Written questions by Griffith.

Whether his Department offers paternity leave to its staff from their first working day.

The Department offers Paternity Leave in line with the statutory approach and will be reviewing its policy following the changes brought in by the Employment Rights Bill. Paternity Leave is set to become a day one right, removing the current continuity of service requirements and bringing 32,000 fathers and partners into scope. The Employment Rights Bill means stronger, more family-friendly employment rights for workers and will ensure a fairer and more equal labour market.

Whether staff in his Department are entitled to bereavement leave.

The Department for Business and Trade allows employees to take up to five days Special Leave with pay in the event of a death of a dependant, close relative or other person in a close relationship.

Whether his Department offers its staff shared parental leave from their first working day.

The Department for Business and Trade offers Shared Parental Leave to all eligible employees in line with the statutory approach.As part of our Make Work Pay commitment, we will be carrying out a review of the wider statutory parental leave landscape, including Shared Parental Leave, ensuring that the parental leave system offers the best possible support to working families. The Employment Rights Bill means stronger, more family-friendly employment rights for workers and will ensure a fairer and more equal labour market.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 November 2024 to Question 13639 on Crawford Falconer, whether he plans to recruit a new Second Permanent Secretary and Chief Trade Negotiation Adviser.

DBT have no plans at this time to recruit a Second Permanent Secretary or a Chief Trade Negotiations Adviser at Permanent Secretary level, further to the departure of Sir Crawford Falconer on 31 December 2024.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 November 2024 to Question 13640 on Hospitality Industry and Retail Trade: Business Rates, when she plans to (a) begin and (b) complete the revaluation that is to produce the referenced revaluation outcomes.

In 2023 the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) moved to three-yearly revaluations, an outcome from the 2021 Business Rates Review. The VOA started preparing for the next business rates revaluation in April 2023, with the new rateable values coming into effect on 1 April 2026, with a valuation date of 1 April 2024. The VOA are on track to deliver the 2026 Revaluation, with valuation activity now underway.

How many officials from his Department travelled to Baku to (a) attend and (b) support COP29 in the last three months.

Within the last three months, nine officials from the Department for Business and Trade travelled to Baku to attend COP29.

How many officials in his Department worked from home for more than one day a week on average over the month to 30 October 2024.

Since the pandemic, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) have had a hybrid working policy in place. DBT’s hybrid working approach means staff should spend 40-60% of their contracted hours (averaged over a month) in the office or visiting stakeholders and businesses, and the rest of their time working from home. This works out to be on average 2-3 days working from home per working week for a full-time member of staff.

How many items of ministerial correspondence received by his Department have not received a reply within 14 days of receipt in the last three months.

Ministers and the Department place great value on effective and timely handling of ministerial correspondence and keep performance of this under review. The Cabinet Office publishes routine statistics on Departmental performance which can be find on GOV.UK (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/data-on-responses-to-correspondence-from-mps-and-peers).

What discussions his Department has had with representatives from President-Elect Trump’s transition team on UK-US trade.

The incoming US administration is currently in the process of nominating members of its Cabinet and appointing senior staff. The Prime Minister had a warm introductory call with President-elect Trump on 6 November. During this call, the Prime Minister offered his congratulations and said he looked forward to working closely with President-elect Trump across all areas of the special relationship.

If he will set out the (a) terms of reference and (b) duration of the appointment of Crawford Falconer KCMG to his Department as Second Permanent Secretary and Chief Trade Negotiation Adviser.

In accordance with the Civil Service policy for Permanent Secretary roles, the DBT Second Permanent Secretary was appointed for a period of five years (August 2017 - August 2022). The period of appointment was subsequently extended to December 2024.

With reference to paragraph 5.70 of the Autumn Budget 2024, HC 295, published on 30 October 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the planned reduction of the Retail, Hospitality, and Leisure relief scheme from 75% to 40% on (a) pubs, (b) other hospitality businesses and (c) small retail businesses.

Without intervention by this Government, Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) relief would have ended entirely in April 2025, creating a cliff-edge for businesses. Instead, the Government has decided to offer a 40 per cent discount to RHL properties up to a cash cap of £110,0000 per business in 2025-26 and frozen the small business multiplier. This is a package worth over £1.6 billion in 2025-26, aimed at supporting the most vulnerable businesses, ensuring that over 250,000 RHL properties receive the full 40% support.By tapering RHL relief to 40%, rather than removing it entirely, the government has saved the average pub, with a rateable value (RV) of £16,800, over £3,300 in 2025.At Budget, the Government also announced that from 2026-27, it intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for RHL properties, including those on the high street. This permanent tax cut will ensure that they benefit from much-needed certainty and support. The Government intends to fund this by introducing a higher multiplier on the most valuable properties, which includes the majority of large distribution warehouses, including warehouses used by online giants.The exact rates for any new business rate multipliers will not be set until Budget 2025 so that the Government can take into account the revaluation outcomes as well as the economic and fiscal context.

What meetings he has had with representatives from UK Hospitality since 30 October 2024 on the potential impact of the Autumn Budget 2024 on the hospitality industry.

DBT engaged with UK Hospitality as part of a budget briefing call with retail, hospitality and small business representatives held on 4th November. The department also engages very regularly with UK Hospitality, through the Hospitality Sector Council, addressing strategic issues on areas including high street regeneration, skills, sustainability, and productivity.

