Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the Competition and Market Authority’s report entitled The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is conducting a market investigation into veterinary services for household pets, published 7 September 2023.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Competition issues and pricing practices in the veterinary services market are currently being examined by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) as part of its market investigation into veterinary services for household pets. The CMA is expected to publish its final report by March. The Government will consider the CMA’s final findings and respond to the report within 90 days of its publication.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps is he taking to help improve price transparency for veterinary services.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Competition issues and pricing practices in the veterinary services market are currently being examined by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) as part of its market investigation into veterinary services for household pets. The CMA is expected to publish its final report by March. The Government will consider the CMA’s final findings and respond to the report within 90 days of its publication.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps the Government is taking to ensure businesses in Essex are aware of, and have access to, UK- Export Finance support.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
UK Export Finance (UKEF) has a network of Export Finance Managers (EFMs) around the whole country who are valuable points of contact for local businesses and can provide information on the range of support available. Contact details for the Essex EFM, and others can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/find-an-export-finance-manager.
On 26 January, UKEF announced an £11 billion lending package from five high street banks to support small businesses’ growth. Alongside funding, businesses will also benefit from advisory support through banks’ relationship managers and the EFMs.
We do not hold details of the proportion of exporters supported at constituency or county level. Full details of the businesses supported by UKEF each year are published online at: UK Export Finance: business supported - GOV.UK.
The support that UKEF provides extends beyond its immediate customers. Recently published research by Oxford Economics (available online at: UK exporters boost economy, as new study reveals major impact of export credit on UK industry - GOV.UK) shows that there are 115,000 businesses in the supply chains of businesses directly supported by UKEF.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what proportion of UK Export Finance-supported exporters are based in (a) the South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency, and (b) Essex.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
UK Export Finance (UKEF) has a network of Export Finance Managers (EFMs) around the whole country who are valuable points of contact for local businesses and can provide information on the range of support available. Contact details for the Essex EFM, and others can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/find-an-export-finance-manager.
On 26 January, UKEF announced an £11 billion lending package from five high street banks to support small businesses’ growth. Alongside funding, businesses will also benefit from advisory support through banks’ relationship managers and the EFMs.
We do not hold details of the proportion of exporters supported at constituency or county level. Full details of the businesses supported by UKEF each year are published online at: UK Export Finance: business supported - GOV.UK.
The support that UKEF provides extends beyond its immediate customers. Recently published research by Oxford Economics (available online at: UK exporters boost economy, as new study reveals major impact of export credit on UK industry - GOV.UK) shows that there are 115,000 businesses in the supply chains of businesses directly supported by UKEF.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many UK businesses are estimated to be part of the supply chains supported by UK Export Finance customers; and what plans the Government has to increase export-linked supply chain activity.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The recently published report by Oxford Economics, Analysing UKEF-Supported Supply Chains (which is available online at: Research and Analysis: Analysing UKEF-supported supply chains - GOV.UK), shows that exporters in UK Export Finance’s (UKEF’s) direct customer base support a further 115,000 businesses in supply chains throughout the whole of the UK.
The government’s ambitious Industrial and Trade Strategies, published last year, set out the government’s plans to support the UK’s supply chains.
Legislation is currently before the House to increase UKEF’s statutory commitment limit.
UKEF is also working with the Department for Business and Trade to ensure that businesses understand how UKEF can support them in taking advantage of new free trade agreements as they are agreed.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to Prime Minister’s press release entitled Prime Minister unlocks new opportunities for British businesses in China, published on 29 January 2026, if he will make it his policy to ensure that any services agreement with China includes clear and legally binding protections for UK firms operating in China.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK and China have agreed to launch a Bilateral Services Partnership, developed in response to UK business' asks for clearer rules, better market access, and practical support to benefit from China's increasing demand for high-quality UK services.
The UK and China have also agreed to conduct a joint feasibility study to examine the potential to negotiate a bilateral Trade in Services Agreement. Such a legally binding agreement, if secured, would mirror the services chapters of the UK’s modern, high‑standard FTAs and be consistent with the UK and China’s obligations under the World Trade Organisation’s General Agreement on Trade in Services.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to Prime Minister’s press release entitled Prime Minister unlocks new opportunities for British businesses in China, published on 29 January 2026, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the proposed UK-China bilateral services partnership on trends in the level of UK service exports.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK‑China Bilateral Services Partnership (BSP) is designed to deliver high‑value benefits for UK businesses in the world’s second-largest services import market.
UK services exports to China rose 81% in current prices between 2016 and 2024. However, in 2024 the UK had nearly a three times greater share of the global services import market (at 8.0%) than of China’s market (at 2.6%) [ONS and UNCTAD data].
The BSP therefore aims to help UK firms access China’s large and expanding services market. It is a mechanism to push for improved market access as well as deliver practical support to help drive UK services exports to China, supporting growth.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Prime Minister’s press release entitled Prime Minister unlocks new opportunities for British businesses in China, published on 29 January 2026, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of a UK-China services partnership on economic growth.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK‑China Bilateral Services Partnership (BSP) is designed to deliver high‑value benefits for UK businesses in the world’s second-largest services import market.
UK services exports to China rose 81% in current prices between 2016 and 2024. However, in 2024 the UK had nearly a three times greater share of the global services import market (at 8.0%) than of China’s market (at 2.6%) [ONS and UNCTAD data].
The BSP therefore aims to help UK firms access China’s large and expanding services market. It is a mechanism to push for improved market access as well as deliver practical support to help drive UK services exports to China, supporting growth.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to his Department’s press release entitled ‘UK lenders step up with £11 billion push to back British businesses’ published on 26 January 2026, what steps he is taking to ensure businesses with no prior exporting experience are aware of the new funding and are aware of the lending and advisory support available.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The lending commitment facility is not time limited.
We have not made a formal assessment of how much of the lending commitment is expected to be drawn down in each financial year. The support that the participating banks can offer to businesses hoping to export is not restricted to this lending package.
The £11 billion commitment represents new lending, and does not included facilities extended before the announcement
Businesses can apply for a lending facility directly with the participant banks. They can start by speaking to their high street lender or their local Export Finance Manager (EFM). The EFMs are UKEF’s regional representatives who provide local points of contact for exporters and businesses with export potential. Contact details for the EFMs around the whole of the UK can be found at: Find an Export Finance Manager - GOV.UK.
Repayment of the loans will be managed by the respective banks, applying their regular criteria and processes. UKEF has robust legal agreements in place which set requirements regarding monitoring of potential defaults and making relevant recoveries.
Asked by: James McMurdock (Independent - South Basildon and East Thurrock)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to his Department’s press release entitled UK lenders step up with £11 billion push to back British businesses, published on 26 January 2026, what assessment he has made of the level of default risk associated with loans guaranteed by UK Export Finance under this agreement.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The lending commitment facility is not time limited.
We have not made a formal assessment of how much of the lending commitment is expected to be drawn down in each financial year. The support that the participating banks can offer to businesses hoping to export is not restricted to this lending package.
The £11 billion commitment represents new lending, and does not included facilities extended before the announcement
Businesses can apply for a lending facility directly with the participant banks. They can start by speaking to their high street lender or their local Export Finance Manager (EFM). The EFMs are UKEF’s regional representatives who provide local points of contact for exporters and businesses with export potential. Contact details for the EFMs around the whole of the UK can be found at: Find an Export Finance Manager - GOV.UK.
Repayment of the loans will be managed by the respective banks, applying their regular criteria and processes. UKEF has robust legal agreements in place which set requirements regarding monitoring of potential defaults and making relevant recoveries.