Written questions by Byrne.

Whether Companies House has key performance indicators to measure the quality of information on the registry.

Work is underway to develop key performance indicators and establish baselines to measure the quality of information on the Companies House register. The need for this work has been triggered by the implementation of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA).The key performance indicators will include assessments of compliance levels, adherence to data standards and measurement of the value of the information on the Register.Companies House are also investigating ways to estimate false, misleading and inaccurate information in line with the Registrar’s objectives under ECCTA. This will be based on the threats outlined in the Strategic Intelligence Assessment.

If he will make an estimate of the number of people who will be affected by the increase in the national minimum wage in each (a) local authority and (b) parliamentary constituency in (i) Birmingham and (ii) Solihull broken; and what the average uplift to annual wages will be for people earning the minimum wage.

The recently published Impact Assessment estimates the number of workers who will be affected by the increases in the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage, broken down by region and country. More granular estimates by local authority and parliamentary constituency are subject to greater data reliability issues due to survey response rates.A full-time worker earning the National Living Wage will see their gross annual earnings rise by £1,400 per year. A full-time worker earning the 18-20 National Minimum Wage will see their gross annual earnings rise by £2,500 per year.

With refence to section 1.3 2. of his policy paper entitled The Atlantic Declaration, updated on 21 June 2023, what progress he has made on establishing an outbound investment mechanism.

The Department for Business and Trade is keeping the potential national security risk posed by outward direct investment in sensitive sectors under review, and continuing to engage with businesses and financial stakeholders on this issue. In May, the Cabinet Office issued public guidance on how the existing National Security and Investment Act powers allow the Government to intervene in certain outward direct investment transactions.

What estimate his Department has made of the potential impact of public funding for the steel industry on levels of private-sector investment in that industry in each of the next five years.

The Government is developing a steel strategy, in partnership with the steel sector and trade unions, that will set out a long-term vision for steel and create opportunities for public and private investment.We have committed to providing up to £2.5bn for steel which will be available through the National Wealth Fund and other routes. This is in addition to the £500m for Tata at Port Talbot steelworks. When designing how best to invest this money, we will consider a range of factors, including leveraging private sector investment and making the UK a great place to invest.

What steps his Department plans to take to maximise the value for money from public funding for the steel industry over the next five years.

The Government is developing a steel strategy, in partnership with the steel sector and trade unions, that will set out a long-term vision for steel and create opportunities for public and private investment.We have committed to providing up to £2.5bn for steel which will be available through the National Wealth Fund and other routes. This is in addition to the £500m for Tata at Port Talbot steelworks. When designing how best to invest this money, we will consider a range of factors, including leveraging private sector investment and making the UK a great place to invest.

With reference to his Department's publication entitled Invest 2035: The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy, published in October 2024, what assessment he has made of trends in the level of economic performance of sectors included in that strategy since 2019-20.

The methodology for determining the eight growth-driving sectors is outlined in the Invest 2035 Green Paper. This included assessing historic trends since 2019-20, such as gross value added and productivity, at Standard Industrial Classification-2 level where data was available. The Government complemented this with wider internal and external data sources such as specialist industry reports and qualitative assessments, particularly in emerging subsectors where historic data is unavailable. Government will continue to draw in evidence such as sector performance and employment trends using responses to the Green Paper consultation questions; engagement with external stakeholders such as businesses, local leaders, academic experts; and other data sources.

How much private investment he expects from the additional funding allocated to the aerospace sector in the next five years.

The Budget confirmed £975m over 5 years to the Aerospace sector. This provides continued stability and confidence for industry to invest in long-term R&D projects – delivering economic growth, supporting high skilled jobs across all parts of the UK, and advancing aviation’s net zero transition. Between 2013/14 and 2029/30, industry and government will invest over £5bn developing transformational aircraft technology. Long-term R&D co-investment is a core pillar of the Aerospace Growth Partnership’s 2022 strategy, where the UK sector committed to invest at least £20bn of further private investment to 2040 and abate 125 MtCO2 of UK attributable global aviation CO2 emissions.

What steps his Department plans to take to ensure value for money from additional funding allocated to the aerospace sector in the next five years.

The Budget confirmed £975m over 5 years to the Aerospace sector. Industry led applications for R&D co-investment from the ATI Programme enter a competitive process. Competition for funding is fierce and only the best projects are selected: those that offer real innovation, reduced emissions and tangible economic benefits to the UK. Each application is subject to a value for money assessment by DBT economists, which underpins the estimated benefits from the Programme of at least £20bn of further private investment to 2040 and abatement of 125 MtCO2 of UK attributable global aviation CO2 emissions.

What steps his Department plans to take to ensure value for money from additional funding allocated to the automotive sector in the next five years.

The Budget committed over £2bn to 2030 for zero-emission vehicle manufacturing and their supply chains. This will build on the current Automotive Transformation Fund (ATF) and Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) programmes to drive economic growth and support high-value jobs, unlocking billions of pounds of private investment in the UK’s automotive industry and R&D innovation ecosystem. As with the ATF and APC programmes, all future investment will be fully assessed on a strategic, technical, commercial, financial and economic basis – including consideration of future job creation. The economic assessment ensures value for money is consistent with HMT Green Book best practice.

How much private investment he expects from the additional funding allocated to the automotive sector in the next five years.

