Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the increase in technology company incorporations in the UK in 2025; and what impact that increase is having on their policies for regional economic development and tech entrepreneurship.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
This Government welcomes the increase in technology company incorporations in the UK in 2025, which reflects the strength of the UK’s tech ecosystem and growing levels of tech entrepreneurship across the country. We are encouraged that new tech businesses are being founded across UK regions and cities, supporting local growth, attracting investment, and helping to build strong regional tech and innovation clusters beyond London. And we are committed to removing barriers to growth for startups across the UK – ensuring the UK is one of the best places for tech companies to start, scale and stay.
We are supporting regional economic development through measures such as the Regional Tech Booster, a programme supporting startups and accelerating tech clusters beyond London. Partnerships across the UK have bid for up to £20 million through our Local Innovation Partnerships Fund - a new £500 million UKRI-led programme to grow regional strengths including those in the digital and technology sector.
We are supporting tech entrepreneurship and the sector through venture capital schemes, R&D tax reliefs, targeted visa routes, the AI Opportunities Action Plan, and by streamlining regulation to support innovation. We are investing in skills, compute, and designated AI Growth Zones; on R&D, we are committing £38.6 billion to UKRI over five years; and powering entrepreneurship through the Entrepreneurship Prospectus, Enterprise Fellowships, and Innovate UK’s £130 million Growth Catalyst.
We are also unlocking finance via pension and capital‑markets reforms, while the British Business Bank increases annual investment to £2.5bn and commits £5bn to growth‑stage funds.
Together, these measures set out a comprehensive, long‑term plan, backed by record funding, to support tech entrepreneurship and drive economic growth across all regions of the UK.
Asked by: Victoria Collins (Liberal Democrat - Harpenden and Berkhamsted)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what assessment he has made of the trends in the level of foreign acquisition of UK technology companies in the last five years.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
International deals have remained constant at around 60% of total merger and acquisition activity since 2021, with a greater concentration in innovation-driven fields.
Whilst this brings significant inward investment and unlocks funds to be reinvested back into our innovation ecosystem, Government is also taking steps to increase capital available from UK sources so that companies have the option to scale, grow and list in the UK. Measures taken to support this include increasing capitalisation of the British Business Bank and National Wealth Fund, launching a new Listings Taskforce, ongoing pensions reforms, and wider measures set out in the Entrepreneurship Prospectus.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to her Department publishing an open opportunity contract on 6 January 2026 entitled Home Office Returns Reintegration Programme (HORRP) - Phase 3 - 2026 – 2028, whether there will be a cap on the quantity of financial assistance provided under the scheme to help migrants with setting up a business.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The in-kind (non-cash) provision to assist returning individuals to set up a business or access locally available educational or training opportunities through the programme is capped at £1500. The £1500 Returnee Educational and Entrepreneurship Fund (REEF) is a ring-fenced amount that those who signed-up to the programme can apply for following arrival. They will have to submit a business proposal to either set up a business, further education or vocational training. If the proposal is successful then the delivery partner procures everything in the individual's behalf so no funds are provided to the returnee.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of regulations allowing people whose companies’ debts are written off to retain personal wealth on public confidence in (a) fraud investigation and (b) public bodies.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
There are no plans for any such assessment.
Companies are separate legal entities from their directors; those directors only become liable for company debts in limited circumstances. This protection encourages entrepreneurship and is central to the health of the UK economy.
Most companies become insolvent for genuine reasons, however insolvency office-holders have wide powers to recover funds from directors who have not acted in the company’s best interests. The Insolvency Service may also take disqualification action against reckless or dishonest directors and can apply for a compensation order against them, as well as prosecute breaches of company and insolvency legislation.
Asked by: Edward Morello (Liberal Democrat - West Dorset)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to review company insolvency rules that permit company directors to retain significant personal assets following corporate bankruptcy.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Companies are separate legal entities and directors only become liable for company debts under limited circumstances. This protection encourages entrepreneurship and is central to the health of the UK economy.
