Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many and what proportion of staff were promoted (a) in-grade and (b) to a higher grade in the last year broken down by (i) performance marking in the previous year and (ii) grade.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As of 31 March 2025, a total of 576 civil servants, representing approximately 9.7% of those on the payroll, were promoted to higher grades during the previous year. The table below provides a breakdown of these promotions by performance marking (as of 31 March 2024) and grade.
Delegated grades within the Department have two performance ratings - Met and Not Met.
Senior Civil Servants (SCS) have four box ratings ‘Exceeding’, High Performing’ ‘Achieving’ and ‘Partially Met’. Exceeding is the top box rating.
We do not have information about in-grade promotions because lateral moves are not considered promotions and are not tracked currently.
Grade | Met | Not Met | Achieving (for SCS only) | High Performing (for SCS only) | Exceeding (for SCS only) | Number of civil servants without a performance rating recorded in 23/24 | Total promotion (as of 31.03.25) |
AO | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 9 |
EO | 58 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 92 |
HEO | 127 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 65 | 193 |
SEO | 115 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 42 | 157 |
G7 | 58 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 92 |
G6 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 25 |
SCS1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 8 |
Total | 372 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 194 | 576 |
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many and what proportion of staff in each grade were rated in the top performance category in the last year.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The information provided below relates to the recorded ratings on the Department’s HR information system for the period of 1st April 2024 to 31st March 2025, in line with the Department’s performance cycle.
Delegated grades within the Department have two performance ratings - Met and Not Met.
Delegated Grades Performance Ratings Distribution for 2024/25
| Met | Not Met | Proportion in Met (of those with a recorded rating) |
AO | 23 | 0 | 100.00% |
EO | 198 | 8 | 96.12% |
HEO | 537 | 12 | 97.81% |
FS | 0 | 0 | 0% |
SEO | 874 | 12 | 98.65% |
G7 | 853 | 6 | 99.30% |
G6 | 267 | 0 | 100.00% |
Total | 2752 | 38 | 98.64% |
Senior Civil Servants (SCS) have four box ratings ‘Exceeding’, High Performing’ ‘Achieving’ and ‘Partially Met’. Exceeding is the top box rating.
| Total Top Rating (Exceeding) | Total Eligible | Proportion in Exceeded (out of total Eligible) |
SCS1 | 30 | 221 | 14% |
SCS2 | 8 | 57 | 14% |
SCS3 | 1 | 10 | 10% |
Total | 39 | 288 | 14% |
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many disciplinary cases were concluded against civil servants in (a) the Department and (b) its agencies by (i) outcome and (ii) whether the primary allegation related to (A) performance and (B) conduct in the last twelve months.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The number of cases concluded against civil servants within the Department for Business and Trade in the previous year 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025 are as below.
Core DBT:
Performance
Timeframe | Total Number | No Action / Informal Action | Warning | Resignation | Dismissal |
1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025 | 35 | 21 | 8 | <5 | <5 |
Conduct
Timeframe | Total Number | No Action / Informal Action | Warning | Resignation | Dismissal |
1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025 | 20 | 13 | <5 | <5 | <5 |
Insolvency Service
Performance
Timeframe | Total Number | No Action / Informal Action | Warning | Resignation | Dismissal |
1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025 | 9 | 0 | <5 | 0 | 6 |
Conduct
Timeframe | Total Number | No Action / Informal Action | Warning | Resignation | Dismissal |
1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025 | 10 | <5 | <5 | 0 | <5 |
Companies House:
Performance
Timeframe | Total Number | No Action / Informal Action | Warning | Resignation | Dismissal |
1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025 | 6 | 0 | <5 | 0 | <5 |
Conduct
Timeframe | Total Number | No Action / Informal Action | Warning | Resignation | Dismissal |
1 April 2024 – 31 March 2025 | 5 | 0 | <5 | 0 | <2 |
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the average number of working days lost to sickness absence per full-time equivalent member of staff was in (a) the Department and (b) its executive agencies in the last year; and how many formal performance warnings were issued to staff whose absence exceeded departmental triggers.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
A) The table shows the average number of working days lost (AWDL) to sickness absence per staff in DBT and its executive agencies in the last year (between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025)
Organisation | AWDL |
Department for Business and Trade | 3.58 days |
Executive agencies | |
Companies House | 7.6 days |
Insolvency Service | 6.9 days |
B) In the previous year (1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025) there were the following in relation to formal warnings issued to staff whose absence exceeded departmental triggers:
DBT: 11 formal warnings.
