Written questions by Fox.

Whether he has had discussions with businesses on the length of the reference period of the guaranteed hours provisions in the Employment Rights Act 2025.

Awaiting answer.

What steps he has taken to ensure the guaranteed hours provisions of the Employment Rights Act 2025 support access to (a) seasonal workers, (b) agency workers and (c) people seeking flexible employment in the retail sector.

The Employment Rights Act 2025 includes flexibility to address issues of seasonal demand, for example, enabling employers that operate seasonally to use fixed-term contracts where the demand for work is genuinely temporary. We will consider further ways to cater for seasonal work through regulations following consultation, as well as application to agency workers. Workers and agency workers will also be able to decline a guaranteed hours offer if they wish.All employees also have a day one right to request a flexible working arrangement, and through the Employment Rights Act we are making it more likely that flexible working requests are accepted.

What steps he is taking to ensure that workforce training provision aligns with the needs of major industrial investments, including the battery gigafactory by Agratas under construction in Somerset.

The Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan sets out how government is supporting industry to develop a highly skilled workforce for the future. Measures include the £182 million Engineering Skills Package which will fund Technical Excellence Colleges including four in Advanced Manufacturing, £47 million to fund engineering skills for adults and £2 million to increase the number of engineering T Levels.Through the Battery Innovation Programme, the Department directly supports skills centres in the Northeast, Midlands and the South West to develop a pipeline of skilled technicians for the UK’s battery electric vehicle supply chain.

What progress has been made in the statutory review into the right to time off work for special constables established under the Employment Rights Act 2025.

The government is continuing to progress the review into the right to time off work for public duties. The main evidence-gathering and analysis stages of the review have been completed. I will consider findings of the review, including that of special constables, in the first half of this year and subsequently publish before 18 December 2026. We are grateful to officials from across government for providing evidence in support of this review and we will continue to engage as the review and any subsequent steps progress.

What assessment he has made of the role of the UK-Morocco Association Agreement in increasing levels of cooperation and trade between the UK and Morocco.

Since the UK-Morocco Association Agreement entered into force in 2021, bilateral trade has been rising and reached £4.6 billion in the 12 months to the end of June 2025, an increase of 18.8% or £730 million in current prices, from the previous 12 months. The Agreement underpins bilateral political, economic and social cooperation and facilitates bilateral trade. The UK held the third Association Council meeting on 12 November, reaffirming commitments to deepen trade, investment, and collaboration on education, renewable energy, and security, in line with the step-change in relations following June’s bilateral strategic dialogue.

When the UK-Morocco agriculture tariff review is expected to be completed.

It is still ongoing and will conclude when an agreement can be reached that benefits both the UK and Morocco.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of how imported plastic from Saudi Arabia might impact on the viability of domestic recycled plastic production.

The Department for Business and Trade has not made any specific assessment of the impact of plastic imports from Saudi Arabia on domestic recycled plastic production. We are, however, working to ensure the viability of domestic production. This year marks the start of DEFRA’s collection and packaging reforms and a Deposit Return Scheme which will provide feedstock certainty through guaranteeing supply of materials for recycling, whilst also stimulating private investment in infrastructure. Government departments also continue to work closely together to identify interventions necessary to stabilise the sector and set it up for success.

What financial support his Department provides to the recycled plastic industry.

Government is committed to improving the business environment for the recycled plastic industry. This includes support for eligible firms through the Energy Intensive Industry relief schemes, depending on scheme eligibility criteria and firm levels of electricity usage. Other mechanisms include the market-based Packaging Waste Recycling Notes (PRN) system that provides direct funding to the reprocessing sector. DEFRA’s collection and packaging reforms will also stimulate investment in recycling services and provide feedstock certainty, and while we cannot endorse individual technologies, Government have a range of funding sources available to support innovative and emerging technologies within this space through Innovate UK.

What steps his Department is taking to support cross-border businesses with the potential impacts of the inclusion of glass in the deposit return scheme in Wales.

The Government demonstrated in our recent review of the UK Internal Market Act our commitment to work with devolved governments to manage effectively the UK internal market for the benefit of business and citizens across the country. The UK government’s regulations for a Deposit Return Scheme enable the Deposit Management Organisation to work in an interoperable way with other deposit return schemes in the UK.We continue to engage with industry and the Welsh Government to consider how the proposed Welsh deposit return scheme may impact on businesses across the UK.

What proportion of civil servants in his Department have flexible working arrangements; and how many of those work compressed hours.

The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) is committed to supporting flexible working practices. Employees may request alternative working patterns to help balance their professional and personal responsibilities, as long as business requirements are met. Compressed hours enable an individual to complete their contracted full-time weekly hours across longer daily working hours over fewer days, with no change to their salary.In most instances, staff are not required to record flexible working arrangements within the central HR Management system, as these agreements are managed directly with their line manager. Consequently, we are unable to provide the numbers.

What proportion of staff in his Department did not meet the minimum office attendance target in the latest period for which data is available; and what sanctions his Department issues to staff who do not meet this target.

