To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.

Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Post Office: Directors
Monday 25th November 2024

Asked by: Ben Spencer (Conservative - Runnymede and Weybridge)

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 adequacy of the Post Office board.

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

Annually, in line with the Financial Reporting Council’s Corporate Governance Code, the Post Office Board runs a Board Evaluation exercise to determine skills gaps on the Board and areas for improvement. The outcomes of this review are shared with DBT as the Post Office Shareholder. The Government monitors the implementation of their recommendations via the Shareholder Representative, UK Government Investments, to support the continuous improvement of the Board.

In line with Post Office’s governance framework, the Government recently approved the Post Office Chair to lead the recruitment of new Non-Executive Directors (NEDs) specialising in technological transformation and organisational design to complement the Board’s existing composition. A further two new Postmaster NEDs should join the Board in the near future, providing an ongoing voice on behalf of the postmaster community.

Written Question
Trade Agreements: Disease Control
Monday 14th October 2024

Asked by: Ben Spencer (Conservative - Runnymede and Weybridge)

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many trade agreements require the use of biosecurity (a) facilities and (b) services provided by the Animal and Plant Health Agency in New Haw; and if he will make an estimate of the contribution of these trade agreements to the UK's gross domestic product.

Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK has over 70 trade agreements in place. APHA facilities and services managing the risks posed by animal diseases to human and animal health are crucial to underpinning the biosecurity of imports and exports under all of them.

Published impact assessments for the UK’s trade agreements can be found on Gov.uk.