Written questions by Mitchell.

What steps his Department is taking to encourage foreign direct investment in the West Midlands.

The Department actively promotes FDI into the West Midlands through the Office for Investment (OfI), which works closely with the West Midlands Combined Authority and regional stakeholders to identify, shape, and market regional opportunities internationally. This reflects the importance of the West Midlands to delivering the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy and Infrastructure Strategy. We held the Regional Investment Summit jointly with WMCA in Birmingham last year which saw £635m of private investment announced for West Midlands and recently supported Mayor Richard Parker’s trade mission to India to engage existing and prospective investors.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the minimum wage increase on the number of entry level positions that could be replaced by artificial intelligence and automation systems.

The Get Britain Working White Paper sets out how we will address key labour market challenges and spread opportunity in order to fix the foundations of our economy so we can make the most of the opportunities AI presents. The Government is supporting workforce readiness for AI through a range of initiatives.When recommending National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates, the Low Pay Commission considers a range of factors influencing the labour market. These include the cost of living, inflation forecasts for April 2026 to April 2027, and the broader economic impact on employment, business competitiveness, and overall market conditions-including developments in technology and artificial intelligence. We are confident that the minimum wage rates will not have a significant impact on employment levels.

What recent steps his Department has taken to support publicans in the West Midlands.

We recognise that pubs, including those in the West Midlands, are at the beating heart of communities, providing not just a place to socialise but essential services and local jobs. That’s why we’re investing £440,000 with Pub is The Hub to help rural pubs diversify, aiming to support rural communities, create new jobs and services.In April, we launched a Taskforce to review premises licensing and develop proposals for a more balanced system that safeguards communities while supporting responsible businesses. These reforms form part of the Small Business Strategy, which is designed to tackle late payments, improve access to finance and reduce unnecessary regulatory burdens.We are also creating a fairer business rates system, including permanently lower rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with a rateable value under £500,000. We continue to work closely with the sector through the Hospitality Sector Council to address challenges.

What recent discussions he has had with (a) large supermarket chains and (b) representatives of independent retailers on the illegal sale of fireworks.

The Government met with supermarkets and representatives of independent retails in July where the illegal sale of fireworks and what measures they could take in addressing illegal sale was discussed. This includes, but is not exclusive to, supermarkets and independent retailers via the British Retail Consortium and Associations of Convenient Stores.

What recent steps his Department has taken to support small businesses in the retail sector in the West Midlands.

We’re creating a fairer business rates system that protects small retailers, including introducing permanently lower rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties under £500,000 rateable value. The government has protected the smallest businesses from the impact of the increase to employer National Insurance by increasing the Employment Allowance from £5,000 to £10,500, which means that 865,000 employers will pay no employer NICs at all this year. Our recently announced Small Business Plan aims to tackle late payments, boost access to finance, and remove red tape to enable small businesses, including retailers, grow and thrive. The West Midlands Growth Hub is where small and medium businesses in the West Midlands can benefit from specialist business advice on how to grow, access new markets and receive government support.

What discussions he has had with representatives of the hospitality industry on job losses in the West Midlands since the Autumn Budget 2024.

The Government recognises the vital role hospitality businesses play in driving employment and supporting local economies including in the West Midlands. We also understand the pressures they face. That’s why our Plan for Small Businesses delivers the most comprehensive support package in a generation, cutting red tape and increasing access to finance.The Government intends to introduce permanently lower tax rates for RHL properties with rateable values below £500,000, from 2026-27. The Department for Business and Trade regularly engages with representatives from the hospitality sector, through the Hospitality Sector Council, to co-create solutions to the issues impacting business performance, including jobs and skills. In addition the Hospitality Fund is backing projects that will include addressing skills gaps in the sector and boosting productivity.

What steps he is taking to encourage business investment in (a) Sutton Coldfield constituency and (b) the West Midlands.

