Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions he has had with independent SMEs on the impact of his Department's policies.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK has 5.5m SMEs and we are committed to hardwiring their voice into government policy, engaging with them in various ways including through roundtables, visits and events.

Hundreds of individual SMEs have been engaged across all sectors and regions as part of co-designing our SME Strategy, including through roundtables across key areas, such as High Streets, Markets and Finance as well as specific policy events such as at Wilton Park.

Engagement with individual SMEs will continue to be a priority pre and post-launch of the SME Strategy to assess the impact of these policies on SMEs across the UK.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on the potential impact of the visit by the trade envoy to Israel to Haifa in May 2025 on the UK's foreign policy in relation to Israel.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK’s Trade Envoys play a crucial role in supporting HMG’s growth priorities, through helping deliver the industrial and trade strategies and attracting foreign direct investment to the UK. Lord Austin, in his capacity as Trade Envoy, visited Israel to continue to support these key UK businesses.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to increase the uptake of statutory paternity leave.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government is committed to making life better for families. Through the Employment Rights Bill we are making Paternity Leave a ‘day one’ right, which will bring an extra 32,000 fathers and partners into scope of the entitlement. On the first of July we launched the Parental Leave Review, which presents a much-needed opportunity to consider our approach to the system of parental leave and pay. All current and upcoming parental leave and pay entitlements, including Paternity Leave and Pay, will be in scope.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help increase the uptake of Shared Parental Leave.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government know that the arrival of a child, whether through birth or adoption, is a transformative time in a family’s life. On the first of July, we launched the Parental Leave Review, which presents a much-needed opportunity to consider our approach to the system of parental leave and pay. All current and upcoming parental leave and pay entitlements, including Shared Parental Leave and Pay, will be in scope.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, following the recent appointment of a Small Business Commissioner, what further steps he is taking to help ensure SMEs can access support.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Late payments are one of the biggest problems facing small businesses in the UK.

Government has already taken steps to tackle the issue through the launch of a new Fair Payment Code which will encourage and highlight businesses with the best payment practices.

We will soon be laying secondary legislation which will make it a requirement for large companies to include payment performance data in their annual reports.

Finally, we will be launching a public consultation in the coming weeks which sets out measures that will go even further to tackle late payments, including additional powers for the Small Business Commissioner.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the planned (a) commencement and (b) implementation dates are for each substantive policy provision of the Employment Rights Bill.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

On 1 July the Government published the Employment Rights Bill Implementation Roadmap. The Roadmap provides clarity for employers and workers on how and when Government will engage and consult on the detailed implementation of Bill measures once it becomes law, and when measures will take effect.

The Roadmap outlines several phases of commencement including following Royal Assent, in April 2026, in October 2026, and in 2027. As part of our Plan for Change we are working at pace to deliver on our commitment to Make Work Pay, engaging and consulting throughout to make sure we get the detail right.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals on corporate governance.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government intends to upgrade the existing reporting and audit regulator, to expand the regulator’s scrutiny to the largest private companies and to hold company directors to account for serious failures in their duties connected with company accounts.

It will bring forward its planned legislation when Parliamentary time allows.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to his Department's press release entitled Business Secretary announces new DBT non-executive directors, published on 17 December 2024, if he will publish the correspondence to and from the Commissioner for Public Appointments to obtain permission to appoint Nita Clarke without open competition.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

I fully respect the principles of public appointments and the Governance Code for Public Appointments was fully adhered to in this process: the rationale for appointing without competition was made public at the time of announcement, following consultation with the Commissioner, and there is no requirement under the Code to publish this correspondence. A fair and open competition was undertaken with a strong field of applications. However, it needed to be strengthened further by the appointment of Nita Clarke, who is bringing vital skills in employee engagement, partnership and employee voices in the workplace drawn from a long and distinguished career including as Vice President for Employee Relations at the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help ensure that services provided through the Buy with Confidence Scheme complete satisfactory work.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Buy With Confidence scheme is run solely by local authority Trading Standards departments.

Local authorities across England, Scotland and Wales operate independently from central government and are responsible for the provision of Trading Standards services. This includes responsibility for assessing businesses joining the scheme, business compliance and enforcement if things go wrong.

DBT has strengthened consumer law enforcement through the implementation of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024. The Act gives local authorities the ability to apply to the courts for civil sanctions to impose monetary penalties on businesses who exploit their customers.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent discussions his Department has had with Fujitsu Ltd on its involvement in the Horizon IT system failures; and whether his Department plans to pursue accountability for the company’s involvement in the wrongful prosecution of sub-postmasters.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

We welcome Fujitsu’s acknowledgement of their moral obligation to contribute to the cost of the scandal.

On 7 March 2025, the Secretary of State for Business and Trade and Fujitsu’s global CEO agreed to begin talks on Fujitsu’s contribution to the costs of the scandal, prior to the conclusion of the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry report.

The extent of culpability for the scandal of Fujitsu and others – and hence any further accountability measures – will not be clear until all parts of Sir Wyn Williams’ Inquiry report are published.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will visit the new Robotics Living Lab at the Manchester Fashion Institute, Manchester Metropolitan University, to make an assessment of its contribution to sustainable approaches for fashion manufacturing.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government recognises the importance of the Robotics Living Lab (RoLL) at Manchester Fashion Institute for its key role in helping modernise the fashion industry. Officials have visited the Lab and recognise how, by combining robotics and digital technologies, RoLL supports small businesses and contributes to the UK’s wider goals of achieving low-carbon, high-value manufacturing.

The Ministerial team's plans for engagement, including regional and local visits, are revisited regularly.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to increase the level of exports from Welsh businesses to the EU before the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreemen is implemented.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

DBT hosts a wide range of events across all sectors to promote exports, including bringing over 100 businesses to Cardiff as part of the Made in the UK, Sold to the World tech roadshow in Cardiff.

We are also piloting Digital Trade Corridors to ease border processes and modernising export services to improve accessibility. These measures aim to reduce trade friction and help Welsh businesses grow their EU exports ahead of the SPS Agreement’s implementation.

My department hosted events for all UK food and drink businesses in July, attended by Welsh exporters Wrexham Lager, Village Bakery and the Lobster Pot.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to support local, independent coffee shops.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Hospitality businesses, including independent coffee shops, are at the heart of our communities and play a vital role in supporting economic growth and community cohesion.

