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To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she is taking steps to enhance due diligence procedures for individuals establishing limited companies.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she is taking steps to enhance due diligence procedures for individuals establishing limited companies.
The Government is taking action to enhance checks conducted on individuals establishing limited companies. The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023 and the majority of new powers will come into force in March 2024. Companies House will have enhanced abilities to protect the integrity of the register. This will include powers to query suspected fraudulent incorporations and require further evidence. During 2025, compulsory identity verification checks will be implemented for directors (and equivalents), persons with significant control and those filing information with Companies House before they can transact with the Registrar.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department plans to implement financial safeguards to prevent individuals who have previously mismanaged businesses from establishing limited companies.
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department plans to implement financial safeguards to prevent individuals who have previously mismanaged businesses from establishing limited companies.
The Insolvency Service takes robust enforcement action against directors where there is evidence of unfit conduct and will bring disqualification proceedings where in the public interest.
The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 will further strengthen these safeguards. Individuals who are disqualified under director disqualification legislation will be prohibited from being appointed as a director and their existing directorships will become void. The Act also extends the grounds for making a director disqualification order so that individuals who persistently breach new identity verification or filing requirements may face disqualification.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) beekeepers and (b) the wider beekeeping industry in the context of the threat of Asian hornet.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support (a) beekeepers and (b) the wider beekeeping industry in the context of the threat of Asian hornet.
The Government recognises that honey bees and wild pollinators are an essential part of our environment and play a crucial role in food production. All pollinators contribute the equivalent of more than £500 million a year to UK agriculture and food production, by improving crop quality and quantity. Pollinators are also beneficial to our wider, natural ecosystems.
Recognising the potential impact that Asian hornet would have on honey bees and wild pollinators, Defra, in collaboration with Welsh Government, developed the Asian hornet contingency plan which details the response to Asian hornet and is regularly reviewed. The operational response is carried out by the National Bee Unit (NBU), part of the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).
Our most effective way of supporting beekeepers and the wider beekeeping industry against the threat of Asian hornet is through our continued eradication response, with the aim of preventing Asian hornet from establishing. This involves the NBU responding to credible sightings to locate and destroy any nests. Evidence from the response to Asian hornet is reviewed at the end of each season to determine if any changes to the approach are required for the following year.
The NBU has now fine-tuned their response and enhanced their preparedness, and they can frequently find a nest within a day of an initial sighting being reported. In 2023 the NBU located and destroyed 72 nests in 56 locations.
Accurate and timely reporting is critical to the response so raising awareness and reporting possible sightings is key. We appreciate the role that beekeepers take in the response to Asian hornet through helping raise awareness of the threat, educating people in identifying these insects, encouraging them to report any suspected sightings and monitoring traps. To support accurate and timely reporting Defra funded development of the Asian hornet watch app. The NBU keep beekeepers informed of the response through updates published on BeeBase and also carry out other awareness raising activity. The Non-Native Species Secretariat (NNSS) works with over 50 local actions groups and other organisations to raise awareness of Asian hornet, in 2023 they sent out 3400 alert posters and 11,200 ID sheets.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will require food labelling for honey to display the proportion of honey contained.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will require food labelling for honey to display the proportion of honey contained.
This is a devolved matter and the information provided therefore relates to England only.
A person must not use “honey” in trade as the name of a product if the product is not honey.
Consequently, for a product to be called “Honey” it must be 100% honey and comply with the appropriate compositional criteria for “honey” specified in Schedule 1 of The Honey (England) Regulations 2015.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding his Department plans to provide to tackle (a) Asian hornet and (b) other non-native invasive species that impact the natural ecosystem in the next three years; and whether he plans to review that funding.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what funding his Department plans to provide to tackle (a) Asian hornet and (b) other non-native invasive species that impact the natural ecosystem in the next three years; and whether he plans to review that funding.
(a) Asian hornet
The National Bee Unit (NBU), part of the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), has a long-standing relationship with Defra to deliver the Bee Health Programme which includes management and control of honey bee pests and diseases.
As Asian hornet is of particular concern to beekeepers, the NBU has taken action since 2016 to locate and destroy any Asian hornet nests with the aim of preventing this insect species from establishing.
APHA receives a total budget from Defra and, from that, the NBU budget is set to cover the range of essential work that the NBU delivers including taking action against Asian hornet. The NBU can draw on resources within wider APHA including in the response to Asian hornet. There isn't a separate budget for action against Asian hornet.
(b) Other invasive non-native species (INNS)
Action to tackle INNS is taken as part of a wide number of programmes across Defra, for example woodland management, management of our sites of special scientific interest or of our waterways. This includes actions by both Defra and its arm’s length bodies, including Natural England, the Environment Agency, APHA and the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science. It also includes options within Countryside Stewardship and now Environmental Land Management to support control of INNS. As such it is not possible to provide a single figure for the budget allocated to tackling INNS.
Departmental budgets beyond 2024-25 will be agreed as part of the next Spending Review. The Secretary of State will set out funding plans following that process.
Blackpool’s Waterloo Road and Bond Street region
Following my recent Adjournment debate on this issue, I rise to present a petition signed by over 500 Blackpool residents calling for the need for regeneration in the Bond Street, Waterloo Road and Revoe areas of Blackpool.
The petition states:
The petition of residents of the...
Blackpool’s Waterloo Road and Bond Street region
Following my recent Adjournment debate on this issue, I rise to present a petition signed by over 500 Blackpool residents calling for the need for regeneration in the Bond Street, Waterloo Road and Revoe areas of Blackpool.
