Department for Business and Trade

In 2021, the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) conducted a transition review of the steel safeguard measure which is applied via tariff-rate quotas. The TRA recommended maintaining protections on steel categories only where justified; bright steel bar (category 27) was among the product categories where evidence did not support continuation of the safeguard. The Secretary of State at the time accepted the TRA’s recommendation.

The UK’s trade remedies system is industry led. Where UK industry believe they are being injured, or there is the threat of injury, from unfair foreign trade practices, I encourage UK industry to engage directly with the TRA. I am not aware of any current applications to the TRA from category 27 producers.

The Department continues to closely monitor market trends and engage with the steel industry to identify and address any significant developments affecting producers and supply chains. The sector is facing a challenging and uncertain global landscape due to significant steel overcapacity. We are therefore developing robust new measures in light of the steel safeguard expiring at the end of June 2026.

Steel is a high priority for this Government. We have worked closely with industry on potential impacts and their needs in terms of EU market access and are now engaging closely with the EU to make the case. We expect the EU to honour the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

The UK will always defend its critical steel industry where required, and we want to work with our closest allies to address global challenges. We look forward to saying more soon, including in our forthcoming Steel Strategy.

This government is committed to hardwiring the voice of SME owners and entrepreneurs into government policy.

For example, as part of co-designing our Plan for Small Business launched in July 2025, DBT Ministers engaged with hundreds of individual SMEs across all sectors and regions, including through roundtables across key areas, such as High Streets, Markets and Finance, as well as specific policy events such as at Wilton Park.

Ministers and their teams continue to work closely with individual SMEs and the trade associations that represent them on an ongoing basis.

The Government is committed to revitalising former coalfield areas by driving local growth and creating high-skilled, long-term employment through targeted industrial and regional strategies. In the Industrial Strategy we announced £1.2 billion of additional investment in skills per year by 2028-29.

On 23 June 2025, the Government published the Industrial Strategy Zones Action Plan, which consolidates previous Freeport and Investment Zone programmes. Several Investment Zones are located in or near former coalfield heartlands, including the East Midlands, South Yorkshire, and the North East. These zones receive up to £160 million over 10 years for tax incentives and interventions in skills and infrastructure.

The Government continues to work with the Coalfields Regeneration Trust, which supported over 7,200 people in 2024/25 to improve their skills and job opportunities. In Wales, the Welsh Government provides specific capital grants to safeguard and improve community facilities in coalfield communities.

Ministers have been clear that some delivery companies need to do more to meet the rightful expectations of customers.

Ofcom is responsible for regulation of the postal services sector and requires that all postal operators must establish, make available, and comply with transparent, simple, and inexpensive procedures for dealing with consumers’ complaints about the services they receive.

In its last review of the postal regulatory framework, Ofcom acknowledged that the safety and security of parcels moving through delivery networks remains a key consumer concern and it is monitoring this issue over the review period lasting until 2027. Ofcom publishes an annual report summarising its monitoring programme on its website: www.ofcom.org.uk/postal-services/information-for-the-postal-industry/monitoring_reports.

Ministers have been clear that some delivery companies need to do more to meet the rightful expectations of customers.

Ofcom is responsible for regulation of the postal services sector and requires that all postal operators must establish, make available, and comply with transparent, simple, and inexpensive procedures for dealing with consumers’ complaints about the services they receive.

In its last review of the postal regulatory framework, Ofcom acknowledged that the safety and security of parcels moving through delivery networks remains a key consumer concern and it is monitoring this issue over the review period lasting until 2027. Ofcom publishes an annual report summarising its monitoring programme on its website: www.ofcom.org.uk/postal-services/information-for-the-postal-industry/monitoring_reports.

Ministers have been clear that some delivery companies need to do more to meet the rightful expectations of customers.

Ofcom is responsible for regulation of the postal services sector and requires that all postal operators must establish, make available, and comply with transparent, simple, and inexpensive procedures for dealing with consumers’ complaints about the services they receive.

In its last review of the postal regulatory framework, Ofcom acknowledged that the safety and security of parcels moving through delivery networks remains a key consumer concern and it is monitoring this issue over the review period lasting until 2027. Ofcom publishes an annual report summarising its monitoring programme on its website: www.ofcom.org.uk/postal-services/information-for-the-postal-industry/monitoring_reports.

The Postal Services Act 2011 introduced a general authorisation regime to provide postal services, removing the requirement for postal operators to hold a licence.  However, the provision of those services by postal operators may be subject to regulatory conditions imposed by Ofcom, as the independent regulator for the sector.

Ofcom requires that all postal operators must establish, make available, and comply with transparent, simple, and inexpensive procedures for dealing with consumers’ complaints about the services they receive.

