Every parliamentary written question tabled by Charlie Dewhirst this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 1–20 of 44 · Department for Business and Trade
With reference to the answer of 16 April 2026, to Question 126612, on China: Clean Energy, whether (a) Memorandums of Understanding and (b) non-legally binding agreements have been agreed between the (i) department and (ii) its agencies, and with the People’s Republic of China, since 4 July that have not been published on gov.uk.
Awaiting answer.
With reference to the Answer of 5 June 2026 to Question 3763 on Government Communications Service: Staff, and of 19 January 2026 to Question 104195 on Government Communication Service: Staff, how many headcount staff in his Department are (a) members of the Government Communication Network and (b) are embedded communicators but are not counted as members of the Government Communication Network.
Awaiting answer.
Pursuant to the Answer of 4 June 2026 to Question 4161 on Government departments: marketing, how much has been spent on branded goods and merchandise by the Department since the Government Chief Commercial Officer letter was sent; and on what items.
Awaiting answer.
What are the powers of (a) the Secretary of State, (b) Insolvency Service and (c) Insolvency Practitioners to request that corporate electronic communications held by a company in administration are retained where there is a wider public interest that such communications are not lost.
Awaiting answer.
With reference to the "Letter from The Rt Hon Douglas Alexander MP to the Prime Minister", published 10 June 2026, if he will publish the minute of the meeting of 31 July 2024.
Awaiting answer.
With reference to the written statement on Implementing the Employment Rights Act: June Consultations on Employment Rights for Unpaid Carers, Time off for Public Duties and Government responses, HCWS100, made on 9 June 2026, for what reason the public duties for national organisations are being removed.
Awaiting answer.
With reference to the Answer of 13 March 2026 to Question 117997 on EU Files Forum, if he will list the organisations that attended each of those meetings.
Awaiting answer.
Whether his Department has a policy for reviews of regulations that have been introduced.
Awaiting answer.
Whether guidance has been given by HM Government to the UK public relations and public affairs industry on the (a) exporting of public relations and public affairs services to Russia, and (b) UK-based
Yes, we have. It is available here: guidance on professional services sanctions.To be clear, as I am sure the HM is aware, The Russia (Sanctions) (EU Exit) Regulations 2022 prohibit any UK persons anywhere and other persons in the UK from providing profes...
Whether (a) his department and (b) ACAS have issued on whether an employee can be summarily dismissed for gross misconduct if they lie or deceive when applying for the job.
There is government guidance on GOV.UK on summary dismissal for reasons relating to gross misconduct. Acas has issued both a statutory Code of Practice and non-statutory guidance covering gross misconduct. These do not specifically mention dismissal for lying or deception during the recruitment process. Misconduct involving dishonesty may meet the threshold for gross misconduct if it fundamentally undermines trust and confidence.
If his Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on productivity; and what information his Department holds on the OBR having made such an assessment.
The Government has published a comprehensive assessment on the impact of the Act. It cites academic evidence linking stronger employment protections to improved productivity and highlights that better job security, wellbeing, and reduced undercutting of good employers may lead to a more productive workforce.The OBR have not yet made an assessment of the Act as policy development is still ongoing. The OBR has stated that it plans to include the Act in its forecasts once details are sufficiently confirmed, and we will support them in preparing for any forecast in future.
With reference to the transparency data entitled the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for government’s most important contracts, Data for July to September 2025 for all departments, published on 25 December 2025, UK Export Finance, Workforce Solutions, Alexander Mann Solutions, what was the purpose of the "Social Value - The number of Social Value network events delivered to the supply chain in the financial year" as a KPI, and what were the topics and nature of the specific network events that were delivered.
Government Departments are required to apply at least 10% weighting to Social Value in tender evaluations, in line with the Social Value Model. Additionally, procurement regulations require that for all contracts worth more than £5 million, departments report and publish four Key Performance Indicators, including at least one relating to Social Value.The Social Value events delivered for UK Export Finance by Alexander Mann Solutions aimed to educate participants in the delivery of Social Value commitments and Government requirements.The event delivered in that quarter covered 'Wellbeing in the Workplace'.
Pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2026, to Question 107050, on Stamp Advisory Committee, on what dates those five meetings of the Committee took place.
The five meetings of the Stamp Advisory Committee which were attended by an official from the Department for Business and Trade took place, respectively, on 21 November 2024; 23 January 2025; 10 July 2025; 11 September 2025; and 20 November 2025.Additionally, an official from the Department attended a Committee meeting on 22 January 2026.
Pursuant to the answer of 27 November 2025, to Question HL12107, on Trade Agreements: Maldives, if he will list every country currently within the Free Trade Agreement programme, where HM Government is looking to negotiate new or updated free trade agreements.