The Budget committed over £2bn to 2030 for zero-emission vehicle manufacturing and their supply chains. This funding will build on previous ATF and APC programmes which have leveraged over £6bn of investment from the private sector so far. We will continue with this success, unlocking billions more in private investment to support our automotive industry. Further details will be announced as part of the industrial strategy.

On how many occasions the Export Controls Joint Unit has initiated a Change in Circumstances Review assessment since January 2020; and what the destination country was in each case.

The Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) has in place an established process for responding at pace to changing conditions in a country where the UK has previously granted export licences, and where those licences remain extant.The FCDO advises DBT on the situation in country and the risks this poses with respect to the UK’s export control responsibilities. The MOD advises DBT on the risks of diversion of exported goods and national security risks arising from hostile state activity. The Department of Business and Trade, with DBT Secretary of State as the decision-making authority, decides whether to amend, suspend or revoke any relevant licences.Given its diplomatic sensitivity, the Government is unable to disclose the specific number and destination countries of Change in Circumstances Reviews.

When he plans to publish the UK Strategic Export Controls Annual Report 2023.

The UK Strategic Export Controls Annual Report 2023 is due to be published by the end of this year. It will be laid before Parliament and made available on Gov.uk at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/united-kingdom-strategic-export-controls-annual-report.

Whether the Office for Trade Sanctions will publish an annual report.

The Office for Trade Sanctions Implementation intends to publish an annual review covering an overview of its activities across the year, following the model set by similar units such as the Office for Financial Sanctions located in HM Treasury and the Export Control Joint Unit in the Department for Business and Trade.

What (a) training and (b) support his Department plans to provide to businesses in respect of the new Office for Trade Sanctions Implementation.

The Office for Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) will support businesses to meet their obligations under the UK’s trade sanctions regime through issuing guidance and engaging with a range of sectors and businesses.OTSI has already undertaken a major programme of industry engagement and outreach and is committed to ongoing business engagement to support compliance. OTSI has already published a suite of online guidance for businesses and launched new online tools which make it easier to report a breach and apply for a licence.OTSI is committed to supporting businesses to comply with trade sanctions by improving existing guidance as well as creating and promulgating new guidance, where necessary.

What (a) country and sector policy specialist, (b) legal, (c) administrative, (d) compliance, (e) enforcement, (f) industry engagement, (g) budgetary and (h) other resources he has allocated to the Office for Trade Sanctions Implementation.

The Office for Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) has recruited people with a wide range of professional experience from across government and the private sector to fulfil OTSI’s responsibilities of policy, licensing and enforcement of certain trade sanctions, and industry engagement, along with financial management, project delivery and business support specialists. OTSI is also supported by legal, analytical and digital experts.OTSI is funded from the £50m Economic Deterrence Initiative (EDI) for 2023/24 and 2024/25. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is expected to publish more information on the EDI in the near future.

What his export controls policy priorities are.

The Government’s export controls regime protects global security by restricting who has access to sensitive technologies and capabilities, ensuring UK exports do not contribute to WMD proliferation, a destabilising accumulation of conventional weapons, or are used to commit or facilitate internal repression or a serious violation of international humanitarian law. Our priorities for export controls policy include:Working with international partners, and like-minded states, to ensure our export controls properly address the threats we face, keep pace with new technologies, and adapt to changing circumstances.Agility in responding to volatile global situations through keeping all extant licences under continuous and careful review.Supporting key international alliances in areas such as AUKUS and ITAR collaboration.Effective delivery of the licensing service to exporters via the continued roll-out of LITE and ensuring we are always identifying ways we can develop and evolve the service we provide.

On how many occasions and for what reasons MNG Maritime was granted extensions to the deadline to return to the UK the weapons stored in the Vessel Based Armouries it operated following his Department’s revocation of six export licences allowing the company to operate three vessel-based armouries storing weapons for private maritime security companies in July 2023.

In the event that a licence for a Vessel Based Armoury (VBA) is revoked, it is the responsibility of the Private Maritime Security Companies which make use of the affected VBA to arrange transfers of controlled goods to alternative, and appropriately licensed, armouries.

What his policy is on companies moving their registration overseas when they have been found in breach of export licence conditions and the Government has imposed a requirement that they return the exported goods to the UK with which they have not complied.

The registration of a business is generally a matter for its owners. However, if they are UK legal or natural persons active in the Maritime Anti-Piracy sector, they are still subject to UK Export Licensing legislation. The only requirement under existing UK licensing provisions is for Private Maritime Security Companies to make an application to use alternative approved storage for controlled goods. The enforcement of export licensing is a matter for His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs.

What steps his Department has taken to ensure that the weapons stored in Vessel Based Armouries operated by MNG Maritime were returned to the UK following his Department’s revocation in July 2023 of six export licences.

Private Maritime Security Companies impacted by the revocation of MNG Maritime’s Licences were given a month to begin the process of relocating their controlled goods, including submitting licence applications to store those controlled goods on another approved vessel based or land-based armoury.

If he will make it his policy that vessel based armouries export licence applications should include an undertaking to return the licensed (a) goods and (b) items to the UK if an approved licence is (i) suspended and (ii) revoked.

Licences issued to Private Maritime Security Companies for the movement of arms (including for storage on vessel based armouries) already include provision in the terms and conditions for the controlled goods to either be returned to the UK via a Standard Individual Trade Control Licence (SITCL) or for the destruction of the controlled goods (with evidence) should the licence expire, be suspended or revoked.