Ministers have been clear that some delivery companies need to do more to meet the rightful expectations of customers.

The Network Charging Compensation (NCC) Scheme is one of the three components making up the British Industry Supercharger (the Supercharger). The other two components are the GB Capacity Market Exemption and Energy Intensive Industries Exemption Scheme. The most current list of recipients of Supercharger support, and therefore NCC Scheme support, can be found at the following link: Contracts for Difference (CfD) and renewables obligation (RO): list of companies awarded an exemption - GOV.UK. These recipients, and future Supercharger recipients, will benefit from 90% compensation from network charges from 1 April 2026.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has not made a specific assessment of the merits of private debt recovery practices for fuel transactions. However, the Government expects all firms to treat individuals in debt fairly and to act in a responsible manner. Under general commercial law, businesses may claim reasonable debt recovery costs and interest on late payments. The specific imposition of administration fees by private firms in fuel recovery is a commercial matter, though such fees must remain transparent and proportionate to the costs incurred.

The Government remains committed to improving debt collection practices across all sectors and will continue to monitor the impact of these practices on consumers and businesses.

The Government recognises the significant role hospitality businesses play in driving economic growth, employment and community cohesion across the UK. That is why we are offering targeted support for the sector.

We've permanently lowered tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with a rateable value under £500,000, worth nearly £900 million annually, benefitting over 750,000 properties. The new relief rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap so all qualifying properties will benefit. The government has also introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years to protect ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation.

The Chancellor announced a new National Licensing Policy Framework as part of her budget. This sets out a vision for a proportionate licensing system that supports good businesses while continuing to tackle bad operators.

The Parental Leave and Pay Review’s Call for Evidence closed on 25 August 2025 after receiving almost 1500 responses, which are currently being analysed and will go on to inform the review.

We are engaging with a range of stakeholders, including advocacy groups, trade unions and business representatives, including through a series of thematic roundtables to inform our ongoing work. We intend to continue this engagement in 2026.

The Review will be concluded in early 2027 and the Government will outline next steps for taking any reforms forward to implementation.

We recognise the significant contribution hospitality businesses, including pubs, make in driving economic growth and providing jobs, especially in rural and coastal communities.

No formal assessment has been made of the role pubs play in supporting local economies and employment, particularly in rural areas. In 2024, the hospitality sector contributed £51.3 billion to the UK economy, representing around 2% of total output and supporting 2 million jobs, or 6.1% of total UK employment.

The Government recognises the vital role community pubs and high-street hospitality venues play in local economies and social life; we also recognise the pressures they face.

The Government has permanently lowered business rates multipliers for eligible Retail, Hospitality and Leisure properties and have introduced a £4.3 billion support package over the next three years to protect ratepayers from increases following the business rates revaluation. Additionally, through the English Devolution Bill, we have introduced a strong new ‘right to buy’ to help communities safeguard valued community assets, empowering local communities to reclaim and revitalise empty shops, pubs, and community spaces, helping to revamp our high streets and eliminate the blight of vacant premises

We will continue work closely with the sector, including through the Hospitality Sector Council to improve the productivity and resilience of hospitality businesses by co-creating solutions to the issues impacting business performance.

The Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS) is designed to put postmasters back into the position they would have been in ‘but for’ Horizon, and no one will pay more tax than at the time of the shortfalls. All fully assessed HSS awards are paid gross and taxable in the year in which redress is paid, unlike other schemes where awards are paid after tax deductions. To avoid claimants being unduly affected, HSS provides a tax top-up, so redress is not reduced. Postmasters also receive £1,200 for independent tax advice and help with tax returns. Payments related to the fixed-sum option on HSS, and associated top-ups, are tax exempt.

The Government is committed to supporting small and start-up businesses through the Small Business Plan - the most comprehensive package of support for small and medium size businesses in a generation.

Start-ups play a crucial role in fostering competition and innovation, and we are improving access to finance for start-ups through Start Up Loans provided by the British Business Bank.

Last year, we launched a new Business Growth Service to make it easier for small businesses to access the right advice and support and we are boosting SME growth through new digital and AI Adoption initiatives.

Corporate Power Purchase Agreements (CPPAs) allow businesses to enhance competitiveness by securing stable, competitively priced electricity.

The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy committed to issue a call for evidence on how the British CPPA market can be improved for industry. The call for evidence, run by DBT and DESNZ, was launched on 9 January and closes 6 March. Ideas generated will be carefully reviewed to inform future policy development.

Future policy will complement existing support for the automotive sector including the DRIVE35 initiative, an additional 1.3bn in the Electric Car Grant and increased funding for charging infrastructure.

