Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many people have been employed by the (a) Competition and Markets Authority and (b) Financial Reporting Council in each year since 2005.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Since 2005, the remits of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which became operational on 1 April 2014, and the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) have expanded in scope to undertake additional functions at the request of government.
The CMA's responsibilities in respect of competition enforcement and merger control have increased following the UK’s departure from the EU, as well as taking on new statutory functions and responsibilities under the UK Internal Market Act 2020, and the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.
The FRC took on formal responsibility for actuarial oversight and standard-setting in 2006, for stewardship in 2009 following the Walker Review, as well as being designated as the competent authority for audit in 2016.
Year | Budget £m | Headcount | ||
| CMA | FRC | CMA | FRC |
2005-2006 | - | 12.5 | - | 62 |
2006-2007 | - | 13.5 | - | 76 |
2007-2008 | - | 14.7 | - | 81 |
2008-2009 | - | 17.9 | - | 82 |
2009-2010 | - | 19.7 | - | 90 |
2010-2011 | - | 21.6 | - | 102 |
2011-2012 | - | 22 | - | 102 |
2012-2013 | - | 22.4 | - | 114 |
2013-2014 | - | 24.5 | - | 134 |
2014-2015 | 63.1 | 32.1 | 653 | 151 |
2015-2016 | 66.1 | 33.7 | 641 | 161 |
2016-2017 | 66.3 | 33.5 | 580 | 171 |
2017-2018 | 64.0 | 35.3 | 640 | 192 |
2018-2019 | 99.9 | 35.8 | 854 | 210 |
2019-2020 | 112.9 | 41.7 | 899 | 243 |
2020-2021 | 95.7 | 45.4 | 847 | 326 |
2021-2022 | 100.6 | 51.5 | 875 | 391 |
2022-2023 | 121.9 | 59.8 | 928 | 443 |
2023-2024 | 129.4 | 66.3 | 1,088 | 477 |
2024-2025 | 144.0 | 71.5 | 1,130 | 459 |
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the annual budget was for the (a) Competition and Markets Authority and (b) Financial Reporting Council in each year since 2005.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Since 2005, the remits of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which became operational on 1 April 2014, and the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) have expanded in scope to undertake additional functions at the request of government.
The CMA's responsibilities in respect of competition enforcement and merger control have increased following the UK’s departure from the EU, as well as taking on new statutory functions and responsibilities under the UK Internal Market Act 2020, and the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.
The FRC took on formal responsibility for actuarial oversight and standard-setting in 2006, for stewardship in 2009 following the Walker Review, as well as being designated as the competent authority for audit in 2016.
Year | Budget £m | Headcount | ||
| CMA | FRC | CMA | FRC |
2005-2006 | - | 12.5 | - | 62 |
2006-2007 | - | 13.5 | - | 76 |
2007-2008 | - | 14.7 | - | 81 |
2008-2009 | - | 17.9 | - | 82 |
2009-2010 | - | 19.7 | - | 90 |
2010-2011 | - | 21.6 | - | 102 |
2011-2012 | - | 22 | - | 102 |
2012-2013 | - | 22.4 | - | 114 |
2013-2014 | - | 24.5 | - | 134 |
2014-2015 | 63.1 | 32.1 | 653 | 151 |
2015-2016 | 66.1 | 33.7 | 641 | 161 |
2016-2017 | 66.3 | 33.5 | 580 | 171 |
2017-2018 | 64.0 | 35.3 | 640 | 192 |
2018-2019 | 99.9 | 35.8 | 854 | 210 |
2019-2020 | 112.9 | 41.7 | 899 | 243 |
2020-2021 | 95.7 | 45.4 | 847 | 326 |
2021-2022 | 100.6 | 51.5 | 875 | 391 |
2022-2023 | 121.9 | 59.8 | 928 | 443 |
2023-2024 | 129.4 | 66.3 | 1,088 | 477 |
2024-2025 | 144.0 | 71.5 | 1,130 | 459 |
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many performance reviews were undertaken for staff in (a) his Department and (b) its agencies in each of the last five years; in how many of those cases performance was rated as unsatisfactory or below; how many staff left as a result of such a rating; and what proportion of full-time equivalent staff that represented.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
On 1st July 2023 due to a Machinery of Government Change, the Department of International Trade (DIT) became the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), alongside parts of the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). We therefore only hold information from DBT from 1st July 2023.
DBT does not hold performance management data for its agencies.
Performance reviews are held for every member of staff as per our Line Management Guidance. We capture this for all SCS, but results of delegated reviews (AA to Grade 6) are only partially available.
The data below shows performance reviews recorded in our system. Exact numbers of leavers due to poor performance and the percentages of such are withheld as disclosure could identify individuals and breach GDPR principles.
