Every parliamentary written question tabled by Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi this session, with the full answer and department. Back to the MP page.
Showing 21–40 of 59 · Department for Business and Trade
What recent steps he has taken with local councils to tackle the illegal use of fireworks in (a) Slough constituency and (b) Berkshire.
Enforcement powers exist for local authorities to take action when fireworks are unsafe, sold illegally or misused. Local authorities and the police also have powers to tackle anti-social behaviour caused by the misuse of fireworks. It is for local areas to decide how best to deploy these powers.
What steps he is taking to help increase trade between the UK and Canada.
Canada is a close ally and valued partner of the UK, with the UK-Canada Trade Continuity Agreement (TCA) underpinning our bilateral trade, which was worth £30 billion in the 12 months to June 2025, up 15% in current prices on the previous 12 months. In June, our Prime Ministers issued a Joint Statement making it clear we want to enhance this important relationship in a number of areas – including on trade, defence, digital, quantum, and critical minerals. They established the UK-Canada Economic and Trade Working Group with the objective of growing bilateral trade, including by addressing existing market access barriers and building on existing arrangements.
How many officials were investigated under his Department's disciplinary processes in each of the last 5 years.
On 1st July 2023 due to a Machinery of Government Change, the Department of International Trade (DIT) became the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), alongside parts of the Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy (BEIS). We therefore only hold information from DBT from 1st July 2023, and information from DIT before this date, and all information shared will be within these parameters. YearNo. of officials investigated202519202492023112022112021<5 Here are the figures for UK Export Finance: YearNo. of officials investigated2025<52024<52023<52022<52021<5
What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies on employment law of the adequacy of working rights of app-based (a) private hire drivers and (b) couriers.
On Monday 21 October 2024, the Government published a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Bill.This is available at: http://www.gov.uk/guidance/employment-rights-bill-impact-assessments.
What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of statutory paternity leave entitlements for self-employed parents.
Self-employed parents are not currently eligible for statutory paternity leave or pay. On 1 July the Government launched the Parental Leave and Pay Review. The Review will consider all existing and upcoming parental leave entitlements, including whether support available meets the needs of self-employed parents.
Whether he plans to ban the import of produce from Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
The UK Government has a clear position that Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal under international law. There are clear risks related to economic and financial activities in the settlements, and we do not encourage or offer support to such activity. Goods produced in these settlements are not entitled to benefit from preferential tariff treatment under the UK’s current trade agreements with the Palestinian Authority and Israel.The overseas business risk guidance, available on gov.uk, provides information for UK operators on how goods from Israel and the OPTs should be handled.
What recent discussions he has had with the (a) Home Secretary and (b) Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the prevention of violence against retail workers.
Retail crime remains a significant concern, and we are taking steps including measures in the Crime and Policing Bill and in the Safer High Streets missions to tackle this important issue.We are increasing police spending power by an average 2.3% per year in real terms over the spending review period, supporting us to meet our plan for change commitment of putting 13,000 additional police officers, police community support officers and special constables into neighbourhood policing roles across England and Wales. In the Crime and Policing Bill, we brought in a new offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores, and we are removing the legislation which makes shop theft of and below £200 a summary-only offence, sending a clear message that any level of shop theft is illegal and will be taken seriously.The Minister for Policing and Crime Prevention will continue to host the Retail Crime Forum to ensure regular engagement with law enforcement and the retail sector and to discuss what more we can do to tackle retail crime, including abuse.
What recent discussions he has had with retailers on the prevention retail crime.
Retail crime remains a significant concern, and we are taking steps including measures in the Crime and Policing Bill and in the Safer High Streets missions to tackle this important issue.We are increasing police spending power by an average 2.3% per year in real terms over the spending review period, supporting us to meet our plan for change commitment of putting 13,000 additional police officers, police community support officers and special constables into neighbourhood policing roles across England and Wales. In the Crime and Policing Bill, we brought in a new offence of assaulting a retail worker to protect the hardworking and dedicated staff that work in stores, and we are removing the legislation which makes shop theft of and below £200 a summary-only offence, sending a clear message that any level of shop theft is illegal and will be taken seriously.The Minister for Policing and Crime Prevention will continue to host the Retail Crime Forum to ensure regular engagement with law enforcement and the retail sector and to discuss what more we can do to tackle retail crime, including abuse.
Whether his Department has any plans to review the length of statutory paternity leave.
The Government is committed to making sure that parents receive the best possible support to balance their work and home lives. The Employment Rights Bill will make Paternity Leave a ‘day one’ Right allowing eligible employees to give notice of their intention to take these entitlements from their first day in a new job.We understand that the parental leave system needs further improvement. That is why we have committed to conducting a review of the system, to ensure it best supports working families.The review will look at Paternity Leave and Pay, and the length of leave available to fathers and partners.
If he will make an assessment of the potential impact of UK support for the Mozambique Liquefied natural gas project on the UK's international climate commitments.
UK Export Finance is currently in talks with project sponsors and other lenders, including export credit agencies, and other stakeholders, regarding the latest status of the Mozambique LNG project. At present, UKEF is engaged in conducting relevant due diligence which has yet to conclude.UK Export Finance follows internationally recognised frameworks for managing environmental, social & human rights risks and impacts of relevant projects. UKEF will take proper account of relevant factors, including international climate change issues.
What information his Department holds on the number of (a) weapons, (b) munitions and (c) other arms exported to Israel in each of the last four months.