The government plans to permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with a rateable value under £500,000 and we’ve introduced a Hospitality Support Scheme to co-fund projects which aim to help those furthest from the job market into employment and boosting productivity.

In addition, the government announced a Zero Carbon Hospitality Trial, meaning over 600 small and medium sized hospitality businesses will receive free energy and carbon reduction assessments to help cut energy costs, this will include cafes.

Our Small Business Strategy will set out further measures which will assist local, independent coffee shops.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to help support SMEs to (a) access finance, (b) innovate and (c) grow in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Business Secretary's announcement of a new Business Growth Service is designed to simplify access, advice and support for Somerset businesses looking to grow, innovate and thrive.

Small and medium-sized enterprises in Hanham and across Somerset can access the West of England Growth Hub which offers specialised guidance on scaling up, entering new markets, and exploring various financial support options, including through the British Business Bank

Additionally, Innovate UK is the national innovation agency, supporting businesses across all sectors and regions through grants, loans, investor partnerships and innovation procurement.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential economic growth generated by the full utilisation of the Electronic Trade Documents Act 2023, and what steps they are taking to fully utilise that Act.

Answered by Baroness Gustafsson - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Electronic Trade Documents Act’s Impact Assessment estimates that electronic trade documents (ETDs) could generate £1.1bn over a decade by reducing trade costs, accelerating transactions, and improving access to trade finance, particularly for SMEs.

To support ETD uptake, we have recently launched several initiatives in the Trade Strategy. This includes plans to establish Digital Trade Corridors with key European markets, setting up an SME Capability Programme to help smaller firms adopt digital trade tools, and launching an ETD Information Hub on Business.Gov.UK to support businesses transition. We are also promoting international legal reform on ETDs through bilateral and multilateral engagement.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support high street businesses.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

This government is committed to supporting high street businesses. DBT is working across government to reform business rates, empower local authorities to address vacant properties through high street rental auctions and to tackling anti-social behaviour and crime in town centres through the Crime and Policing Bill.

We also provide a range of existing services to SMEs. This includes Growth Hubs – run in Cambridgeshire by the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority – providing local businesses with access to advice and support.

Our forthcoming SME Strategy will set out the government’s plan to do more to support small businesses across key areas, including thriving high streets.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of goods and services exported from the UK for activities related to the construction and growth of Israeli settlements on civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Answered by Baroness Gustafsson - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK Government has a clear position that Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal under international law. There are clear risks related to economic and financial activities in the settlements, and we do not encourage or offer support to such activity.

The overseas business risk guidance, available on gov.uk, provides further information for UK operators. UK citizens and businesses should be aware of the potential reputational implications of involvement in economic and financial activities in settlements, as well as possible abuses of the rights of individuals that such activity may entail. Those contemplating any economic or financial involvement in settlements should seek appropriate legal advice.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage businesses to increase their hiring rates; and whether further support is needed to help businesses expand their workforce.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government is committed to building a firm economic foundation, working closely with businesses and workers to kickstart and rebuild our economy.

The SME Strategy will be published later this summer, including the Business Growth Service that will make it easier for businesses to get the advice and support they need to grow and thrive. The Government-backed British Business Bank aims to improve access to finance to help businesses invest and grow.

Employment is central to the recently announced Industrial Strategy, supporting growth sectors to create high-quality, well-paid jobs across the country.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department will take to encourage (a) awareness and (b) take-up of UK Export Finance products by SMEs planning to trade with Taiwan.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

In addition to its suite of products to help SMEs export, UK Export Finance (UKEF) has a network of Export Finance Managers (EFMs) around the whole of the UK who can provide information to exporters of all sizes on a range of subjects, including trading across a range of markets. The EFMs’ contact details can be found at: Find an Export Finance Manager - GOV.UK

The Department for Business and Trade maintains a strong relationship with Taiwan and in particular, a shared ambition to grow trade. The full range of UKEF products and services is available to support potential exporters to Taiwan, and for longer-term contracts, local currency financing is available. UKEF works with DBT officials based in the British Office in Taipei, and has supported many transactions in Taiwan in recent years, and on specifically on 10 July announced it is providing a guarantee for a major offshore wind farm. This will allow four exporters across the UK to secure contracts, and will support jobs across the UK’s renewable energy supply chain.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the ban on Kava on UK-based (a) importers and (b) retailers of traditional South Pacific herbal products.

Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

Since January 2003 the herb kava-kava, and any food containing it, is banned from entry to the UK. This is because of concerns regarding its toxic effect on the liver. The Department for Business and Trade has not made any assessment related to this import ban.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that UK-registered businesses comply with the United Nations' Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and relevant international laws and standards in their activities relating to the establishment or maintenance of Israeli settlements.

Answered by Baroness Gustafsson - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK Government has a clear position that Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal under international law. There are clear risks related to economic and financial activities in the settlements, and we do not encourage or offer support to such activity.

The overseas business risk guidance, available on gov.uk, provides information for UK operators. UK citizens and businesses should be aware of the potential reputational implications of involvement in economic and financial activities in settlements, as well as possible abuses of the rights of individuals that such activity may entail. Those contemplating any economic or financial involvement in settlements should seek appropriate legal advice.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the cost to businesses of the 10 per cent tariff on almost all imports into the United States from the United Kingdom, except exempt industries like cars and steel.

Answered by Baroness Gustafsson - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

On 8 May, we concluded a landmark economic deal with the US. This deal protects jobs in the automotive, steel, aluminium, pharmaceutical and aerospace sectors - sectors that employ over 320,000 people across the UK - and the US has committed to further negotiations, including on the 10% tariffs.

We continue to support and engage UK businesses affected by tariffs. Businesses can access export support (via business.gov.uk) such as the Export Academy, International Markets Network, Growth Hubs and Help to Grow: Management scheme.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the ongoing UK–US trade negotiations (a) in July 2025 and (b) at other times on (i) manufacturers and (ii) exporters in Scotland; and what steps he is taking to ensure that (A) automotive manufacturing and (B) other sectors with a significant presence in Falkirk are included in any future trade agreement.

Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

We are currently implementing the first phase of the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal. The deal protects manufacturing through the removal of tariffs for aerospace goods and reducing tariffs for automotive, alongside the implementation of a new quota. The US was the 2nd largest goods export market for Scotland in 2024.