Negotiations with the Republic of Korea on an upgraded Free Trade Agreement (FTA) have concluded and both sides are preparing for signature later this year. FTA negotiations continue with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Switzerland, Turkey and Greenland. Discussions on the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal (EPD) also continue.In addition, the UK is engaged in Costa Rica and Uruguay's Accession Working Groups, as part of their accession process to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
Pursuant to the answer of 29 January 2026, to Question 107051, on DBT: Social Media, if he will name any other specific social media influencers who have been commissioned by the department or its contractors to undertake paid advertising for the department for any other campaigns or programmes since July 2024, including their social media handles.
Apart from the 2025 National Minimum and Living Wage campaign, no other social media influencers have been commissioned by the Department or its contractors to undertake paid advertising for other campaigns or programmes since July 2024.Influencer marketing is regarded as a credible promotional channel, which is considered for government advertising campaigns and can be an effective way to reach audiences that the Government and traditional marketing channels find hard to reach. The Department will look to draw on influencer marketing in future campaigns where this helps achieve campaign objectives.
Pursuant to the answer of 26 November 2025, to Question 91946, on EU Files Forum, on what dates the EU Files Forum has met since July 2024.
The Department for Business and Trade hosted the first official-level EU Files Forum with key UK Business Representative Organisations on 5 June 2025. The Forum meets on a quarterly basis to facilitate a dialogue between government and the UK business community on evolving EU legislation.Since June, the Forum has met on the following dates:• 10 September 2025• 4 December 2025• 5 March 2026
Pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2025 to Question 98107 on Department for Business and Trade: Public Appointments, whether any of those direct ministerial appointees have made a declaration of political activity.
Of the 30 direct ministerial appointees, 6 have declared political activity.Due diligence is conducted and individuals are required to complete a formal declaration of interests, in line with Cabinet Office guidance. These appointees deliver vital expertise to government and there is no bar to political activity for these roles.
What the (a) name, (b) job title, (c) annual remuneration, (d) time commitment and (e) expected end date is for each direct ministerial appointment in his Department.
Direct ministerial appointments are published on GOV.UK in line with Cabinet Office best practice.Current direct ministerial appointments in the department are:Name(s) and Job TitleAnnual RemunerationTime Commitment Expected End DatePress Release LinkJon Bolton, Steel Council, Co-Chair£850 per day47 days per annum31 December 2025 (TBC)Link (2025 appointment)Nita Clarke Non-Executive Board Member£15,00020 days per annum10 December 2027Link (2024 appointment)Professor Chris Dungey Advanced Manufacturing AI Champion UnremuneratedNo specific time commitment1 December 2026Link (2025 appointment)Doug Gurr Interim Chair, Competition and Markets Authority£106,666Up to 2 days per week21 July 2026LinkRichard Judge Independent Regulatory Reviewer£500 per day1 day per week20 October 2026Link (2025 appointment)Nigel Railton Interim Chair, Post OfficeUp to £150,0002 days per week25 May 2028Link (2025 appointment)Shaheen Sayed Professional Businesses Services AI ChampionUnremunerated50 hours over 1 year appointment25 November 2026PBS announcement and DSIT AI champions linkSamantha Seaton Smart Data Council Co-ChairUnremunerated20 days per annum17 October 2027Link (2025 appointment)Professor Sir Steve Smith International Education Champion UnremuneratedNo specific time commitment30 September 2026Link (original 2020 appointment) Link (2024 reappointment)Omar Ali, Mike Hawes OBE, Dame Vivian Hunt DBE, Allison Kirkby, Paul Lindley OBE, Catherine McGuinness CBE, Michelle Ovens CBE, Mike Soutar, Sarah Walker, Charles Woodburn CBE Board of Trade Advisers UnremuneratedMeets quarterly. Occasional ad-hoc commitments13 March 2026Link (2025 appointment)Dame Clare Barclay (Chair), Kate Bell, Rt Hon Greg Clark, Professor Dame Diane Coyle, Greg Jackson, Tunde Olanrewaju, Henry G Overman, Henrik L Pedersen, Dr Aislinn Rice, Roy Rickhuss, Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell (Deputy Chair) Industrial Strategy Advisory Council, Members£800 per dayUp to 2-3 days per month13 April 2026 (Chair) 17 June 2026 (Members)Link (2025 appointment) Appointees are listed alphabetically by surname.
Pursuant to the Answer of 9 July 2025 to Question 64058 on DBT: Directors, whether the Commissioner for Public Appointments was informed of her political background when his Department made the request.
The Commissioner for Public Appointments was consulted prior to Nita Clarke's appointment without open competition as a DBT Non-Executive Board Member, in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments. As required under the Code, Nita Clarke declared her political activity for the Labour Party during the appointments process.
Whether the Certification Officer has received the BDO auditor's report on the Unite trade union's hotel and conference centre development.
The Certification Officer has received the BDO auditor's report and is currently reviewing this.