Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions (a) he and (b) his officials had with the British Business Bank on Wayve prior to 25 February 2026.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The British Business Bank notified the Department on the morning of 20 February 2026 that it had concluded commercial negotiations with Wayve and would be participating in its equity funding round. Ministers and officials were not aware before this date that an investment in Wayve was being contemplated.

Discussions with officials between 20 and 25 February focused on communications arrangements for the announcement of Wayve's successful fundraise and the British Business Bank's investment.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an estimate of the level of private capital the British Business Bank expects to crowd-in from their investment in Wayve.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The British Business Bank has invested £25 million in Wayve as part of a $1.2 billion Series D funding round, at a post-money valuation of $8.6 billion. Additional capital secured in parallel brings the total value of the raise to $1.5 billion.

The Bank has an objective to “support our most promising businesses in the Industrial Strategy priority sectors to scale and stay here.” Crowding-in private capital was not the primary aim of this investment. Neither the Bank nor the Department has sought to assess the influence, if any, of the Bank’s investment in Wayve on the decisions of private co‑investors.

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 merits of investment by the British Business Bank in Wayve.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The British Business Bank takes investment decisions independently and the Department does not seek to assess the merits of any individual transaction. The Bank is measured on the achievement of its objectives over the long term. Its two key performance indicators are the returns it achieves for taxpayers and the additional GVA (gross value-added) generated by its activities.

Wayve is a world-leading British success story and the Secretary of State welcomed the success of the company's fundraise as evidence of this.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of housing (a) refugees and (b) asylum seekers in Grantham on levels of social cohesion.

Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)

We have a set of Asylum Accommodation Plans which take an evidence-based approach to the procurement and occupancy of Dispersal Accommodation; ensuring we are finding suitable accommodation to fulfil our statutory duty, while considering the impacts on local areas. The Home Office continues to work with local government to allocate asylum seekers based on a range of evidence, including the availability of housing, pressure on services and community cohesion. Whatever decisions are made regarding specific locations, we are clear that the impact on communities must be minimised.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of HMOs in Grantham on levels of social cohesion.

Answered by Miatta Fahnbulleh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

Responsibility for assessing and managing the local impacts of HMOs sits primarily with local authorities. Councils are responsible for HMO licensing, regulation and oversight, and for understanding how housing pressures affect local communities, including impacts on cohesion. They are best placed to monitor community tensions and to respond through local housing, planning, community safety and partnership arrangements.

The Department works closely with local authorities, such as Grantham, to provide advice and offer support where issues arise.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what data his Department holds on the number of Homes in Multiple Occupation in the Grantham and Bourne constituency.

Answered by Matthew Pennycook - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to Question UIN 105012 on 19 January 2026.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what independent security testing of the WebFiling service was conducted prior to its restoration on 16 March 2026.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The WebFiling service was successfully reopened at 9am on Monday 16 March after rigorous testing. The testing was done in accordance with best-practice security methodologies by government-approved testers, including external specialists.

Companies House takes the security of its systems and data extremely seriously. It operates an ISO 27001:2022-certified Information Security Management System, demonstrating its commitment to robust, independently audited security controls. This approach aligns with recognised government and industry standards.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Companies House news story entitled Update on Companies House WebFiling security issue, published on 16 March 2026, what steps his Department is taking to (a) identify and (b) notify the directors of companies whose details may have been accessed without consent.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

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

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many unauthorised changes to company records were (a) attempted and (b) successfully registered before the WebFiling service was closed on 13 March 2026.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Companies House is investigating this from both a technical and customer perspective. Following the initial report, ongoing investigations have found no subsequent confirmed cases of personal data having been (a) accessed without permission as a result of this issue. There is (b) no confirmed evidence that any records have been changed. The absence of any new confirmed cases is welcome although the investigation continues.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Companies House news story titled Update on Companies House WebFiling security issue, published on 16 March 2026, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of this security issue on the planned roll-out of new identity verification requirements for company directors.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The issue affecting Companies House’s Web-filing service did not extend to other services, including the identification verification service for company directors and persons of significant control. It has also written to customers confirming that no data used as part of the identity verification process, such as passport information, was accessible.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Companies House news story titled Update on Companies House WebFiling security issue, published on 16 March 2026, what the total cost to the public purse was for the (a) investigation, (b) independent testing and (c) technical remediation of the identified security vulnerability.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Companies House’s investigation into the issue is ongoing so it is not yet possible to provide a total cost. The initial investigation and technical remediation work was undertaken by Companies House staff supported by specialist contractors. Further work is planned as the investigation progresses.

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Found: Gareth Davies, Comptroller and Auditor General, Head of the National Audit Office, Elaine Lewis, Director

Found: fora across Whitehall that meet under the chairmanship of the Permanent Secretary of the DBT, Gareth Davies

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Found: Gareth Davies, Comptroller and Auditor General, National Audit Office, Laura Brackwell, Director, National

Found: The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), Gareth Davies, is an Officer of the House of Commons and

Found: The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), Gareth Davies, is an Officer of the House of Commons and

Found: The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), Gareth Davies, is an Officer of the House of Commons and

Found: Gareth Davies, head of the NAO Read the full report The UK’s resilience to severe space weather

Found: The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), Gareth Davies, is an Officer of the House of Commons and

Found: The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), Gareth Davies, is an Officer of the House of Commons and

Found: The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), Gareth Davies, is an Officer of the House of Commons and

Found: The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), Gareth Davies, is an Officer of the House of Commons and

Found: The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG), Gareth Davies, is an Officer of the House of Commons and

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Found: 01/10/2025 Board Leaders Reception No Gareth Davies 06/10/2025 Peel Hunt Breakfast No Gareth Davies

Found:

Found: Gareth Davies Comptroller and Auditor General 17 March 2026 National Audit Office 157-197 Buckingham

Found: Gareth Davies 12 March 2026 Comptroller and Auditor General National Audit Office 157-197 Buckingham

Found: Gareth Davies Appointed as New Home Office Permanent Secretary

Found: Gareth Davies Comptroller and Auditor General National Audit Office 157-197 Buckingham Palace Road

Found: Gareth Davies Comptroller and Auditor General National Audit Office 157-197 Buckingham Palace Road

Found: Gareth Davies Comptroller and Auditor General 17 March 2026 National Audit Office 157-197 Buckingham

Found: Gareth Davies 12 March 2026 Comptroller and Auditor General National Audit Office 157-197 Buckingham

Found: membership: Alun Davies MS Welsh Labour Mick Antoniw MS Welsh Labour Heledd Fychan MS Plaid Cymru Gareth Davies