This department is taking significant steps to encourage business investment across the West Midlands, including Sutton Coldfield constituency. For 2025/26, we have committed £490,700 in core funding to Business Growth West Midlands through the West Midlands Combined Authority, providing tailored business support services including access to finance, export opportunities, and innovation support.In addition, UK businesses, including those in the West Midlands, can also access DBT's export support via Great.gov.uk, including the Export Academy, UK Export Finance, International Markets network, and International Trade Advisers, to support their business growth.

What steps his Department is taking to increase the number of Foreign Direct Investment projects in the West Midlands.

The Office for Investment (OfI) collaborates with stakeholders across the West Midlands to promote strategic foreign investment opportunities and to drive high-quality jobs growth in the region. Through a strategic initiative, the OfI provides funding to enable stakeholders to offer direct support to foreign investors looking to establish and expand their operations in the West Midlands.The Regional Investment Summit 2025, will be held in the Autumn in the West Midlands, reinforcing the government’s priorities to drive sustainable economic growth, unlocking opportunity, creating high-quality jobs, and supporting innovation, across the West Midlands and all regions of the UK.

What steps his Department is taking to support self-employed people in the West Midlands.

Last year, the Business Secretary announced a new Business Growth Service, which will make it easier for entrepreneurs and businesses across the West Midlands to get support and advice to grow, export and thrive.The West Midlands Growth Hub is where entrepreneurs and SMEs across the West Midlands can obtain specialist advice, including on scaling up and accessing new markets.Businesses can also access other Government programmes such as the Business Support Service, Help to Grow: Management, the UK Export Academy, International Trade Advisors, the Export Support Service and financial help via the British Business Bank.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of investing in industrial sites in the West Midlands.

While the Department has made no assessment of the potential merits of investing in industrial sites in the West Midlands, we continue to consider industry’s feedback on the key enablers for strategic investment which includes the need for industrial sites.We have been working at pace to develop an Industrial Strategy based on businesses responses to the Invest 2035 Green Paper and ongoing engagement with businesses, with the advice and oversight of the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council.The Office for Investment is also expanding its capacity to better support and enable large scale investments, such as the recent investment secured in Bedford for a multi-billion pound Universal theme park.

What steps his Department is taking to support small business growth in (a) Sutton Coldfield and (b) the West Midlands.

Last year the Business Secretary announced a new Business Growth Service which will make it easier for businesses in Sutton Coldfield, the West Midlands and across the UK, to get help, support and advice to grow and thrive.The West Midlands Growth Hub is where small and medium sized businesses in Sutton Coldfield and the West Midlands can benefit from specialist advice on how to scale up, access new markets and receive financial support through the British Business Bank.Businesses can also access other Government programmes such as the Business Support Service, Help to Grow: Management, the UK Export Academy, International Trade Advisors and the Export Support Service.

What recent steps his Department has taken to support the food and beverage sector in the West Midlands.

DBT offers extensive support for food and drink businesses in the West Midlands and across the UK. This includes educational programmes via the Export Academy, one-to-one advice from International Trade Advisors, and participation in global trade shows and missions. UK Export Finance provides financial assistance, with dedicated managers in the Midlands. Businesses can access support through the Business Support Service, Gov.UK, local Growth Hubs, Help to Grow Schemes, and the Small Business Council. This package reaffirms government’s commitment to making the UK the best place in the world to start and grow a business, particularly in the food and beverage sector.

What steps his Department is taking to support (a) retail and (b) hospitality businesses in the West Midlands.

We are delivering across government to create better conditions for retail and hospitality businesses to thrive. This government has introduced the Crime and Policing Bill, which will scrap the effective immunity for low-value shoplifting and do more to protect retail workers from assault. We have introduced High Street Rental Auction powers for local authorities, which will make town centre tenancies more accessible and affordable for SMEs, local businesses and community groups. And we are delivering permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality, and leisure properties from 2026-27. Last year the Business Secretary announced a new Business Growth Service which will make it easier and quicker for businesses across the United Kingdom to get the help, support and advice they need to grow and thrive. The West Midlands Growth Hub is where small and medium businesses in the West Midlands can benefit from specialist business advice on how to grow, access new markets and receive government support.