Written questions by Griffith.

Whether he has had discussions with the Office for National Statistics on initiating a reassessment of the public sector classification of British Steel.

The Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act 2025 gives Government the power to direct British Steel’s board and workforce, ensure they get paid, and order the raw materials to keep the blast furnaces running in Scunthorpe. We will report regularly to Parliament on the use of the Act. The decision to introduce this legislation had collective agreement. Discussions are ongoing to determine the potential impact to public purse, but the funding required for British Steel will come out of existing budgets and there will be no changes to the Government's fiscal rules. The Department for Business & Trade’s accounts for 2025/26 will reflect the financial support that the department has given to British Steel. We will publish the initial impact assessment in due course, including classification considerations.

What estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of support for British Steel Limited through the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act 2025; and how much his Department has committed to underwrite.

The Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act 2025 gives Government the power to direct British Steel’s board and workforce, ensure they get paid, and order the raw materials to keep the blast furnaces running in Scunthorpe. We will report regularly to Parliament on the use of the Act. The decision to introduce this legislation had collective agreement. Discussions are ongoing to determine the potential impact to public purse, but the funding required for British Steel will come out of existing budgets and there will be no changes to the Government's fiscal rules. The Department for Business & Trade’s accounts for 2025/26 will reflect the financial support that the department has given to British Steel. We will publish the initial impact assessment in due course, including classification considerations.

If he will publish a regulatory impact assessment for the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act 2025.

The Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act 2025 gives Government the power to direct British Steel’s board and workforce, ensure they get paid, and order the raw materials to keep the blast furnaces running in Scunthorpe. We will report regularly to Parliament on the use of the Act. The decision to introduce this legislation had collective agreement. Discussions are ongoing to determine the potential impact to public purse, but the funding required for British Steel will come out of existing budgets and there will be no changes to the Government's fiscal rules. The Department for Business & Trade’s accounts for 2025/26 will reflect the financial support that the department has given to British Steel. We will publish the initial impact assessment in due course, including classification considerations.

How much funding his Department has been provided with under Section 8 of the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act 2025.

The Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act 2025 gives Government the power to direct British Steel’s board and workforce, ensure they get paid, and order the raw materials to keep the blast furnaces running in Scunthorpe. We will report regularly to Parliament on the use of the Act. The decision to introduce this legislation had collective agreement. Discussions are ongoing to determine the potential impact to public purse, but the funding required for British Steel will come out of existing budgets and there will be no changes to the Government's fiscal rules. The Department for Business & Trade’s accounts for 2025/26 will reflect the financial support that the department has given to British Steel. We will publish the initial impact assessment in due course, including classification considerations.

What recent estimate his Department has made of the financial impact of Employment Tribunal delays on UK businesses.

We are committed to ensuring that Employment Tribunals operate effectively, ensuring workers have access to justice while minimising burdens on the majority of businesses which play by the rules.As part of the development of the Employment Rights Bill, the Government has consulted with businesses extensively and further engagements (including on this topic) are planned.

What recent discussions he has had with (a) business groups and (b) employer organisations on the potential impact of the level of efficiency of employment tribunals on SMEs.

We are committed to ensuring that Employment Tribunals operate effectively, ensuring workers have access to justice while minimising burdens on the majority of businesses which play by the rules.As part of the development of the Employment Rights Bill, the Government has consulted with businesses extensively and further engagements (including on this topic) are planned.

With reference to the Prime Minister's oral contribution of 5 March 2025, Official Record Column 273, what discussions (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have had with the US administration on a UK-US trade deal.

The UK-US relationship is already very strong, with trade of around £300 billion, and shared investment of over £1.2 trillion at the end of 2023. The Prime Minister and President Trump met on 27 February and agreed to deepen this relationship and to work together on a trade deal focused on tech. The Secretary of State for Business and Trade has also been engaging with the US Administration including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, to make the case for stronger UK-US trade that benefits both our countries, and will continue to make every effort to support British business.

With reference to the oral contribution of the Prime Minister of 5 March 2025, column 273, how many officials from his Department have travelled to the United States to discuss a potential UK-US trade deal since 20 January 2025; and on what dates.

The Prime Minister travelled to Washington DC to meet with President Trump on 27 February. During their meeting, they agreed to deepen the UK-US relationship and to work together on a trade deal focused on tech. The Secretary of State for Business and Trade has been engaging with the US Administration including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, to make the case for stronger UK-US trade that benefits both our countries. The Secretary of State for Business and Trade and UK government officials will be travelling to the US during the week beginning 17 March to meet with members of the US administration.

Whether his Department has allocated a lead negotiator to negotiate a potential UK-US free trade agreement.

The Department for Business and Trade’s Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations (TPIN) Group operates a flexible resourcing model to maximise efficiency across priorities. The DBT team for UK-US trade includes an allocated lead negotiator.

With reference to the Prime Minister's oral contribution of 5 March 2025, Official Report, column 273, what discussions officials in his Department have had with US officials on a UK-US trade deal.

