Written questions by Onn.

What discussions he has had with Evri and other delivery companies on the potential impact of unreliable parcel delivery on small businesses.

The proper functioning of postal services is vital for small businesses. Delivery companies must provide a good service to their customers and reduce the number of lost, delayed or improperly delivered parcels. However, Evri and other delivery companies are independent businesses, the government has no role in their operational decisions.Ofcom is the independent regulator of postal services. Ofcom publishes an annual report summarising its monitoring programme on its website: www.ofcom.org.uk/postal-services/information-for-the-postal-industry/monitoring_reports.

Whether his Department is taking fiscal steps to help support employment agencies in the context of trends in the level of costs in that sector.

The department recognises the vital role employment agencies play in our labour market. While there are no specific fiscal measures targeted exclusively at employment agencies, the government is conscious about the cost of conducting business. That is why we have more than doubled the Employment Allowance to £10,500. This means that 865,000 employers will pay no NICs at all, more than half of employers see no change or gain overall from this package and employers will be able to employ up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage and pay no employer NICs. Employment agencies will also benefit from the new tools to unlock access to finance, action to address late payments and regulatory costs, improve digital adoption and create easier pathways to business support through the Business Growth Service.

What steps his Department is taking to support the biodiesel industry.

My department supports Clean Energy industries to invest and grow, including biofuels such as biodiesel, and the sectors that use these fuels. Our approach to these sectors is set out in the industrial strategy.My officials also work alongside colleagues at the Department for Transport who carried out a call for evidence on the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) scheme in November last year. This considered future targets for the supply of renewable fuels, such as biodiesel. The product of that review will be published soon.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential importance of business support functionalities by online platforms such as META.

Adoption of digital technologies, including social media such as META's Facebook and Instagram platforms, can significantly increase business productivity. The Department is working with the SME Digital Adoption Taskforce and the Cross-government Review of Technology Adoption on new ways to support this.It is also important for government to provide and promote business support through a range of channels, to expand access. The Business Support Service offers tailored information and advice on social media, including Facebook, and organisations like the British Business Bank and local Growth Hubs maintain a presence on a range of online platforms including LinkedIn and YouTube.

Whether his Department has had discussions with the Post Office on the potential closure of the post office in Victoria Street, Grimsby; and if he will take steps to prohibit the closure of this and other high-street branches.

The Secretary of State for Business and Trade has had no discussion with Post Office Limited on the potential closure of the post office in Victoria Street, Grimsby. However the Secretary of State and I have met with the Post Office Chair, Nigel Railton, to discuss his proposals for the future of the company. No decision to close any or all of the remaining DMBs have been taken. Post Office are in dialogue with the Unions and postmaster representative bodies about future options for the DMBs. Although Post Office has the freedom to make commercial decisions regarding the composition of its network, Government sets the parameters for the Post Office to operate in. Government protects the branch network by setting minimum access criteria which require 99% of the UK population to be within three miles of their nearest Post Office outlet. The access criteria ensure that however the network changes, services remain within local reach of all citizens.

What assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing tariffs on Chinese-produced imported titanium dioxide in the context of recent tariff decisions taken by the (a) EU and (b) US.

The Department remains alert to significant trade remedy cases between WTO members and will continue to closely monitor those cases where the UK has an interest. While there has not yet been an assessment, as the Trade Remedies Authority has no open investigations on imports of dumped or subsidised titanium dioxide, we would encourage UK producers to contact the Trade Remedies Authority, who may consider an investigation, if they do have concerns.