Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, how international trade agreements are being leveraged to diversify high-risk import dependencies.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Our trade agreements play an important role in helping businesses build resilient supply chains through close ties and favourable trading terms across a wide range of markets where they can export goods and reliably source imports critical to their operations.
We are increasing our focus on addressing supply chain dependencies, including by seeking stronger supply chain resilience provisions through CPTPP. Our recent FTA with the Republic of Korea also included the UK's first dedicated supply chains chapter, creating mechanisms to identify vulnerabilities, share information and coordinate responses to disruption, while helping businesses diversify sources of essential inputs and raw materials.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what role the UK Supply Chain Centre is playing in identifying and addressing single points of failure in foundational imports.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Supply Chain Centre (SCC) published an action plan in June listing 36 product groupings identified as critical growth-driving inputs. We encourage UK businesses in IS manufacturing sectors to review these categories and identify any reliance on goods within them. The Centre engages with industry to help identify emerging risks, vulnerabilities, and dependencies. In the event of potential shortages, the Centre will provide analysis and insight to inform government contingency plans - these will be implemented in partnership with businesses and consumers, to ensure the continued functioning of our economy, essential services and critical national infrastructure.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what measures are in place to prevent hostile foreign acquisitions of sub-tier suppliers within critical national infrastructure supply chains.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The UK economy thrives as a result of inward investment, and the vast majority of investment into this country poses no threat to national security.
The National Security and Investment (NSI) Act 2021 gives the government powers to scrutinise and potentially intervene in acquisitions of control over entities asset in or linked to the UK that may pose national security risks.
The powers under the Act cover all areas of the economy. For some deals involving companies operating in 17 sensitive areas of the economy, acquirers must notify the deal to the Government and receive clearance before the deal can be concluded.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, in what way the Economic Security Advisory Service is assisting businesses to navigate foreign economic coercion.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Economic Security Advisory Service streamlines access to government advice and guidance on mitigating economic security risks. The Service supports businesses to identify, understand and mitigate economic security risks, and in doing so strengthen their resilience. This includes guidance on how best to diversify supply chains, understand and manage dependencies, and address other vulnerabilities that could leave them exposed to economic coercion.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, with reference to paragraph 33 of the UK Government Resilience Action Plan published 8 July 2025, how the strengthened internal audit and red teaming capabilities within the Government Office for Science are operating.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government Office for Science has established a new red teaming function to add an additional layer of challenge and assurance on national security and resilience priorities. To date it has completed a number of projects focused on UK resilience, including providing red teaming for the 2026 National Capabilities Assessment. This function can be deployed to support national security and resilience projects and decisions across government. The approach taken to each project is bespoke enabling the appropriate methods and techniques to be used to provide effective challenge and assurance on a wide range of issues and projects depending on requirements.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what incentives or support mechanisms are offered to major commercial corporations to stress-test their supply chains.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department is establishing an Economic Security Advisory Service (ESAS) which will work provide businesses with advice and guidance on identifying, understanding and mitigating economic security risks. The Government Office for Science published the Global Supply Chains: a Foresight report on risk and resilience in June 2026. This provides a publicly available resource, including scenarios for users to stress-test their own supply chains.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether research and development funding has been reallocated to support technological development in line with the National Security Strategy 2025.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The National Security Strategy 2025 emphasises the importance of increasing competitiveness in frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum and semiconductor technologies. UKRI is already investing £4 billion over the next four years in frontier technologies, and is also investing £555 million in defence-related R&D as part of its defence and national security priority programme. Through this programme, UKRI will work with its partners to develop a strategic framework that anticipates future defence and security requirements and guides a programme of investments to deliver a pipeline of talent and skills and strategic advantage for a safer UK.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what economic modelling his Department has used to estimate the cascade failure points of regional commercial clusters.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department regularly undertakes analysis of economic resilience, productivity and regional growth to inform policy development. However, it has not undertaken specific economic modelling to estimate the cascade failure points of regional commercial clusters. The Department continues to monitor risks to business activity and regional economies through a range of analytical and engagement mechanisms and works across Government to support economic resilience and growth.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what guidance and toolkits his Department is providing to SMEs to enhance business continuity planning.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is helping SMEs to find the practical support they need to prepare, adapt and grow through the Business Growth Service (BGS). Launched as part of the Small Business Plan, the BGS is a nationally consistent, digital-first service that makes it easier for businesses to access the right help at the right time.
Part of the BGS and accessed via business.gov.uk, the Business Academy provides free, expert-led webinars and on-demand content covering areas such as digital adoption, leadership, exporting and business resilience, enhancing business continuity planning and ensuring that the Plan’s commitments are translated into tangible capability-building for businesses.
Asked by: Stuart Anderson (Conservative - South Shropshire)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what consultations have been held with the UK defence manufacturing sector regarding the implementation of the National Security Strategy 2025.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government engages regularly with the UK defence manufacturing sector on the delivery of its national security and defence priorities. This engagement has informed the Defence Industrial Strategy, which sets out how Government and industry will work together to strengthen the UK’s defence industrial base, support UK-based businesses, accelerate innovation and build greater industrial resilience. This supports the National Security Strategy 2025 commitment to rebuild the UK’s defence industrial base and increase sovereign capabilities.