Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to page 92 of the Strategic Defence Review, how many meetings officials from their Department have attended on the national conversation on defence and security; which directorate in their Department is responsible for the departmental contribution to that national conversation; and what the job title is of the official responsible.

Although various teams across the Department for Business and Trade contribute towards these conversations and the responsibility is shared across several policy areas and does not fall to one singular official or directorate, we do not disclose details of specific meetings relating to national security and defence to protect the principle of collective responsibility, allowing ministers and officials to debate policies freely in private.