The UK-US relationship is already very strong, with trade of around £300 billion, and shared investment of over £1.2 trillion at the end of 2023. The Prime Minister and President Trump met on 27 February and agreed to deepen this relationship and to work together on a trade deal focused on tech. The Secretary of State for Business and Trade has also been engaging with the US Administration including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, to make the case for stronger UK-US trade that benefits both our countries, and will continue to make every effort to support British business.

What discussions he has had with the United States Secretary of Commerce.

The UK-US relationship is already very strong, with trade of around £300 billion, and shared investment of over £1.2 trillion at the end of 2023. The Prime Minister and President Trump met on 27 February and agreed to deepen this relationship and to work together on a trade deal focused on tech. The Secretary of State for Business and Trade has also been engaging with the US Administration including Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, to make the case for stronger UK-US trade that benefits both our countries, and will continue to make every effort to support British business.

With reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports of 26 February 2025, Official Report, column 857, what his Department's timetable is for launching the business growth service.

We hope to launch the Business Growth Service (BGS) in the summer.The BGS will, over time, simplify the government’s business support ecosystem, with locally led support underpinned by an improved online service. It will help realise the government’s Small Business Strategy, complementing the Industrial Strategy, Trade Strategy and Make Work Pay plans as part of a comprehensive approach to our Growth Mission.

With reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports of 26 February 2025, Official Report, column 857, whether his Department plans to undertake public consultation before bringing forward legislative proposals to reduce late payments.

In September 2024 we announced a package of measures to help ensure small businesses are paid promptly by the large businesses they supply. This included launching a new Fair Payment Code and a commitment to including payment performance information in large companies’ annual reports, and the launch of a public consultation. We will soon be launching our public consultation on further measures to address late payments and long payment terms, including new powers for the Small Business Commissioner to tackle large businesses who pay late.

With reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports of 26 February 2025, Official Report, column 857, how many staff in his Department have been allocated to the working on the development of the new business growth service; and at what the total staff cost is for the (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26 financial years.

The Business Growth Service (BGS) and the broader plans for small business are a priority for the Department for Business and Trade. There is currently a flexible resourcing model in place to develop the Business Growth Service. As of March 2025, a small, full-time core team has been put in place dedicated to developing the BGS with a range of other teams supporting the programme in areas such as Digital, Communications, and Stakeholder Engagement. Final plans for 2025-26 are not yet available but, at launch, the BGS will encompass a much wider range of DBT staff delivering for businesses.

With reference to the oral contribution of the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports of 26 February 2025, Official Report, column 857, what progress his Department has made on creating the new business growth service.

We have begun engagement and consultation with SMEs, business representative bodies, the devolved governments, local government, the Growth Hubs network and other key stakeholders to determine further details on the design, development and implementation of the Business Growth Service before its launch date this summer.The Business Growth Service will simplify the government’s business support ecosystem, with locally led support underpinned by an improved online service. It will help realise the government’s Small Business Strategy, complementing the Industrial Strategy, Trade Strategy and Make Work Pay plans as part of a comprehensive approach to our Growth Mission.

How many public contracts awarded by his Department since 5 July 2024 have required suppliers to recognise trade unions as a condition of contract award.

The Department of Business and Trade uses Government standard contract templates and these do not contain a specific requirement to recognise trade unions as a condition of a contract award.

Whether he plans to change the number of staff in his Department working on new free trade agreements.

DBT's Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations (TPIN) Group operates a flexible resourcing model to maximise efficiency across its priorities. The Department has committed to delivering six Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations alongside leading work on the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), work on the U.S. and the reset of the UK-EU relationship, and multilateral, implementation and market access work.

Whether any staff in his Department have been allocated to negotiating a free trade agreement with the United States.

DBT's Trade Policy, Implementation and Negotiations (TPIN) Group operates a flexible resourcing model to maximise efficiency across its priorities. The Department has committed to delivering six Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations alongside leading work on the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), work on the U.S. and the reset of the UK-EU relationship, and multilateral, implementation and market access work.

On what date the Incorporated Companies in the UK statistical release for October to December 2024 will be published.

Companies House aims to release the specific statistics for October to December 2024 by the end of February 2025. Further information about the reason for the delay will accompany the statistics when they are published. Updates on this matter are available on the gov.uk website:Incorporated companies in the UK October to December 2024 - Official statistics announcement - GOV.UK

Pursuant to the answer of 4 February 2025 to Question 26598 on Rules of Origin, whether he has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the economic impact on the UK of joining the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention on Rules of Origin.

The Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Business and Trade meet regularly to discuss a wide range of pertinent issues, including through relevant Cabinet Committee meetings. At this time we do not currently have plans to join the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention on Rules of Origin, and we will not be giving a running commentary on specific discussions taking place. Any decisions will follow a robust and pragmatic consideration of benefits, risks and the national interest.