Joshua Reynolds

The upgraded UK-Republic of Korea FTA will include provisions to streamline import and export documentation requirements by simplifying customs declarations and allowing businesses to self-certify the origin status of their goods so that they can qualify for preferential tariffs. The Republic of Korea has also committed to publishing customs information in English, making it more accessible for UK businesses. The FTA also streamlines licensing processes by encouraging online publication of key information, eliminating unreasonable fees and facilitating electronic payments.

Steel is a top priority for this Government. 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.

DBT Ministers and officials regularly engage with stakeholders across the steel industry, including producers and downstream businesses. On 10 November, Minister McDonald and I met with representatives from across the downstream steel sector.

We look forward to saying more in early 2026, including publishing our Steel Strategy.

Detailed economic scoping analysis of an upgraded UK-Turkey FTA was published in March 2024. A full Impact Assessment will be published upon the completion of negotiations.

In the four quarters to the end of Q2 2025, UK-Turkey bilateral services trade was worth £7.7 billion, with UK exports comprising £3.4 billion. Despite this strong performance, Turkey is a relatively restrictive services export market, with an above-average OECD Services Trade Restrictiveness Index scoring. We are seeking to ease this restrictiveness, providing improved market access and greater legal certainty for UK services exporters, including through provisions on recognition of professional qualifications.

Ofcom is the independent regulator for the postal sector with the responsibility and powers to regulate postal services.

The ‘Mail Integrity Objectives’, set out in Ofcom’s Essential Condition 1, seek to minimise the potential for parcels to be subject to loss, theft, damage or interference. Currently this Essential Condition is effectively restricted to Royal Mail’s services delivered under its universal postal service obligation.

Ofcom engages regularly with all parcel operators to understand their approach to implementation of, and compliance with, its consumer protection measures.

Provisions on the recognition of professional qualifications (RPQ) are an important part of the services chapters in the UK’s international trade agreements, including within the UK-Switzerland RPQ Agreement and our Free Trade Agreements with Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Australia, New Zealand and India.

DBT works closely with our overseas partners to promote the UK’s world-leading professional qualifications. Under our international arrangements DBT has committed to encourage our independent occupational regulators and professional membership bodies, including the British Computer Society, to consider pursuing RPQ agreements with international partners. DBT supports these bodies to do so.

The Government has not assessed the impacts of the practices detailed in the CMA’s Cloud Service Market Investigation.

In the Final Report published on 31 July 2025, the key recommendation was for the CMA Board to prioritise commencing investigations under the digital markets regime to consider designating the two largest providers - Microsoft and AWS - with strategic market status in relation to cloud services.

We are changing how we deliver export support in line with the Trade Strategy, and in response to the asks of businesses and our stakeholders, to provide a more accessible and easier to navigate offer that utilises technology to deliver more cost-effective and impactful support for SME exporters. For the first time, DBT has integrated its support for SMEs in a single place – the Business Growth Service – making government support for SME exporters more accessible and effective.

We will focus our resources where they can have the greatest impact, supporting businesses with the highest growth potential and targeting markets with significant economic opportunity. This strategic approach will deliver better value for taxpayers and stronger results for UK exporters. In addition, we expect UKEF to play a more substantial role in supporting SMEs to export.

We are changing how we deliver export support in line with the Trade Strategy, and in response to the asks of businesses and our stakeholders, to provide a more accessible and easier to navigate offer that utilises technology to deliver more cost-effective and impactful support for SME exporters. For the first time, DBT has integrated its support for SMEs in a single place – the Business Growth Service – making government support for SME exporters more accessible and effective.

We will focus our resources where they can have the greatest impact, supporting businesses with the highest growth potential and targeting markets with significant economic opportunity. This strategic approach will deliver better value for taxpayers and stronger results for UK exporters. In addition, we expect UKEF to play a more substantial role in supporting SMEs to export.

We are changing how we deliver export support in line with the Trade Strategy, and in response to the asks of businesses and our stakeholders, to provide a more accessible and easier to navigate offer that utilises technology to deliver more cost-effective and impactful support for SME exporters. For the first time, DBT has integrated its support for SMEs in a single place – the Business Growth Service – making government support for SME exporters more accessible and effective.

We will focus our resources where they can have the greatest impact, supporting businesses with the highest growth potential and targeting markets with significant economic opportunity. This strategic approach will deliver better value for taxpayers and stronger results for UK exporters. In addition, we expect UKEF to play a more substantial role in supporting SMEs to export.

