Written questions by Anderson.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of electricity cost reductions on the competitiveness of manufacturers located in the Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.

The British Industry Supercharger is already supporting the competitiveness of around 550 of the most electricity and trade-intensive firms across Great Britain, including in Buckingham and Bletchley, by reducing electricity costs by on average approximately £65 – £87 per megawatt hour.From 2027 the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will reduce electricity costs by up to £40 per megawatt hour for over 10,000 eligible manufacturing businesses. This will help bring electricity costs more in line with other European economies and help support investment and economic growth across Great Britain including in Buckingham and Bletchley.

What steps his Department is taking to provide development support for co-operative businesses located in (i) Milton Keynes and (ii) Buckinghamshire.

The Government is committed to supporting diverse business models and doubling the size of the co-operative and mutual sector. We have received strong engagement from the sector through our Call for Evidence and are now analysing responses to shape future business support, including what can be achieved within existing support services such as the Business Growth Service and Growth Hubs.Cooperatives play a vital role in Buckinghamshire’s agricultural sector and Government is developing the new Farmer Collaboration Fund to unlock the broader benefits of this sort of collaboration.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of increases in UK-Spain co-operation on levels of inward private sector investment into (i) Milton Keynes and (ii) Buckinghamshire.

According to figures published by the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in the UK, the UK was the second largest destination for Spanish foreign direct investment stock at the end of 2023, supporting over 140,000 jobs in the UK in 2023.During her visit to Madrid, the Chancellor welcomed a £240m investment from Exolum while Indra will create 600 jobs in the UK after being awarded a contract by Transport for London. Spanish bank Santander has also developed its UK headquarters in Milton Keynes, where it employs thousands of people.

What assessment he has made of the implications of UK-Spain economic co-operation for small and medium-sized enterprises.

Our bilateral cooperation with Spain is creating opportunities for British businesses, including the Spanish government’s decision to exempt British nationals from a visa requirement for the provision of services in stays of less than ninety days. This could be worth around £250 million in additional exports to UK businesses over a five-year period. This will benefit UK businesses of all sizes exporting to Spain.Our cooperation with the EU is also reducing barriers to trade. An SPS Agreement with the EU will make agrifood trade easier, cutting costs and red tape for British producers and retailers, including small and medium enterprises that currently trade or want to trade with Spain and other EU countries.

What assessment he has made of the impact of current manufacturing investment incentives on national manufacturing output.

Effective monitoring and evaluation is integral to assessing manufacturing policy. Current investment incentives are tracked through operational metrics and economic indicators including business investment, productivity, exports, GVA, labour market outcomes and growth of large UK firms.Recent impact reports show that major programmes are delivering strong returns; for example, the Advanced Propulsion Centre’s R&D programme generated £2.20 of additional private investment for every £1 of public funding. Together, these assessments help ensure that incentives support increased manufacturing capability and long term national output.Delivery progress against new Industrial Strategy commitments, including for manufacturing, is captured in regular Quarterly Updates.

How many UK businesses have participated in Ukraine trade support programmes.

Under the UK-Ukraine 100 Year Partnership, the Department for Business and Trade has provided trade support to hundreds of UK businesses in Ukraine through:The Free Trade Agreement and tariff liberalisation to simplify trade;Tackling market access barriers which reduce or prevent trade;Maintaining up to £3.5bn in UK Export Finance cover through UKEF;DBT’s Project Development Programme to embed British involvement in reconstruction projects;A procurement dashboard providing easy access to World Bank, EIB, and EBRD opportunities;Business promotion and introduction opportunities such as trade missions, round tables, and international conferences including the ReBuild Ukraine Expo.

What progress his Department has made on improving the rights of self-employed workers.

The government is enhancing rights and protections for the self-employed in several ways. Measures announced in September 2024 will tackle late payment and long payment terms, including requiring large companies to report on payment performance and the introduction of a Fair Payment Code. We also plan further consultations, including on extension of health and safety and blacklisting protections, a new right to a written statement for the self-employed, and the extension of measures which void Non-Disclosure Agreements in cases of relevant harassment and discrimination. Furthermore, our review of parental leave and pay will consider the needs of self-employed parents.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of updating public procurement policy to (a) incentivise and (b) mandate greater use of UK made steel in publicly funded projects.

