Written questions by Holden.

What steps his Department is taking to support local authorities in Essex to deliver place-based foreign direct investment strategies in line with the Harrington Review recommendations.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) promotes investment across the UK. At the International Investment Summit, we announced a major overhaul of how DBT will implement the Harrington Review - strengthening the Office for Investment (OfI) and aligning government efforts under a single strategic delivery plan.We have established an expanded OfI at the heart of government to reduce duplication, offer a clearer 'single door' for investors, and increase our influence on regulation and policy across HMG. We continue working with local partners, including Essex Council, to support and showcase investment opportunities aligned with industrial and infrastructure strategies to global investors.

What steps he is taking to ensure that the Strategic Investment Opportunities Unit within the Office for Investment supports SMEs and scale-ups to access investment in (a) Basildon and Billericay constituency and (b) other areas outside major conurbations.

As announced in the Infrastructure Strategy the new Strategic Investment Opportunities unit will identify, shape and deliver on strategic projects and programmes with significant scope for private capital and investor interest. These will be aligned to investor demand and matched to relevant institutional investors. Attracting investors and capital is crucial to driving growth across the country, and will ultimately benefit SMEs in locations outside major conurbations, where aligned to investor demand.

Pursuant to the Answers of 2 July 2025 and 11 July 2025 to Questions 62768 and 64918 on Pay: Publicity, whether he has considered releasing the (a) aggregate value of the payments made to and (b) the names of the six digital influencers hired for its campaign.

I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 2nd July 2025 to question 62768 (Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament) and the answer I gave on 11th July to question 64918 (Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament).

What steps she is taking to prevent solvent companies from using Company Voluntary Arrangements to avoid meeting their (a) redundancy and (b) notice period obligations.

Company Voluntary Arrangements (“CVAs”) are a restructuring process for insolvent or contingently insolvent companies. To be eligible, a company must meet the insolvent test as assessed by an insolvency practitioner and the CVA must be agreed by a majority of creditors and shareholders. Where redundancies are necessary as part of a CVA, the Government ensures employees have appropriate safeguards through employment rights’ legislation. Redundancy payments (within statutory limits) are guaranteed from the National Insurance Fund. The Redundancy Payments Service makes these payments directly to the employees and will seek to reclaim the money back from the company as a creditor.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 July 2025 to Question 62346 on Postage Stamps, whether his Department hold copies of the (a) agenda (b) minutes and (c) papers of the Royal Mail’s stamp advisory committee.

The Stamp Advisory Committee advises Royal Mail on future stamp designs. The Postal Museum’s online catalogue lists copies of Stamp Advisory Committee minutes which are available to the public for research in line with Royal Mail’s retention policy.

Pursuant to the Answer of 2 July 2025 to Question 62768 on Pay: Publicity, what the aggregate value was of the payments to the six digital influencers; and if he will name those influencers.

Influencer marketing is a credible paid communications channel, which is considered for government advertising campaigns and can be an effective way in reaching audiences that the Government and traditional marketing channels find hard to reach.We used this channel to raise awareness of the new National Minimum and Living Wage rates to ensure audiences such as young people, part-time female workers, ethnic minorities and disabled groups are paid correctly.

Pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54274 on Government Departments: Publicity, if he will publish the spending control business case and approval for the 2025 National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage campaign.

I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28th May 2025 to question 52688 (Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament).

With reference to his Department’s publication entitled Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023: second progress report, published on 16 June 2025, what steps he is taking to remove (a) false, (b) misleading and (c) incorrect information from the Companies House register.

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 has given Companies House new powers to tackle false, incorrect or misleading information on its registers. To 31 May 2025, the use of these powers by Companies House has impacted 121,800 companies and has seen the removal of information including 100,500 registered office addresses.In addition to removing information from its registers, Companies House is developing new capabilities to detect, track and block suspicious information pre-registration. These steps have already prevented over 10,000 suspicious filings.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 May 2025 to Question 52687 on Pay: Publicity, which (a) publications, (b) channels and (c) sites paid-for advertising was undertaken on.

a). Publications: No paid advertising for this campaign ran in print publications.b). Channels: These were:o Online digital display advertisingo Digital online video (YouTube)o Social media (Snapchat, Meta - Facebook/Instagram, Reddit)o Radioo Out of home: train card panels in national rail/bus interiors, beermats in 1000 pubs and digital screens in gymso Paid search (Google)o Use of six digital influencers (Instagram/TikTok)c). Sites: Online digital display advertising is bought programmatically by audience, not by site, and it is thus not possible to provide details of the sites that users saw such advertising appearing on. In addition, advertising appeared on the social media and search sites listed in answer to part b) above.

Pursuant to the Answer of 28 May 2025 to Question 52687 on Pay: Publicity, which digital influencers were commissioned for the campaign; and how much was paid to each.

