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Business: Environment Protection and Human Rights

Asked by Yasmin QureshiLabourDepartment for Business and TradeTabled Answered 4 September 2025UIN 69249

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of introducing a Business Human Rights and Environment Bill.

Answered by Mr Douglas Alexander

The UK has a range of measures in place to promote responsible business conduct across the economy. In the Trade Strategy, the Government launched a review into the UK’s approach to responsible business conduct, focused on tackling human rights and labour abuses, modern slavery, and environmental harms in global supply chains.

The review will be a neutral, objective appraisal of policy, led by departmental officials. It will consider the effectiveness of the UK’s current regime and the merits of alternative means of supporting responsible business practices.

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