Insolvency Service: 12 formal warnings.
Companies House: 6 formal warnings.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many people have been employed by the (a) Competition and Markets Authority and (b) Financial Reporting Council in each year since 2005.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Since 2005, the remits of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which became operational on 1 April 2014, and the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) have expanded in scope to undertake additional functions at the request of government.
The CMA's responsibilities in respect of competition enforcement and merger control have increased following the UK’s departure from the EU, as well as taking on new statutory functions and responsibilities under the UK Internal Market Act 2020, and the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.
The FRC took on formal responsibility for actuarial oversight and standard-setting in 2006, for stewardship in 2009 following the Walker Review, as well as being designated as the competent authority for audit in 2016.
Year | Budget £m | Headcount | ||
| CMA | FRC | CMA | FRC |
2005-2006 | - | 12.5 | - | 62 |
2006-2007 | - | 13.5 | - | 76 |
2007-2008 | - | 14.7 | - | 81 |
2008-2009 | - | 17.9 | - | 82 |
2009-2010 | - | 19.7 | - | 90 |
2010-2011 | - | 21.6 | - | 102 |
2011-2012 | - | 22 | - | 102 |
2012-2013 | - | 22.4 | - | 114 |
2013-2014 | - | 24.5 | - | 134 |
2014-2015 | 63.1 | 32.1 | 653 | 151 |
2015-2016 | 66.1 | 33.7 | 641 | 161 |
2016-2017 | 66.3 | 33.5 | 580 | 171 |
2017-2018 | 64.0 | 35.3 | 640 | 192 |
2018-2019 | 99.9 | 35.8 | 854 | 210 |
2019-2020 | 112.9 | 41.7 | 899 | 243 |
2020-2021 | 95.7 | 45.4 | 847 | 326 |
2021-2022 | 100.6 | 51.5 | 875 | 391 |
2022-2023 | 121.9 | 59.8 | 928 | 443 |
2023-2024 | 129.4 | 66.3 | 1,088 | 477 |
2024-2025 | 144.0 | 71.5 | 1,130 | 459 |
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the annual budget was for the (a) Competition and Markets Authority and (b) Financial Reporting Council in each year since 2005.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Since 2005, the remits of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), which became operational on 1 April 2014, and the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) have expanded in scope to undertake additional functions at the request of government.
The CMA's responsibilities in respect of competition enforcement and merger control have increased following the UK’s departure from the EU, as well as taking on new statutory functions and responsibilities under the UK Internal Market Act 2020, and the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.
The FRC took on formal responsibility for actuarial oversight and standard-setting in 2006, for stewardship in 2009 following the Walker Review, as well as being designated as the competent authority for audit in 2016.
Year | Budget £m | Headcount | ||
| CMA | FRC | CMA | FRC |
2005-2006 | - | 12.5 | - | 62 |
2006-2007 | - | 13.5 | - | 76 |
2007-2008 | - | 14.7 | - | 81 |
2008-2009 | - | 17.9 | - | 82 |
2009-2010 | - | 19.7 | - | 90 |
2010-2011 | - | 21.6 | - | 102 |
2011-2012 | - | 22 | - | 102 |
2012-2013 | - | 22.4 | - | 114 |
2013-2014 | - | 24.5 | - | 134 |
2014-2015 | 63.1 | 32.1 | 653 | 151 |
2015-2016 | 66.1 | 33.7 | 641 | 161 |
2016-2017 | 66.3 | 33.5 | 580 | 171 |
2017-2018 | 64.0 | 35.3 | 640 | 192 |
2018-2019 | 99.9 | 35.8 | 854 | 210 |
2019-2020 | 112.9 | 41.7 | 899 | 243 |
2020-2021 | 95.7 | 45.4 | 847 | 326 |
2021-2022 | 100.6 | 51.5 | 875 | 391 |
2022-2023 | 121.9 | 59.8 | 928 | 443 |
2023-2024 | 129.4 | 66.3 | 1,088 | 477 |
2024-2025 | 144.0 | 71.5 | 1,130 | 459 |
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many performance reviews were undertaken for staff in (a) his Department and (b) its agencies in each of the last five years; in how many of those cases performance was rated as unsatisfactory or below; how many staff left as a result of such a rating; and what proportion of full-time equivalent staff that represented.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
On 1st July 2023 due to a Machinery of Government Change, the Department of International Trade (DIT) became the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), alongside parts of the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). We therefore only hold information from DBT from 1st July 2023.