The petition states:
The petition of residents of the...
The number of those who are on long-term sickness benefits in Blackpool has increased fourfold over the last few decades. That represents an enormous loss of potential, and it is also hurting economic growth and productivity. The Government’s proposed reforms in this area are to be welcomed, but rather than...
The number of those who are on long-term sickness benefits in Blackpool has increased fourfold over the last few decades. That represents an enormous loss of potential, and it is also hurting economic growth and productivity. The Government’s proposed reforms in this area are to be welcomed, but rather than...
Media reports have suggested that white men have been actively discriminated against in recruitment, and that security checks may be relaxed due to promoting ethnic diversity within the Army. A number of senior military figures have purportedly warned that the pervasiveness of woke ideology being pushed on to the armed forces is a real and present threat to national security, and will give aid and comfort to the King’s enemies. Will the planned review of diversity policies seek to address those concerns?
Media reports have suggested that white men have been actively discriminated against in recruitment, and that security checks may be relaxed due to promoting ethnic diversity within the Army. A number of senior military figures have purportedly warned that the pervasiveness of woke ideology being pushed on to the armed forces is a real and present threat to national security, and will give aid and comfort to the King’s enemies. Will the planned review of diversity policies seek to address those concerns?
I am grateful for the hon. Gentleman’s remarks, but I do not recognise the situation that he describes. We take security extremely seriously and ensure that all personnel have security clearance appropriate to their job. Checks normally require at least three years’
UK residency, but Commonwealth candidates are permitted to accrue qualifying residency while serving, although they cannot take up roles and ranks that require higher levels of vetting. This policy has been in place for several years, and it has not changed.
What steps he is taking to increase the size of the Army.
What steps he is taking to increase the size of the Army.
The latest figure for the full-time strength of the Army is 73,520. The Army is continuing to work towards its “Future Soldier” structure of 73,000 regular and 30,000 reserve personnel. There are no plans to change this. The good news is that provisional figures suggest that January had the highest number of Army applications for six years.
If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.
If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.
If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.
To ask the hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what recent assessment the Church has made of the viability of a sustained Christian presence in Jerusalem.
To ask the hon. Member for South West Bedfordshire, representing the Church Commissioners, what recent assessment the Church has made of the viability of a sustained Christian presence in Jerusalem.
What steps he is taking to increase prison capacity.
What steps he is taking to increase prison capacity.
Motion lapsed. Motion made and question proposed, that this House do now adjourn. Agreed to on question.
Motion lapsed. Motion made and question proposed, that this House do now adjourn. Agreed to on question.
It is a pleasure to open this Adjournment debate on the regeneration of Bond Street and Waterloo Road in Blackpool, two areas of my constituency in particular need of capital investment, for reasons that will become clear.
Before I go on to speak particularly about those two areas, it would be...
It is a pleasure to open this Adjournment debate on the regeneration of Bond Street and Waterloo Road in Blackpool, two areas of my constituency in particular need of capital investment, for reasons that will become clear.
Before I go on to speak particularly about those two areas, it would be...
Despite the challenges in these communities, the high streets are embedded with many new and successful businesses, such as Sarah at the Pitstop Café, the Bull pub, Rick at the Tube Station and Chris at Royal Oak Furnishings to mention just a few. But they need support if their high...
Despite the challenges in these communities, the high streets are embedded with many new and successful businesses, such as Sarah at the Pitstop Café, the Bull pub, Rick at the Tube Station and Chris at Royal Oak Furnishings to mention just a few. But they need support if their high...
What steps his Department is taking to reduce taxes.
What steps his Department is taking to reduce taxes.
Whether he has had discussions with the Welsh Government on the introduction of a 20 mph speed limit on residential roads and pedestrian streets in Wales.
Whether he has had discussions with the Welsh Government on the introduction of a 20 mph speed limit on residential roads and pedestrian streets in Wales.
The Welsh Government’s policy on the blanket 20 mph speed limit is damaging communities and businesses across Wales. All of us support 20 mph limits if there is a safety reason outside schools, hospitals or old people’s homes, but the blanket 20 mph limit is, by the Welsh Government’s own figures, going to create a £4.5 billion hit to the Welsh economy.
Blanket 20 mph zones do not command widespread public support and, as a consequence, are widely ignored and unenforceable. Furthermore, there is very little evidence that they improve road safety or air quality. The roll-out of the scheme in Wales has proved to be an utter farce. Does my right hon. Friend share my concern that the Labour party has not learned its lesson and would no doubt seek to impose this costly and disastrous policy in England were it to be elected?
Blanket 20 mph zones do not command widespread public support and, as a consequence, are widely ignored and unenforceable. Furthermore, there is very little evidence that they improve road safety or air quality. The roll-out of the scheme in Wales has proved to be an utter farce. Does my right hon. Friend share my concern that the Labour party has not learned its lesson and would no doubt seek to impose this costly and disastrous policy in England were it to be elected?
My hon. Friend is correct. Not only have the Welsh Labour Government not considered this policy, but they have ignored the fact that 468,000 people have signed a petition calling on them to reconsider—the largest petition in the history of the Senedd. He is also correct to say that if a Labour Government were ever elected in this country—I certainly hope that will not happen—it is inevitable that they would pursue anti-motorist policies such as the 20 mph speed limit, a ban on new roads being built, and congestion charges and emission zones being set up all over the place.