Performance year Runs from 1st April to 31st March | Number of staff with known ratings | Number Marked as ‘Not Met’ against performance | Leavers due to Poor Performance |
2023-2024 | 3505 | 49 | <5 |
2024-2025 | 3078 | 54 | <5 |
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many staff in his Department are recorded as having a (a) mental health condition and (b) physical disability by grade.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Information on the number of people declaring a disability in department for Business and Trade (DBT) are published annually as part of Civil Service Statistics 2025, an accredited official statistics publication. The latest published data is accurate as of 31 March 2025 and can be found at Table 29 of the statistical tables at the following web address:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/civil-service-statistics-2025
As of 31 March 2025, a) 61 civil servants had self-reported having a Mental Ill Health condition and b) 102 civil servants had self-reported as having a Physical Disability (Facial Disfigurement, Speech impairment, Hearing Impairment, Manual Dexterity Condition, Mobility Condition or a Visual Impairment) in DBT. Here is the breakdown by grade:
A) Self-Reported Mental Ill Health Condition by Grade
Grade | Count |
AO/EO | 7 |
HEO | 18 |
SEO | 19 |
G7 | 12 |
G6 | Less than 5 |
All SCS | Less than 5 |
Total | 61* |
b) Self-Reported Physical Disability by Grade
Grade | Count |
AO/EO | 6 |
HEO | 25 |
SEO | 23 |
G7 | 33 |
G6 | 8 |
All SCS | 7 |
Total | 102* |
*As of March 2025, 61.6% of civil servants in DBT self-reported their disability status. Not all individuals who reported a disability provided information on the type or nature of their disability or condition.
Information for 31 March 2026 is due for publication in July 2026.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many staff left his Department in each of the last five years by grade.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Information on the number of civil servants leaving each government department and organisation by responsibility level for the years 2021 to 2025 is published annually through the ‘Civil Service data browser’ as part of Civil Service Statistics 2025, an accredited official statistics publication. Information can be accessed through the Civil Service data browser for 2021 through 2025 at the following web address:
https://civil-service-statistics.jdac.service.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/
Here is the break down by grade in 2024/2025 and 2023/2024.
Leavers by grade | 2024/2025 | 2023/2024* |
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AO/EO | 123 | 118 |
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HEO | 139 | 115 |
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SEO | 155 | 132 |
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G7 | 149 | 129 |
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G6 | 46 | 33 |
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SCS 1/2/3/4 | 33 | 16 |
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Total | 645 | 543 |
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*Civil servants who left DBT payroll between 1 August 2023 and 31 March 2024. | |||||||
The DBT was created in 2023. Complete staff record for DBT was only available since 1 August 2023. Leavers data prior to 1 August 2023 was provided by DBT’s predecessors, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Department for International Trade. This data is readily available on Gov.uk : https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/civil-service-statistics
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many staff in his Department (a) did not retain employment following the completion of their probationary period and (b) had their probationary period extended in each of the last five years.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Department for Business and Trade’s (DBT) probation policy and guidance advises managers on the steps to take to assess a new employee’s suitability for the post and to provide support to enable them to succeed. It also advises on the steps to take where performance, attendance or conduct are not satisfactory. This can include exiting the employee or extending their probation to provide further evidence for a final decision on their suitability.
DBT recoded fewer than five staff members who were recruited into the civil service and did not pass their probation, and were subsequently dismissed, since DBT was created in 2023. Information on staff who had their probationary period extended is not available.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many employment tribunal claims have been lodged against his Department in for (a) unfair dismissal and (b) claims under the Equality Act 2010 in each of the last five years.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
On 1st July 2023 due to a Machinery of Government Change, the Department of International Trade (DIT) became the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), alongside parts of the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). We therefore only hold information from DBT from 1st July 2023, and information from DIT before this date, and all information shared will be within these parameters.
Year / Category | No. Employment Tribunal Claims |
2025 |
|
(a) unfair dismissal | 1 |
(b) claims under the Equality Act 2010 | 4 |
2024 |
|
(a) unfair dismissal | 4 |
(b) claims under the Equality Act 2010 | 4 |
2023 |
|
(a) unfair dismissal | 4 |
(b) claims under the Equality Act 2010 | 4 |
2022 |
|
(a) unfair dismissal | 0 |
(b) claims under the Equality Act 2010 | 1 |
2021 |
|
(a) unfair dismissal | 3 |
(b) claims under the Equality Act 2010 | 1 |
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much his Department has allocated for the (a) advertising and (b) promotion of the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy 2025, published 23 June 2025 in the (i) 2025-26 and (ii) 2026-27 financial years; and how much and what proportion of this will be spent on advertising in newspapers.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
Marketing including paid advertising is necessary to reach a target audience of senior business decision makers, raising awareness of the UK’s new modern industrial strategy and the opportunities it presents for business growth. The Department of Business and Trade declares all advertising and media spend above £25,000 through its monthly transparency reporting process. These figures are published on gov.uk.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many staff in his Department have job titles that include the words (a) equality, (b) diversity, (c) inclusion, (d) gender, (e) LGBT and (f) race.
Answered by Justin Madders
In DBT, we do not have any roles in HR or Corporate Services with job titles which include the words ‘equality’, ‘diversity’, ‘inclusion’, ‘gender’, ‘LGBT’ or ‘race’.
Within our Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations Group (TPIN), we have 8 roles which include the word ‘gender’ in the job titles – these roles cover FTA chapters rather than a corporate/HR role.
Within our Domestic and International Markets and Exports Group (DIME), we have one role which includes the word ‘diversity’ in the job title – this role is an administrative one as of the King’s Award for Enterprise Team.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to safeguard intellectual property for the UK following the collapse of Reaction Engines.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
The Government recognises that the UK’s aerospace and space industry is world-leading. Although the Government cannot comment on individual commercial cases, where appropriate officials will work with companies and administrators to consider how best to retain valuable Intellectual Property in the UK.