Department for Business and Trade

The Secretary of State met Dave Ward, General Secretary of the CWU, and Daniel Křetínský, the owner of EP Group, on 16 February and again on 19 March.

The terms and working conditions of Royal Mail employees are the subject of ongoing negotiations between Royal Mail’s management and the Communication Workers’ Union as part of an agreed dispute resolution process. The government is taking a close interest in these negotiations and receives regular updates.

However, the implementation of operational models and terms and conditions of employment, are for Royal Mail, as an independent business, to manage in collaboration with its workforce and their representatives.

The Advanced Propulsion Centre UK collaborates with Government, automotive industry, and academia to produce quarterly forecasts. The latest insights show, based on nameplate capacity, European cell production is projected to surpass demand in 2027.

While EU trade remains vital to the sector, it is critical for UK economic resilience and competitiveness that we build domestic battery production capacity and diverse supply chains.

This Government is supporting our domestic battery ecosystem through Industrial Strategy commitments, where we announced the UK's largest single commitment to battery R&D in the Battery Innovation Programme, and significant capital support through DRIVE35 funding.

My Department does not publish an official estimate and for benchmarking we reference internationally trusted, independent sources.

Battery technology is becoming increasingly important for our national resilience. Global demand for batteries is surging, the battery value chain from raw material extraction to cell production is very concentrated.

We work closely with international partners to improve security of supply, and the Industrial Strategy published last year clearly shows the importance of building a competitive domestic battery supply in delivering economic resilience and growth for the UK.

For the last decade, Government has provided compensation to a small number of businesses in the most electricity intensive sectors, including steel, to lower their electricity bills and help keep them viable in the UK. In the 2024/25 financial year, approximately 140 of the most electricity intensive and trade exposed companies received support worth £142 million. The Department does not publish the details of individual awards given to companies through compensation schemes due to commercial sensitivities.

The Government is committed to supporting manufacturing in Lincolnshire and the wider East Midlands. We are backing the sector through targeted investment, skills programmes and support for innovation. The East Midlands Freeport – England’s only inland freeport – is creating new manufacturing opportunities, attracting investment and generating high‑skilled jobs. Through the Local Growth Fund, we are helping local authorities and businesses strengthen supply chains and adopt new technologies. Manufacturers across Lincolnshire and the East Midlands also benefit from wider UK measures, outlined in the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan.

The sector plan sets out how the Industrial Strategy will be delivered for the sector by reforming the business environment to build resilience, removing supply side barriers, developing a digitally literate and highly skilled workforce through the Upskilling and Reskilling programme, and unlocking the economic potential of advanced manufacturing clusters.

The UK does not manufacture ammonia in significant volumes. CF Fertilisers made the commercial decision to switch to an import model of ammonia in 2022. Whilst there has been a significant increase in ammonia costs due to the ongoing conflict in the Gulf, there has been no assertion yet that supply is not secure.

Recent market volatility has seen an increase in fertiliser prices, reflecting global conditions rather than any immediate supply disruption to the UK. The government is in close contact with domestic fertiliser suppliers and is monitoring overall supply and pricing in the UK.

The Department supported businesses to deliver export wins worth £16.9bn in 2020/21, £17.3bn in 2021/22, and £19.6bn in 2022/23. In 2023/24 over £36bn and almost £24bn in 2024/25 export wins were delivered.

The Department does not provide country-specific wins due to the risk of disclosing commercially sensitive deals.

Announced at the 2025 Strategic Dialogue in June, the UK and Morocco entered into an Enhanced Strategic Partnership, reaffirming a commitment to expand economic ties and deepen collaboration in priority areas, including infrastructure, public procurement, agriculture and unlocking investment opportunities in both the UK and Morocco. The third UK‑Morocco Association Council met in London on 12 November 2025, where both countries agreed to build on the Strategic Dialogue and focus on delivering progress against shared priority areas to further strengthen bilateral trade and investment.

In the UK’s Trade Strategy, the government recognised the potential merits and impacts of UK accession to the Pan-Euro Mediterranean Convention (PEM) and committed to engaging business further. The government ran a five-week call for evidence from November to December last year to understand the potential impacts of accession on businesses. The Government will publish the findings in due course.

In the UK’s Trade Strategy, the government recognised the potential merits and impacts of UK accession to the Pan-Euro Mediterranean Convention (PEM) and committed to engaging business further. The government ran a five-week call for evidence from November to December last year to understand the potential impacts of accession on businesses. The Government will publish the findings in due course.

