Written questions by Dowden.

What steps he is taking with local councils to tackle the anti-social use of fireworks in Hertfordshire.

Local authorities and the police have powers to tackle anti-social behaviour caused by misuse of fireworks. New Respect Orders will empower police and local councils, via court mandates, to impose stringent behavioural restrictions on individuals who repeatedly engage in antisocial behaviour. I recently met with the Scottish Government and was interested to hear about the initiatives they are deploying to tackle anti-social use of fireworks. Engagement with devolved governments and local authorities are a key part of the evidence gathering process as we consider future decisions in relation to the regulation of fireworks.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Fireworks Regulations 2004 on tackling the purchase of fireworks for anti-social use.

There has been no assessment on the impact of the fireworks regulations 2004 on tackling purchase of fireworks for anti-social use.I recognise that people hold a range of views on this issue. On 19th January, MPs debated two e-petitions relating to the sale and noise of fireworks respectively. As the Minister responsible, I will ensure that all evidence gathered, including views from the debate, and experiences shared by members of the public, are fully considered. I can assure you that public safety, the impact on people, animals and property, will remain central to this work.

Whether he has made an assessment with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and HMRC of the number of people currently practicing in the hair and beauty sector using disguised employment practices.

The Department for Business and Trade does not hold this information. However, we are clear that disguised employment practices such as false self-employment are unacceptable. Employers should never seek to deny people their employment rights and avoid their own legal obligations by claiming someone is self-employed when in reality they are not.The Government is committed to tackling false self-employment and HMRC will investigate evidence suggesting businesses have misclassified individuals for tax purposes. The Government has also set up a forum with the hair and beauty industry to support compliance in the sector.

What steps his Department has taken to support the hair and beauty sector.

This Government recognises the significant economic and social value of the hair and beauty industry.That is why we have committed to reforming business rates from 2026-27 with a permanently lower multiplier for retail, leisure and hospitality properties, including hair and beauty salons.The Government will also protect the smallest businesses by increasing the Employment Allowance to £10,500, meaning that 865,000 employers will pay no National Insurance contributions (NICs) at all and employers will be able to employ up to four full-time workers on the National Living Wage and pay no employer NICs.We will also transform the existing Apprenticeship Levy into a more flexible Growth and Skills Levy to support business and boost opportunity.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of recent increases in the minimum wage for 18-21 year olds on the financial sustainability of the hair and beauty sector.

We know this is a difficult time for businesses and workers alike, the Low Pay Commission are independent experts who conducts extensive consultation, analysis and evidence gathering when recommending the minimum wage rates.We asked the LPC to make progress in extending the National Living Wage to more adults than ever before, by continuing to narrow the gap between the 18-20 rate and the NLW.We do recognise that the 18-20 band are more vulnerable to unemployment, and therefore any impacts on employment - as well as incentives to remain in training or education - must be monitored carefully, as we proceed.