DBT does not hold records of final exports of strategically controlled goods, and the fact that a licence is granted does not mean that an export takes place. For specific trade goods export data, I recommend referring to HMRC.DBT publishes data on export licences issued for military and dual-use equipment. The most recent publication covers the quarter up to December 2024. This data is available at: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data.The Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) has also expanded this publication to include an ad hoc statistics release relating solely to Israel licences, the most recent publication of which was up to 6 December 2024 and can be accessed at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/export-control-licensing-management-information-for-israel/israel-export-control-licensing-data-6-december-2024.
What recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of (a) legislation and (b) regulations in relation to direct-to-consumer e-bike imports.
UK product safety law requires that all consumer products must be safe before being placed on the market. Businesses, including those in supply chains for products manufactured overseas, have responsibilities to only make safe products available, and UK regulators have powers to remove non-compliant products from the market.Government has introduced the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill to modernise regulations to reflect increasingly globalised and online supply chains. The powers in this Bill will allow us to make any necessary changes to our regulations to ensure the best protections for consumers and support for reputable retailers.
What assessment he has made of the adequacy of the accessibility of financial support available for sole traders.
Small businesses are the heart of our high streets and communities and are essential to our vision for growth and economic success.The Government is committed to improving access to finance for small businesses, including sole traders, so they can grow and reach new domestic and international markets. Sole traders can benefit from the Start Up Loans programme, which helps entrepreneurs access the finance and mentoring advice they need to make their business ideas a reality.Additionally, UK Export Finance offers financial support to boost export activities and helps exporters win contracts, fulfil orders, and make payment guarantees.
What recent discussions he has had with retailers on (a) mitigating and (b) preventing ransomware attacks.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is working in close coordination with law enforcement, the Department for Business and Trade and other relevant government departments to support each of the affected retailers. This includes providing technical expertise and strategic guidance which assist with incident response and recovery.The NCSC is maintaining active engagement with the wider retail sector to share threat information and offer mitigative guidance aimed at reducing the risk from further incidents.The Government offers free guidance, tools and training to help businesses improve their cyber resilience. This includes a new Cyber Governance Code of Practice to help boards and directors manage digital risks, and the Cyber Essentials scheme which is highly effective in protecting businesses against cyber-attacks.Details of any Ministerial and Senior Officials' meetings and engagements can be found in the Department’s quarterly transparency returns on Gov.uk.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the use of AI in his Department on security.
Within the Department for Business and Trade we have produced an AI governance framework for how we use AI both internally and externally to ensure safe and effective use of AI. On our departmental risk register we have identified a number of risks associated with the use of AI in particular in relation to leakage of sensitive information or incorrect decisions being made on the back of outputs from AI outputs. Our mitigations to these risks include blocking non-approved AI tools and guidance to staff that all outputs from AI should be checked for accuracy.
Whether he has held any recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Defence on the potential national security implications arising from the planned closure of Scunthorpe steelworks.
National security is a top priority for this government. DBT are working closely with MOD and other Government Departments as we develop the Plan for Steel, the Defence Industrial Strategy, and the Strategic Defence Review respectively, to ensure that key government priorities are reflected across these strategies. At the recent Business and Trade Committee on 26 March, along with the Minister for Defence, I emphasised the importance of retaining steelmaking capabilities in the UK with the Government providing up to £2.5bn for steel through the National Wealth Fund and other routes. This is why we continue to work tirelessly to safeguard the future of Scunthorpe and protect its workers. We have made a generous offer to British Steel designed to achieve that.
What steps he is taking to ensure that the UK retains steelmaking capacity.
National security is a top priority for this government. DBT are working closely with MOD and other Government Departments as we develop the Plan for Steel, the Defence Industrial Strategy, and the Strategic Defence Review respectively, to ensure that key government priorities are reflected across these strategies. At the recent Business and Trade Committee on 26 March, along with the Minister for Defence, I emphasised the importance of retaining steelmaking capabilities in the UK with the Government providing up to £2.5bn for steel through the National Wealth Fund and other routes. This is why we continue to work tirelessly to safeguard the future of Scunthorpe and protect its workers. We have made a generous offer to British Steel designed to achieve that.
With reference to the White House's factsheet entitled President Donald J. Trump adjusts imports of automobiles and automobile parts into the United States, published on 26 March 2025, what steps the Government plans to take to respond to the proposed tariffs on UK car and car parts exported to the United States.
The UK automotive sector is an integral part of driving our economic growth and, like industry, the Government is concerned about the potential impact of automotive tariffs. We are disappointed by this decision by the United States to impose global tariffs on the automotive industry and know this will be extremely concerning for businesses and consumers. We are keeping all options on the table and will always respond in the national interest. We continue to have productive discussions on securing a wider economic deal.
What the median age is of computers issued to officials in their Department.
The median age of computers issued to officials in the Department is 2 years.
What assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the number of welders to meet demand in the (a) infrastructure, (b) construction and (c) manufacturing sector.
We are working across Government to understand the demand impacts for the construction sector to deliver our built environment and infrastructure commitments. This includes working with Skills England, who will bring businesses, training partners and unions together with national and local government to develop a clear assessment of the country’s skills need – and map pathways by which they can be filled.On 23 March, Government announced reforms that will get young people into well paid, high skilled, jobs in the construction sector by funding additional placements, establishing Technical Excellence Colleges, launching new foundation apprenticeships, and expanding Skills Bootcamps.