Question
This year alone West Yorkshire trading standards has raided 20 premises in Keighley, seizing illegal and counterfeit goods, and yet residents watch those same dodgy shops reopen within days. Our local trading standards has received well over 3,000 intelligence reports about dodgy shops such as minimarts, vape shops, takeaways and barbers, with reports linked to money laundering, drug supplying, modern slavery and illegal working—and that is just within Keighley. Despite the Government’s rhetoric of wanting to take a tough stance on this issue, why was West Yorkshire trading standards not included in the latest round of funding to support local trading standards with law enforcement action against organised criminal activity? Will the Minister look to resolve this issue?
Answer
The point the hon. Gentleman raises is exactly why the Government are taking action. People look at how our high streets and town centres have been transformed, and they see in plain sight that something just is not right. They see the type of convenience stores he is talking about, and the barber shops and the vape shops, and they know like we know that what is going on inside those premises is not lawful. The connection to human trafficking and other illegal activity is quite clear from the investigations that have taken place. The additional funding we have provided is about targeting it to where the assessed need is, but to be clear every police force and every trading standards department should be prioritising this matter as a matter of course.17% vibes
Verdict: AMBER (30/100)
The Minister's reply gives only a general reason for the funding decision, that money goes 'to where the assessed need is', and does not explain why West Yorkshire was left out or what the assessment found for that area. It also does not say whether the exclusion will be reversed, offering only a general call for all trading standards departments to prioritise the issue. Most of the reply is hedged, so the questioner would likely need to ask again for specific reasons and a clear position.
How we got there
| Question item | Coverage | Specificity | Rationale |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is the reason West Yorkshire trading standards was not included in the latest round of funding for local trading standards law enforcement action against organised criminal activity? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply gives a general reason for the funding allocation, that it is targeted 'to where the assessed need is', but never explains why West Yorkshire specifically was left out or what the assessment found for that area. The statement that every trading standards department should prioritise the matter is a platitude rather than an answer to the exclusion. |
| Will the Minister look to resolve the exclusion of West Yorkshire trading standards from that funding? | Partially Addressed | Hedged | The reply does not say whether the Minister will reverse the exclusion. It implies the funding stays where the assessed need is and that all departments should prioritise the issue, but this is neither a clear commitment to include West Yorkshire nor an explicit refusal with a reason. |