Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how does the government assess the risks to UK citizens’ personal data and national security when collaborating with foreign genomics companies, especially in countries with restrictive or divergent data-security regimes.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK has one of the most robust data protection regimes in the world, with all organisations required to comply with our legislation to safeguard UK personal data when transferring it overseas. Our data regulator, the Information Commissioner's Office, has powers to take enforcement action and issue hefty fines. Individuals who consider that their data has been misused can also take legal action.
The UK Government is committed to harnessing the power of genomics as part of the 10 Year Health Plan, while mitigating potential risks.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when he plans to respond to the Freedom of Information request dated 13 August 2025 submitted by the Hon. Member for Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
A response to the Freedom of Information request (DBT reference: FOI2025/09368) was issued 02 October 2025.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what information his Department holds on meetings between Jeffrey Epstein and former Ministers from his Department.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) do not hold any records on meetings between Jeffrey Epstein and former Ministers from his Department. The records of meetings for the former Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) and former Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) transferred to the former Department for Business Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), and are held by Integrated Corporate Services (ICS) following machinery of Government changes.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what information his Department holds on whether Jeffrey Epstein helped set up meetings between his Department and JP Morgan on the sale of Sempra Commodities.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Any such information is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department holds correspondence between Jeffrey Epstein and former Ministers in his Department on the sale of Sempra Commodities.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Any such information is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he is considering placing Fujitsu on the High Risk Vendor list as a result of its involvement in the Horizon IT system failures.
Answered by Gareth Thomas
The High Risk Vendor process is not one that the Department for Business and Trade is responsible for.
We welcome Fujitsu’s acknowledgement of their moral obligation to contribute to the cost of the Horizon scandal. Fujitsu have also announced they will voluntarily not bid for new contracts unless requested by Government. The contract with Fujitsu to supply the Post Office Limited’s IT system is time limited - we are working with the Post Office and Fujitsu to ensure the transition is as soon as practically possible.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to sign a free trade agreement with Algeria.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
In 2023, the UK and Algeria established a Trade Taskforce, a forum for the two countries to discuss how we can strengthen our trade and investment relationship on a regular basis, which may include formal trade agreements. The Taskforce had its inaugural meeting earlier this year, and there was a strong willingness to drive trade between the two countries. There are, presently, no plans for the UK to negotiate a Free Trade Agreement with Algeria.
Asked by: Gavin Williamson (Conservative - Stone, Great Wyrley and Penkridge)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of planned closures of Royal Mail Customer Service Points on rural mail services.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
The Government recognises the important role that the postal service plays in providing key services to local communities across the country.
However, as a private business, the closure of Customer Service Points is a commercial and operational matter for Royal Mail. The Government does not have a role in Royal Mail’s commercial or operational decisions.