Tag: Business and Trade Department

The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 10 May 2023.

Round nine of negotiations for a free trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the Republic of India.

In continuation of the eighth round of negotiations held during 20-31 March 2023 in new Delhi, the United Kingdom and the Republic of India held the ninth round of talks during 24-28 April for a UK-India FTA.

As with previous rounds, these were conducted in a hybrid fashion – a number of officials from India travelled to London and others attended virtually.

During the round, detailed discussions took place across a range of policy areas.

The tenth round of negotiations is due to take place in the coming months.

The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 9 May 2023.

The schemes will support more than 4,400 jobs across the UK over the next decade, from Bath to Ballymena.

The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 3 May 2023.

The UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade has appointed Harjinder Kang as His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner (HMTC) to South Asia.

The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 2 May 2023.

Withholding tips from staff becomes unlawful as the Tipping Bill achieves Royal Assent, with more than 2 million workers to have their tips protected.

• Withholding tips from staff becomes unlawful as Tipping Bill achieves Royal Assent.
• More than 2 million workers will have their tips protected and be able to view an employer’s tipping record.
• An estimated £200 million a year will go back into the pockets of hard-working staff by retaining tips that would have otherwise been deducted.

Millions of UK workers will take home an estimated £200 million more of their hard-earned cash, as employers are banned from withholding tips under the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023, which today (Tuesday 2 May) received Royal Assent.

Many hospitality workers rely on tips to top up their pay and are often left powerless if businesses don’t pass on service charges from customers to their staff.

This Bill makes it unlawful for businesses to hold back service charges from their employees, ensuring staff receive the tips they have earned. The measures are expected to come into force in 2024, following a consultation and secondary legislation.

This overhaul of tipping practices is set to benefit more than 2 million UK workers across the hospitality, leisure and services sectors helping to ease cost of living pressures and give them peace of mind that they will keep their hard-earned money.

Business and Trade Minister Kevin Hollinrake said:

As people face rising living costs, it is not right for employers to withhold tips from their hard-working employees.

Whether you are pulling pints or delivering a pizza, this new law will ensure that staff receive a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work – and it means customers can be confident their money is going to those who deserve it.

I want to thank Dean Russell MP, Virginia Crosbie MP and all the campaigners who have helped make the Tipping Bill a reality and improved the lives of workers across the UK.

Dean Russell, Conservative MP for Watford, said:

I am very pleased that my Tips Bill has received Royal Assent. Hard working people working in hospitality in Watford and across the country will be able to retain their tips, knowing that they will now have a fair deal.

I have always had reservations that some employers kept tips which were earnt by their staff. This new law will stop this immediately and will ensure that the tips are given to the individual staff member, or team.

I would like to pass on my sincere thanks to every business and individual who has been in touch to share their support for my Bill.

Virginia Crosbie, Conservative MP for Ynys Môn, said:

I am pleased this bill is now law. Driving it forward was all about fairness for workers and for those who give tips for good service. It was never right that a minority of companies could pocket tips when the public wanted them to go to the person who served them or made their food.

The law will now boost wages for what are often lower paid jobs and not boost company profits at the expense of hard-working staff. But it is also about valuing the people who do important jobs in our economy, especially in tourist areas like Anglesey, and I am proud to have played my part.

Through the Act, a new statutory Code of Practice will be developed to provide businesses and staff with advice on how tips should be distributed. On top of this, workers will receive a new right to request more information relating to an employer’s tipping record, enabling them to bring forward a credible claim to an employment tribunal.

UK Hospitality Chief Executive, Kate Nicholls, said:

Fantastic hospitality experiences don’t happen without a huge effort from our teams, both front and back of house, and tips are a generous way of customers showing their gratitude, while providing a welcome boost to employees’ earnings. Tips are just one part of what makes working in hospitality a great job and career.

We’re pleased to support this new piece of legislation as it comes into law today and look forward to working with Government and other stakeholders on a code of practice that ensures a fair distribution of gratuities amongst all who contribute to providing great hospitality.