It is to the benefit of all parties involved in litigation that disputes are managed efficiently. The government, therefore, supports the use, where appropriate, of mediation as a means to resolve disputes without the expense of litigation.

The government is conducting a review of the opt-out collective actions regime for competitive claims before the Competition Appeal Tribunal. The review considers all aspects of the regime, including the role of alternative dispute resolution, and a consultation on proposals for change will be published in due course.

The Secretary of State has not had any discussions with the Home Secretary on this issue.

There is government guidance on GOV.UK on summary dismissal for reasons relating to gross misconduct. Acas has issued both a statutory Code of Practice and non-statutory guidance covering gross misconduct. These do not specifically mention dismissal for lying or deception during the recruitment process. Misconduct involving dishonesty may meet the threshold for gross misconduct if it fundamentally undermines trust and confidence.

The Government’s Parental Leave and Pay Review will conclude in early 2027 with a set of findings which outline next steps for implementing any reforms.

In addition to considering all current and upcoming parental leave and pay entitlements, the Review is considering the needs of other working families who do not qualify for existing leave and pay entitlements, such as kinship carers.

The Government is also supporting kinship carers through other mechanisms and has recently launched a kinship pilot to support up to 5,000 children by paying eligible carers an allowance equivalent to the Fostering National Minimum Allowance.

We continue to work across government to make the dispute resolution system more resilient, so that that the measures in the Employment Rights Act can be effectively enforced. We recognise the benefits of mediation in resolving disputes swiftly.

A joint DBT/MoJ Taskforce—working with Acas and representatives from business, unions, and other experts —is considering reforms to strengthen dispute resolution.

This includes considering how to maximise use of informal options including meditation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution.

• This answer is provided at a time when the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Middle East region more generally, is facing material challenges given the ongoing regional conflict.
• Given that the press release names specific companies, it is for those companies to update as to the current situation and would be commercially sensitive and inappropriate for us to do so.
• The two main job-creating Saudi companies mentioned, Alfanar and International Investment Gate, are however well-known to the British Embassy in Riyadh and the Office for Investment. Their UK ambitions are in line with our Modern Industrial Strategy and, I understand, are progressing well.

The government is committed to supporting start-up businesses through the Small Business Plan - the most comprehensive package of support for small and medium sized businesses in a generation.

This includes the most significant legislative reforms in 25 years to tackle late payments; unlocking billions of pounds in finance to support start-ups; removing unnecessary red tape; revitalising High Streets and boosting Digital and AI Adoption among small businesses.

The Business Growth Service helps start-ups access tailored support at every stage of their growth journey. Business Surrey offers free accessible business advice and support at all stages of a business journey.

UK Export Finance (UKEF) has not supported any environmental credit investments to date.

UKEF supports clean growth exports and has included a clean growth and transition objective in its Business Plan for 2024-2029, which will seek to position UK exporters and suppliers at the heart of the global low‑carbon transition. In support of this, UKEF aims to provide £10 billion of clean growth finance to accelerate the UK’s green export sector by 2029.

The UK-Brazil Joint Agricultural Committee, led by Defra, engages in discussions relating to sustainable agriculture. Recent discussions have covered topics including green fertiliser partnerships and collaboration on agricultural technologies. The UK and Brazil also have a number of bilateral initiatives on green finance, some of which sit under the UK PACT (Partnering for Accelerated Climate Transitions) programme.

Unfortunately, these commercial tracking numbers do not enable us to identify the relevant export or the relevant border.

On the general point, His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) informs exporters when their items are stopped at the border. If required, HMRC seeks advice from the Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) about the licensing requirements and, to minimise costs and delays to exporters, ECJU prioritises such cases.

Helping our world-class fashion industry grow remains a government priority. The FTA will expand consumer choice, reduce costs for UK businesses, and strengthen their competitiveness in India’s fast-growing market.

DBT’s impact assessment, published at signature, noted a small decrease in output growth in clothing and textiles, but the UK and Indian sectors are largely complementary; clothing retailers will benefit from cheaper imports and luxury UK garments like Harris tweed will se tariffs removed. There is a bilateral safeguard mechanism to protect any sector facing injury.

We will continue working closely with industry to monitor and maximise the FTA’s benefits.

The government is supporting British made electronic devices and appliances by backing domestic manufacturers, promoting innovation, and strengthening product standards. We work closely with industry bodies such as AMDEA (Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances), who lead consumer information campaigns helping shoppers identify high quality UK made products. We also continue to uphold strong safety standards through the Office for Product Safety and Standards. Through this partnership approach, we aim to boost the visibility, competitiveness and consumer confidence in British made electronics and appliances.