DBT does not hold performance management data for its agencies.
Performance reviews are held for every member of staff as per our Line Management Guidance. We capture this for all SCS, but results of delegated reviews (AA to Grade 6) are only partially available.
The data below shows performance reviews recorded in our system. Exact numbers of leavers due to poor performance and the percentages of such are withheld as disclosure could identify individuals and breach GDPR principles.
Performance year Runs from 1st April to 31st March | Number of staff with known ratings | Number Marked as ‘Not Met’ against performance | Leavers due to Poor Performance |
2023-2024 | 3505 | 49 | <5 |
2024-2025 | 3078 | 54 | <5 |
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many staff in his Department are recorded as having a (a) mental health condition and (b) physical disability by grade.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Information on the number of people declaring a disability in department for Business and Trade (DBT) are published annually as part of Civil Service Statistics 2025, an accredited official statistics publication. The latest published data is accurate as of 31 March 2025 and can be found at Table 29 of the statistical tables at the following web address:
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/civil-service-statistics-2025
As of 31 March 2025, a) 61 civil servants had self-reported having a Mental Ill Health condition and b) 102 civil servants had self-reported as having a Physical Disability (Facial Disfigurement, Speech impairment, Hearing Impairment, Manual Dexterity Condition, Mobility Condition or a Visual Impairment) in DBT. Here is the breakdown by grade:
A) Self-Reported Mental Ill Health Condition by Grade
Grade | Count |
AO/EO | 7 |
HEO | 18 |
SEO | 19 |
G7 | 12 |
G6 | Less than 5 |
All SCS | Less than 5 |
Total | 61* |
b) Self-Reported Physical Disability by Grade
Grade | Count |
AO/EO | 6 |
HEO | 25 |
SEO | 23 |
G7 | 33 |
G6 | 8 |
All SCS | 7 |
Total | 102* |
*As of March 2025, 61.6% of civil servants in DBT self-reported their disability status. Not all individuals who reported a disability provided information on the type or nature of their disability or condition.
Information for 31 March 2026 is due for publication in July 2026.
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many staff left his Department in each of the last five years by grade.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Information on the number of civil servants leaving each government department and organisation by responsibility level for the years 2021 to 2025 is published annually through the ‘Civil Service data browser’ as part of Civil Service Statistics 2025, an accredited official statistics publication. Information can be accessed through the Civil Service data browser for 2021 through 2025 at the following web address:
https://civil-service-statistics.jdac.service.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/
Here is the break down by grade in 2024/2025 and 2023/2024.
Leavers by grade | 2024/2025 | 2023/2024* |
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AO/EO | 123 | 118 |
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HEO | 139 | 115 |
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SEO | 155 | 132 |
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G7 | 149 | 129 |
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G6 | 46 | 33 |
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SCS 1/2/3/4 | 33 | 16 |
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Total | 645 | 543 |
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*Civil servants who left DBT payroll between 1 August 2023 and 31 March 2024. | |||||||
The DBT was created in 2023. Complete staff record for DBT was only available since 1 August 2023. Leavers data prior to 1 August 2023 was provided by DBT’s predecessors, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Department for International Trade. This data is readily available on Gov.uk : https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/civil-service-statistics
Asked by: Neil O'Brien (Conservative - Harborough, Oadby and Wigston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many staff in his Department (a) did not retain employment following the completion of their probationary period and (b) had their probationary period extended in each of the last five years.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Department for Business and Trade’s (DBT) probation policy and guidance advises managers on the steps to take to assess a new employee’s suitability for the post and to provide support to enable them to succeed. It also advises on the steps to take where performance, attendance or conduct are not satisfactory. This can include exiting the employee or extending their probation to provide further evidence for a final decision on their suitability.
DBT recoded fewer than five staff members who were recruited into the civil service and did not pass their probation, and were subsequently dismissed, since DBT was created in 2023. Information on staff who had their probationary period extended is not available.