We will continue our extensive engagement with businesses from across the UK, including those in Scotland, throughout these remaining negotiations.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much his Department has spent on advertising the Industrial Strategy in (a) newspapers, (b) other print media, (c) online and (d) in total.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Marketing including paid advertising is necessary to reach a target audience of senior business decision makers, raising awareness of the UK’s new modern industrial strategy and the opportunities it presents for business growth. The Department of Business and Trade declares all advertising and media spend above £25,000 through its monthly transparency reporting process. These figures are published on gov.uk.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has had discussions with the Indian Government on reducing tariffs on English wine.

Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The UK Government seeks the best possible outcome for UK businesses in all aspects of negotiations and ongoing market access engagement with other governments, based on industry engagement and economic analysis.

Under the UK-India FTA we agreed a review mechanism, allowing us to revisit areas of interest in future, which could include liberalisation on English Wine.

The Department for Business and Trade also offers extensive export support for English wine producers through business.gov.uk. At the start of July there was a Meet-The-Market roadshow hosted across England with direct access to department trade officers from key growth markets.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has undertaken economic modelling on the potential impact of sustained high industrial electricity prices on the competitiveness of the manufacturing sector until 2035.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Competitiveness depends on a wide range of factors. The Government recognises that high industrial electricity costs negatively impact the competitiveness in UK manufacturing, in line with the academic literature.

The Government announced the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme in the Industrial Strategy to reduce industrial electricity prices by c. £35 - £40/MWh from 2027 for around 7000 businesses. In addition, we also announced an increase in support for our most energy-intensive industries eligible for the British Industry Supercharger package, with an uplift of the Network Charging Compensation (NCC) scheme from 60% to 90%.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much his Department has allocated for the (a) advertising and (b) promotion of the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy 2025, published 23 June 2025 in the (i) 2025-26 and (ii) 2026-27 financial years; and how much and what proportion of this will be spent on advertising in newspapers.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Marketing including paid advertising is necessary to reach a target audience of senior business decision makers, raising awareness of the UK’s new modern industrial strategy and the opportunities it presents for business growth. The Department of Business and Trade declares all advertising and media spend above £25,000 through its monthly transparency reporting process. These figures are published on gov.uk.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) Bournemouth University, (b) Health Sciences University and (c) other higher education institutions on the delivery of the Industrial Strategy.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The UK has some of the best universities in the world - four in the top ten – and according to research by Global University Venturing, in 2022 was second only to the US in total investment into university spin-outs. The Government recognises the contribution that Bournemouth University, Health Sciences University and other institutions make to higher education and their unique and critical role as engines for innovation and for meeting the skills needs of our growth-driving sectors and places where they concentrate. We will continue to support our universities including through Higher Education Innovation Funding, worth £280 million in 2024-2025, and as part of our broader record public investment in R&D of more than £86 billion over the Spending Review period.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and (b) civil society as part of negotiations towards digital trade ambitions outlined in the General terms for the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Economic Prosperity Deal, last updated on 20 June 2025.

Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The UK and US are continuing talks on a wider UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal which will look at increasing digital trade, improving access for our world-leading services industries and improving supply chains. The deal opens the way to a future UK US technology partnership through which our science-rich nations will collaborate in key areas of advanced technology, for example biotech, life sciences, quantum computing, nuclear fusion, aerospace and space.

This landmark economic agreement comes off the back of close collaboration between DBT and DSIT Ministers and officials. The PM, Business Secretary, and other Ministers across government have regular engagement with industry, civil society and businesses on a range of priorities.

We will continue our engagement with stakeholders from across the UK, including civil society, on the EPD throughout these remaining negotiations and the implementation of the deal.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what further steps he (a) is considering and (b) plans to take to help improve the ability of Companies House to (i) identify people attempting to evade (A) tax liabilities and (B) other responsibilities and (ii) hold those people accountable.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Companies House is working with HMRC and Insolvency Service to identify the outcomes required to achieve an impact on the drivers of tax evasion, and assess the activities and resources required to deliver those outcomes. This expands on existing work that is strengthening our ability to target abuse of the register and tax system, increasing our ability to tackle tax evasion with greater visibility and accuracy of customer data. This work involves intelligence sharing between the organisations, and informs Companies House’s ongoing threat assessment.

We have no plans at present to require companies to provide VAT numbers to Companies House.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has considered adding a VAT number field to the Companies House online register to help tackle (a) corporate fraud and (b) tax evasion.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Companies House is working with HMRC and Insolvency Service to identify the outcomes required to achieve an impact on the drivers of tax evasion, and assess the activities and resources required to deliver those outcomes. This expands on existing work that is strengthening our ability to target abuse of the register and tax system, increasing our ability to tackle tax evasion with greater visibility and accuracy of customer data. This work involves intelligence sharing between the organisations, and informs Companies House’s ongoing threat assessment.

We have no plans at present to require companies to provide VAT numbers to Companies House.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will review the effectiveness of the Supply of New Cars Order 2000.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Supply of New Cars Order 2000 was introduced following a Competition Commission investigation, to remedy or prevent the adverse effects identified by the Competition Commission in relation to the car retail market. Responsibility for reviewing the Supply of New Cars Order lies with the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which keeps markets remedies under review. While the CMA has not initiated a review of this order at this time, it welcomes submissions where existing remedies may no longer be fit for purpose.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the answer by Lord Leong on 30 June (HL Deb col 550), which companies have contributed to the £100 billion of inward investment in this country, and in what amounts by company.

Answered by Baroness Gustafsson - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Since taking Office, the Government has welcomed announcements of around £100bn in investment into the UK. Investments announced at the International Investment Summit are detailed on the Gov.UK website titled ‘The UK IIS Summit secures £63bn’ and recent investments into the UK can be found online under ‘Revamped OfI’.

The UK continues to attract major investments across its priority sectors. Recent announcements listed on Gov.UK include Lendlease, DP World, Universal, OCBC, MBDA, Vishay, JLR and Rolls Royce.

These figures and examples are announcements and, in many cases, do not yet represent actual realised investment into the UK.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on the number of working days lost to strike action in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

In October 2024 the government published impact assessments on the trade union-related measures within the Employment Rights Bill and these are available here: Employment Rights Bill: impact assessments - GOV.UK

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on trends in the level of trade union membership in (a) Fylde constituency and (b) Lancashire.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

In October 2024 the government published impact assessments on the trade union-related measures within the Employment Rights Bill and these are available here: Employment Rights Bill: impact assessments - GOV.UK

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the hospitality sector’s contribution to social productivity and inclusive economic growth across the UK.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

We recognise the vital role hospitality businesses play in driving economic growth and strengthening community cohesion across the country.