We have continued to enhance our cooperation with the EU on a range of economic security issues of mutual concern since the UK-EU Summit in 2025. The EU remains our most important trading partner, our economies are deeply interconnected and face many of the same challenges and threats, and we share a commitment to upholding the rules-based order. In February 2026, DBT Secretary of State (along with Chancellor for the Exchequer) met EU Commissioners Sefcovic and Dombrovksis to discuss trade and economic issues, including economic security.

The UK and EU will hold a second Summit in 2026, where we will seek to further strengthen our partnership on economic security.

As set out in the Government response, there was a constructive joint discussion between government, the Post Office and the banking sector in January 2026. Several areas of mutual interest were discussed including banking services, financial inclusion, the need for modernisation and the importance of continuing to improve financial crime safeguards. Attendees agreed to further explore opportunities for continued collaboration on a voluntary basis and to provide an update in six months.

Pay and terms and conditions of employment, provided they are lawful, are, in general, a matter for private businesses to agree with their workforce and their representatives.

The Secretary of State met Dave Ward, General Secretary of the CWU, and Daniel Křetínský, the owner of EP Group, on 16 February and again on 19 March 2026 to facilitate continued discussions on these matters.,

The Plan to Make Work Pay will boost fairness in the workplace, ensure equality of treatment and opportunity, and support low-paid workers.

On 1st July 2023 due to a Machinery of Government Change, the Department of International Trade (DIT) became the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), alongside parts of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). We therefore only hold information from DBT from 1st July 2023.

Information included for 2022 only captures former DIT apprenticeship starts. Information for 2023 includes starts from January to June for former DIT. Data provided is sourced from internal-to-DBT management information trackers.

Response relates to apprentices recruited/onboarded onto Apprenticeship Programmes. Years here are taken to mean calendar years, not financial years.

The Government’s Parental Leave and Pay Review will conclude in early 2027 with a set of findings which outline next steps for implementing any reforms.

In addition to considering all current and upcoming parental leave and pay entitlements, the Review is considering the needs of other working families who do not qualify for existing leave and pay entitlements, such as kinship carers.

The Government is also supporting kinship carers through other mechanisms and has recently launched a kinship pilot to support around 5,000 children by paying eligible carers an allowance equivalent to the Fostering National Minimum Allowance.

There are currently no plans to undertake such an assessment. The Competition and Markets Authority’s cloud services market investigation examined the state of competition in the market. The Government remains committed to supporting investment in high‑quality, secure and resilient digital infrastructure across the UK.

Hospitality employs many young people - with ONS statistics reporting that around 42% of all hospitality workers are between the ages of 16-24 (2023). That is why, from April 2026, foundation apprenticeships will expand into hospitality, with up to £2,000 available for non‑levy‑paying SMEs hiring apprentices aged 16–24.

The Low Pay Commission reports that 24.6% of hospitality jobs in 2025 were paid at or close to the statutory minimum. This reflects combined statutory minimum‑wage exposure and does not provide NLW‑only estimates.

From 1 April 2026, the NLW will rise by 4.1% to £12.71 for eligible workers aged 21 and over.

The Government recognises that flexible working helps people achieve a better work life balance, which can lead to happier, healthier and more productive employees. Flexible working arrangements, including hybrid working, can be particularly valuable for those with health conditions, caring responsibilities or significant travel-to-work requirements.

The post-implementation review of the 2014 flexible working reforms, which can be found on Gov.uk website, considers how access to flexibility has supported labour market participation among groups who face barriers to entering and staying in work. The Government will continue to monitor the impacts of recent and upcoming reforms to the flexible working framework.

The Government believes that strong trade unions are essential for tackling insecurity, inequality, discrimination and low pay.

Through the Employment Rights Act 2025, we are simplifying the statutory union recognition process, establishing a formal right of access for unions to enter the workplaces, introducing a new duty on employers to inform workers of their right to join a trade union, simplifying industrial action notices, and strengthening protection from backlisting.

These reforms will make it easier for trade unions to recruit and organise in all sectors of the economy, including the tech and creative sectors.

The Government Car Service provides transport for Ministers and occasionally officials undertaking official duties. Its use is governed by the Ministerial Code and departmental travel policies to ensure journeys are necessary and represent value for money.

Yes. Cabinet Office are collating a cross-government response to the Humble Address related to Lord Mandelson and relevant papers will be provided to the House.

It is unlawful for an employer to dismiss a worker for being a member of a trade union and for dismissing or imposing detriments on a worker for engaging in trade union activity, including activity related to the trade union recognition process.

