Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
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 value to the UK economy of enhanced services trade provisions in the UK-Turkey Free Trade Agreement; what specific barriers to UK services exports to Turkey are being addressed in the negotiations referenced in his written ministerial statement of 11 December 2025; and what recent developments have taken place in negotiations regarding mutual recognition of professional qualifications.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Detailed economic scoping analysis of an upgraded UK-Turkey FTA was published in March 2024. A full Impact Assessment will be published upon the completion of negotiations.
In the four quarters to the end of Q2 2025, UK-Turkey bilateral services trade was worth £7.7 billion, with UK exports comprising £3.4 billion. Despite this strong performance, Turkey is a relatively restrictive services export market, with an above-average OECD Services Trade Restrictiveness Index scoring. We are seeking to ease this restrictiveness, providing improved market access and greater legal certainty for UK services exporters, including through provisions on recognition of professional qualifications.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to ensure that UK financial services firms can effectively use the (a) data localization and (b) transparency commitments in the UK-South Korea Free Trade Agreement.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Although we have concluded negotiations, we have not yet reached signature, let alone ratification, so this question is premature. However DBT’s Free Trade Agreement Utilisation team helps businesses understand and benefit from the UK’s new Free Trade Agreements, such as the new UK-Republic of Korea FTA, working in partnership with businesses and their representatives.
New data localisation and transparency provisions will provide legal certainty to UK firms on their treatment by Korean authorities, underpinned by appropriate enforcement mechanisms. The Republic of Korea has also agreed to publish new regulatory guidance on its domestic data rules which will give firms practical, accessible information to help navigate the Republic of Korea’s data regime and make effective use of the agreement’s commitments.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
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 accessibility of information about (a) streamlined import/export documentation and (b) simplified licensing rules under the UK-South Korea Free Trade Agreement for businesses with limited international trade experience.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The upgraded UK-Republic of Korea FTA will include provisions to streamline import and export documentation requirements by simplifying customs declarations and allowing businesses to self-certify the origin status of their goods so that they can qualify for preferential tariffs. The Republic of Korea has also committed to publishing customs information in English, making it more accessible for UK businesses. The FTA also streamlines licensing processes by encouraging online publication of key information, eliminating unreasonable fees and facilitating electronic payments.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
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 impact on UK manufacturing businesses of the expiry of the UK steel safeguard in 2026; what discussions he has had with steel-using industries about trade measures to be introduced following that expiry; and when he plans to publish details of those measures.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Steel is a top priority for this Government. The sector is facing a challenging and uncertain global landscape due to significant steel overcapacity. We are therefore developing robust new measures in light of the steel safeguard expiring at the end of June 2026.
DBT Ministers and officials regularly engage with stakeholders across the steel industry, including producers and downstream businesses. On 10 November, Minister McDonald and I met with representatives from across the downstream steel sector.
We look forward to saying more in early 2026, including publishing our Steel Strategy.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment has the Government made of the financial impact on UK small and medium-sized enterprises of the adverse effects on competition identified in the Competition and Markets Authority's Cloud Services Market Investigation, specifically regarding egress fees and technical barriers to switching cloud providers.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government has not assessed the impacts of the practices detailed in the CMA’s Cloud Service Market Investigation.
In the Final Report published on 31 July 2025, the key recommendation was for the CMA Board to prioritise commencing investigations under the digital markets regime to consider designating the two largest providers - Microsoft and AWS - with strategic market status in relation to cloud services.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to promote recognition of UK professional IT qualifications, including CITP status, in trade negotiations with international partners.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Provisions on the recognition of professional qualifications (RPQ) are an important part of the services chapters in the UK’s international trade agreements, including within the UK-Switzerland RPQ Agreement and our Free Trade Agreements with Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Australia, New Zealand and India.
DBT works closely with our overseas partners to promote the UK’s world-leading professional qualifications. Under our international arrangements DBT has committed to encourage our independent occupational regulators and professional membership bodies, including the British Computer Society, to consider pursuing RPQ agreements with international partners. DBT supports these bodies to do so.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of consumer protections in the parcel delivery sector, particularly where subcontracting arrangements are in place.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Ofcom is the independent regulator for the postal sector with the responsibility and powers to regulate postal services.
The ‘Mail Integrity Objectives’, set out in Ofcom’s Essential Condition 1, seek to minimise the potential for parcels to be subject to loss, theft, damage or interference. Currently this Essential Condition is effectively restricted to Royal Mail’s services delivered under its universal postal service obligation.
Ofcom engages regularly with all parcel operators to understand their approach to implementation of, and compliance with, its consumer protection measures.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much funding has been allocated for redundancy packages related to workforce reductions in export support services.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
A programme of transformation for the Department for Business and Trade’s export services is ongoing and will entail workforce changes. It is not yet possible to determine a level of redundancies that might result from that process. Any related funding needs will be addressed within the course of business planning.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what estimate has been made of the total savings to be achieved through workforce reductions in export support services.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The transformation of the department is ongoing and it is not yet possible to determine how many staff might be redeployed or may leave the department. Therefore, it is not yet possible to determine total savings that will be achieved.
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, over what time period workforce reductions in export support services will take place.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade’s new export structures in the UK are expected to be in place from 1 April, however the workforce reductions in teams involved in export work across the UK and overseas will be ongoing over the course of 2026.