As set out in the Trade Strategy our overseas network will increasingly focus on the markets, sectors and opportunities that will drive UK economic growth for the next decade and beyond. We will have fewer export support staff in some markets as we focus more of our resource on attracting high value inward investment and tackling the market access barriers that hold British exporters back. We are working through the specific impact in each market, but directly supporting British exporters will remain the biggest part of what DBT teams do overseas.

DBT is making use of AI tools to improve our services to business, but we are not replacing staff with AI and digital technology.

All staff in the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) were able to apply for a voluntary exit scheme, before the announcement of workforce reductions. Staff impacted in export support services and in other areas of DBT may be offered redundancy, voluntary redundancy and redeployment opportunities in line with the rest of the department.

The Department for Business and Trade’s new export structures in the UK are expected to be in place from 1 April, however the workforce reductions in teams involved in export work across the UK and overseas will be ongoing over the course of 2026.

A programme of transformation for the Department for Business and Trade’s export services is ongoing and will entail workforce changes. It is not yet possible to determine a level of redundancies that might result from that process. Any related funding needs will be addressed within the course of business planning.

The transformation of the department is ongoing and it is not yet possible to determine how many staff might be redeployed or may leave the department. Therefore, it is not yet possible to determine total savings that will be achieved.

Currently, no assessment of the adequacy of the Fireworks Regulations 2004 has been made in relation to repeated private firework use.

Existing legislation controls the sale, availability, and use of fireworks. Local Authorities and law enforcement agencies are empowered to take action against offenders when fireworks are not used appropriately. While there are no plans to publish guidance to limit their use further, the Government launched a campaign for this fireworks season which promotes lower noise fireworks alongside considerate use.

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.

The Government is a respondent in two active arbitrations. The UK has a longstanding track record of supporting foreign investment, including through fulfilling its obligations in the international investment agreements to which it is a party and has never faced a successful ISDS claim.

The Government maintains that it has acted consistently with domestic and international law obligations in the case of the legal challenges. In view of the ongoing proceedings, it would be inappropriate for the Government to comment further at this stage.

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.

The Government is a respondent in two active arbitrations. The UK has a longstanding track record of supporting foreign investment, including through fulfilling its obligations in the international investment agreements to which it is a party and has never faced a successful ISDS claim.

The Government maintains that it has acted consistently with domestic and international law obligations in the case of the legal challenges. In view of the ongoing proceedings, it would be inappropriate for the Government to comment further at this stage.

The UK will draw on the full range of investment commitments and international best practice in our international investment agreements to promote growth, deliver our clean energy goals, and continue to uphold the UK’s right to regulate.

Negotiations for the UK-India bilateral investment treaty have not yet concluded, and the content of the agreement remains under discussion. As set out in the General Terms for the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal, the UK and the US have announced the intention to cooperate on the effective use of investment security measures.

We are aware of China's changes to its export controls on rare earth elements. We are concerned about the potential impact of these measures on global supply chains. We are engaging with China’s Bureau of Industry, Security, Import and Export Control to support UK companies applying for licenses and ensure steady supply to UK users.

We are taking action with like-minded partners, including in the G7, to diversify supply chains. Our upcoming Critical Minerals Strategy sets our long-term approach for securing critical minerals. It also outlines how this will be achieved by refining our approach to domestic production, the circular economy, the UK’s future demand, international partnerships and responsible and transparent supply chains.

It is too soon to presume on the final outcomes of FTA negotiations with Türkiye but we have held two successful rounds of negotiations during which amongst other things both sides committed to a Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) chapter.

During our Call for Input we received substantial interest, including over 130 submissions from businesses and over 200 responses in total. We continue to actively engage businesses and stakeholders throughout negotiations.

In May, the UK concluded a landmark economic deal with the US. The UK was the first country to secure such an agreement that removes tariffs for civil aerospace goods, and we remain the only country to have secured a 10% tariff for automotives within quota – saving hundreds of millions of pounds on UK exports annually. In 2024, the UK aerospace and automotive industries directly accounted for 232,000 jobs.

We are continuing talks on a wider UK-US Economic Deal to address specific tariff and non-tariff barriers, increase digital trade, and unlock new commercial opportunities that benefit both nations.

The Prime Minister, Business Secretary, Ministers and officials across government have been engaging widely with business organisations and companies across the economy. We will continue our extensive engagement throughout the remaining negotiations.

This Government is committed to tackling late payments and supporting small businesses and the self-employed.

We launched a consultation in July alongside the Plan for Small Business which closes on the 23^rd of October which sets out measures we intend to bring forward in a package of primary legislation. This includes proposals for stricter maximum payment terms and providing the Small Business Commissioner with stronger powers. This will be the most significant legislation to tackle late payments in over 25 years and will give the UK the strongest legal framework on late payments in the G7.

