Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the latest value of annual imports of lamb and lamb products from New Zealand; and how that value compares with the value in each of the past three years.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
In the 12 months to November 2025 imports of New Zealand-origin sheepmeat were £234.3 million, this was £45.2 million higher than the 12 months to November 2024, £98.0 million higher than the 12 months to November 2023 and £37.5 million lower than the 12 months to November 2022. However, sheepmeat imports from New Zealand fell during the pandemic and are still below their value in 2018 (£264.6 million).
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is the latest estimate they have made of the volume of beef imports from (1) Australia, and (2) the United States of America, in the most recent year for which figures are available; and how those volumes compare to each of the previous three years.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
In the 12 months to November 2025, imports of Australian-origin beef reached 13.9 thousand tonnes, an increase of 8.7 thousand tonnes compared to the same 12 months in 2024, and 12.2 and 12.9 thousand tonnes higher than the same periods in 2023 and 2022, respectively. Meanwhile, EU beef imports declined by 14.5 thousand tonnes from the 12 months to November 2022 to the 12 months to November 2025.
US-origin beef imports in the year to November 2025 stood at 99.4 tonnes, marking a reduction of 201.6 tonnes from 2024, 145.5 tonnes from 2023, and 247.5 tonnes from 2022.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many cases for compensation arising from the Post Office Horizon scandal are outstanding, and how much has been allocated to pay those outstanding claims.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As of 31 October 2025, approximately £1.27 billion has been paid to over 9,500 claimants. The table below illustrates the progress to date and is available on GOV.UK. The Department only reports on claims received, as there is not a fixed cohort of claims across these schemes.
Scheme | Full & Final Claims received | Full & Final Offers made | Full & Final Offers accepted | Full & Final claims paid |
Horizon Shortfall Scheme: eligible claims before deadline | 2,417 | 2,417 | 2,129 | 2,129 |
Horizon Shortfall Scheme: eligible late claims | 8,823 | 6,919 | 6,236 | 6,192 |
Group Litigation Order Scheme | 476 | 473 | 400 | 396 |
Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme | 462 | 460 | 447 | 445 |
At the Autumn Budget 2024, the government set aside £1.8 billion of funding for redress payments from 2024-25 in addition to around £200 million that had already been distributed. This is not a target or limit.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what is their latest estimate of the likely cost to the public purse of the settlement of the compensation claims against the Post Office for wrongful action against sub-postmasters.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
At the Autumn Budget 2024, the government set aside £1.8 billion of funding for redress payments from 2024-25 in addition to around £200 million that had already been distributed. This £1.8 billion is not a target or a limit. Details of the latest redress estimates have already been disclosed in the Departments Annual Accounts. The final amount will depend on how many victims come forward and their specific circumstances.
As of 31 October 2025, approximately £1.273 billion has been paid to over 9,500 claimants.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what progress they have made towards increasing the level of exports from the UK to countries in the European Union.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
Exports (goods and services) to the EU in the 12 months to June 2025 totalled £377 billion, up 6% in current prices and up 5% when adjusted for inflation, compared to the previous 12 months, with exports of services reaching a record £198 billion.
DBT continues to offer a range of support for SME’s, with our Small Business Plan setting out the most comprehensive package of support for SMEs in a generation. This includes Unlock Europe, a programme from UK Export Academy designed to help businesses build relationships with European customers and increase exporting potential to the EU.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following proposals by the European Commission to double the tariff on steel and to limit tariff-free import volume, what steps they intend to take to safeguard the future of the steel industry in (1) Port Talbot, and (2) Llanwern.
Answered by Baroness Lloyd of Effra - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We are engaging with the EU on how their proposed trade measure will apply to the UK, while honouring our existing agreements and minimising disruption. We reserve the right to take any action in response to changes to our trading relationships.
The government is working with UK industry, including Tata Steel, which operates the Port Talbot and Llanwern sites, to understand potential impacts and solutions. Minister McDonald held a roundtable with industry and unions on 9 October.
Our steel strategy will set a clear vision for a competitive industry and we are developing proposals for future steel trade measures.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the reliability of postal deliveries in rural areas, and what plans they have to further investigate this matter.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
The government is committed to a sustainable universal postal service for users throughout the UK, including maintaining the one-price-goes anywhere principle including for those in remote and rural areas.
It is for Ofcom, as the independent regulator of postal services, to set and monitor Royal Mail’s service standards and decide how to use its powers to investigate and take enforcement action should Royal Mail fail to achieve its obligations without good justification.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to increase the compensation payable to those victims of the Post Office Horizon errors who initially agreed to a smaller amount than might now be payable due to financial pressures arising from their wrongful convictions.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
Previously convicted postmasters can accept a £600,000 fixed-sum settlement or opt for a detailed assessment if they wish to claim more. All eligible applicants will receive a preliminary payment of £200,000 while making this decision, to help with any immediate financial pressures.
We recognise the fixed sum may not suit everyone’s circumstances, which is why we fund legal advice and disclosure to help assess whether this is the right option. There is no time limit to make a decision.
Claimants can instead opt to submit a full claim We also fund legal advice to help prepare these claims and if a claimant disagrees with their offer, their case can be referred to an Independent Panel for consideration.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government, of the additional expenditure on the steel industry announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 11 June (HC Deb cols 980–81), how much will be spent in (1) Scunthorpe, (2) Sheffield, and (3) Port Talbot.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
We are committed to providing up to £2.5bn for steel which is being delivered in part through the National Wealth Fund.
At the Spending Review, the Chancellor confirmed that we will invest in the long-term future of Scunthorpe. We have been clear that private investment to modernise British Steel will also be required and work continues at pace to develop the optimal approach. Funding of approximately £130m in total has been provided to British Steel to ensure continued operation of the blast furnaces.
In addition to the £2.5bn for steel, the Chancellor confirmed:
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to identify deposits of manganese in the sea bed within UK territorial waters.
Answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch
His Majesty's Government have not taken any steps to identify deposits of manganese in the sea bed within UK territorial waters.