Asked by: Martin Rhodes (Labour - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to his Department's publication entitled Consultation outcome for the Green Paper: Future of Post Office, updated on 25 February 2026, what progress has been made with holding joint discussions between the Post Office and banks to expand the range of banking services available at post offices.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As set out in the Government response, there was a constructive joint discussion between government, the Post Office and the banking sector in January 2026. Several areas of mutual interest were discussed including banking services, financial inclusion, the need for modernisation and the importance of continuing to improve financial crime safeguards. Attendees agreed to further explore opportunities for continued collaboration on a voluntary basis and to provide an update in six months.
Asked by: Martin Rhodes (Labour - Glasgow North)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what support she plans to offer to UK universities and Gaza students who hold offers to begin their studies in Autumn 2026.
Answered by Mike Tapp - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
The Government provided exceptional support to enable the departure of fully funded scholarship students from Gaza, for students whose courses began before 31 December 2025. This support was for students who met the relevant requirements of the Immigration Rules.
The Government is reviewing the impact of the policy and any decision on further support will depend on the evolving international situation. We will continue to keep the policy under review.
Asked by: Martin Rhodes (Labour - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when his Department plans to publish the UK-Kazakhstan critical minerals agreement.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK-Kazakhstan Memorandum of Understanding on Critical Minerals Cooperation has not been published and there are no plans to do so. However, it is referenced in UK's Critical Minerals Strategy published in November 2025.
Asked by: Martin Rhodes (Labour - Glasgow North)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the UK's negotiating objectives are with regard to discussions on investor-state dispute settlement reform led by the (a) OECD and (b) UN.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
In line with the Trade Strategy, the UK continues to work with trading partners multilaterally, at the OECD and the UN, to pursue opportunities to improve ISDS practice, such as promoting transparency in ISDS proceedings. The proposals being discussed at the UN Commission for International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) and the OECD can be found on their respective websites.