What meetings he has had with representatives of the Federation of Small Businesses since 30 October 2024 on the potential impact of the Autumn Budget 2024 on small businesses.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) engaged with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) as part of a budget briefing call with retail, hospitality and small business representatives held on 4 November. Topics raised included measures to improve small businesses exports, and the close engagement between departments on Industrial Strategy and the recent late payments announcement. FSB also attended a roundtable discussion with the Secretary of State and SMEs on Industrial Strategy on 6 November. DBT Ministers and officials continue to engage regularly with FSB on a range of issues.

What steps her Department takes to verify the qualifications of newly hired officials.

HM Treasury recruitment campaigns use Success Profiles which is the recruitment framework used within the Civil Service. HM Treasury consider what skills a candidate will need to demonstrate in order to be successful and advertise vacancies with a clear person specification. Candidates are assessed through a robust assessment process consisting of a review of application forms and finally an interview where the Success Profiles are explored and tested. A leadership assessment and / or a Staff Engagement Panel is included for Senior Civil Service vacancies in addition to the application form and interview. All recruitment into HM Treasury vacancies abides by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. HM Treasury verify employment history of individuals against HM Revenue and Customs records. In cases where there is limited employment history, HM Treasury collect personal references. Where an advertised role requires an essential qualification, this is included within the advert and candidates are asked to declare that they meet the qualification criteria when applying. If they do not meet the qualification criteria, they are unable to apply for the role. Where a qualification is a prerequisite to an appointment, candidates present their original qualification certificates at interview stage to enable the department to verify their eligibility for the role.

What steps her Department takes to verify the professional experience set out in the applications of newly hired officials.

HM Treasury recruitment campaigns use Success Profiles which is the recruitment framework used within the Civil Service. HM Treasury consider what skills a candidate will need to demonstrate in order to be successful and advertise vacancies with a clear person specification. Candidates are assessed through a robust assessment process consisting of a review of application forms and finally an interview where the Success Profiles are explored and tested. A leadership assessment and / or a Staff Engagement Panel is included for Senior Civil Service vacancies in addition to the application form and interview. All recruitment into HM Treasury vacancies abides by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. HM Treasury verify employment history of individuals against HM Revenue and Customs records. In cases where there is limited employment history, HM Treasury collect personal references. Where an advertised role requires an essential qualification, this is included within the advert and candidates are asked to declare that they meet the qualification criteria when applying. If they do not meet the qualification criteria, they are unable to apply for the role. Where a qualification is a prerequisite to an appointment, candidates present their original qualification certificates at interview stage to enable the department to verify their eligibility for the role.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to his Department’s Commercial Pipeline for October 2024, published on 22 October 2024, whether he made an assessment of the potential merits of providing the Service Desk contract in-house.

The re-procurement of the Service Desk has been included in the Department’s Commercial Pipeline as potential activity. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology makes no commitment that the requirement will be procured. Activity to assess value for money and merits of providing the service in-house will be carried out through a Delivery Model Assessment, in accordance with Government Sourcing Playbook and Department’s Commercial Assurance Process. This activity has recently commenced, and the assessments have not been completed. Any resulting contract would be supported by contractual performance mechanisms to ensure adequate technical support throughout the life of the contract.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to his Department’s Commercial Pipeline for October 2024, published on 22 October 2024, what steps he is taking to ensure adequate technical support during the life of the Service Desk contract.

The re-procurement of the Service Desk has been included in the Department’s Commercial Pipeline as potential activity. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology makes no commitment that the requirement will be procured. Activity to assess value for money and merits of providing the service in-house will be carried out through a Delivery Model Assessment, in accordance with Government Sourcing Playbook and Department’s Commercial Assurance Process. This activity has recently commenced, and the assessments have not been completed. Any resulting contract would be supported by contractual performance mechanisms to ensure adequate technical support throughout the life of the contract.

Innovation and Technology, what his Department's budget for technical support services is for this financial year.

We have interpreted this as Digital technical support services, which are in the order of £0.8m for DSIT.

Innovation and Technology, with reference to his Department’s Commercial Pipeline for October 2024, published on 22 October 2024, what assessment he has made of the value for money of the contract for re-procurement of the Service Desk.

The re-procurement of the Service Desk has been included in the Department’s Commercial Pipeline as potential activity. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology makes no commitment that the requirement will be procured. Activity to assess value for money and merits of providing the service in-house will be carried out through a Delivery Model Assessment, in accordance with Government Sourcing Playbook and Department’s Commercial Assurance Process. This activity has recently commenced, and the assessments have not been completed. Any resulting contract would be supported by contractual performance mechanisms to ensure adequate technical support throughout the life of the contract.

Whether she has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology on the potential merits of the adoption of standalone 5G for the emergency services.

DSIT and the Home Office work closely on the technical requirements for commercial mobile coverage. ESN will operate over a commercial mobile network based on technology designed to evolve and improve alongside consumer technologies.Currently 4G offers best coverage and device availability and sufficient bandwidth for critical communications needs. ESN will use 5G standalone after its initial launch. Market trends suggest 4G and 5G will coexist for many years.