Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will set out (a) where the electric arc furnace being installed at Port Talbot was manufactured, (b) whether any UK-based companies were invited to bid to manufacture the furnace and (c) what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the procurement on the UK steel supply chain.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Tata Steel UK has contracted Tenova to supply the electric arc furnace (EAF) and associated equipment for Port Talbot.
Procurement decisions are a commercial matter for Tata Steel, and the Department does not hold information on bidding processes. Government support for the project is intended to secure the long-term future of UK steelmaking. The EAF is expected to use significant volumes of UK-sourced scrap steel, supporting domestic supply chains and the wider Steel Strategy.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the level of importance of the cement industry to the economy and the number of jobs reliant on it.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
No specific assessment on the importance of the cement industry to the economy or number of jobs reliant on it has been conducted. However, the Government is aware of the sector's importance to the economy and government priorities as well as the number of jobs it supports across the country. The Government regularly engages with the cement sector's main trade association, the Mineral Products Association, to understand the sector's challenges and explore how best to support it. The Government delivers the British Industry Supercharger which aims to mitigate carbon leakage and improve the competitiveness of eligible energy-intensive industries by relieving them from some electricity policy costs and network costs. Businesses in the cement sector currently receive support under this scheme.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department holds data on the i.) amount of cement and proportion of the UK's domestic requirement for cement has been produced in the UK in each of the last 10 years ii.) amount of cement and proportion of the UK's domestic requirement for cement has been imported the UK in each of the last 10 years.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department for Business and Trade does not hold information about either the amount of cement produced in the UK to meet domestic production requirements in the last 10 years, or the amount of cement imported to meet domestic production requirements in the last 10 years.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the answer of 12 June 2026 to question 8232, what representations his Department has received from the UK automotive sector on proposed European automotive procurement and local content rules; and how those representations have informed the Government's engagement with the European Commission.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Department for Business and Trade and its ministers have engaged extensively with automotive manufacturers, suppliers and industry bodies on the EU’s proposed Industrial Accelerator Act. These stakeholders have shared their views on the potential impacts of the Act’s proposed measures as they relate to the automotive sector.
My department has assessed these representations alongside its own analysis.
Working closely with automotive stakeholders, this evidence has informed the Government’s engagement with the European Commission at ministerial and official level. We have made clear that any proposals need to recognise the reality of the complex supply chains in the European automotive sector, of which the UK is an integral part.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions his Department has had with the European Commission on Rules of Origin requirements for electric vehicles and batteries under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
New rules of origin requirements for electric vehicles under the TCA are scheduled to come into force on 1st January 2027. The UK Government recognises the growing concern from industry about the potential impact of the upcoming rule changes on the automotive sector in both the EU and the UK. We are engaging with the European Commission and the UK automotive sector on the issue to ensure a mutually satisfactory solution. That includes, as a priority, looking to finalise joint guidance on the origin requirements related to Cathode Active Material.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how much (a) his Department, (b) its agencies and (c) its public bodies has spent on lanyards since 4 July 2024; what designs of lanyards have been purchased; and what the cost and number of each lanyard design purchased was.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
Since July 2024, DBT has spent £6306.41 (including delivery charges) on a total of 4530 lanyards through our print supplier (APS) and our stationery suppliers (Banner up until October 2025 and Lyreco from November 2025). Specific details of design, quantities and costs can be found in table 1 below.
UK Export Finance spent £2774.28 on three orders totalling 1,570 lanyards used for customer conferences and promotional events. These bore the name of the department and its logo and came in different coloured bands. In addition,10 special lanyards were purchased for £28.50 in March 2025 to be used to identify First Aiders among UKEF staff.