Today’s Royal Assent follows a range of government action to support people with the cost of living and help those on lower incomes keep more of what they earn, whilst delivering on the government’s priority to halve inflation. Most notably, last month the National Living Wage increased by 9.7 percent, keeping the government on track to achieve its manifesto commitment for the National Living Wage to equal two-thirds of median earnings by 2024, provided economic conditions allow.

Further recent government action to support households with the cost of living includes extending the Energy Price Guarantee at its current level for another two months, which keeps energy bills at £2,500 for a typical household until the end of June. We have also extended the freeze on fuel duty, saving the average car driver in the UK £100 over the next year.

The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 25 April 2023.

New powers unveiled aimed at boosting competition, clamping down on subscription traps and fake reviews.

• New powers aimed at boosting competition in digital markets currently dominated by a small number of firms
• Clamping down on subscription traps that cost consumers £1.6bn a year, making it easier for consumers to opt out
• Tackling fake reviews so customers aren’t cheated by bogus ratings

New legislation will today (25 April) be introduced to ensure businesses and consumers are protected from rip-offs and can reap the full benefits of the digital economy with confidence.

Fake reviews that cheat customers, subscription traps that cost more than a billion pounds a year and new powers for the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to tackle businesses that breach consumer rights law are all elements of today’s far-reaching Bill.

In competitive markets, firms strive to give consumers the best products, most choice, and lowest possible prices. The Bill will provide the CMA with stronger tools to investigate competition problems and take faster, more effective action, including where companies collude to bump-up prices at the expense of UK consumers.

The CMA will be able to directly enforce consumer law rather than go through lengthy court processes. The reforms will also heighten the consequences for wrongdoers as the CMA and the courts will have the power to impose penalties of up to 10% of global turnover for breaching consumer law.

Today’s Bill will also enable the Government to ban the practice of facilitating fake reviews or advertising consumer reviews without taking reasonable steps to check they are genuine. New rules will ensure consumers can exit subscriptions in a straightforward, cost-effective, and timely way and require that businesses issue a reminder to consumers when a free trial or introductory offer is coming to an end.

This will help deliver one of the Government’s five priorities to grow the economy by increasing consumer choice and confidence in the products they buy and services they use.

Business and Trade Minister Kevin Hollinrake said:

Smartphones and online shopping have profoundly changed the landscape for businesses, consumers and the foundations of a modern thriving economy, which now lie in strong consumer choice, confidence and competition.

From abuse of power by tech giants, to fake reviews, scams and rip-offs like being caught in a subscription trap – consumers deserve better. The new laws we’re delivering today will empower the CMA to directly enforce consumer law, strengthen competition in digital markets and ensure that people across the country keep hold of their hard-earned cash.

As part of the Bill, a Digital Markets Unit (DMU) within the CMA will be given new powers to tackle the excessive dominance that a small number of tech companies have held over consumers and businesses in the UK. This market dominance has stifled innovation and growth across the economy, holding back start-ups and smaller firms from accessing markets and consumers.

The government’s new digital regime will give the DMU powers to ensure that businesses and consumers are not unfairly disadvantaged by the biggest players, allowing them access to dynamic and thriving digital markets that will ultimately support our economy to grow. If a firm is deemed to have strategic market status in key digital services, the DMU will be able to step in to set tailored rules on how they behave and operate.

For example, the biggest tech firms may be instructed by the DMU to provide more choice and transparency to their customers. If firms don’t abide by these rules, the DMU will have the power to fine them up to 10% of their global turnover.

The DMU will also be able to tackle the root causes of competition issues in digital markets by carrying out targeted interventions, opening up new paths for start-ups or smaller firms that have previously struggled to grow and compete in these markets.

Firms may be told to give customers greater flexibility when purchasing products online and to break down restrictive technical barriers that block users from using products on different devices and systems. The new regime will drive innovation across the entire economy, maintain and further the UK as an attractive tech destination for international investment, and make the digital economy a fairer place for businesses and customers.