Most companies do not become insolvent due to any wrongdoing by the company directors. However, when there is evidence of misconduct, the Insolvency Service may take action to disqualify a director, and where the disqualified director’s conduct has caused a quantifiable loss, can apply to the court for a compensation order to recover personal assets for the benefit of creditors.
There are no plans to review this legislation.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December 2025, to Question 96894, on Treasury: Public Appointments, and pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2025, to Question 94701, on Baroness Shafik, in relation to the publication of remuneration details, if she will publish the remuneration of each of the seven direct ministerial appointments.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Further to the Answer of 8 December 2025 to Question 96894, the annual remuneration of the paid direct ministerial appointments is:
All other direct ministerial appointments listed are unpaid.
Direct ministerial appointments are temporary appointments made to provide time limited advice and support to Ministers.
Asked by: Charlie Dewhirst (Conservative - Bridlington and The Wolds)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 8 December 2025, to Question 96894, on Treasury: Public Appointments, if she will publish the annual remuneration of each of the direct ministerial appointments listed.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Further to the Answer of 8 December 2025 to Question 96894, the annual remuneration of the paid direct ministerial appointments is:
All other direct ministerial appointments listed are unpaid.
Direct ministerial appointments are temporary appointments made to provide time limited advice and support to Ministers.
Asked by: Dan Norris (Independent - North East Somerset and Hanham)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to support tech start-up companies to scale up in North East Somerset and Hanham constituency.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
This Government is committed to removing barriers to growth for scaleups across the UK – ensuring the UK is one of the best places for tech to start, scale and stay.
We are strengthening regional tech ecosystems through the Regional Tech Booster, a programme supporting startups and accelerating tech clusters beyond London. Furthermore, regions across the UK, including the West of England, can bid for up to £20 million via our Local Innovation Partnerships Fund (LIPF) - a new £500 million UKRI-led programme to grow regional strengths.
More broadly, we are supporting the sector through venture capital schemes, R&D tax reliefs, targeted visa routes, the AI Opportunities Action Plan and streamlining regulation to support innovation. Through the Budget, we are investing in skills, compute, and designated AI Growth Zones; on R&D, we are committing £38.6bn to UKRI over five years; and powering entrepreneurship with the Entrepreneurship Prospectus, Enterprise Fellowships, and Innovate UK’s £130m Growth Catalyst. We are unlocking finance via pension and capital‑markets reforms, while the British Business Bank increases annual investment to £2.5bn and commits £5bn to growth‑stage funds.
Together, these measures set out a comprehensive, long‑term plan backed by record funding, to support growth across the whole UK.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West and Islwyn)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for his policies of trends in the level of discrimination affecting religious-minority women in the garment sector in South Asia; and how this is being addressed through UK development and human-rights programmes.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We remain concerned by the discrimination that affects religious minority women in South Asia's garment sector, and we continue to advocate for their fair treatment, equal opportunities and safe working conditions. UK-funded programmes across South Asia also support women's entrepreneurship, and inclusive trade benefitting vulnerable groups.
Asked by: Martin Wrigley (Liberal Democrat - Newton Abbot)
Question to the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology:
To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, what steps she is taking to increase the number of women entering IT specialist fields.
Answered by Kanishka Narayan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Government wants to unlock the full potential of the tech sector, and increasing women’s participation in IT is essential to achieving this. That’s why on Monday 15th December, we launched a Women in Tech Taskforce to identify and address the barriers that prevent women from entering and leading into tech careers.
The group is comprised of 14 prominent and diverse experts and industry leaders spanning technology, investment, entrepreneurship, and policy including BT’s first female chairman Allison Kirkby and Stemettes founder Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon. The taskforce will identify where interventions can have the biggest impact on increasing women’s participation in the sector and will develop practical recommendations for government.
In addition, programmes like the £187million TechFirst programme are helping build a more robust pipeline by providing training in AI and digital skills to support them into careers including cyber security, AI, quantum computing, software, data and more. Specific consideration is given to increasing participation among women and underrepresented groups.