The government is continuing to progress the review into the right to time off work for public duties. The main evidence-gathering and analysis stages of the review have been completed. I will consider findings of the review, including that of special constables, in the first half of this year and subsequently publish before 18 December 2026. We are grateful to officials from across government for providing evidence in support of this review and we will continue to engage as the review and any subsequent steps progress.

In October 2024 the government published impact assessments on the relevant trade union-related measures now in the Employment Rights Act 2025. The impact assessment covering the Act’s repeal of the Trade Union Act 2016 included an assessment of the expected impact on industrial action.

Local Authorities are independent employers responsible for managing industrial relations and industrial action risks.

The Government recognises the significant pressures facing pubs, including those in Weston‑super‑Mare, and is taking action to support them.

Through the Zero Carbon Hospitality Trial, 615 small and medium‑sized hospitality businesses are receiving free carbon‑footprinting and energy‑saving advice to help reduce costs. We have permanently lowered business rates multipliers for eligible Retail, Hospitality and Leisure properties, and have introduced a £4.3 billion support package over the next three years to protect ratepayers from increases following the business rates revaluation, with over half seeing no rise in bills.

In addition, we have raised the Employment Allowance to £10,500, meaning 865,000 employers will pay no NICs this year, helping small businesses manage staffing costs.

Trading Standards are provided by local authorities who operate independently from central government and make enforcement decisions according to local need. The department continues to engage with Trading Standards and supports their efforts and work in tackling rogue high street traders.

DBT does not hold detailed shipment-level customs export data. For goods export data, you should refer to HMRC, who publish UK trade in goods statistics by partner country and product which can be found on www.uktradeinfo.com.

Since September 2024, this Government has suspended licences for exports for the IDF that might be used in military operations in Gaza and refused new licence applications on the same basis. We categorically do not licence the export of any bombs or ammunition for use in military operations in Gaza or the West Bank.

DBT publishes extensive data on export licences on a quarterly basis which includes summaries of the items licensed, with classifications which typically differentiate between types of ammunition. The Department has also published specific information on licences for export to Israel: Export control licensing management information for Israel - GOV.UK.

The Fair Work Agency will enhance the UK's ability to respond to exploitation of migrant domestic workers. It will bring together labour market enforcement functions and include new powers to investigate and take action against offences under the Fraud Act 2006. These powers, when operational, will allow the FWA to pursue certain cases of deception, abuse of position or withholding pay, where conduct does not meet the higher modern slavery threshold.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) operates a flexible resourcing model to support trade facilitation and market access barrier resolution. The majority of this work falls within three areas: Economic Security and Trade Relations, Trade Group and DBTs Overseas Network. The total Civil Servant on-payroll FTE for these areas was 1,565 in November 2025, which is the latest data available (for DBT), and 1,006 in December 2021 (for DIT only).

Not all the Civil Servants identified are assigned exclusively to trade facilitation and market access barrier resolution and carry out additional duties that are unrelated to those topics.

The Government is unable to assess sector-specific trends regarding the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) because they are private contractual arrangements, and data on their use is not collected.

While NDAs can legally require one or more parties to maintain the confidentiality of certain information, such as trade secrets, there are a range of legal limitations on their use. For instance, NDAs cannot stop someone from making a whistleblowing disclosure, known as making a ‘protected disclosure’ or making a disclosure required by law.

The Parental Leave and Pay Review launched in July 2025 alongside a Call for Evidence which ran until 25 August 2025. We received almost 1500 responses to this Call for Evidence which are currently being analysed with the findings going on to inform the Review. The Government will publish the Review’s findings and a roadmap at its conclusion in early 2027. This will include next steps for taking any potential reforms forward to implementation.

The department does not hold this information.

Local authorities across England, Scotland and Wales operate independently from central government. Local authorities are responsible for determining their enforcement activity across a wide range of enforcement responsibilities in accordance with the needs of the local electorate and local resourcing priorities.

The Department for Business and Trade has not undertaken an assessment of the impact of trade regulation on port congestion or throughput at individual ports. The Department has not received representation from industry indicating that current trade regulation is having a material impact on port congestion, noting that for many DBT-led goods regulations, compliance is monitored behind the border rather than at ports.

The Department for Business and Trade has collected business feedback on domestic regulation through a business questionnaire and will continue to run the Business Perceptions Survey to gather quantitative data.

No.

HMG remains committed to making it easier for UK and EU professionals to have their qualifications recognised across regulated professions.

In the 2025 Common Understanding, the UK and EU committed to setting up dedicated dialogues on the Trade and Cooperation Agreement provisions which enable regulator-led, sector-specific recognition agreements to be negotiated.