Paul Scully, Minister for Tech and the Digital Economy said:

Today’s announcement shows we are proudly pro-growth and pro-innovation across the board in the tech sector, seeking to open up new opportunities for all firms, however small or large they are, while empowering consumers.

The Prime Minister has made his intention to secure growth and innovation within every corner of our economy very clear – the new Digital Markets Unit will help fulfil this important priority for the UK in the digital economy.

Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said:

This bill is a pivotal step to make markets in the UK work better for consumers, businesses and support economic growth.

Whether it’s fake reviews by dishonest businesses or people getting trapped in unwanted and costly subscriptions, our consumer protections are overdue an upgrade. Which? has long campaigned for stronger powers for the Competition and Markets Authority, including tough enforcement and the ability to fine firms that break the law directly.

The empowerment of the CMA’s Digital Markets Unit will also be a major step forward. It needs the right powers to loosen the vice-like grip of a handful of tech giants that will foster innovation and give consumers more choice and lower prices.

Dom Hallas, Executive Director at Coadec, said:

Startups thrive in competitive markets but currently too many are grappling with bed-blocking incumbents in broken markets. The Digital Markets Unit can become a powerful tool to help innovative companies break through.

UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said:

We’re pleased that the Government has listened to the concerns of hospitality businesses about fake reviews and have taken swift action to tackle it, by giving the CMA enhanced powers through this Bill.

Fake reviews do irreparable damage to businesses, offer consumers a misleading view of a business and devalue the efforts of honest customers leaving genuine feedback. This Bill will help to deliver fairness for both hospitality venues and their customers in this area, and we look forward to working with Government to achieve this.

Sarah Cardell, Chief Executive of the CMA, said:

The new powers in this bill help the CMA take swift, decisive action to tackle rip offs, protecting consumers whether they are shopping online or on the high street. The new fining powers will provide an important deterrent to businesses seeking to take advantage of people while also ensuring fair dealing businesses can thrive.

The bill will also strengthen the Digital Markets Unit, helping to ensure digital markets remain competitive and continue to benefit people, business, and the UK economy. We welcome its introduction to parliament and look forward to it progressing.

The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 21 April 2023.

148 recipients announced in The King’s Awards for Enterprise – the UK’s most prestigious business awards.

• Winners include Fever-Tree Drinks, the UK’s largest soft drinks exporter and Scotland’s Bravest Manufacturing Company, which provides opportunities for military veterans.
• Applications for The King’s Awards for Enterprise 2024 open on Coronation Day, 6th May 2023.

The first ever recipients of The King’s Awards for Enterprise have been announced today (21 April), celebrating the achievements of UK businesses.

This year, 148 businesses representing every part of the United Kingdom and a diverse range of sectors have been recognised by His Majesty The King as among the best in the country awards.

Businesses like these are central to delivering on one of the Government’s five priorities to grow our economy – from creating new opportunities and supporting people into work through to developing new innovations and exporting the best of Britain around the world.

Minister for Enterprise Kevin Hollinrake said:

I congratulate the first ever recipients of The King’s Awards for Enterprise, who exemplify the talent, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit of British business.

I wish them every success and commend the invaluable contributions they make to communities both at home and overseas, helping to grow the UK economy.

This year’s winners include:

• Fever-Tree Drinks, based in London, are the UK’s largest soft drink exporter. The company’s premium mixers are distributed in more than 90 countries worldwide, with teams in key regions including the US, Canada, France, Italy, Germany, Australia, New Zealand and Japan. The company receives The King’s Award for International Trade for Outstanding Continuous Growth in overseas sales over the last six years.
• Scotland’s Bravest Manufacturing Company, a social enterprise based in Renfrewshire that provides employment opportunities to injured military veterans and people with disabilities. They have been awarded The King’s Award for Promoting Opportunity.
• Naturaw Pet Food Ltd. a Yorkshire based manufacturer of natural unprocessed, raw meat-based dog food produced in a solar powered factory. The company has developed completely plastic-free packaging, and sources all their high welfare meat from Britain, ensuring the highest level of animal welfare and low food miles. They have been awarded The King’s Award for Sustainable Development.