We plan to introduce permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with a rateable value under £500,000, We have reduced alcohol duty on qualifying draught beer products, saving the sector over £85 million annually. We’ve introduced a Hospitality Support Scheme to co-fund projects aligned with Department for Business & Trade and Sector Council priorities, such as supporting initiatives like Pub is The Hub to encourage local investment. We have also launched a licensing taskforce to cut red tape and remove barriers to business growth.

DBT ministers are pleased to be working with the Hospitality Sector Council on strategic issues facing the sectors. The next Council meeting in July will be addressing the topic of the sector’s social and economic contribution.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the economic and social contribution of hospitality businesses in towns and city centres.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

We recognise the vital role hospitality businesses play in driving economic growth and strengthening community cohesion across the country.

We plan to introduce permanently lower business rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties with a rateable value under £500,000, We have reduced alcohol duty on qualifying draught beer products, saving the sector over £85 million annually. We’ve introduced a Hospitality Support Scheme to co-fund projects aligned with Department for Business & Trade and Sector Council priorities, such as supporting initiatives like Pub is The Hub to encourage local investment. We have also launched a licensing taskforce to cut red tape and remove barriers to business growth.

DBT ministers are pleased to be working with the Hospitality Sector Council on strategic issues facing the sectors. The next Council meeting in July will be addressing the topic of the sector’s social and economic contribution.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what business representative bodies they have met to discuss the impact of the Employment Rights Bill, and whether they will publish the minutes of those meetings.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government has engaged and consulted with many business representative bodies across a wide variety of sectors on the Employment Rights Bill. The Government continues to be committed to publishing details of meetings between Ministers and external organisations. Further details of such meetings can be found in departmental transparency returns on gov.uk.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with regulators and the furniture industry on adopting safer fire safety technologies that reduce smoke toxicity; and what measures they are considering, if any, to encourage the use of inherently fire-resistant materials and innovative design solutions in place of chemical flame retardants.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

As set out in the Policy paper The fire safety of domestic upholstered furniture, published on 22 January, the Government will reform the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 to ensure they maintain a high level of fire safety while allowing for manufacturing innovation and facilitating a reduction in the use of chemical flame retardants.

The Government is committed to improving the communication of information about chemical flame retardants used in upholstered furniture in order to support more informed consumer choices and more effective enforcement as well as the circular economy.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards is engaging with a broad range of stakeholders to inform policy making, including manufacturers, test houses, charities and consumer groups.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce mandatory chemical labelling and traceability requirements in the furniture supply chain to aid the disclosure and responsible management of chemical flame retardants in consumer products.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

As set out in the Policy paper The fire safety of domestic upholstered furniture, published on 22 January, the Government will reform the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988 to ensure they maintain a high level of fire safety while allowing for manufacturing innovation and facilitating a reduction in the use of chemical flame retardants.

The Government is committed to improving the communication of information about chemical flame retardants used in upholstered furniture in order to support more informed consumer choices and more effective enforcement as well as the circular economy.

The Office for Product Safety and Standards is engaging with a broad range of stakeholders to inform policy making, including manufacturers, test houses, charities and consumer groups.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government how much public funding has been provided to UK motor manufacturers to develop self-driving vehicles.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

From 2015 through to FY2025/26 the UK Government, through the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles, a joint DBT and DfT unit, has provided £22m of matched, grant funding to UK motor manufacturers for the development of self-driving vehicles.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask His Majesty's Government, of the additional expenditure on the steel industry announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 11 June (HC Deb cols 980–81), how much will be spent in (1) Scunthorpe, (2) Sheffield, and (3) Port Talbot.

Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

We are committed to providing up to £2.5bn for steel which is being delivered in part through the National Wealth Fund.

At the Spending Review, the Chancellor confirmed that we will invest in the long-term future of Scunthorpe. We have been clear that private investment to modernise British Steel will also be required and work continues at pace to develop the optimal approach. Funding of approximately £130m in total has been provided to British Steel to ensure continued operation of the blast furnaces.

In addition to the £2.5bn for steel, the Chancellor confirmed:

• A £400 million increase to the investment at Sheffield Forgemasters to expand capacity with a new machine shop to support work on the AUKUS submarine deal; and
• The £500 million grant for Tata Steel as part of the £1.25 billion investment to transform the Port Talbot site.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many claims have been (a) made to and (b) rejected by the compensation schemes for sub-postmasters impacted by Horizon IT; and what proportion of those claims have successfully concluded.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Claimant eligibility for each redress scheme is confirmed before claims are progressed. No eligible claims have been rejected. We have made significant progress in delivering redress to victims of the Horizon scandal. The table below demonstrates the progress made as of 30 June 2025, however there is still more to do:

A further 71 full and final payments have been made to 71 (of the 111) postmasters whose convictions were quashed via the courts.

In total, approximately £1,098 million (over 1 billion) has been paid in redress across all schemes.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much funding has been allocated to the Post Office in each year of the 2025 Spending Review period.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The settlement following the Spending Review provides investment of over £500 million over the Parliament to modernise the Post Office, including £86 million from the Transformation Fund. This will allow the Post Office to implement its Strategic Transformation Plan, including the replacement of the legacy Horizon computer system, and will put the Post Office and the crucial services its network provides on a more sustainable footing.

The Spending Review settlement also ensures the Department will have maximum capacity and flexibility to provide full redress to the victims of the Post Office Horizon IT Scandal as quickly as possible. At Autumn Budget 2024, the Government set aside £1.8 billion of funding for redress payments from 2024-25 in addition to around £200 million that had already been distributed.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to ensure that small businesses have input into Departmental regulatory consultations.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

For regulation to be effective, it must be created in partnership with businesses. To support this, the government initiated the Invest 2035 call for evidence from key stakeholders, including small businesses, providing input on where regulation can be reformed across our key growth-driving sectors to help encourage growth and innovation.

These responses informed our Modern Industrial Strategy published last month, as well as the Government’s Action Plan for Regulation, published in March. We are continuing to engage with SMEs, via a dedicated forum chaired by Minister Thomas, which will directly inform our forthcoming SME Strategy.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to include measures to help protect steelmakers from subsidised steel imports from (a) China and (b) the wider Far East in the forthcoming trade strategy.

Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

Steel is a top priority for this government. The UK applies 10 anti-dumping measures and two anti-subsidy measures on steel imports from China, and a safeguard measure on global imports for 14 steel categories. This measure was adjusted on 30 June to provide more effective protection for domestic producers.

On 26 June the government published its Trade Strategy, announcing we will sharpen our trade defence toolkit to better protect critical sectors, such as steel, from harm. Alongside this we launched the Steel Trade Measures Call for Evidence to prepare us for the expiry of the steel safeguard in June 2026.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an estimate of the time spent by businesses on regulatory paperwork annually.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Determining the cumulative administrative costs of regulation that businesses face has not been done for 15 years. That’s why we are undertaking a baselining exercise to understand the administrative costs of regulation to businesses. This baseline will inform how we implement the target of reducing administrative burdens by 25% by the end of the Parliament, as announced in the March Action Plan for Regulation. We have considered different analytical options and looked to identify the most proportionate methodology to calculate the baseline for costs. We will announce a final baseline in due course.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 2 July 2025 to Question 62346 on Postage Stamps, whether his Department hold copies of the (a) agenda (b) minutes and (c) papers of the Royal Mail’s stamp advisory committee.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Stamp Advisory Committee advises Royal Mail on future stamp designs. The Postal Museum’s online catalogue lists copies of Stamp Advisory Committee minutes which are available to the public for research in line with Royal Mail’s retention policy.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what comparative assessment he has made of levels of regulation on businesses in (a) the UK and (b) other G20 countries.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK is an excellent place to do business, and in 2023 scored in the top 3 G20 countries on regulatory quality according to the World Bank [Regulatory Quality: Percentile Rank | Data]. However, businesses have told us that regulation can be too complex, stifle progress and innovation, with 45% businesses agreeing that regulation was an obstacle to their success in 2022, according to DBT’s Business Perceptions Survey. Our Action Plan for Regulation aims to reduce these burdens for businesses, including by cutting the administrative costs for business by 25% by the end of this Parliament.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has had discussions with devolved Administrations on coordinating business regulation to reduce duplication.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

To deliver growth across the UK, and support businesses and consumers, UK Government officials have been engaging with officials from the Scottish and Welsh Governments, and Northern Ireland Executive, on its Action Plan to overhaul our regulatory system, including the target to reduce the administrative cost of regulation to business by 25% by the end of this Parliament. Whilst the territorial scope relates to reserved matters, the Government is committed to collaborating with the devolved governments, including at Ministerial level using intergovernmental structures where appropriate, to ensure that reforms benefit the maximum number of people around the UK.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent steps his Department has taken to reduce cross-border trade processes for small businesses.

Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

There are a number of different Departments and agencies with responsibility for cross-border processes. The Government’s Trade Strategy sets out how HMG will continue to work to support business, including through DBT working with industry on initiatives to improve the uptake of Electronic Trade Documents to reduce paperwork and administrative burdens for small businesses trading across borders

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will include the role of the UK fashion industry in the Invest 2035 strategy.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Industrial Strategy will support the whole economy, through an improved operating environment, long-term stability and greater dynamism for new entrants to emerge.

As set out in the Creative Industries Sector Plan, DCMS will invest in the British Fashion Council’s NEWGEN programme, backing emerging UK designers with funding for London Fashion Week. DBT will continue to champion international trade promotion for the fashion sector through initiatives like guest programmes and key international trades shows.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 2 July 2025 to Question 62768 on Pay: Publicity, what the aggregate value was of the payments to the six digital influencers; and if he will name those influencers.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Influencer marketing is a credible paid communications channel, which is considered for government advertising campaigns and can be an effective way in reaching audiences that the Government and traditional marketing channels find hard to reach.

We used this channel to raise awareness of the new National Minimum and Living Wage rates to ensure audiences such as young people, part-time female workers, ethnic minorities and disabled groups are paid correctly.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to ensure that the UK Export Finance expansion reaches small businesses.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Recognising the impact of the support it offers, the government recently increased UK Export Finance’s maximum commitment limit to £80 billion, enabling it to expand its finance support for UK businesses of all sizes.

In 2023 to 2024, 88% of the businesses UKEF directly supported were SMEs. Its most popular product was the General Export Facility, which helped businesses to access around £576 million in working capital support.

UKEF has an ambition to support over 1,000 SMEs by 2029 and will continue to innovate and launch new products, working with a wider range of banks and non-bank financial institutions to tailor the financing support that the UK’s SME exporters need.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many and what proportion of Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme payments have been paid to the loaning bank following (a) default and (b) bankruptcy by the business to which the loan was made; and what the value was of each of those loans.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

As at 31 March 2025, 8,755 (9.0% of the total) Coronavirus Business Interruption Scheme (CBILS) loans have had the government guarantee paid out. The monetary value of the guarantees paid out is £996.3mn, or 3.9% of the total the CBILS draw down value. The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) does not hold data detailing the reason for borrower default, including where bankruptcy is the reason for default.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to improve the (a) effectiveness and (b) availability of Government support for small businesses in Northern Ireland.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Business Growth Service and the broader SME Strategy, to be published later this year, will help small businesses including in Northern Ireland, grow, innovate and thrive.

The Government is committed to supporting small businesses across the UK, including Northern Ireland. As a result for example, 320 SMEs in Northern Ireland - 3% of the national total, have benefited from the Help to Grow: Management (HTGM) programme, as of 31 March 2025.

Invest Northern Ireland (InvestNI), the national counterpart to the Business Support Service, offers extensive support in areas such as Entrepreneurship, Exports and Funding. In 2024 –25, InvestNI backed 726 Innovation and R&D projects representing £245m in investment.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the UK fashion industry’s contribution to (a) economic growth and (b) employment in the UK.

Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The department engages with key businesses and trade associations across the UK to support the fashion and textiles industry’s resilience and growth, including export support. The department has strong relationships with the British Fashion Council and the UK Fashion and Textiles Association (UKFT). The latest report from the UKFT estimates the industry contributed around £62 billion to UK GDP in 2021, supporting 1.3 million jobs across the country.

