Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how regularly the Industrial Development Advisory Board (IDAB) meets.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Board meets monthly to review cases that are presented to them, if there are no such cases the meetings are cancelled, as was the case in February 2026. Additional meetings beyond the monthly meetings are scheduled where necessary to review exceptionally urgent cases.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he will publish the minutes of the most recent Industrial Development Advisory Board meeting.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Minutes of the meetings of the Industrial Development Advisory Board are not published. The discussions of the Board and the advice they provide to the Secretary of State with respect to the exercise of their functions under sections 7 and 8 of the Industrial Development Act encompass highly commercially sensitive information.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when the Industrial Development Advisory Board (IDAB) last met.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Industrial Development Advisory Board last met on 13 January 2026.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the 2025–26 Supplementary Estimates, for what specific purpose the £375 million increase in Capital DEL for British Steel will be used; and whether that funding will take the form of loans, equity investment, guarantees or grants.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The additional £375 million Capital DEL allocated for British Steel Limited, as outlined in the Supplementary Estimates 2025-26, will be used to provide working capital and is recoverable as a debt owed to the Crown, specifically referenced in section 3(6) of the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act. The sole stipulation for this funding is that it must be used strictly for the purposes established in the legislation. Each tranche of funding provided to British Steel undergoes thorough review and approval prior to release. As of today, approximately £370 million has been provided to British Steel Limited to support working capital needs, including expenses such as raw materials, staff salaries, and other operational costs.

This allocation will be fully accounted for in the Department for Business and Trade's accounts for the 2025-26 financial year.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has undertaken a value-for-money assessment of the £375 million capital allocation for British Steel included in the 2025–26 Supplementary Estimates.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act is a temporary measure to ensure that critical steel facilities remain operational. The Government keeps BSL's financial position under constant review to protect taxpayers' interests while ensuring continuity of safe and responsible operations. BSL continues trading commercially and Government officials are continuing to provide on-site support in Scunthorpe monitoring, reviewing and scrutinising the use of taxpayer funds with robust financial governance in place.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made on the potential impact of the closure of the Hormuz Strait on British business.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

We are undertaking detailed analysis to assess the potential impact of any closure of the Strait of Hormuz on British businesses. We are monitoring the situation closely and working across government to safeguard UK economic resilience. We have an export support team that businesses can reach out to for support on disrupted trade or supply chains. We continue to analyse the potential impact of increased energy prices however this is not a question of security of supply, and we are confident that we have multiple and sufficient sources of supply.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what conditions or requirements are attached to the £375 million capital allocation relating to British Steel included in the 2025–26 Supplementary Estimates; and whether he expects the funding to be repaid or generate a financial return to the Exchequer.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The £375 million capital allocation for British Steel Limited is recoverable as a debt owed to the Crown. The sole stipulation for this funding is that it must be used strictly for the purposes established in the legislation. Recoverability of this debt will be further assessed at year-end and the resulting treatment will be reflected and published in the Department for Business and Trade's accounts for 2025-26.

The £375m is intended for British Steel Limited, a private limited company limited by shares incorporated in the United Kingdom under the Companies Act 2006 and registered in England and Wales with company number 12303256.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, which legal entity or entities are expected to receive the £375 million capital funding for British Steel included in the 2025–26 Supplementary Estimates.

Answered by Chris McDonald - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The £375 million capital allocation for British Steel Limited is recoverable as a debt owed to the Crown. The sole stipulation for this funding is that it must be used strictly for the purposes established in the legislation. Recoverability of this debt will be further assessed at year-end and the resulting treatment will be reflected and published in the Department for Business and Trade's accounts for 2025-26.

The £375m is intended for British Steel Limited, a private limited company limited by shares incorporated in the United Kingdom under the Companies Act 2006 and registered in England and Wales with company number 12303256.

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the potential impact of trade and investment cooperation on corruption, electoral integrity, rule of law and judicial independence in African nations.

Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for Business and Trade works closely with other UK Government Departments, including the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and many countries across the Africa continent, to consider a wide range of issues to make sure that two way trade and investment can grow through a stable business environment.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) meetings and (b) correspondence he has had with Donna Ockenden on the leadership of the independent review into maternity services at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust.

Answered by Karin Smyth - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department has received correspondence from Sussex families regarding the appointment of Donna Ockenden and will respond shortly. The Department is currently considering options in terms of case numbers and chair appointment.

Ministerial meetings with external stakeholders are published on the GOV.UK website on a quarterly basis in arrears.