Information relating to the rest of the Department’s agencies and public bodies is not readily available/held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Table 1 – DBT lanyard expenditure
Supplier Description | Design | Quantity | Cost incl. delivery | Cost per unit |
Unbranded Red Lanyards | Plain - Red | 30 | £ 53.92 | £ 1.80 |
Unbranded Red Lanyards | Plain - Red | 70 | £ 92.38 | £ 1.32 |
United Kingdom Lanyards | United Kingdom | 500 | £ 498.42 | £ 1.00 |
Lanyards - PreMade | DBT Branded | 200 | £ 167.96 | £ 0.84 |
OfI Launch Event Lanyards | OfI Launch Event | 500 | £ 662.48 | £ 1.32 |
United Kingdom Lanyards | United Kingdom | 500 | £ 525.00 | £ 1.05 |
CPTPP Lanyards - PreMade | CPTPP | 50 | £ 97.42 | £ 1.95 |
Lanyards | DBT Branded | 400 | £ 1,019.20 | £ 2.55 |
Lanyards | DBT Branded | 400 | £ 1,019.21 | £ 2.55 |
United Kingdom Lanyards | United Kingdom | 300 | £ 352.87 | £ 1.18 |
Lanyards | DBT Branded | 500 | £ 466.44 | £ 0.93 |
BX10 DURABLE 8137-01 BADGE NECKLACE BLK | Plain - Black | 30 | £ 16.23 | £ 0.54 |
BX10 DURABLE 8223-01 NECKLACE W/REEL BLK | Plain - Black | 40 | £ 55.36 | £ 1.38 |
DURABLE LANYARD SNAP HOOK BLUE PK10 | Plain - Blue | 100 | £ 110.70 | £ 1.11 |
ANNOUNCE TEXTILE LANYARD+BDG RL P10 | Plain - Black | 20 | £ 25.08 | £ 1.25 |
DURABLE TEXTILE BADGE LANYARD PK10 | Plain - Black | 30 | £ 20.06 | £ 0.67 |
NAME BADGE AND TEXTILE NECKLACE PK10 | Plain - Grey | 80 | £ 34.96 | £ 0.44 |
DURABLE TEXTILE BADGE LANYARD PK10 | Plain - Black | 20 | £ 20.06 | £ 1.00 |
ILQ-00042182 200 lanyards LIFESAVER | Plain - Black | 200 | £ 282.86 | £ 1.41 |
ANNOUNCE TEXTILE LANYARD+BDG RP PK10 | Plain - Black | 10 | £ 12.54 | £ 1.25 |
ANNOUNCE TEXTILE LANYARD+BDG RP PK10 | Plain - Black | 20 | £ 25.08 | £ 1.25 |
DURABLE NAME BADGE TXTLE LANYRD PK10 | Plain - Grey | 10 | £ 34.58 | £ 3.46 |
DURABLE TEXTILE BADGE LANYARD PK10 | Plain - Blue | 40 | £ 40.12 | £ 1.00 |
ANNOUNCE TEXTILE LANYARD+BDG RP PK10 | Plain - Black | 20 | £ 25.08 | £ 1.25 |
DURABLE TEXTILE BADGE LANYARD PK10 | Plain - Black | 150 | £ 150.45 | £ 1.00 |
DURABLE TEXTILE LANYARD RED PK10 | Plain - Red | 100 | £ 173.10 | £ 1.73 |
DURABLE TEXTILE BADGE LANYARD PK10 | Plain - Green | 150 | £ 259.65 | £ 1.73 |
ANNOUNCE TEXTILE LANYARD+BDG RP PK10 | Plain - Black | 20 | £ 25.08 | £ 1.25 |
DURABLE TEXTILE BADGE LANYARD PK10 | Plain - Blue | 40 | £ 40.12 | £ 1.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
| Total quantity | 4530 |
|
|
| Total cost | £ 6,306 |
|
|
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many full-time equivalent members of DBT staff were working (a) in and (b) on each country on behalf of the UK as of (i) 4 July 2024 and (ii) June 2026.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The table shows the number of FTE DBT staff working in, and on behalf of the UK in each region as of July 2024 and April 2026. April 2026 is the latest available data point; data for June 2026 are not available. The available data are held at regional level. The requested information on a country-by-country basis is not readily available but could be provided as a separate list.
