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Written Question
Trade Promotion: Saudi Arabia
Thursday 26th March 2026

Asked by: Markus Campbell-Savours (Labour - Penrith and Solway)

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Memorandum of Understanding concluded with the Saudi Public Investment Fund on 28 October 2025, how much UK Export Finance has spent on promoting UK companies' engagement in the Saudi market.

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

UK Export Finance (UKEF) does not have a marketing budget specifically related to promoting UK businesses’ engagement in the Saudi or other individual markets.

Details of UKEF’s overall expenditure on marketing for the current financial year will be included in the department’s annual report and accounts.

Written Question
Foreign Investment in UK: Saudi Arabia
Friday 20th March 2026

Asked by: Markus Campbell-Savours (Labour - Penrith and Solway)

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-Saudi investment creates 100 new British jobs, published on 3 September 2025, how many new jobs have been created.

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

  • This answer is provided at a time when the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Middle East region more generally, is facing material challenges given the ongoing regional conflict.
  • Given that the press release names specific companies, it is for those companies to update as to the current situation and would be commercially sensitive and inappropriate for us to do so.
  • The two main job-creating Saudi companies mentioned, Alfanar and International Investment Gate, are however well-known to the British Embassy in Riyadh and the Office for Investment. Their UK ambitions are in line with our Modern Industrial Strategy and, I understand, are progressing well.
Written Question
Companies House: Proof of Identity
Wednesday 26th November 2025

Asked by: Markus Campbell-Savours (Labour - Penrith and Solway)

Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what progress he has made on the rollout of identity verification for Companies House via the Post Office and Authorised Corporate Service Provider routes.

Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The 12-month transition period commenced on 18 November 2025. More than 1.4 million people have already completed the first phase of identity verification through GOV.UK One Login. 47,867 people started their journey online and selected the Post Office option. Only 40,639 people went on to attend a Post Office to verify their identity.

Approximately 220,000 people have verified their identity though an Authorised Company Service Provider (ACSP). Over 15,000 ACSPs have been registered and a list of 392 consenting ACSPs has been published to support the public in identifying and obtaining ACSP services.