7 November 2023
This week’s update covers the following:
- NHBF response to the Government’s aesthetics licensing consultation
- Get Shoppers Shopping with Independent Retailers this November!
- Kings Speech and the hair & beauty sector
- Grants will foster entrepreneurship
- Single-use plastic ban comes into force in Wales
- Campaigning for you – T-levels
NHBF response to the Government’s aesthetics licensing consultation
The National Hair and Beauty Federation (NHBF) submitted a comprehensive response to the Department for Health & Social Care regarding the proposed licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures in England. The contribution to the consultation was a collaborative effort, involving valuable insights from NHBF Members and the Beauty Industry Group (BIG).
In their response, the NHBF brought to light several critical concerns for the government's consideration. The NHBF's response represents a significant effort to address various concerns and uncertainties related to the proposed licensing of non-surgical cosmetic procedures, emphasising the importance of a well-informed and balanced regulatory framework.
Get Shoppers Shopping with Independent Retailers this November!
Join businesses this November to celebrate independent retailers like you and get your community shopping locally!
We know that, among many other benefits, shopping locally promotes a sense of belonging and connection among residents.
So, let's pass on the word by celebrating together to encourage your local customers to shop with their local Independent Retailers this month.
WHEN: Monday 13th November 2023 – Sunday 19th November 2023
WHERE: Your local high street or community centre!
Kings Speech and the hair & beauty sector
What does the first King Speech in 70 years mean for the hair and beauty sector? With a year to go until a likely General Election, the bills listed in the speech were mostly focused on criminal justice measures, action to discourage young people from smoking and housing issues for leaseholders and renters.
Two bills of interest to the hair & beauty sector:
Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill: delivering on a manifesto commitment to tackle consumer rip-offs and bad business practices including fake reviews and subscription traps.
Data Protection and Digital Information Bill: the Government hopes that the Bill will create an innovative and flexible data protection regime which maintains the UK’s high standards of data protection and ensures we can unlock £2.2 billion of net present benefits to businesses and £2.5 billion to the public sector over 10 years.
NHBF will track the progress of both Bills through the Houses of Parliament.
Grants will foster entrepreneurship
New funds will help more people from under-represented backgrounds start their own businesses and nurture fledgling companies.
A total of 42 recipients will share £1.6 million through the Ecosystem Fund, while 20 projects will receive £1.3 million through a new Pre-Start Pathways Fund.
Funding to help women and other priority groups become entrepreneurs and access support and advice forms part of the Scottish Government initiative.
Single-use plastic ban comes into force in Wales
The move follows a Welsh Government commitment to ‘embed our response to the climate and nature emergency in everything we do’
The purpose of the new law is to reduce the flow of plastic pollution into our environment by prohibiting the supply of certain single-use plastic products.
Public support for the ban has been positive with more than 87 per cent of people backing the move.
The following items are now banned from being sold across the country:
- Single-use plastic plates
- Single-use plastic cutlery
- Single-use plastic drink stirrers
- Cups made of expanded or foamed extruded polystyrene
- Takeaway food containers made of expanded or foamed extruded polystyrene
- Single-use plastic balloon sticks
- Single-use plastic-stemmed cotton buds
- Single-use plastic drinking straws (exemptions for those who need them to eat and drink safely and independently)
Campaigning for you – T-levels
NHBF attended a webinar this week with the Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education, Robert Halfon, as a trusted partner in the T-levels Ambassador network.
The Minister affirmed his commitment to T-levels which will form the ‘backbone’ of the new Advanced British Standard (ABS). Read more in this article here: The Advanced British Standard will build on strong T levels (feweek.co.uk)
Attendees asked whether the proposals for ABS have cross-party support given the lead-in time that is needed to develop the Standard. The Minister said that he was briefing the Shadow Skills Minister, Seema Malhotra and that he wanted to work in a ‘consensual’ way as far as possible.
Will the ABS apply UK-wide? Is it a British or an English Standard? The Minister said that he very much hoped that the devolved countries would take up the standard also but it is a devolved matter. DfE will be consulting on the proposals in due course and will involve the Ambassadors network.
NHBF asked about funding for the Employer Support Fund and urged DfE to make sure that the hair & beauty sector wouldn’t miss out given the delay to the rollout of sector T-levels to September 2024. DfE said that HM Treasury was looking at the options at the moment and pointed out that there is a wider support package for employers including the Ambassador network.