The King’s Awards for Enterprise was previously known as The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise, and the new name reflects His Majesty The King’s desire to continue the legacy of Queen Elizabeth II by recognising outstanding UK businesses. The Award programme, now in its 57th year, has awarded over 7,000 companies since its inception in 1965.

This year’s King’s Awards for Enterprise are given for outstanding achievement in:

• Innovation (47)
• International trade (78)
• Sustainable development (15)
• Promoting opportunity (through social mobility) (9)

His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenants will be presenting the Awards to businesses locally throughout the year.

Eligible businesses are free to apply for one or more categories. The recipients pass a robust assessment process, judged by experts from industry, academia, the voluntary sector and senior officials in Whitehall.

On that basis, each year, The King’s Awards for Enterprise recipients are recommended by the Prime Minister.

The full list of Awardees across the four categories can be found in the London Gazette.

The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 20 April 2023.

The Department for Business and Trade launches new independent Critical Minerals Taskforce.

The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 18 April 2023.

Nigel Huddleston is in Washington to deepen UK-US trade ties and secure two wins that will boost jobs, investment and exports across the Atlantic.

Trade Minister Nigel Huddleston is in Washington to deepen UK-US trade ties and secure two wins that will boost jobs, investment and exports across the Atlantic.

He will open his visit by signing a state-level trade Memorandum of Understanding with Oklahoma, the fourth such agreement between the UK and a US state, before welcoming a Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) between UK and US architect regulators.

The MoU with Oklahoma will unlock opportunities for UK businesses to export more and encourage inward investment, which will in turn drive economic growth and create jobs in the UK, contributing to the government’s priority to grow the economy.

It aims to boost the £174.4m worth of goods UK companies exported to the UK in 2022 and generate more jobs for exporters in the UK. Nearly 3,000 jobs in Oklahoma are supported by exports to the UK and nearly 10,000 people in the state are employed by British companies.

Top goods exports from UK to Oklahoma in 2022 included nuclear equipment, precious stones and metals and photographic equipment, including medical and navigational.

The Minister will attend an event on 19 April with industry bodies to welcome the ground-breaking architect MRA. This is the first of its kind signed by the UK’s Architects Registration Board (ARB) and will ensure UK architects can take advantage of new opportunities in several states across the United States.

Practising architecture in the US requires licensing, typically at state level, which makes it harder for UK architects to work in the country. Under the agreement, eligible UK architects and businesses will face significantly less testing and a shorter process to get a licence in participating jurisdictions.

British architects have made significant contributions to the US landscape, having designed several well-known buildings including the African-American Museum in Washington DC and JFK Airport in New York by Sir David Adjaye and Andrew Whalley respectively. Architecture and engineering services in the UK is worth £22bn, with architectural services employing around 70,000 people across the country.

The MRA could increase UK services exports to the US by around £40 million per annum.

Business and Trade Minister Nigel Huddleston said:

I’m thrilled to be in America building on our strong trading relationship with the US through our innovative programme of state-level MoUs and a trailblazing agreement between US and UK architect regulators.

Both these agreements will benefit British businesses, unlock huge opportunities in clean energy and technology through our MoU with Oklahoma and make it easier for our world-leading British architects to export their services across the Atlantic.

The US is our largest trading partner, and these wins reflect our successful twin-track approach to trade with the US, strengthening links with individual states in parallel with work with the federal government.

The Oklahoma MoU will focus on decarbonisation, particularly through boosting collaboration and investment in areas such as carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS). The Government has identified CCUS as an area of economic opportunity for the UK – expected to create up to 50,000 British jobs by the end of this decade.

The UK already has MoUs in place with Indiana, North Carolina and South Carolina, which are helping UK businesses meet new buyers and secure new contracts. We are currently discussing future agreements with states including Utah, Texas and California.

BritishAmerican Business CEO Duncan Edwards said:

The UK government’s state-level engagement makes good business sense. We welcome today’s signing and look forward to helping transatlantic companies develop new business ties in the state of Oklahoma.