Previously it was only workers who were classed as employees who were protected from dismissal for industrial action. To ensure all workers are protected, this government has introduced new protection from detriments in s. 236A in the Employment Rights Act, which means other ("limb (b)") workers are now also protected from dismissal for taking industrial action.

Setting the UK’s financial services sector up with the skills and talent it needs is an important pillar of the Government’s Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy.

The Economic Secretary commissioned the Financial Services Skills Commission (FSSC) to produce a report on how the skills system can drive growth and productivity by supporting more effective adoption and innovation of AI and other disruptive technologies. The FSSC have committed to reporting back by the end of the year.

We work closely with employers, sector bodies and providers to ensure training aligns with labour‑market demand, including through Local Skills Improvement Plans. Our reforms to higher technical education, including the rollout of Higher Technical Qualifications and the expansion of degree apprenticeships and modular learning through the Lifelong Learning Entitlement, are improving the quality and flexibility of skills pathways.

The growth of non-bank lenders over the past decade means that over two thirds (68%) of overall SME lending in 2025 came from either challenger and specialist banks or non-bank lenders. Alternative finance options include asset-backed lending, invoice finance and merchant finance. The British Business Bank’s finance hub at https://www.british-business-bank.co.uk/business-guidance has comprehensive information on these options.

The government’s Business Growth Service provides start-ups with information on all aspects of growing a business, including access to finance, and can be accessed at https://www.business.gov.uk or by telephone.

At the CreativeUK summit, Government announced the Creative Industries Sector Pan to increase support for designers, including DCMS investment in the British Fashion Council's NEWGEN programme, providing funding and mentoring to emerging talent.

The Department for Business is supporting the Creative Industries, including fashion designers, through expanding the capacity of the British Business Bank.

This new capacity includes £4 billon for fund and direct investments across the eight Industrial Strategy sectors over the next four years. On 17 February the Bank announced a £45 million commitment into Redrice Ventures, which specialises in seed-stage investments across the creative industries sector.

The Government recognises pressures from rising operating costs on small businesses, including private gyms and health facilities. From April 2026, we are introducing permanently lower business‑rate multipliers for retail, hospitality and leisure properties, worth nearly £900 million a year and benefiting over 750,000 premises.

We remain committed to supporting businesses across the economy by reducing the administrative burden of regulation by £5.6 billion this Parliament and providing a £4.3 billion package to protect ratepayers from increases in business rates bills.

At the UK Gigafactory Commission’s launch event on 21^st January, Minister McDonald thanked Lord Hutton and the Commissioners for their work and agreed that developing a domestic battery manufacturing base is essential for the UK.

The Government has put batteries and electric vehicles at the heart of the Modern Industrial Strategy, including the UK's largest single commitment to battery R&D of £452 million to 2030 in the new Battery Innovation Programme.

The Government is also engaging at the most senior levels with global manufacturers to attract additional Battery and EV manufacturing to the UK and will continue to do so.

We have set up a dedicated team to coordinate work across Government to search historic paper and electronic files and identify documents on Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s role and appointment as Special Representative for Trade and Investment in 2001. This Government is committed to complying as quickly as possible with the Humble Address of 24 February while avoiding publication of information that the Thames Valley police believe could prejudice their live investigation into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s conduct in public office.

I have been clear that Royal Mail’s recent delivery performance has not been good enough. Workforce retention plays an important role in quality of service, as Royal Mail has said itself in the past in response to Ofcom investigations.

I met Ofcom on 11 March and raised concerns about Royal Mail’s quality of service. Ofcom is explicit that Royal Mail must publish and deliver a credible improvement plan that results in significant and continuous progress. Royal Mail has committed to do so as soon as possible after its discussions with the Communication Workers’ Union conclude.

I can confirm that the cross-government working group on the delivery of in-person government services has been established with an introductory meeting held late last year. Departments invited included those involved in the delivery of key in-person services, as well as those with a policy interest in how services are provided. The regularity of future meetings and potential involvement of external organisations are yet to be decided.

The Department for Business and Trade recognises that flexible office spaces can support small and medium sized enterprises by reducing fixed costs, enabling collaboration and allowing businesses to scale as they grow.

While the Department has not made a specific assessment of flexible office spaces, it considers access to a range of workspace options an important part of a strong business environment for SMEs.

Companies House has written to all companies via the registered email address on a precautionary basis to update them and to advise that they check their registered details and contact Companies House if concerned. This guidance has also been placed on their website and other channels. There is currently no confirmed evidence that any records have been changed.