Iain Duncan Smith

On 1^st January of this year, the government commenced Parts 1, 2 and 5 of the Act, which brought into force, among other reforms, the new pro-competition regime for digital markets. The government intends to commence the Act’s consumer enforcement reforms and updated provisions on unfair commercial practices in April. Reforms to subscriptions contracts and alternative dispute resolution will follow later, with subscriptions reforms not commencing before Spring 2026. New savings schemes rules are planned to commence in January 2026. The new foreign state intervention (FSI) regime for newspapers and periodical news magazines, for which the Department for Culture, Media and Sport are the lead government department, commenced on 24 May 2024.

Domestic production of lithium will be increasingly important as demand for resilient and responsible sources of critical minerals grows. Government has supported several lithium projects through the Automotive Transformation Fund, and the UK recently celebrated the opening of the first lithium hydroxide demonstration plant by Cornish Lithium. in Government will continue to work closely with industry to maximise our potential for domestic lithium production.

The Autumn Budget committed over £2bn by 2030 for the automotive sector including the electric vehicle manufacturing sector and supply chain, including gigafactories. Alongside the National Wealth Fund, this will accelerate investment in our zero emission vehicle supply chain providing long-term certainty for industry.

No company should have forced labour in its supply chains. This Government is committed to working with international partners and businesses to ensure global supply chains are free from human and labour rights abuses. The Government is reviewing how we can best tackle forced labour in supply chains.

No company should have forced labour in its supply chains. This Government is committed to working with international partners and businesses to ensure global supply chains are free from human and labour rights abuses. The Government is reviewing how we can best tackle forced labour in supply chains.

The UK consistently raises human rights issues at the highest levels with the Chinese authorities. The Government’s overseas business risk guidance sets out the risks of operating in Xinjiang and urges UK companies to conduct appropriate due diligence and consider their corporate responsibilities when making business decisions.

The Government recently announced the re-establishment of the Solar Taskforce to bring together experts from across Government and industry. Publication of the Solar Roadmap will follow shortly and that will set out recommendations on how we and industry will work together to achieve our ambition to triple the UK’s solar capacity by 2030.

No company in the UK should have forced labour in its supply chain. We will be working with colleagues across Government to tackle the issue of Uyghur forced labour in supply chains.

We are also relaunching the Solar Taskforce, which will focus on identifying and taking forward the actions needed to develop supply chains that are resilient, sustainable and free from forced labour. This will support the significant increases in deployment of solar panels needed to meet our ambition of tripling the UKs solar power capacity by 2030.

As the Gambling Minister set out in her speech at the GambleAware conference in December 2024, the industry has now been set a clear task to further raise standards to ensure that gambling advertising is appropriate, responsible, and does not exacerbate harm, and this work will be monitored closely.

There are a range of robust rules in place to ensure that gambling adverts, wherever they appear, are socially responsible and do not target children. The ASA continues to closely monitor and enforce compliance but, if needed, can refer gambling operators’ advertising to the Gambling Commission which can and does take action.

Gambling operators must ensure that their advertising is not targeted at children and must not appear in media created for children or for which children make up 25% or more of the audience. Operators must also ensure that they take all reasonable steps to use data available to exclude individuals on the basis of their age or other relevant criteria. These rules are required as part of the Gambling Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP). The ASA continues to closely monitor and enforce compliance but, if needed, can refer gambling operators’ advertising to the Gambling Commission which can and do take action. The ASA’s rulings on breaches of loot box advertising code requirements are available at: https://www.asa.org.uk/codes-and-rulings/rulings.html

DCMS officials regularly meet the Advertising Standards Authority to discuss a range of issues, including its view on whether ads for apps, video games and other online products that feature random-item purchasing mechanisms sufficiently disclose this fact in the content of the advertisement. Through ‘Guidance on Advertising In-game Purchases’ and ASA rulings, the ASA system sets and applies standards to mitigate the potential for ads to mislead consumers about the cost of in-game purchases, whether games contain them, and how they might affect gameplay. The ASA’s sister body, the Committee of Advertising Practice, is currently deliberating whether and, if so, on what basis, to take further action in this aspect of its regulation.

