Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when he plans to respond to Question (a) 47358, (b) 47359, (c) 47360, (d) 47361 and (e) 47362 tabled by the hon. Member for Arundel and South Downs on 23 April 2024.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
A response was published on 12th May 2025 to Questions 47358, 47359, 47360, 47361 and 47362.
Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to the UK-India Free Trade Agreement, agreed on 6 May 2025, if she will make an estimate of the number of British Nationals that will use the Double Contribution Convention with India in each of the next 5 years.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The OBR will certify the impact of the trade deal including the Double Contributions Convention in the usual way at a fiscal event, once the deal is finalised and ratified. The agreement to negotiate a Double Contributions Convention was made in the context of the wider deal, which will bring billions into the economy.
Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate she has made of the potential impact of making exemptions for the payment of National Insurance contributions under the Double Contribution Convention with India on receipts from (a) employee and (b) employer National Insurance contributions in each of the next five years.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The OBR will certify the impact of the trade deal including the Double Contributions Convention in the usual way at a fiscal event, once the deal is finalised and ratified. The agreement to negotiate a Double Contributions Convention was made in the context of the wider deal, which will bring billions into the economy.
Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, which visa categories would be eligible for an exemption from paying National Insurance contributions in the UK under the Double Contribution Convention with India.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Double Contributions Convention (DCC) is not a visa route. It will be a reciprocal international treaty between countries which ensures that detached workers are only liable to pay social security contributions in one country at a time on the same earnings.
A detached worker is an employee who is sent by their employer to carry out a period of temporary work in another country. The definition of a detached worker does not map onto any single visa route and is a distinct test applied for National Insurance.
Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with businesses in the IT services sector on (a) the UK-India trade deal and (b) the Double Contribution Convention with India.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Before launching free trade agreement talks with India, The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) ran a public call for input to help us understand what businesses and consumers wanted. As talks progressed, we frequently engaged with businesses across a range of sectors including the IT sector.
Double Contributions Conventions are international treaties designed to eliminate the double payment of social security contributions. The government regularly engages with a range of business representatives to understand their views and concerns in relation to the tax system.
Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what estimate she has made of the number of visas that would be eligible for exemptions from paying National Insurance contributions in the UK under the Double Contribution Convention with India that will be issued in each of the next five years.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Double Contributions Convention (DCC) is not a visa route. It will be a reciprocal international treaty between countries which ensures that detached workers are only liable to pay social security contributions in one country at a time on the same earnings.
A detached worker is an employee who is sent by their employer to carry out a period of temporary work in another country. The definition of a detached worker does not map onto any single visa route and is a distinct test applied for National Insurance.
Around 17,000 Indian nationals (main applicants) came to the UK to work in 2024 on Skilled Worker and Global Business Mobility: Senior or Specialist Worker visas - however, only a subset of these types of workers will be eligible to be treated as a detached worker and continue paying contributions in India rather than the UK. This will be reciprocal for UK detached workers in India. Dependents are not detached workers. If a detached worker’s family members take up employment in the UK then they pay UK National Insurance.
Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, how many people hold a visa that would make them eligible for an exemption from paying UK National Insurance contributions under the Double Contribution Convention with India.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
The Double Contributions Convention (DCC) is not a visa route. It will be a reciprocal international treaty between countries which ensures that detached workers are only liable to pay social security contributions in one country at a time on the same earnings.
A detached worker is an employee who is sent by their employer to carry out a period of temporary work in another country. The definition of a detached worker does not map onto any single visa route and is a distinct test applied for National Insurance.
Around 17,000 Indian nationals (main applicants) came to the UK to work in 2024 on Skilled Worker and Global Business Mobility: Senior or Specialist Worker visas - however, only a subset of these types of workers will be eligible to be treated as a detached worker and continue paying contributions in India rather than the UK. This will be reciprocal for UK detached workers in India. Dependents are not detached workers. If a detached worker’s family members take up employment in the UK then they pay UK National Insurance.
Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the mean salary provided at application by Indian nationals issued with a Senior or Specialist Worker visa (Global Business Mobility) was in (a) 2023 and (b) 2024.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Applicants to the Global Business Mobility Senior or Specialist route must be awarded points for the salary requirement, either meeting the general salary requirement of £48,500 or the relevant going rate for their occupation, whichever is higher. The Home Office doesn't hold the information requested in a reportable format and this information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what the median salary provided at application by Indian nationals issued with a Senior or Specialist Worker visa (Global Business Mobility) was in (a) 2023 and (b) 2024.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Education) (Equalities)
Applicants to the Global Business Mobility Senior or Specialist route must be awarded points for the salary requirement, either meeting the general salary requirement of £48,500 or the relevant going rate for their occupation, whichever is higher. The Home Office doesn't hold the information requested in a reportable format and this information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Andrew Griffith (Conservative - Arundel and South Downs)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the potential impact of the use of powers in the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act 2025 on Government fiscal policies.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act 2025 gives Government the power to direct British Steel’s board and workforce, ensure they get paid, and order the raw materials to keep the blast furnaces running in Scunthorpe. We will report regularly to Parliament on the use of the Act.
The decision to introduce this legislation had collective agreement. Discussions are ongoing to determine the potential impact to public purse, but the funding required for British Steel will come out of existing budgets and there will be no changes to the Government's fiscal rules.
The Department for Business & Trade’s accounts for 2025/26 will reflect the financial support that the department has given to British Steel.
We will publish the initial impact assessment in due course, including classification considerations.