The Government wants to see more use of UK‑made steel in publicly funded projects, whilst respecting our national and international legal obligations. The latest steel public procurement data shows that in the financial year 2024–25, where all the steel required could be produced in the UK, 95% of the steel procured by central government buyers was UK‑produced.That said, we continue to strengthen mechanisms to enable the public procurement of UK‑made steel. Updated steel procurement guidance (Public Procurement Policy Notice 022), introduced in June 2025, requires in‑scope organisations to consult UK Steel’s digital catalogue for all new relevant steel procurements before making decisions, and encourages them to consider whether the national security exemption under the Procurement Act applies.

What steps his Department is taking to further support employee ownership in the Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.

Employee-owned businesses are a significant part of the UK economy, with 2,470 EOBs in the UK as of June 2025, employing over 335,000 people.DBT, as part of the Autumn Budget announcements, launched a Call for Evidence on Business Support for Co-operatives and Mutuals, which closed on the 18th February. DBT is now analysing responses and these will inform any potential business support policies to support the growth of the sector.The government is committed to supporting the growth of the mutuals sector in line with the manifesto commitment to double the size of the sector. To deliver this, the Chancellor announced a multi-year programme of measures at Mansion House 2024 which government is now delivering.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of proposals put forward by the European Commission to restrict exports of UK steel on the steel industry.

Steel is a priority for this Government. We are committed to defending our critical steel industry, protecting skilled jobs and supporting economic growth.The Government is assessing the potential impact of the European Commission’s proposal and is engaging extensively with them to ensure the best possible outcome for UK producers and the wider steel supply chain. We expect the EU to fulfil its obligations under the TCA.We will set out a long-term vision for the steel sector in our forthcoming Steel Strategy, including support provided to domestic producers to remain competitive in a challenging global market.

What mechanisms will be used to monitor supply chain resilience outcomes arising from the UK–US critical minerals partnership.

The UK’s Critical Mineral Strategy sets out ambitious success features to build domestic resilience and diversify global supply chains. These include meeting 10% of UK demand from domestic production, 20% from recycling and no more than 60% of any critical mineral from a single country. Our Memorandum of Understanding with the US will seek to deliver against these success features, with outcomes monitored by the Department for Business and Trade.

What estimate he has made of the amount of private capital expected to be leveraged as a result of the UK–US critical minerals partnership over the next five years.

We do not have concrete estimates for private capital that will be leveraged and note that the MoU will serve to advance UK projects beyond just investment, including potential offtake agreements with US industry. In 2024, the UK exported around £2 billion worth of critical minerals and their immediate derivatives to the US, whilst importing around £1 billion originating from the US.

What criteria his Department will use to determine priority projects under the UK–US critical minerals partnership.

The MoU will help unlock more high‑quality potential investment into UK mining, processing and recycling. Our bilateral coordination will align with priorities set out in UK’s Critical Minerals Strategy with a view to boosting local growth and developing UK capabilities.

What assessment he has made of the contribution of export credit to the UK economy over the last five years.

The recently published report by Oxford Economics, Analysing UKEF-Supported Supply Chains (which is available online at: Research and Analysis: Analysing UKEF-supported supply chains - GOV.UK), shows that in the last five years, deals supported by UK Export Finance (UKEF), the UK’s export credit agency, were responsible for £23 billion gross value added contributions to the UK economy, and supported an average of up to 66,000 jobs per annum. That report also showed that the supply chains of the businesses directly supported by UKEF include 115,000 businesses around the UK.In April 2025, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced an expansion of UKEF’s support to bolster the resilience of British businesses. This included increasing its financial capacity by £20 billion, to £80 billion, and targeting £10 billion of that to support firms that had been impacted by uncertainties in the world economy, including the new tariff environment.Further information about the nature and extent of UKEF’s support is available in the Annual Report and Accounts, available online at: UK Export Finance annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK.

What estimate he has made of the potential impact of an enhanced UK-Switzerland trade agreement on jobs in the UK.

The current UK-Swiss Free Trade Agreement dates back to 1972 and covers goods but not services. UK-Swiss services trade is worth around £30 billion annually and our exports to Switzerland support over 100,000 jobs across the UK. Negotiations on an enhanced trade deal with Switzerland are focused on unlocking more opportunities for UK services firms with our 6th largest services export market, to help support jobs across the UK. The Department will publish an assessment of the finalised agreement.

What assessment he has made of how export credit support affects business resilience to global economic shocks.