Our Industrial Strategy will support fashion and the whole economy through an improved operating environment, long-term stability and greater dynamism for new entrants to emerge.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help protect (a) jobs and (b) supply chains which are dependent on British Steel.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Steel is a priority for this Government. As shown with the passing of the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act on 12 April, this Government will not hesitate to take unprecedented steps to safeguard the future of steelmaking in the UK, protecting jobs, national security and supply chains.

Since the legislation was passed on 12 April, we have acted round the clock to secure the raw materials needed to keep the blast furnaces operating safely at Scunthorpe. British Steel, the UK’s only manufacturer of rail, has secured a new £500 million long-term supply contract with Network Rail, and the statutory redundancy consultation initiated by British Steel’s owners, Jingye, has been cancelled, removing the immediate risk to 2,700 jobs.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to take steps to help support domestic manufacturing of playground equipment.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Industrial Strategy launched in June 2025 sets out this government's plans to kickstart an era of economic prosperity. A new approach, it will create a more connected, high-skilled and resilient economy where every person, place and business can flourish.

The accompanying Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan sets out specific support for manufacturers, outlining how government will work with industry to build resilience, champion innovation, support businesses to scale up and develop a skilled future workforce.

The Plan features interventions focused on six frontier industries – batteries, automotive, aerospace, space, agri-tech, advanced materials as well as cross-sector measures supporting the wider manufacturing ecosystem.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made on the potential impact of the accelerated Trade Strategy timetable on business planning.

Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The Government published its Trade Strategy on 26 June which was positively received by business. The Government will work closely with stakeholders on the implementation of the strategy, to ensure that resources are prioritised to deliver on key commitments such as opening new export and market opportunities and strengthening our trade defence capabilities.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to recognise overseas professional qualifications held by British National (Overseas) migrants.

Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)

The government recognises that many British National Overseas (BNO) visa holders have valuable professional qualifications. Recognition of overseas professional qualifications is determined by independent occupational regulators, many of which accept qualifications from Hong Kong.

The government understands the recognition process can be challenging for BNO visa holders and refugees. DBT has worked with regulators to develop the Regulated Professions Register, which Hongkongers can use to access information on entry requirements and relevant regulators. DBT has also published guidance on GOV.UK to support refugees navigating the recognition process. DBT continues to work with regulators to develop further profession-specific guidance.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many staff in his Department have permission to work remotely outside the UK; and in which countries those staff are based.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Standard DBT policy is that staff should not normally be allowed to work remotely overseas however the department do permit this under exceptional personal circumstances and following/preceding a period of annual leave when visiting family or friends overseas.

As of 4^th July there are 16 approved applications across DBT to temporarily work overseas for a set period of time. All 16 are contractually are based in the UK.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 3 June 2025 to Question 54274 on Government Departments: Publicity, if he will publish the spending control business case and approval for the 2025 National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage campaign.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

I refer the Rt. Hon. Member to the answer I gave on 28^th May 2025 to question 52688 (Written questions and answers - Written questions, answers and statements - UK Parliament).

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to paragraph 7 of the document entitled Implementing the Employment Rights Bill: Roadmap, published on 1 July 2025, what criteria his Department plans to use to determine which provisions of the Trade Union Act 2016 will be repealed (a) through secondary legislation and (b) upon Royal Assent of the Employment Rights Bill.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Clause 156 of the Employment Rights Bill sets out the clauses of the Bill, which repeal various provisions of the Trade Union Act 2016, that will be repealed two months following Royal Assent. Commencement dates for remaining clauses that repeal provisions of the Trade Union Act 2016 will be provided for in secondary legislation. The commencement dates for these clauses will be confirmed in due course.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 7 July 2025 to Question 64503 on British Steel: Scunthorpe, if he will publish (a) the findings of the independent assessment and (b) a summary of the findings of the independent assessment.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government does not intend to publish the findings of the independent assessment as they are commercially sensitive.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what support mechanisms he is considering for the UK steel industry should the criteria for removing export tariffs on shipments to the US not be met.

Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Government’s priority remains the swift implementation of the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal to enable UK businesses to export steel and aluminium to the United States without incurring Section 232 tariffs. We are engaged in active and constructive discussions with our US counterparts to this end.

The Government has also taken major action on areas crucial for the sector, including slashing electricity costs, changing procurement rules to ensure UK-made-steel is considered for all public projects and opening a Call for Evidence on future trade measures. More detailed information on support for the sector can be found in a press release published on 03 July.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will bring forward legislative proposals to ensure that public services do not use non-disclosure agreements on whistleblowers.

Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

There are existing legal limitations to what NDAs can be used for, and an NDA would be unenforceable if it attempted to prevent a worker from making a protected disclosure, i.e., whistleblowing.

However, we have heard calls for change and taken action. We have tabled an amendment to the Employment Rights Bill which will further limit the use of NDAs by voiding NDAs between employers and workers that prevent a worker from speaking out about relevant harassment and discrimination in the workplace. This will give millions of workers confidence that inappropriate behaviour in the workplace will not be hidden.

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Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what funding will be made available to small and medium size businesses when transitional arrangements for the Rural England Prosperity Fund end.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

After March 2026, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will end. Beyond this, the government is providing targeted, long-term local growth funding to support growth across the UK, completing the transition from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This includes:

• Establishing a new local growth fund, including a 10-year capital settlement from 2026‑27 to 2035‑36, for specific mayoral city regions in the North and Midlands with the highest productivity catch-up and agglomeration potential.
• Investing in up to 350 deprived communities across the UK, to fund interventions including community cohesion, regeneration and improving the public realm.

For local government as a whole, the government's funding reforms will move funding to the places that need it, ensuring that funding is targeted effectively at the places and services that need it most and allocated in a way that empowers local leaders to deliver against local priorities.

DBT will lead on the broader SME strategy setting out the government's vision for SMEs and we will work across government to ensure effective support.

Funding related to the Rural England Prosperity Fund is a matter for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what funding will be made available to small and medium size businesses when transitional arrangements for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund end.

Answered by Alex Norris - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

After March 2026, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund will end. Beyond this, the government is providing targeted, long-term local growth funding to support growth across the UK, completing the transition from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. This includes:

• Establishing a new local growth fund, including a 10-year capital settlement from 2026‑27 to 2035‑36, for specific mayoral city regions in the North and Midlands with the highest productivity catch-up and agglomeration potential.
• Investing in up to 350 deprived communities across the UK, to fund interventions including community cohesion, regeneration and improving the public realm.

