Contributions
2,740 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDTopical QuestionsWe are taking forward a number of reforms, as the hon. Member is aware. There is a private Member’s Bill, the Employment Relations (Flexible Working) Bill, which includes a…29 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Eleventh sitting)Yes, it is coming shortly. Turning to greenwashing, we take the matter very seriously, and there are two ways to deal with it. We can do ex ante regulation, which involves…29 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Eleventh sitting)Clauses 172 to 176 set out a range of new enforcement powers for the CMA to determine whether certain consumer laws have been breached and, if so, to direct compliance and impose…29 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Eleventh sitting)In terms of publication of a notice, I think that that is a judgment for the CMA. There may be public interest in making a notice public—for example, to inform traders or…29 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Eleventh sitting)We are now getting into the weeds of this. We have similar views about online marketplaces and their responsibilities. In our view, their responsibility as a distributor requires…29 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Eleventh sitting)The Opposition make a reasonable point about the reasonable excuse. We have left the threshold pretty broad to reflect the range of situations that could prevent compliance. We…29 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Eleventh sitting)It is perfectly reasonable that we have that debate, but we will do so we when we discuss clause 205. It is right that the Opposition challenge us and the CMA to ensure that the…29 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Eleventh sitting)It is our contention that trading standards do have the powers that they need to access information. There are concerns; I have concerns—I want to ensure that trading standards…29 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Eleventh sitting)Clause 202 provides for the practicalities of giving notices. It sets out the permissible means for the CMA and other enforcers to give a notice: by delivering it to the person;…29 Jun 2023HANSARDTrade with European CountriesEurope remains a vital export destination for British businesses, with exports of £401 billion in 2022, an increase of 26% on the previous year in current prices. Only this week,…29 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Eleventh sitting)That was a very comprehensive intervention. I think that we are saying the same thing. Of course the CMA will continue to report annually, and of course we would expect it to…29 Jun 2023HANSARDDigital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill (Eleventh sitting)Clause 200 introduces schedule 15 to the Bill, which contains amendments to schedule 5 to the Consumer Rights Act 2015, relating to the investigatory powers of consumer protection…29 Jun 2023HANSARDShared Parental LeaveThe Government have today published our response to the consultation on parental leave and pay. This confirms that the Government will make changes to paternity leave, delivering…29 Jun 2023HANSARDNeonatal CareI thank my hon. Friend for being the foremost parliamentary champion for this important cause. The Neonatal Care (Leave and Pay) Act 2023 will give eligible employed parents up to…29 Jun 2023HANSARDNeonatal CareMy hon. Friend is absolutely right to press us on this. We need to do this as quickly as possible and we are keen, as I have said, to do that. Similar work does require updating…29 Jun 2023HANSARDExports to the EUThe value of UK exports, measured in current prices, to the EU—including goods and services—was £247 billion in 2016, £298 billion in 2019, and £340 billion in 2022. The EU…29 Jun 2023HANSARDExports: EU WithdrawalI say again that UK trade with the EU has recovered to pre-pandemic levels when measured in current prices, worth £772 billion in 2022, 14% higher in current prices than in 2018.…29 Jun 2023HANSARDExports: EU WithdrawalOn a similar theme to my previous answer, the UK’s total exports have recovered to pre-pandemic levels measured against 2018. In 2022, UK exports were £815 billion, up 21% in…29 Jun 2023HANSARDExports to the EUAs Churchill once said, the pessimist sees a crisis in every opportunity, but the optimist, which my hon. Friend is, sees an opportunity in every crisis. The UK’s total exports…29 Jun 2023HANSARDExports to the EUThat backs up my comment on pessimism; the hon. Lady is cherry-picking the worst possible figures she can find. In my conversations this week at the OECD conference on SMEs,…29 Jun 2023