While these MoUs foster further trade and investment opportunities at a local level, our hope is that their success can help put trade talks at a federal level back on the agenda.

The architect MRA is the most accepted agreement ever signed by NCARB and covers three of the five largest US states by GDP; California, Illinois and Texas.

Minister for Building Safety Lee Rowley said:

This agreement will help increase the presence of UK architects and architectural sector in the United States and on the global stage.

The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities developed the legislation to enable the Architects Registration Board to sign these types of agreements and has supported them throughout their negotiations with NCARB.

This agreement, and others like it with partners across the world, create more international opportunities for architectural firms based all around the UK and increase the talent and breadth of architects here.

ARB Chief Executive and Registrar Hugh Simpson said:

This landmark agreement that ARB has signed with our US counterparts means that from 25 April, UK architects and their firms can take advantage of a much simpler licensing process for UK qualified architects in the United States, with fewer tests and a streamlined application process. US qualified and licenced architects will also benefit from a quicker and simpler process to join the UK register in a way which maintains standards and upholds confidence.

Foster + Partners is a British studio for architecture, urbanism and design founded in 1967. It is the largest architectural firm in the UK with offices established across the world.

Foster + Partners Senior Partner and Global Head of HR Charlotte Sword said:

We welcome the recent ARB-NCARB mutual recognition agreement, which will make it easier for our UK qualified architects to gain licensure in the participating US states and for our US architects to work here in the UK.

The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 17 April 2023.

New Smart Data project aimed at cutting bills for consumers.

• The Council will look at how to cut the current loyalty penalty of £1,114
• The next step in cementing the UK’s position as a global fintech leader

A new Smart Data Council has been set up to help lower bills for consumers and small firms by making it easier to switch utility providers, the Department for Business and Trade has announced today.

The loyalty penalty, the difference between what loyal and new consumers pay for the same service, currently sits at £1,114 a year for households across mobile, mortgages and broadband.

The Council find ways to extend the benefits of Smart Data to new sectors, allowing consumers and businesses to find essential tariffs best suited to their needs, or reduce the loyalty penalty that customers face when trying to change providers.

Smart Data involves the secure sharing of customer data with authorised third parties to help improve services for consumers. A wider adoption of Smart Data will make it easier for more consumers and small businesses to switch providers of some utilities, therefore supporting families to save money.

The Council, featuring representatives from Citizen’s Advice, Innovate Finance and other stakeholders will be tasked with leading, developing and co-ordinating on new and innovative schemes that utilise the power of Smart Data.

Business and Trade Minister Kevin Hollinrake said:

Smart Data can be a real game changer for consumers across the UK, potentially saving people hundreds or even thousands of pounds a year.

Our new Smart Data Council will build on the success of Open Banking and spearhead measures in sectors like SME finance, energy and telecoms, increasing competition and putting more money in the pockets of consumers and small firms.

The newly formed council will aim to replicate the success of Open Banking in other sectors which could include telecoms and energy.

Launched in 2018, Open Banking has been one of the early champions of Smart Data, and now supports over 7 million customers. In that time the data sharing services have boosted customer knowledge of their finances and enabled increased savings.

The Council will be comprised of key government departments, regulators, industry, and consumer groups. The Council will direct coordination and drive collaboration and knowledge-sharing across the key decision makers and stakeholders.

The inaugural meeting will take place on Tuesday 25th April 2023.

Council Members:

• The Department for Business and Trade
• HM Treasury
• The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero
• The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
• The Information Commissioner’s Office
• Ofcom
• Ofgem
• The Financial Conduct Authority
• The Competition and Markets Authority
• TechUK
• Innovate Finance
• Icebreaker One
• Citizens Advice
• The Coalition for a Digital Economy (COADEC)
• Open Data Institute
• Ctrl-Shift
• Open Banking Implementation Entity (OBIE)
• The Investing and Saving Alliance (TISA)

The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 5 April 2023.

The bloc is home to over 500 million people and will have a total GDP of £11 trillion once the UK joins.