For local government as a whole, the government's funding reforms will move funding to the places that need it, ensuring that funding is targeted effectively at the places and services that need it most and allocated in a way that empowers local leaders to deliver against local priorities.

DBT will lead on the broader SME strategy setting out the government's vision for SMEs and we will work across government to ensure effective support.

Funding related to the Rural England Prosperity Fund is a matter for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal on her Department.

Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)

In May, the UK concluded a landmark economic deal with the US. This deal protects jobs in the automotive, steel, aluminium, pharmaceutical and aerospace sectors - sectors that employ over 320,000 people across the UK. In addition, an estimated 260,000 jobs are supported by the auto industry in the wider economy.

The government remains focused on making sure British businesses can feel the benefits of the deal as soon as possible. The government is continuing discussions on the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal which will look at increasing digital trade, enhancing access for our world-leading services industries and improving supply chains.

The department will continue to support the ongoing negotiations with the US, led by the Department for Business and Trade.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of (a) removing (i) dental therapist and (ii) dental technician roles and (b) other changes to the Skilled Worker visa eligibility list on internationally trained dental professionals seeking registration with the General Dental Council.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Registration with the General Dental Council in the United Kingdom is a separate process from obtaining a Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker visa, although both are required to enable overseas dental professionals to work in the UK.

On 1 July 2025, changes to immigration rules were laid before Parliament which, subject to Parliamentary approval, will come into force from 22 July. Dentists meet the new higher skill level of Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF) level 6 or above, and continue to remain eligible for the Health and Care Worker visa under the immigration changes.

The expanded Immigration Salary List (ISL) and interim Temporary Shortage List (TSL) allow time-limited access, until the end of 2026, to the UK’s immigration system for selected occupations of skill level RQF 3 to 5, with restrictions on bringing dependants. The evidence considered by the independent Migration Advisory Committee for the ISL and by the Department for Business and Trade for the TSL did not support including dental technicians, dental nurses, dental hygienists, or dental therapists on either list. Therefore, these occupations will no longer be eligible for the Health and Care Worker visa or Skilled Worker visa from 22 July.

A transition period applies for those already in the UK, where skilled workers can continue to be sponsored in RQF level 3 to 5 occupations if they are already in the route, meaning they have a visa or have a Certificate of Sponsorship issued, before 22 July, even where an occupation is not on the ISL or the TSL, providing they continue to meet all other requirements of the route.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he has taken with Cabinet colleagues to accelerate the transition to a circular economy.

Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)

This Government is committed to transitioning towards a circular economy and has convened a Circular Economy Taskforce of experts to help develop the first ever Circular Economy Strategy for England, for which we plan to publish for consultation in the coming autumn. Whilst led by Defra, this is a cross-government effort based on close collaboration between departments and the governments of the Four Nations of the UK.

Reflecting this collaborative and whole-economy approach, officials are working closely with other government departments with strong interests in the delivery of a circular economy, in particular, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, the Department for Business and Trade, the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, Department for Transport and HM Treasury to ensure that government is maximising the opportunities to be had from properly joining up and integrating circular economy activity across a range of departments.

Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps her Department is taking to reduce delays to employment tribunal hearings.

Answered by Sarah Sackman - Minister of State (Ministry of Justice)

We are working to reduce delays to employment tribunal hearings by investing in tribunal productivity through the recruitment of additional judges, the deployment of Legal Officers to actively manage cases, the development of modern case management systems and the use of remote hearing technology. This has delivered over 1,500 additional sitting days. As a result, the Lord Chancellor was able to announce on 5 March 2025 a sitting day allocation of 33,900 for the Employment Tribunals in the financial year 2025/26, the maximum allocation they are able to sit.

Following judicial recruitment, in 2024 we added 21 more salaried judges in the Employment Tribunals than in 2023, and recruitment for up to a further 36 salaried Employment Judges commenced in March 2025. 50 fee-paid employment judges were appointed in 2024, and recruitment will commence for another 50 judges in early 2026. Additionally, recruitment for 150 non-legal tribunal members will commence this year.

We recognise that there remain significant challenges for the performance of the Employment Tribunals. We are therefore continuing to monitor demand on the Employment Tribunals and will continue to work closely with the judiciary, HMCTS and the Department for Business and Trade on any further actions needed to alleviate pressures on the Employment Tribunals, improve efficiency and reduce waiting times in order to ensure timely access to justice for claimants and respondents.

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Found: sanction.66 APTs work primarily in NHS hospital and local authority mortuaries. 63 Department for Business and Trade

Found: This will complement measures to support access to finance set out in the forthcoming Department for Business and Trade

Found: Findexable (2021) Global Fintech Rankings Report. 18 Z/Yen (2021) The Global Green Finance Index 8. 19 DBT

Found: legislation constitute part of assimilated EU law and are the responsibility of the Department for Business and Trade

Found: From: Export Control Joint Unit and Department for Business and Trade Published 18 July 2025

Found: HM Government’s system of export controls and brings together policy and operational expertise from DBT

Found: HM Government’s system of export controls and brings together policy and operational expertise from DBT

Found: joining the steering group, and the development of close working relationships with the Department for Business and Trade

Found: joining the steering group, and the development of close working relationships with the Department for Business and Trade

Found: (DBT)).

Found: The appointment of AHDB in - market representatives – roles co-funded with the Department for Business and Trade

Found: The appointment of AHDB in - market representatives – roles co-funded with the Department for Business and Trade

Found: agency and a government department, strategically and operationally aligned with the Department for Business and Trade

Found: UKEF is strategically aligned with the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) but is a separate ministerial

Found: was sought by UKEF via the Supplementary Estimate 23/24; however, all costs are fully recharged to DBT

Found: container gem-c-organisation-logo__link gem-c-organisation-logo__crest gem-c-organisation-logo__crest--dbt

Found: container gem-c-organisation-logo__link gem-c-organisation-logo__crest gem-c-organisation-logo__crest--dbt

Found: UKEF is strategically aligned with the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) but is a separate ministerial

Found: . £28,439,180 Total £117,048,070 2 Department for Business and Trade; Department for Education; Department

Found: HMRC enforces NMW on behalf of the Department for Business and Trade and in 2024 to 2025 proactively

Found: Insolvency ServiceIntroduction The Insolvency Service is an executive agency of the Department for Business and Trade

Found: of UKRI’s funding, but this has resulted in the cost of most programmes managed by Department for Business and Trade

Found: of UKRI’s funding, but this has resulted in the cost of most programmes managed by Department for Business and Trade

Found: UKSBS is a company wholly owned by its public sector customers and shareholders: Department for Business and Trade

Found: provision of accommodation, staff and professional services and £50,000 charged to the Department for Business and Trade

Found: ■ We submitted our report to the Department for Business and Trade demonstrating how we take account

Found: ■ We submitted our report to the Department for Business and Trade demonstrating how we take account

Found: • We submitted our report to the Department for Business and Trade demonstrating how we take account

Found: The Department for Business and Trade is an economic growth department.

