Committee publication · Correspondence · 22 July 2026

Letter to the Secretary of State relating to recent changes to the machinery of government, 22 July 2026

Inquiry: The work of the Department for Business and Trade

Summary

The Business and Trade Committee chair writes to the new Secretary of State for the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (DBIST), seeking urgent clarity on the machinery of government changes announced 21 July 2026. The letter requests detailed information on departmental remit, budget transfers, ministerial portfolios, and administrative arrangements to enable effective parliamentary scrutiny.

Key findings

DBIST has absorbed the science and innovation portfolio, emerging sectors responsibility, and the Investment Security Unit from the previous Department for Business and Trade
AI Minister Narayan will sit jointly across DBIST and the Cabinet Office, indicating cross-departmental governance arrangements
Committee seeks full enumeration of policy areas, teams, ministers, and joint ministerial appointments within the restructured department
Request for detailed budget information covering all spending categories (Resource DEL, Capital DEL, Resource AME, Capital AME) and inherited liabilities from DSIT
Committee requests confirmation of departmental headquarters location and any new regional offices, alongside commitment to maintain Estimates memo transparency

Tone

Procedural

Topics

public-administrationmachinery-of-governmentdepartmental-structureparliamentary-scrutiny

Key actors

Liam Byrne MP, Jonathan Reynolds MP, Narayan (AI Minister), Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Cabinet Office, House of Lords

Notable line

“I know you will agree with me on the value of effective and well-informed scrutiny, and the need therefore for Parliament to receive up-to-date information on your Department's remit and budget at the earliest possible opportunity.”

Key Quotes

“I write to welcome you back to your post, and to seek clarity on the implications of the Machinery of Government changes announced this week.”
— Liam Byrne MP · Opening of letter to the Secretary of State

“I know you will agree with me on the value of effective and well-informed scrutiny, and the need therefore for Parliament to receive up-to-date information on your Department's remit and budget at the earliest possible opportunity.”
— Liam Byrne MP · Establishing the rationale for the information request

“We are also aware that AI Minister Narayan will now sit across DBIST and the Cabinet Office.”
— Liam Byrne MP · Noting reported cross-departmental ministerial arrangements

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Source · parliament.uk record ↗