment Rights Bill led by the Department for Business and Trade can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments.

Communities and Local Government, whether her Department has adopted trade union representation requirements in their procurement processes since July 2024.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government procurement processes apply all applicable legislation and published procurement policy set by the Cabinet Office. MHCLG has regard for the National Procurement Policy Statement which drives procurement to deliver Government Missions. The Social Value Model for procurement includes Fair Work criteria including criteria linked to Fair Working conditions and Trade Union representation.

How many public procurement contracts issued by the Crown Commercial Service have included mandatory commitments to trade union recognition since July 2024.

Individual contracting authorities are responsible for defining their relationships with trade unions.

How many staff in his Department were working in the goods and tariffs team in July 2024.

The Department for Business and Trade operates a flexible resourcing model to maximise efficiency across goods and tariffs policy between the Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations (TPIN) Group and the Economic Security and Trade Relations (ESTR) Group. In July 2024 the combined headcount across the two groups was 1, 191 and in January 2025 it was 1, 305.The department is unable to provide an accurate headcount figure for February 2025 until that month’s payroll run is completed, therefore January’s end month figures have been provided.

How many staff in his Department were working in the goods and tariffs team in February 2025.

The Department for Business and Trade operates a flexible resourcing model to maximise efficiency across goods and tariffs policy between the Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations (TPIN) Group and the Economic Security and Trade Relations (ESTR) Group. In July 2024 the combined headcount across the two groups was 1, 191 and in January 2025 it was 1, 305.The department is unable to provide an accurate headcount figure for February 2025 until that month’s payroll run is completed, therefore January’s end month figures have been provided.

How many staff in his Department were working on new free trade agreements in February 2025.

DBT’s Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations (TPIN) Group operates a flexible resourcing model to maximise efficiency across priorities. DBT has committed to delivering six Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations alongside leading work on the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership, work on the U.S., the reset of the UK-EU relationship as well as multilateral, implementation and market access work. FTA staff numbers vary depending on the stage and scale of the deal. However, in July 2024, DBT had 640 staff working in TPIN and in January 2025 this number is 675.

How many staff in his Department were working on new free trade agreements in July 2024.

DBT’s Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations (TPIN) Group operates a flexible resourcing model to maximise efficiency across priorities. DBT has committed to delivering six Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations alongside leading work on the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership, work on the U.S., the reset of the UK-EU relationship as well as multilateral, implementation and market access work. FTA staff numbers vary depending on the stage and scale of the deal. However, in July 2024, DBT had 640 staff working in TPIN and in January 2025 this number is 675.

Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to Question 25193 tabled by the hon. Member for West Worcestershire on 21 January 2025.

A response to Question 25193 is being prepared and will be provided as soon as possible. I apologise for the delay in responding to the hon. Member.

Food and Rural Affairs, when he plans to respond to Question 25193 tabled by the hon. Member for West Worcestershire on 21 January 2025.

A response to Question 25193 is being prepared and will be provided as soon as possible. I apologise for the delay in responding to the hon. Member.

If he has made an assessment of the potential impact of additional trade barriers between the United States of America and Mexico on the UK economy.

On 4 February, President Trump agreed to hold off imposing all tariffs on Canada and Mexico for 30 days, following calls with Prime Minister Trudeau and President Sheinbaum. We will continue to monitor any further developments, including through discussions with counterparts, and we will always do what is in the national interest for our economy, businesses and the British people.