Found: 2025) Framework document between Post Office Limited and its shareholder, the Department for Business and Trade

Found: We continue to work closely with the Department for Business and Trade to contribute to free trade agreement

Found: We continue to work closely with the Department for Business and Trade to contribute to free trade agreement

Found: Case Study: Post Office (Horizon Systems) Offences Bill In 2024 the Department for Business and Trade

Found: transactions have been with: Home Office, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Defence, Department for Business and Trade

Found: from administrative records held by the Insolvency Service, an executive agency of the Department for Business and Trade

Found: from administrative records held by the Insolvency Service, an executive agency of the Department for Business and Trade

Found: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2023.107824 Department for Business and Trade (2024).

Found: underway in the ONS and the Global Supply Chains Intelligence Pilot (GSCIP) run by the Department for Business and Trade

Found: proposed Transformation and Network Investment subsidy to Post Office Limited by the Department for Business and Trade

Found: proposed Transformation and Network Investment subsidy to Post Office Limited by the Department for Business and Trade

Found: not necessarily those of the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) or the Department for Business and Trade

Found: the business population, in the sports activities industries, using data from the department for Business and Trade

Found: a targeted survey comprising questions based on standard PIR questions outlined in Department for Business and Trade

Found: (DBT)).

Found: is the UK’s export credit agency and a government department, working alongside the Department for Business and Trade

Found: Out of hours  For any out of hours media enquiries, please contact the Department for Business and Trade

Found: this PPN applies, you are required to collect data on steel and report on this to the Department for Business and Trade

Found: From: Department for Business and Trade and Post Office Published 14 July 2025 Get emails

Found: From: Department for Business and Trade, Department of Health and Social Care, Department for Science

Found: 2023), press release. 4 National Health Service England, Cancer vaccine launch pad. 5 Department for Business and Trade

Found: DBT (2025), ‘The Value of the Post Office Network’ examines the social value of Post Office. 3 Post

Found: and £1.18 per month SMEs 5 Introduction This study was commissioned by the Department for Business and Trade

Found: underlying data contained in the Future of the Post Office Green Paper Published by: Department for Business and Trade

Found: and £1.18 per month SMEs 5 Introduction This study was commissioned by the Department for Business and Trade

Found: AnnexSpreadsheet of underlying data contained in the Future of Post Office Green PaperPublished by: Department for Business and Trade

Found: Catapult REDACTED REDACTED Curia REDACTED REDACTED Cytiva REDACTED REDACTED Cytiva REDACTED REDACTED DBT

Found: agreement continues to apply.The Scottish Government has been working with the UK Government Department for Business and Trade

Found: Housing, Communities, and Local Government • HM Treasury • HM Revenue and Customs • Department for Business and Trade

Found: Housing, Communities, and Local Government • HM Treasury • HM Revenue and Customs • Department for Business and Trade

Found: There is no requirement to engage with colleagues in the UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade

Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many foreign direct investment (FDI) projects have been undertaken in Scotland in the last 10 years, broken down by (a) new investment projects, (b) expansion investment projects, (c) retention investment projects, (d) mergers and acquisitions projects and (e) joint ventures.

Answered by Lochhead, Richard - Minister for Business and Employment

Responsibility for measuring Scotland’s inward investment performance, which includes planned jobs and supply chain impacts for involved projects, rests with Scottish Enterprise. The independent EY Attractiveness Survey and the UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade’s (DBT) annual inward investment results provide an additional performance indicator for inward investment. Collectively, the results provide robust estimates of Scotland’s inward investment activity and performance.

Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) is not a classification that the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise nor EY use when measuring the performance of inward investment projects into Scotland.

Scotland has a strong record in attracting foreign direct investment and our Inward Investment Plan (IIP) plays a central role in supporting our ambitions to be a destination of choice for global inward investors. Information on how Scotland has performed in terms of attracting inward investment projects is available via the EY attractiveness survey (the latest results can be found here: ey-uk-attractiveness-survey-scotland-06-2025.pdf) and the Department for Business and Trade Inward Investment Results (the latest results can be found here: DBT inward investment results 2024 to 2025 - GOV.UK). Scottish Enterprise results will be published in the Autumn.

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place to address any regional disparities in the investment or export support provided by Scottish Development International.

Answered by Lochhead, Richard - Minister for Business and Employment

In Scotland, we provide a range of targeted support to Scottish businesses via our various agencies and partners as they progress through their internationalisation journey. This includes investment and resources to grow their exports, build resilience and compete on the global stage. This support is Scotland wide, and as such is accessible to all businesses regardless of their location.

Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many foreign direct investment (FDI) projects in Scotland in each of the last 10 years have been mergers and acquisitions of Scottish-headquartered businesses.

Answered by Lochhead, Richard - Minister for Business and Employment

The Scottish Government uses a variety of sources to measure Scotland’s inward investment performance, including data from Scottish Enterprise and independent analysis published annually in the EY UK Attractiveness Survey for Scotland. Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) is not a classification that the Scottish Government or Scottish Enterprise use when measuring the performance of inward investment projects into Scotland. Scottish Enterprise classifies projects as new, expansion and safeguarding projects and as such, does not collect information on M&A activity. The UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT) provides estimates for M&A activity in Scotland based on their own internal definitions, classifications and methodology.

Scotland continues to attract new high quality investment projects, according to the latest EY survey published in June 2025. Scotland has maintained its position as the top performing region or nation of the UK for foreign direct investment (FDI) projects outside of London, for a record tenth year and is the sixth best performing region in Europe.

Found: The Bill is sponsored by the Department for Business and Trade and is intended to deliver on many of

Found: It is sponsored by the Department for Business and Trade. 2.