The recently published report by Oxford Economics, Analysing UKEF-Supported Supply Chains (which is available online at: Research and Analysis: Analysing UKEF-supported supply chains - GOV.UK), shows that in the last five years, deals supported by UK Export Finance (UKEF), the UK’s export credit agency, were responsible for £23 billion gross value added contributions to the UK economy, and supported an average of up to 66,000 jobs per annum. That report also showed that the supply chains of the businesses directly supported by UKEF include 115,000 businesses around the UK.In April 2025, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced an expansion of UKEF’s support to bolster the resilience of British businesses. This included increasing its financial capacity by £20 billion, to £80 billion, and targeting £10 billion of that to support firms that had been impacted by uncertainties in the world economy, including the new tariff environment.Further information about the nature and extent of UKEF’s support is available in the Annual Report and Accounts, available online at: UK Export Finance annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK.

How UK Export Finance measures the economic impact of its support across domestic supply chains.

The recently published report by Oxford Economics, Analysing UKEF-Supported Supply Chains (which is available online at: Research and Analysis: Analysing UKEF-supported supply chains - GOV.UK), shows that in the last five years, deals supported by UK Export Finance (UKEF), the UK’s export credit agency, were responsible for £23 billion gross value added contributions to the UK economy, and supported an average of up to 66,000 jobs per annum. That report also showed that the supply chains of the businesses directly supported by UKEF include 115,000 businesses around the UK.In April 2025, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced an expansion of UKEF’s support to bolster the resilience of British businesses. This included increasing its financial capacity by £20 billion, to £80 billion, and targeting £10 billion of that to support firms that had been impacted by uncertainties in the world economy, including the new tariff environment.Further information about the nature and extent of UKEF’s support is available in the Annual Report and Accounts, available online at: UK Export Finance annual reports and accounts - GOV.UK.

What evaluation criteria will be used to assess the economic impact of the £11 billion lending support on businesses in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.

The package is a commitment from the UK’s top high-street banks to lend more to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) using UK Export Finance’s (UKEF’s) guarantee, to boost UK exports and economic growth. It signals to SMEs that want to export that there is a dedicated pool of capital available for them from lenders whom they trust. Repayment of the loans will be managed by the respective banks, applying their regular criteria and processes. UKEF has robust legal agreements in place which set requirements regarding monitoring of potential defaults and making relevant recoveries.While we have not made formal assessments of the economic impact of the SME Exporter Fund, last year UK Export Finance (UKEF) provided £14.5 billion of support to UK exporters, in turn supporting up to 70,000 jobs and contributing £5.4 billion to the economy. Each bank has agreed to make the funds available across the whole of the UK. UKEF also has a network of export finance managers (EFMs) around the whole country who are valuable points of contact for local businesses and can provide information on the range of support available. Contact details for the EFM covering Buckingham and Bletchley, and others, can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/find-an-export-finance-manager

What measures are in place to monitor repayments among businesses in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency receiving government-backed loans.

The package is a commitment from the UK’s top high-street banks to lend more to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) using UK Export Finance’s (UKEF’s) guarantee, to boost UK exports and economic growth. It signals to SMEs that want to export that there is a dedicated pool of capital available for them from lenders whom they trust. Repayment of the loans will be managed by the respective banks, applying their regular criteria and processes. UKEF has robust legal agreements in place which set requirements regarding monitoring of potential defaults and making relevant recoveries.While we have not made formal assessments of the economic impact of the SME Exporter Fund, last year UK Export Finance (UKEF) provided £14.5 billion of support to UK exporters, in turn supporting up to 70,000 jobs and contributing £5.4 billion to the economy. Each bank has agreed to make the funds available across the whole of the UK. UKEF also has a network of export finance managers (EFMs) around the whole country who are valuable points of contact for local businesses and can provide information on the range of support available. Contact details for the EFM covering Buckingham and Bletchley, and others, can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/find-an-export-finance-manager

What steps he is taking to ensure that regulatory reform supports access to domestic and international markets for scale-ups in Buckingham and Bletchley constituency.

Our Regulation Action Plan, published last year, included reforms to the regulatory system designed to unlock growth, boost innovation and reduce burdens across key business sectors. As part of this we will lift up to 51,000 companies from unnecessary reporting obligations through our modernising corporate reporting programme. New regulatory reviews will simplify and streamline rules, reducing paperwork, cutting duplication and supporting innovation. Export-ready SMEs and scale-ups looking to sell to the world can access DBT’s export support services which provides free, in-market support.