The Welsh economy is expected to benefit after the UK Government today (31 March) announced the conclusion of trade talks with the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), a vast free trade area spanning the Indo-Pacific.

The bloc is home to over 500 million people and will have a total GDP of £11 trillion once the UK joins. Joining the bloc could boost the Welsh economy by improving businesses’ access to some of the world’s largest markets.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

We are at our heart an open and free-trading nation, and this deal demonstrates the real economic benefits of our post-Brexit freedoms. As part of CPTPP, the UK is now in a prime position in the global economy to seize opportunities for new jobs, growth and innovation.

Joining the CPTPP trade bloc puts the UK at the centre of a dynamic and growing group of Pacific economies, as the first new nation and first European country to join. British businesses will now enjoy unparalleled access to markets from Europe to the south Pacific.

There are numerous opportunities for Welsh businesses to benefit from joining CPTPP, with more than 450 businesses in Wales exporting over £900m worth of goods to CPTPP countries in 2021.

Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said:

This is an important moment for the UK. Our accession to CPTPP sends a powerful signal that the UK is open for business and using our post-Brexit freedoms to reach out to new markets around the world and grow our economy.

Joining CPTPP will support jobs and create opportunities for companies of all sizes and in all parts of the UK. It is also about giving Welsh businesses improved access to the countries that will be gateway to the wider Indo-Pacific region which is projected to make up the majority of global growth in the future.

Joining the trade bloc will mean more than 99 percent of UK goods exports to CPTPP members will be eligible for zero tariffs. In the long run, it could boost the UK economy by £1.8 billion and lead to a £1.7 billion increase in UK exports to CPTPP countries as result of the reduction of barriers across goods and services according to the Government’s published scoping assessment. Key Welsh exports such as machinery and power generators could benefit from the removal of tariffs as a result of the agreement.

Welsh Secretary David TC Davies said:

This trade deal is great news for Welsh business. CPTPP countries are already an important sector in the Welsh export market. Over 450 companies, including Halen Môn and Fifth Wheel, will benefit from less red tape and better opportunities. These growing markets will help businesses in Wales increase export opportunities and boost the global appetite for Welsh goods and services.

Fifth Wheel Company are a multi-award winning business specialising in the design and manufacturing of luxury tourers. All of their vehicles are assembled in-house at their factory in Rhuallt in North Wales, and they’re excited about the exporting opportunities that will be created by the UK joining CPTPP.

Gethin Whiteley at Fifth Wheel, commented:

We’ve been exporting our luxury caravans to Australia and New Zealand customers for the last five years. The leisure and camping market within these countries is growing, and our products offer the size and space of a motorhome and the practicality of a car and caravan so are perfectly suited to explore.

We have already embarked on a trade mission to strengthen our position in these markets, and we believe that joining CPTPP, along with the bilateral deals, will further assist us in our search to increase exports of our products to markets of growing importance.

Wales-based company Halen Môn produce ANGLESEY Sea Salt, which can be found in over 100 of the UK’s best delicatessens, as well as in retailers such as Marks and Spencer, Waitrose and Harvey Nichols.

They already export to more than 22 countries across the globe, including several CPTPP members, and are looking forward to exploring the further exporting potential created by the UK’s accession to the trading bloc.

Alison Lea-Wilson at Halen Môn said:

Anything the UK government can do to help realise the huge potential of trading with CPTPP member states is to be welcomed. We already export to Japan and Singapore and see opportunities in Australia too.

We are delighted to be supplying a Japanese bakery ingredients company with our innovative oak smoked water. There is already a great relationship between Wales and Japan forged in part by rugby, seaweed and even leeks, and we look forward to building on it.

Membership is a gateway to the wider Indo-Pacific region, which has 60% of the world’s population and is set to account for the majority (54%) of global economic growth and around half of the world’s billion middle-class consumers in the decades ahead.

As a member of CPTPP, the UK will help influence and shape global rules for industries of the future like digital, data and services, and secure our place as a global leader in a network of countries committed to free trade.

The UK and CPTPP members will now take the final steps required for the UK to formally sign in 2023.