Feb. 17 2026
Source Page: UK Sustainability Disclosures Policy and Implementation Committee (PIC) meeting minutes for 2026Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many Memorandums of Understanding the UK has signed since 5 July 2025, broken down by (a) the countries with which countries they were signed and (b) the policy areas covered by each agreement.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
This Department has signed a range of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) since 5 July 2025 to help drive economic growth. However, these are not routinely published or notified to Parliament in line with HMG policy on non-legally binding instruments and in some cases to respect the confidentiality requirements of partner countries. It is, therefore, not possible to provide a full list of MoUs by country and subject area as requested.
Asked by: Ben Maguire (Liberal Democrat - North Cornwall)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of Investor-State Dispute Settlement claims arising from climate-related planning and regulatory decisions on public finances.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provides an independent means for investors to resolve disputes with states where they believe they have experienced arbitrary, discriminatory, or unfair treatment or expropriation without compensation.
An independent Tribunal determines the level of liability, if any, in any Investor State Dispute proceedings. The Government has never faced a successful ISDS claim.
Asked by: Natalie Fleet (Labour - Bolsover)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to help prevent circumvention of anti-dumping measures on certain engine oils and hydraulic fluids imported from Lithuania and the UAE by importers.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
On 12 December 2025, a definitive anti-dumping duty on imports of Lithuanian and UAE engine oils and hydraulic fluids came into effect. The circumvention of imports into the UK is monitored by HMRC which carries out risk-based and intelligence-led checks to tackle any abuse of UK duties. Non-compliance can lead to penalties such as fines, seizure of goods or prosecution. Where appropriate, the Trade Remedies Authority may also conduct a circumvention review to consider whether activity is being undertaken to circumvent the application of the anti-dumping duty through a third country.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 2 February 2026 to Question 108800, what projects undertaken by the Competition and Markets Authority in 2024–25 related to net zero, sustainability and climate policy.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The following projects undertaken by the Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”) in 2024 to 2025 related to net zero, sustainability and climate policy, carried out consistently with its statutory duty and functions:
Sustainability Taskforce – supporting businesses to comply with competition law when engaging in collaboration to achieve outcomes related to sustainability.
An investigation into anti-competitive conduct in the advertising of recycling-related features of new cars, and in the recycling of old or written-off (or ‘end-of-life’) cars and vans.
Guidance to help fashion businesses comply with consumer protection law when making environmental claims.
An investigation into environmental claims made about products in the consumer goods sector.
An investigation into Worcester Bosch over concerns it may have been misleading consumers in its marketing of boilers as ‘hydrogen-blend ready’.
Other work has included a review and report on the impact of restrictions on the sale of single use plastics on the UK Internal Market, and 13 reports on referrals of subsidies under the UK Subsidy Control Regime.