Written questions by White.

Following the recent appointment of a Small Business Commissioner, what further steps he is taking to help ensure SMEs can access support.

Late payments are one of the biggest problems facing small businesses in the UK. Government has already taken steps to tackle the issue through the launch of a new Fair Payment Code which will encourage and highlight businesses with the best payment practices. We will soon be laying secondary legislation which will make it a requirement for large companies to include payment performance data in their annual reports. Finally, we will be launching a public consultation in the coming weeks which sets out measures that will go even further to tackle late payments, including additional powers for the Small Business Commissioner.

Whether he plans to strengthen firework regulations to (a) ensure responsible use and (b) limit their impact on (i) pets and (ii) wildlife.

Most people use fireworks in a responsible, safe, and appropriate manner and there are laws in place to address situations where fireworks are misused. The current regulatory framework is designed to support people to enjoy fireworks whilst lowering the risk of dangers and disruption to people, pets, and property. To inform any future decisions I intend to engage with stakeholders after the fireworks season to gather evidence on the issues with and impacts of fireworks. The safety of the public and impact on people, animals, wildlife and property will be central in decisions in relation to the regulation of fireworks.