Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many departmental employees were on performance management plans in (a) 2023, (b) 2024 and (c) 2025.

Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is committed to thorough performance management and has in place robust processes to ensure that those who fall below the expected standards are supported to improve in a timely manner. Those who cannot improve their performance, despite this additional support, may be dismissed.

Following a Machinery of Government Change on 1st July 2023, 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). As a result, DBT only holds information from 1st July 2023 onwards, with earlier data held by the former DIT. This response covers information held by DBT and UK Export Finance (UKEF), within these parameters.

DBT employees placed on a Performance Management Plan:

20 in 2023/24*, 27 in 2024/25, and 22 in 2025/26.

*2023 refers to from July 2023 onwards at the start of the performance year.

UKEF employees placed on a Performance Management Plan:

Between 1 and 5 in 2023/24,

Between 1 and 5 in 2024/25, and

Between 1 and 5 in 2025/26.