As part of the National Minimum and Living Wage Campaign, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) selected six digital influencers who could reach the campaign’s target audiences through their social media channels.We are unable to provide details of how much was paid to each person due to confidentiality provisions in the individual agreements. This used 3% of the total budget of the campaign.

How many full time equivalent permanent staff were assigned to work in the Office for Investment in June (a) 2024 and (b) 2025.

The number of staff (FTE) in the Office for Investment (OfI) was approximately 30. The target operating model for the expanded OfI, which launched on the 5th of June 2025, includes approximately 230 FTE (including overseas OfI representatives). This will be subject to revisions in line with Government policy.

Pursuant to the Answer of 7 May 2025 to Question 48551 on Trade Union Recognition, what criteria he will use to assess whether to lower the recognition threshold.

The Government will consider what criteria to assess whether to lower the recognition threshold in due course, including through the public consultation process.

Pursuant to the Answer of 1 May 2025 to Question 47348 on Conditions of Employment, what comparative estimate he has made of the workload of the (a) Fair Work Agency and (b) existing bodies being merged into Fair Work Agency.

The Fair Work Agency will take over responsibility for the labour market enforcement currently undertaken by the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate, the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority and HMRC’s National Minimum Wage team. It will also, in time, take on enforcing additional rights such as holiday pay and sick pay. The specific legislation the Fair Work Agency will enforce is set out in Part 1 of Schedule 7 of the Employment Rights Bill.More detail will be provided around the details of how the Fair Work Agency will operate including workload and funding in due course.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 May 2025 to Question 50224 on Pay: Publicity, if he will place a copy of the business case for the Millions got a pay rise campaign in the Library.

My department’s final stage impact assessment (IA) in respect of The National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Regulations 2025, was laid in draft before Parliament on 4 February and is available on GOV.UK. It provides the high-level rationale for the campaign, which is to increase awareness and understanding of the changes to the rates that came into effect on 1 April 2025. The campaign supports the policy objectives by minimising compliance costs and ensuring that the benefits are realised, including a direct pay rise for over 3 million workers. The Impact Assessment can be viewed here: The National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Regulations 2025 - Impact Assessment

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 May 2025 to Question 50224 on Pay: Publicity, which advertising channels were used to promote the Millions got a pay rise campaign.

The advertising channels used for the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage campaign include radio, community radio, paid search, online video, paid social, programmatic digital display, digital influencer activity, and out-of-home advertising such as bus and train advertising panels, gym advertising panels and hospitality environments. Our channels are planned and carefully considered to ensure we can reach the right audiences, including using the learnings from previous campaigns.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 May 2025 to Question 50224 on Pay: Publicity, how his Department distributed the 500,000 beer mats to pubs.

For the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage awareness campaign, 500,000 beer mats were distributed to 1,000 pubs across the country. Distribution targeted areas with high concentrations of minimum and living wage workers, identified through HMRC underpayment complaint data and ONS data on pay. Our distribution partners delivered directly to selected venues in these priority locations to maximise campaign effectiveness and reaching those directly eligible for the increase in the wage and those who could share this important information with friends and family members.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 May 2025 to Question 50224, on Pay: Publicity, what the total cost is for Millions get a pay rise campaign; whether it was approved under communications spending controls; and what the cost was for the beer mats.

The 2025 National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage campaign is running until 31 May 2025 and is budgeted to cost up to £650,000. This was approved under Cabinet Office’s advertising, marketing and communications spending controls. The cost to advertise in pubs using beer mats was £35,580, which was approved at Official level.The 2024 campaign saw an increase in reach to eligible workers. However, recognition remained low, reinforcing the need for bolder, more engaging formats for the 2025 campaign, which expected to deliver an estimated 3.2 million impressions.It offered a unique opportunity to engage audiences in a social, high-dwell environment where financial conversations naturally occur. This setting encourages discussion and word-of-mouth sharing about rate changes and offers an effective nudge for audiences to "check their pay."

How much his Department has spent on services provided by Saatchi and Saatchi since July 2024; and for what purposes.

The Department has not spent any money with Saatchi and Saatchi since July 2024, nor does it have a contract for services with them.

Whether he plans to change the 21 employee threshold for the recognition of a trade union.

The exemption for small employers under the statutory recognition scheme where the workplace is comprised of less than 21 workers has been in place for many years. The government has no plans to change it.

With reference to the public awareness campaign entitled millions got a pay rise, (a) how many beer mats were (i) printed and (ii) distributed and (b) whether communications consultancies advised on the campaign.

My department is running an awareness campaign following the increase to the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates on 1 April 2025, using several advertising channels to ensure workers are aware of the increase and know how to check their pay and avoid underpayment.This includes beer mat advertising, for which we have printed 500,000 beer mats, distributed to pubs, including in areas with higher reported underpayment complaints. My department’s media planning agency Wavemaker advised on the campaign.