Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has consulted the independent Task and Finish Group on its resilience strategy.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
A secure supply of critical minerals is vital for the UK’s economic growth and security, industrial strategy, and clean energy transition. The Government will work hand in hand with industry to publish a new Critical Minerals Strategy this year. The Critical Minerals Strategy will help secure our supply chains for the long term and drive forward the green industries of the future.
DBT regularly engages with industry and academia to inform policy development, including through the Critical Minerals Expert Committee. DBT also plans to reconvene the independent Task and Finish Group members following their 2023 report, informing development of the new Strategy.
Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the UK-Canadian Critical Mineral Dialogue is still on-going.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK and Canada are the closest of allies. We have shared values and are committed to ensuring critical mineral markets are diverse, ethical, fair and transparent. We continue to engage with Canada including through the Critical Minerals Dialogue, the Minerals Security Partnership, the International Energy Agency, and the G7.
Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Government has plans to take steps to help facilitate closer economic cooperation with Japan.
Answered by Catherine West - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government has already taken action to strengthen UK-Japan economic cooperation. In early March 2025, the Foreign Secretary and Secretary of State for Business and Trade travelled to Japan, meeting their Japanese counterparts for the UK's first 'Economic 2+2'. As likeminded nations, we agreed new areas of collaboration in support of rules-based international trade, economic security, energy security, and engagement with Global South countries. The Government is taking forward work on a new Industrial Strategy Partnership and furthering our economic security partnership with Japan in support of growth, jobs and access to essential goods and services needed for the UK's future prosperity. The Government also plans to work closely with Japan to shape the future of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and ensure it remains a modern, high-standards agreement.
Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department is following The UK’s International Technology Strategy, published on 22 March 2023, CP 810.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The 2023 International Technology Strategy set out an international approach guided by four principles: Open; Responsible; Secure; and Resilient. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology remains supportive of such principles and continues to prioritise the five critical technologies first outlined in the UK Science and Technology Framework. Collaborating with international partners on technology allows us to access global expertise, accelerate innovation and drive economic growth. For example, Oracle, the US based tech firm, recently announced £3.8 billion of investment in the UK to create jobs, grow the economy, and spur on cloud/ AI development. The forthcoming Industrial Strategy will include more detail on how we are leveraging international partnerships and trade to support this growth driving sector.
Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, if the International Technology Strategy is still being followed.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The 2023 International Technology Strategy set out an international approach guided by four principles: Open; Responsible; Secure; and Resilient. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology remains supportive of such principles and continues to prioritise the five critical technologies first outlined in the UK Science and Technology Framework. Collaborating with international partners on technology allows us to access global expertise, accelerate innovation and drive economic growth. For example, Oracle, the US based tech firm, recently announced £3.8 billion of investment in the UK to create jobs, grow the economy, and spur on cloud/ AI development. The forthcoming Industrial Strategy will include more detail on how we are leveraging international partnerships and trade to support this growth driving sector.
Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether his Department is following the UK Science and Technology Framework, published on 6 March 2023; and whether he plans to implement the objectives of that framework by 2030.
Answered by Feryal Clark - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Science and Technology Framework is the integrated, systems-level approach to science and technology (S&T) with a holistic set of ten critical levers that the government can use to drive growth and improve the lives of citizens.
The government is committed to the Framework and to applying these levers to ensure S&T is at the heart of delivering our core priorities including the Plan for Change, the Five National Missions and the Industrial Strategy.
Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the Government's policy is on future use of the Critical Imports and Supply Chain Strategy.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Critical Imports and Supply Chains Strategy was a product of the previous government.
As part of our Growth Mission, this government is committed to assessing where supply chains critical to the UK's economic security and growth could be vulnerable to disruption and is working to build resilience. Our upcoming Industrial and Trade Strategies will set out further detail on the steps we are taking to ensure the UK’s growth is secure and resilient.
Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the cost to the public purse was of maladministration payments issued by her Department in the last 12 months.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is published within the DWP Annual Reports and Accounts. Data for April 2024 to March 2025 will be published in the 2024/25 DWP Annual Reports and Accounts in or around July 2025.
The latest published data is for the period April 2023 to March 2024. In the period April 2023 to March 2024, DWP made 10,567 ex-gratia payments totalling £1.3 million for maladministration.
Please note that the total amount of ex-gratia payments for maladministration presented in the DWP Annual Reports and Accounts excludes financial redress paid for loss of statutory entitlement because it is not an extra cost arising from maladministration, but payment of benefit that should have been made anyway.
The average value of maladministration payments in the period April 2023 to March 2024 was £120. This value has been calculated based on the unrounded total payments and unrounded number of payments, rounded to the nearest £10.
Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if she will make an estimate of the number of payments her Department has issued as a result of maladministration in the last 12 months.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is published within the DWP Annual Reports and Accounts. Data for April 2024 to March 2025 will be published in the 2024/25 DWP Annual Reports and Accounts in or around July 2025.
The latest published data is for the period April 2023 to March 2024. In the period April 2023 to March 2024, DWP made 10,567 ex-gratia payments totalling £1.3 million for maladministration.
Please note that the total amount of ex-gratia payments for maladministration presented in the DWP Annual Reports and Accounts excludes financial redress paid for loss of statutory entitlement because it is not an extra cost arising from maladministration, but payment of benefit that should have been made anyway.
The average value of maladministration payments in the period April 2023 to March 2024 was £120. This value has been calculated based on the unrounded total payments and unrounded number of payments, rounded to the nearest £10.
Asked by: Bobby Dean (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the average value was of each maladministration payment made by her Department in the last 12 months.
Answered by Andrew Western - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is published within the DWP Annual Reports and Accounts. Data for April 2024 to March 2025 will be published in the 2024/25 DWP Annual Reports and Accounts in or around July 2025.
The latest published data is for the period April 2023 to March 2024. In the period April 2023 to March 2024, DWP made 10,567 ex-gratia payments totalling £1.3 million for maladministration.
Please note that the total amount of ex-gratia payments for maladministration presented in the DWP Annual Reports and Accounts excludes financial redress paid for loss of statutory entitlement because it is not an extra cost arising from maladministration, but payment of benefit that should have been made anyway.
The average value of maladministration payments in the period April 2023 to March 2024 was £120. This value has been calculated based on the unrounded total payments and unrounded number of payments, rounded to the nearest £10.