Written questions by Jogee.

What recent discussions she has had with the Hair and Barber Council.

Awaiting answer.

How many visits by ministers in his Department have been made to Commonwealth member states in each of the last five years.

Awaiting answer.

What plans he has to appoint a Trade Envoy to Canada.

There are no plans at present to appoint a Trade Envoy for Canada.

What his planned timetable is for introducing the funding of £120 million to support the ceramics industry in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and) North Staffordshire.

In May, the Government committed to £120 million of government support to help the ceramics sector stay competitive, modernise infrastructure and decarbonise. Officials at the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) will now engage with a wide range of st...

What assessment he has made of the potential benefits of a 'Commonwealth first' approach to trade; and what steps he is taking to develop such an approach.

The UK’s Trade Strategy sets out the Government’s approach to maximising trade opportunities in support of growth and economic security. The UK already has formal trade arrangements with the vast majority of Commonwealth members. This includes through FTA...

What discussions he has had with his Cabinet colleagues about the potential merits of a Commonwealth first approach to a) trade and b) economic growth.

The UK’s Trade Strategy sets out the Government’s approach to maximising trade opportunities in support of growth and economic security. The UK already has formal trade arrangements with the vast majority of Commonwealth members. This includes through FTA...

If he will consider appointing a Trade Envoy for the Overseas Territories.

No, as trade envoys’ work is in foreign sovereign nations.

What discussions a) Ministers and b) officials in his Department have had with the Soft Power Council.

Since the Soft Power Council was established in January 2025, it has met four times. Information about the Soft Power Council and its meetings is available on GOV.UK, including meeting dates, terms of reference, and abridged minutes of discussions.

What steps his Department is taking to help increase economic growth in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire.

The Department for Business and Trade is supporting economic growth across the UK, including in Staffordshire and Newcastle-under-Lyme, through the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, championing free trade agreements (including the recently announced Free T...

A) what progress his Department has made in implementing the UK-India Free Trade Agreement and b) what benefits it will bring to families and businesses in i) Newcastle-under-Lyme and ii) Staffordshire

Once in place, families and businesses across Staffordshire, including in Newcastle-under-Lyme, will benefit from reduced tariffs on 92% of UK goods exports, and iconic businesses such as JCB will be able to take advantage of lower tariffs on machinery, s...

How many a) letters, b) emails and c) written communications were received by his Department from Newcastle-under-Lyme District Borough Council between i) December 2019 and July 2024 and ii) July 2024

The Department of Business and Trade aims to respond to correspondence in 15 working days, but in some instances it can take longer. Upon searching, the Department for Business and Trade has received no correspondence from Newcastle-under-Lyme District Bo...

What steps he is taking to support the creation of well-paid jobs in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire.

The Department for Business and Trade is supporting the creation of jobs and opportunities across the UK, including in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire. We are doing this by supporting small and medium sized businesses to export, including developin...

What steps he is taking to support the advanced manufacturing sector in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire.

The Government is backing advanced manufacturing through our Modern Industrial Strategy and the Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan, which supports innovation, skills, investment and the adoption of new technologies across the UK.Businesses in Newcastle-un...

What steps he is taking to help businesses in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire to increase exports.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is committed to supporting UK businesses, including those in Newcastle-under-Lyme and Staffordshire, to grow and export. DBT has integrated its support for businesses in a single, accessible place – the Business...

What steps his Department has taken to support energy intensive businesses in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire with energy costs.

The Department for Business and Trade manages two energy cost support schemes, the British Industry Supercharger and the Energy Intensive Industries Compensation Scheme, to support eligible energy-intensive industries with the indirect costs of emissions ...

What steps he is taking to help increase the (a) volume and (b) value of trade between the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe.

The United Kingdom is committed to strengthening trade with Zimbabwe as part of our wider approach to increasing UK–Africa trade. To improve market access and support economic growth, we have a range of trade agreements and preferential schemes in place a...

What steps he is taking to help increase the (a) volume and (b) value of trade between the United Kingdom and Jamaica.

The Government is taking steps to increase both the volume and value of UK–Jamaica trade through strengthened engagement and targeted programmes.Recently, we supported the third UK-Caribbean Trade and Investment forum, where governments and businesses acr...

What steps he is taking to help increase the (a) volume and (b) value of trade between the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Ireland is one of the UK’s closest and most important trading partners, with approximately £1.71 billion in bilateral trade each week. The UK Government is committed to strengthening this relationship further as demonstrated by the outcomes of the second ...

What steps he has taken to support the ceramics industry in a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and b) Staffordshire since his appointment.

The British Industry Supercharger currently supports some ceramics businesses in Great Britain, including in Staffordshire, including in the technical and advanced ceramics, and brick production sectors, for the indirect costs of various electricity policy and network charges. Officials regularly engage with Ceramics UK, the sector’s main trade association, to explore how the ceramics industry can be supported. The Industrial Strategy, along with the Trade Strategy, have set out this Government’s approach to expanding trade opportunities and supporting UK businesses, including ceramics businesses.

What steps he has taken to support fish and chip shops with the cost of food in (a) Newcastle-under-Lyme and (b) Staffordshire.

Fish and chip shops, like many hospitality businesses, continue to face significant cost pressures, driven by global uncertainty, volatile energy markets, supply chain disruption and wider inflation, which have contributed to higher food input prices. The Government recognises the impact this has on businesses and communities, including in Newcastle under Lyme and across Staffordshire and is taking action to help businesses manage these costs. This includes permanently lower business rates for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties and increasing the employment allowance from £5,000 to £10,500. We continue to engage with industry through the Hospitality Sector Council to strengthen resilience and productivity across the sector.