Gambling operators must ensure that their advertising is not targeted at children and must not appear in media created for children or for which children make up 25% or more of the audience. Operators must also ensure that they take all reasonable steps to use data available to exclude individuals on the basis of their age or other relevant criteria. These rules are required as part of the Gambling Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice (LCCP). The ASA continues to closely monitor and enforce compliance but, if needed, can refer gambling operators’ advertising to the Gambling Commission which can and do take action. The ASA’s rulings on breaches of loot box advertising code requirements are available at: https://www.asa.org.uk/codes-and-rulings/rulings.html

DCMS officials regularly meet the Advertising Standards Authority to discuss a range of issues, including its view on whether ads for apps, video games and other online products that feature random-item purchasing mechanisms sufficiently disclose this fact in the content of the advertisement. Through ‘Guidance on Advertising In-game Purchases’ and ASA rulings, the ASA system sets and applies standards to mitigate the potential for ads to mislead consumers about the cost of in-game purchases, whether games contain them, and how they might affect gameplay. The ASA’s sister body, the Committee of Advertising Practice, is currently deliberating whether and, if so, on what basis, to take further action in this aspect of its regulation.

As the independent regulator, it is the Gambling Commission’s duty to ensure that operators comply with the requirements set out in the Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice and to take appropriate regulatory action against those operators which fail to comply. The Gambling Commission has published its decision on regulatory action against Greentube Alderney Limited, and any decision on revoking Greentube Alderney Limited’s licence lies with them.

As of 31 March 2024, there were 631 non-remote bingo premises in operation in Great Britain, according to the Gambling Commission’s November 2024 Industry Statistics.

As set out in the Gambling Commission’s Licence Conditions and Codes of Practice, in licensed bingo premises, gaming machines may only be made available for use where there are also substantive facilities for non-remote bingo available in the premises. Non-remote bingo licensees must also ensure that the function and presentation of their premises are such that a customer can reasonably be expected to recognise that it is a premises licensed for the purposes of providing bingo facilities. These are conditions of non-remote bingo licences. To operate an adult gaming centre, operators require a “gaming machine general operating licence” for an adult gaming centre and an adult gaming centre premises licence.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) leads across government on the classification and labelling of chemicals and acts as the Agency for the assimilated Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures as amended in Great Britain (or the GB CLP Regulation).

HSE is responsible for the GB mandatory classification and labelling system (GB MCL) and its administrative procedures in accordance with a timetable set out in UK law.

The weight and strength of all the available scientific information relating to the hazardous properties of a chemical are used when making recommendations for mandatory classification and labelling of chemicals. The technical assessments and reports that underpin these recommendations follow the criteria in the GB CLP Regulation.

Ministers have made no assessment of the potential merits of applying a wider weight of evidence approach when making decisions on the mandatory (a) classification and (b) labelling of chemicals.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is considering whether to initiate the Article 37A process under the GB Classification, Labelling and Packaging Regulation (GB CLP) following publication of the Agency Opinion on the classification and labelling of lithium carbonate [1] lithium chloride [2] and lithium hydroxide [3] in August 2023.

Under Article 37A, HSE, as the GB CLP Agency, may submit a proposal for a new or revised GB mandatory classification and labelling requirement when there is evidence of new scientific data or information that may lead to a new or revised mandatory classification and labelling for a priority hazard class, such as carcinogenicity, mutagenicity or reproductive toxicity.

There is no statutory time limit on HSE to prepare and submit a proposal. HSE regulatory and scientific specialists are investigating the evidence and new scientific data made available and, if necessary, seeking any additional information or consulting other departments or agencies. HSE is continuing to engage with stakeholders during this process.

No discussions have been held on this issue between the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions and HSE.

£1.2 million has recently been released to Barts Health NHS Trust to support them in continuing the development of their Outline Business Case for the new Whipps Cross Hospital during the review into the New Hospital Programme (NHP). While the review is taking place, we are continuing to support all schemes within the NHP. Requests for funding during this time are being considered on an individual basis. The review will feed into the Spending Review process, where decisions on the outcome will be taken in the round and the Government will confirm the outcome of the review as part of that process.

As stated in the answer of 9 September 2024 to question 3677, £1.2 million has recently been released to the Barts Health NHS Trust to support them in continuing the development of their Outline Business Case for the new Whipps Cross Hospital.

We are continuing to support schemes in progressing while the review is ongoing, with requests for funding during this time being considered on an individual basis. The review will conclude this autumn, and Parliament will be updated on the next steps for the programme.

We are reviewing the New Hospital Programme to put it on a sustainable footing, including a realistic timetable for delivery and clarity on the funding required. The review will be completed as soon as possible this autumn. Once concluded, Parliament will be updated on the next steps for the Programme and individual schemes, including Whipps Cross Hospital.