The annual Trade Specialised Committee on Services, Investment and Digital Trade also provides a forum for the UK and EU to discuss the recognition of professional qualifications.

HMG encourages and supports UK regulators, including legal regulators, to work with their EU counterparts to improve recognition of professional qualifications, including through guidance and funding.

The proper functioning of postal services is vital for small businesses. Delivery companies must provide a good service to their customers and reduce the number of lost, delayed or improperly delivered parcels. However, Evri and other delivery companies are independent businesses, the government has no role in their operational decisions.

Ofcom is the independent regulator of postal services. Ofcom publishes an annual report summarising its monitoring programme on its website: www.ofcom.org.uk/postal-services/information-for-the-postal-industry/monitoring_reports.

We work in partnership with the Construction Leadership Council, which I co-chair.

The Planning and Infrastructure Act will speed up and streamline delivery of new homes and infrastructure, we are investing £39 billion over ten years through the Social and Affordable Homes Programme, and our New Homes Accelerator is accelerating delivery of housing sites – speeding up building of over 100,000 homes across England in its first year.

Our 10-year Industrial Strategy recognises construction as a priority, backing faster planning and offsite manufacturing, and we are providing £625 million to tackle construction skills shortages by training up to 60,000 more workers.

The Government recognises the importance of pubs and the wider hospitality sector, including in Newcastle-under-Lyme and across Staffordshire. We continue to support these vital local businesses through a range of measures designed to ease cost pressures and strengthen communities.

The government has also introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years to protect ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. We’ve introduced permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with a ratable value under £500,000, worth nearly £900 million annually, benefitting over 750,000 properties. The new relief rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap so all qualifying properties will benefit.

The Chancellor announced a new National Licensing Policy Framework as part of her budget. This sets out a vision for a proportionate licensing system that supports good businesses while continuing to tackle bad operators.

The Government recognises the importance of pubs and the wider hospitality sector, including in Newcastle-under-Lyme and across Staffordshire. We continue to support these vital local businesses through a range of measures designed to ease cost pressures and strengthen communities.

The government has also introduced a support package worth £4.3 billion over the next three years to protect ratepayers seeing their bills increase because of the revaluation. We’ve introduced permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with a ratable value under £500,000, worth nearly £900 million annually, benefitting over 750,000 properties. The new relief rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap so all qualifying properties will benefit.

The Chancellor announced a new National Licensing Policy Framework as part of her budget. This sets out a vision for a proportionate licensing system that supports good businesses while continuing to tackle bad operators.

DBT works with the Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre (CMIC) at the British Geological Survey (BGS) and industry to assess UK critical raw material potential. DBT supports BGS’ efforts to improve geoscientific data acquisition, although recognises that this requires investment. High-resolution geophysical and geochemical data in Northern Ireland and South West England have been vital for the minerals industry and in support of the UK Critical Mineral Strategy. I have met BGS recently to discuss how they can support to further realise the UK’s Critical Minerals potential.

The Government committed to enable unions to use modern and secure electronic and workplace balloting for statutory ballots, bringing union participation in line with modern voting practices that political parties and listed companies already use.

I last met with the Hospitality Sector Council on 4 November 2025.

The minutes of that meeting will be published on the Government’s website Hospitality Sector Council - GOV.UK in due course.

The environmental impact of e-balloting, and anticipated reduction in postal balloting is estimated to have a net positive environmental effect. It is expected that e-balloting will reduce the physical printing and transport requirements of the existing postal balloting process.

The provision of and charging for car parking at UK airports (including drop off and pick up charges) is solely a matter for the airport operator, as a commercial business, to manage and justify. However, the Government expects car parking at UK airports to be managed appropriately, and for consumers to be treated fairly, which could include providing information on choices for parking, along with information on how to access them.

We are not making the suggested assessment.

There are robust transparency rules for Employment Agencies and Businesses which are state enforced by the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate.

Where recruitment is conducted directly by an employer the Common law & Misrepresentation Act 1967 provides protections, there are also other protections under the Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and strengthen by the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.

In light of the feedback from businesses on the General Product Safety Regulation (GPSR), the Department has reviewed and updated guidance for businesses and supported businesses through extensive engagement, our Business Growth Service and the Export Support Directory. The Government announced a £16.6 million package to help boost trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain, including a ‘one stop shop’ regulatory support service for businesses. We also intend to consult early this year on major reforms to the UK product safety framework. Our proposals will take account of feedback received from businesses on GPSR in Northern Ireland.

No.

The Parental Leave and Pay Review is designed to build on our evidence base, assess how well the current system is working and identify where there may be opportunities for improvement. The Review will conclude in early 2027 and the Government will outline next steps for taking any reforms forward to implementation.