Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, which Minister in their Department is responsible for overseeing work on long-term strategic challenges; and how many officials in their Department (a) undertake horizon scanning work and (b) focus on delivering long-term priorities.

The Secretary of State has overall responsibility for delivery and strategy in the Department, but each minster is responsible for overseeing work on long-term strategic challenges within their policy portfolios.

The Department has around 20 officials dedicated to horizon scanning, this includes a central Foresight function and specialists within policy areas. Around a further 20 have partial focus on horizon scanning.

Ultimately, all policy, operational, analysis and communications officials work towards delivering the Department’s long-term priorities. However, around 40 focus solely on setting the strategy of our long-term priorities, and around a further 200 have a partial focus on this remit.