£1.2 million has been released recently to Barts Health NHS Trust to support them in continuing the development of their Outline Business Case for the main scheme during the review period. Construction has also started on a Multi Storey Car Park on the site.

The Government is considering its response to the Private Member's Bill "to make provision for a right to consular assistance for British journalists abroad who have been detained or held hostage; and for connected purposes" and will respond to the Parliamentary Business and Legislation Committee in due course.

The Government is committed to strengthening consular services, including introducing a right to consular assistance in cases of human rights violations. My department is considering a package of measures to achieve this, which we will announce in due course.

The FCDO has not received any representations from the Metropolitan Police on the called-in application for the proposed new Chinese embassy.

FCDO Ministers regularly raise consular cases with their foreign counterparts. The Foreign Secretary last discussed Ryan Cornelius' case with the UAE Foreign Minister in December 2024. The FCDO takes the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention's opinions seriously. While their recommendations are not legally binding, we will continue to highlight their concerns in discussions with UAE authorities. The FCDO are providing Mr Cornelius with consular assistance, and we take any reports of human rights violations, including coercion and poor prison conditions very seriously and, with the consent of Mr Cornelius, will raise any concerns with local authorities.

The British Consulate General liaises closely with UK businesses operating in Hong Kong regarding local regulatory developments, including in relation to the Protection of Critical Infrastructure (Computer Systems) Bill currently before the Hong Kong Legislative Council. We will continue to monitor developments closely as this legislation is finalised and becomes operational, and any potential impact it may have on UK business.

I cannot comment on specific taxpayers or provide comment on individuals or businesses.

However, at the Budget, the Government announced the most ambitious ever package to close the tax gap, to raise £6.5 billion in additional tax revenue per year by 2029-30.

This includes recruiting 5,000 additional compliance staff to make sure people pay the tax that is due, including against serious offshore non-compliance and fraud by the wealthy. Offshore evasion is an international issue that calls for international solutions

The UK is leading international efforts to improve global transparency and we are committed to ensuring everyone pays the right tax under the law, regardless of wealth or status.

DBT and Companies House are moving at pace to implement the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2024, a principal purpose of which is to strengthen the powers of the Registrar of Companies to bear down on the abuse of corporate structures in the UK. Enhanced intelligence sharing between public authorities is a key element in that.

HMRC is aware of the risk of overseas sellers misrepresenting their true establishment to an online marketplace so that the online marketplace will not charge VAT, and continues to keep the policy under review. Rules introduced in January 2021 make Online Marketplaces responsible for VAT on goods sold by overseas businesses on their platforms.

The Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) is responsible for issuing civil monetary penalties for breaches of financial sanctions. OFSI maintains a robust and effective toolkit for responding to breaches of financial sanctions, of which monetary penalties remain a key component. Monetary penalties are not always the most appropriate enforcement outcome. Many cases are resolved privately through warning letters, other advice to firms or referrals to regulators.

The money collected from monetary penalties is deposited into the Consolidated Fund, in line with the general principles applying to the treatment of fines or other penalties imposed by public bodies in central government. OFSI currently has no plans to change this system.

Tax fraud undermines our economy, hurts legitimate businesses and robs our vital public services of much-needed funds.

The government is clear in its commitment to closing the tax gap, and ensuring everyone pays the tax that is legally due.

HMRC uses a wide range of civil and criminal powers to tackle VAT fraud. Online Marketplace liability rules were introduced in 2021 specifically to tackle VAT fraud and non-compliance by overseas sellers. The OBR estimates this will raise £1.8 billion per annum by 2026/27. The government continues to keep this tax policy under review.

The Chancellor and I know that the loan charge is a very important matter for many members and their constituents. We have been considering this matter since taking office and will provide an update in due course.

The NCA secured a forfeiture of Petr Aven’s funds after breaches of sanctions regulations. The allocation of forfeited funds under POCA is governed by the Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme (ARIS), a discretionary funding model that allocates returned funds between central government and operational partners. In the spirit of the scheme, the Government encourages agencies to use ARIS funds to increase asset recovery and, where appropriate, fund local crime fighting priorities for the benefit of the community. Victims of crime can also apply for the release of seized funds to them.

In some circumstances, funds can be returned to a state at their request. The UK remains fully committed to working with allies to pursue all lawful routes through which Russian seized assets can be used to support the reconstruction of Ukraine.