On 24 October 2024 the Cabinet Office announced that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service. Senior managers will continue to be expected to be in the office more than 60% of the time. Due to space constraints the department has set the requirement of 40% for delegated grades.The department does not hold information on the number of staff who have met the minimum office attendance target. See Civil Service Headquarters occupancy data for published information covering departmental headquarters building occupancy. The department introduced a process to record office attendance information from 4 August 2025. This data is not yet available.Staff who operate under the department’s hybrid working policy are expected to meet the minimum office attendance requirements. If people do not meet that reasonable expectation, as with any management instruction it will be dealt with via existing performance management processes and ultimately with disciplinary action should there be sustained failure to comply.

Pursuant to the Answer of 1 April 2025 to Question 41654 on Trade: Occupied Territories and Western Sahara, whether he has had discussions with the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs on the potential impact of recognising Western Sahara as a part of Morocco on British businesses.

DBT and FCDO frequently engage on how best to deliver the government’s growth mission, including by supporting UK exports and investment across North Africa.The Department for Business and Trade’s team in Morocco focusses on the business opportunities which will create the most value for the UK economy. An example of this is the work the Department is doing on infrastructure projects, ahead of Morocco’s co-hosting of the 2030 FIFA World Cup.The UK continues to support UN-led efforts to reach a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution, based on compromise, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.

Pursuant to the Answer of 1 April 2025 to Question 41654 on Trade: Occupied Territories and Western Sahara, if his Department will make an assessment of the impact on British businesses of the UK recognising Western Sahara as a part of Morocco.

DBT and FCDO frequently engage on how best to deliver the government’s growth mission, including by supporting UK exports and investment across North Africa.The Department for Business and Trade’s team in Morocco focusses on the business opportunities which will create the most value for the UK economy. An example of this is the work the Department is doing on infrastructure projects, ahead of Morocco’s co-hosting of the 2030 FIFA World Cup.The UK continues to support UN-led efforts to reach a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable political solution, based on compromise, which will provide for the self-determination of the people of Western Sahara.

Whether there are any requirements for civil servants to book a desk in advance in order to attend the office in person in each of (a) their Department's office workplaces and (b) the arm’s length bodies of their Department.

Desk booking systems are in use at several DBT’s offices, including its London headquarters. Except for offices at Caxton House, London, it is not compulsory for people to book a desk for them to attend the office in person. Arms length bodies have their own individual policies and procedures relating to desk booking.

What the average length of wait has been to receive the result of an application for a Standard Individual Export Licence using the new LITE system since it was launched.

LITE is being introduced gradually as we design, build and iteratively improve the system. It was initially introduced in 2021 for a small number of exporters and this gradual increase in cases continued through 2022. The then Government concluded a total of 384 cases in LITE over 2021 and 2022 and the median processing time was 38 days. In 2023, the then Government paused the reporting of LITE processing times whilst new functionality was developed. The Government is planning to return to publishing LITE data during 2025 once this functionality is implemented.

What the average length of wait was to receive the result of an application for a Standard Individual Export Licence using the SPIRE system between January to July 2024.

Between 1 January and 30 June 2024, the median processing time for Standard Individual Export Licence (SIEL) applications submitted on SPIRE and processed to first outcome was 16 working days.The Export Control Joint Unit’s (ECJU) current performance targets are to complete 70% of applications for SIELs within 20 working days, and 99% within 60 working days.The Export Control Joint Unit publish comprehensive statistics every quarter about export licence applications, which includes our median processing times. The most recent publication covers the quarter up to June 2024. This data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data.

Pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2024 to Question 9607 on DBT: Buildings, how many civil servants are assigned to work in his Department's headquarters in London; and how many individual desks are available in that office.

I refer the (Rt.) Hon. Member to my response to question 9606, tabled on 16th October 2024. Please see below a summary of the number of staff assigned by each location and the number of desks per location as of 30th September 2024: DBT HubHeadcountDesk NumbersBelfast6316Birmingham403216Cardiff14566Darlington248100Edinburgh9256Greater Manchester17165London40101500*Regional Offices194141Total53262160*We have several offices across the country that are listed under Regional Offices, it would exceed the word count if these were to be listed in totality.

Pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2024 to Question 9607 on DBT: Buildings, how many individual desks were occupied in his Department’s headquarters in the most recent four weeks for which figures are available.

Heads of Department have agreed that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service. Office occupancy data for the period July - September has been published, with further publications to now happen on a quarterly basis. The data is published here:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-hq-occupancy-data

How much was spent on (a) new furniture and fittings and (b) other refurbishment of Ministerial offices in his Department since the dissolution of the last Parliament; and on what items this was spent.

Since the dissolution of the last Parliament, the Department for Business and Trade has not spent any money on:a) new furniture or fittings for Minister’s offices orb) other refurbishment of Ministerial offices

How many and what proportion of desks were occupied in each of his Department’s offices in the most recent four weeks for which figures are available; and how many staff attended each office in person in the same period.

Heads of Department have agreed that 60% minimum office attendance for most staff continues to be the best balance of working for the Civil Service. Office occupancy data for the period July - September has been published today, with further publications to now happen on a quarterly basis. The data is published here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/civil-service-hq-occupancy-data