Committee publication · Correspondence · 18 March 2025
Letter from the Secretary of State for Business and Trade relating to the Department's Spending Review, 4 March 2025
Summary
Secretary of State Jonathan Reynolds declines to share the Department for Business and Trade's Spending Review submission with the Business and Trade Committee, citing the need to protect cabinet deliberations and free policy discussion. He confirms the final SR25 settlements will be presented to Parliament on 11 June 2025 and invites continued ministerial engagement on spending matters.
Key findings
- The Department refuses to disclose its Spending Review submission before final cabinet agreement, arguing premature disclosure risks prejudicing SR outcomes.
- DBT submission relates to cross-departmental policy development involving Treasury, No10, and DBT; disclosure could inhibit free and frank advice.
- Final Spending Review 2025 settlements will be presented to Parliament on 11 June 2025 as agreed government policy.
- Committee will have opportunity to scrutinise spending impacts and outcomes after final settlements are announced.
- Secretary of State offers continued ministerial engagement and appearances as alternative scrutiny mechanism.
Tone
ProceduralTopics
public-financegovernment-spendingparliamentary-scrutiny
Key actors
Jonathan Reynolds, Liam Byrne, Department for Business and Trade, Cabinet, Treasury, Business and Trade Committee
Notable line
“I therefore cannot share DBT's SR submission to the Business and Trade Committee at this stage.”
Key Quotes
“While I share your commitment to financial transparency, sharing DBT's submission at this stage risks prejudicing the outcomes of the SR and undermining the value of the exercise.”
“The final SR25 settlements will be presented to Parliament in the usual way on 11 June 2025. This settlement will represent agreed government policy, and the Business and Trade Committee will then be able to scrutinise the impacts and outcomes of the policy.”
Source · parliament.uk record ↗