| July 2024 | April 2026 (latest data available) | ||
Regions | UK based staff working in other countries (FTE) | Country based staff working on other countries on behalf of the UK (FTE) | UK based staff working in other countries (FTE) | Country based staff working on other countries on behalf of the UK (FTE) |
Africa | 20 | 85 | 15 | 61 |
Asia Pacific | 45 | 212 | 45 | 200 |
China and Hong Kong | 24 | 152 | 22 | 137 |
Eastern Europe and Central Asia | 17 | 55 | 12 | 54 |
Europe | 34 | 285 | 33 | 267 |
Latin America and Caribbean | 15 | 220 | 13 | 129 |
Middle East, Afghanistan and Pakistan | 23 | 89 | 23 | 75 |
North America | 12 | 146 | 6 | 127 |
South Asia | 17 | 93 | 13 | 90 |
Total | 207 | 1,337 | 184 | 1,140 |
DBT also has UK-based teams working across a broad range of business and trade activities, including support for international trade missions. Most staff are in the Trade Group. However, DBT uses a flexible resourcing model, some staff work across multiple functions. The department therefore cannot separately identify the proportion of wider UK-based roles that support international trade missions.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of UK vehicle production since 2020.
Answered by Chris McDonald - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government recognises that UK vehicle production has been affected by global shocks since 2020. Output declined during the Covid19 pandemic and was further impacted by supply chain disruption and volatile consumer demand. We want to make the UK one of the best locations in the world to manufacture vehicles and we are working with industry to support recovery and strengthen long term competitiveness.
Our ambition to grow UK vehicle production to over 1.3 million cars and commercial vehicles by 2035 is backed by our £4 billion DRIVE35 programme. It will support the automotive sector through to 2035 by accelerating commercial scale‑up and increasing investment in zero‑emission vehicles, batteries and their supply chains. We are also investing in the infrastructure needed to support this transition, including a further £200 million for EV charging, in addition to the £400 million committed at the 2025 Spending Review.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
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 impact of the fee structure for ADR accreditation under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 on small and specialist ADR providers handling low volumes of consumer disputes.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The intention of the fee structure is to ensure fees are set at levels commensurate, over a reasonable course of time, with the costs of CTSI performing the relevant ADR functions to the standard required, that these are predictable for ADR providers and provide cost recovery for CTSI.
CTSI do not have discretion to deviate from the fees set in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Alternative Dispute Resolution) (Fees) Regulations 2026. The current fees reflect that rates have not risen since 2015 and have been significantly eroded given the impact of rising costs since then.
The ADR framework under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 allows for ADR providers to charge fees to consumers for ADR services, subject to these being agreed by CTSI as proportionate. ADR providers continue to be able to refuse to take cases that they deem frivolous or vexatious.
The Department recognises there will be a period of adjustment as the new fee structure beds in and will conduct a review in the autumn to assess whether the fee structure should be further amended to ensure charges are fair and proportional for all ADR providers.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
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 risk that ADR accreditation requirements may lead (a) small and (b) specialist providers to withdraw from the consumer ADR market.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The intention of the fee structure is to ensure fees are set at levels commensurate, over a reasonable course of time, with the costs of CTSI performing the relevant ADR functions to the standard required, that these are predictable for ADR providers and provide cost recovery for CTSI.
CTSI do not have discretion to deviate from the fees set in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 (Alternative Dispute Resolution) (Fees) Regulations 2026. The current fees reflect that rates have not risen since 2015 and have been significantly eroded given the impact of rising costs since then.
The ADR framework under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 allows for ADR providers to charge fees to consumers for ADR services, subject to these being agreed by CTSI as proportionate. ADR providers continue to be able to refuse to take cases that they deem frivolous or vexatious.
The Department recognises there will be a period of adjustment as the new fee structure beds in and will conduct a review in the autumn to assess whether the fee structure should be further amended to ensure charges are fair and proportional for all ADR providers.