Every parliamentary written question tabled by Tom Gordon this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 1–7 of 7 · Department for Business and Trade
What steps he is taking to reduce the time taken by his Department to prevent company directors from voluntarily striking off non‑trading companies due to unresolved Bounce Back Loan cases; and what coordination exists with Companies House to ensure that businesses are able to be formally closed and do not incur additional administrative fees.
Awaiting answer.
What recent discussions he has had with the Competition and Markets Authority on supermarket pricing practices.
The Department for Business and Trade engages regularly with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) on competition and consumer protection issues.The CMA keeps supermarket pricing practices under review. In 2024, it carried out work on price marking and promotions in the grocery sector. This identified concerns about compliance with consumer protection law. The CMA has since set clear expectations for retailers and will take action where non‑compliance is identified, using its consumer enforcement powers.
Whether his Department plans to introduce regulations to ensure that non-loyalty scheme prices for essential groceries are transparent.
Requirements on price transparency are set out in consumer protection law, including the Price Marking Order and the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act which prohibits "drip pricing", requiring traders including supermarkets to provide consumers, upfront, with clear prices including all mandatory charges.The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) keeps supermarket pricing practices under review and undertook work on price marking and promotions in the grocery sector in 2024. The Government has no current plans to introduce further regulations but continues to monitor how existing rules operate and supports the CMA in taking action where non‑compliance is identified.
Whether he has had discussions with major supermarkets on the increasing price differential between loyalty and non-loyalty prices.
The groceries sector operates in a competitive market, and supermarkets are free to set their prices how they choose. Recent Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) reports have shown that competition and profitability in the groceries sector has demonstrated that competition between them is working well.On 27 November 2024, the CMA published their findings from its review of loyalty pricing in the groceries sector. The CMA's review of loyalty pricing schemes concluded that in the majority of cases promotions offered genuine savings but that shoppers should not assume a loyalty price is always the lowest price a product is available for and it is worth shopping around.
When he intends to respond to the emails of 7 October 2025 and 5 January 2026 from the hon. Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough, case reference TG10331, on a constituent's issue with their Bounce Back Loan.
The Department for Business and Trade aims to respond to correspondence within 15 working days, but in some instances it can take longer. A response to the correspondence of 5 January has now been sent to Tom Gordon MP. The department apologises for not responding to the original correspondence of 7 October.
If he will make an assessment of the potential merits of bringing forward legislative proposals to protect delivery drivers from exploitative working practices.
Our Plan to Make Work Pay represents the biggest upgrade of workers' rights in a generation.The Government does not condone the exploitation of workers in any form and we are committed to strengthening protections for workers. Individuals' entitlement to employment rights is determined by their employment status. Delivery drivers can fall under any one of the three statuses: employee, limb (b) worker, or self-employed.This Government recognises the complexity of the current employment status framework and we remain committed to reviewing it.
What recent discussions he has had with delivery firms on ensuring that delivery drivers are adequately compensated.
This Government believes that hard work deserves fair pay and is determined to deliver a genuine living wage for all that takes account the impact on business, competitiveness, the labour market, the wider economy and the cost of living.Our Ministers value feedback received from businesses across the country, details of the meetings held by Ministers of the Department for Business and Trade and its predecessor the Department for International trade are available on transparency pages of gov.uk and are released as part of the Government's transparency agenda.