This Government is committed to tackling late payments and supporting small businesses and the self-employed.

We launched a consultation in July alongside the Plan for Small Business which closes on the 23^rd of October which sets out measures we intend to bring forward in a package of primary legislation. As part the package, the Small Business Commissioner will be given stronger powers to ensure that they are able to tackle the poor payment practices head on. The consultation includes additional measures such as setting maximum payment terms and fining businesses that persistently pay their suppliers late.

This Government is determined to tackle late payments. On 31^st July, alongside the Plan for Small Business, we launched a public consultation to seek views on our proposed legislative measures to ensure companies pay their suppliers quickly and on time. These measures include proposals to set strict maximum payment times at 60 days and to provide the Small Business Commissioner with stronger powers to tackle poor payment practices.

As part of the launch of the consultation an impact assessment was published on GOV.UK assessing the impact these measures will have on all businesses across the UK.

This Government is committed to tackling late payments and will introduce the most significant legislation aimed at tackling late payments in 25 years. Late payments cost the UK economy £11bn per year and close down 38 UK businesses every day.

Large businesses are already legally required to publish their payment performance twice yearly through GOV.UK. Analysts at the Department for Business and Trade will be able to determine the effectiveness of these measures through using the data that large businesses submit to check that payment times have improved.

On 31^st July DBT published new research showing that late payments cost the UK economy £11bn per year and closes down 38 UK businesses every day, with a disproportionate impact upon small businesses.

Government is putting in place the most significant legislation to tackle late payments in over 25 years, giving the UK the strongest legal framework on late payments in the G7. The consultation on stronger new legislative measures to ensure small businesses are paid promptly closes on 23 October.

Through the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 we have given the registrar more powers to ensure address (and other) information on the register of companies is as accurate and complete as reasonably possible. Additionally, next year will see the introduction of identity verification for company officers, beneficial owners and those who file information on companies’ behalf. We will assess the merits of these various improvements before considering what, if any, further measures might be appropriate to improve the quality and reliability of company information.

Improving the cyber security of our nation’s small and micro organisations is critical to the resilience of our wider economy. We recognise many smaller organisations lack the resources to invest in their cyber security. As such, the government has developed a wide range of free tools, guidance and training to help SMEs implement cyber security measures, including the recently launched Cyber Action Toolkit which provides SMEs with tailored advice.

NCSC-certified Cyber Advisors are available to provide advice and guidance on commercial terms. Additionally, the government’s Cyber Essentials scheme helps all organisations, including SMEs, implement critical cyber security controls, protecting them from most common cyber attacks. We recently completed a funding programme supporting over 1,000 SMEs to get certified to the scheme.

Early next year, the Government will publish a new National Cyber Action Plan which will set out further work to help protect our nation’s smallest organisations.

Improving the cyber security of our nation’s small and micro organisations is critical to the resilience of our wider economy. We recognise many smaller organisations lack the resources to invest in their cyber security. As such, the government has developed a wide range of free tools, guidance and training to help SMEs implement cyber security measures, including the recently launched Cyber Action Toolkit which provides SMEs with tailored advice.

NCSC-certified Cyber Advisors are available to provide advice and guidance on commercial terms. Additionally, the government’s Cyber Essentials scheme helps all organisations, including SMEs, implement critical cyber security controls, protecting them from most common cyber attacks. We recently completed a funding programme supporting over 1,000 SMEs to get certified to the scheme.

Early next year, the Government will publish a new National Cyber Action Plan which will set out further work to help protect our nation’s smallest organisations.

As a result of commercial market and publicly funded rollout, over 88% of UK premises can now access gigabit-capable broadband, up from less than 10% in 2019. In their Connected Nations Spring update, published 8 May 2025, Ofcom reported that as of January 2025, 5G coverage was available outside of 96% of premises across the UK from at least one operator, up from 69% in May 2022.

The impact of digital infrastructure on local amenity is assessed by local planning authorities on a case by case basis. Planning conditions in legislation ensure that operators minimise the visual impact of new network development on the surrounding area as much as possible.

It is the responsibility of Ofcom to ensure operators comply with their telecommunications licensing conditions.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has published information on the right to object to the processing of personal for the purpose of direct marketing here: Right to object | ICO.

Anyone concerned about the handling of their personal data by any organisation has the right to complain to the ICO. The ICO has a range of tools to tackle the unlawful processing of personal data, including powers to issue substantial monetary penalties for serious breaches of the data protection legislation. Information about the ICO’s enforcement action can be found at: https://ico.org.uk/action-weve-taken/.