Every parliamentary written question tabled by Andrew Griffith this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 61–80 of 240 · Department for Business and Trade
When the Hospitality Sector Council last met and when he plans to publish the minutes of the meeting.
I last met with the Hospitality Sector Council on 4 November 2025.The minutes of that meeting will be published on the Government’s website Hospitality Sector Council - GOV.UK in due course.
What evaluation he has made of the effectiveness of reverse mentoring programmes in his department.
DBT and its staff networks support a range of learning and development opportunities including a mentoring / reverse mentoring offer which is taken up on a voluntary basis. Feedback is encouraged from matched mentor/mentee pairs. Due to small numbers taking up reverse mentoring, there is no robust evaluation of effectiveness.
Pursuant to the Answer of 5 January 2026 to Question 101496 on Trade Promotion, whether he plans to retain the role of International Trade Adviser as part of the strategic organisational redesign.
We are changing how we deliver export support in line with the Trade Strategy, and in response to the asks of businesses and our stakeholders. We aim to make this more accessible and easier to navigate and to use technology to deliver more cost-effective and impactful support.This change process is ongoing, so we are unable to confirm final job roles at this stage.
How many formal market access barriers impacting UK exporters were recorded by his Department in each of the last three years.
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has been publishing the number of reported market access barriers as official statistics since 2021. These annual statistics are also regularly published in the DBT annual report and accounts as indicators on departmental performance. These barriers are recorded on DBT’s internal database called Digital Market Access Service (DMAS). During the last three financial years, 394 market access barriers were reported in the financial year ending (FYE) 2025, 287 were reported in the FYE 2024 and 311 market access barriers were reported in the FYE 2023. These statistics could be found here.
How many full-time equivalent staff within his Department were assigned to trade facilitation and market access barrier resolution in (a) 2026 and (b) 2021.
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) operates a flexible resourcing model to support trade facilitation and market access barrier resolution. The majority of this work falls within three areas: Economic Security and Trade Relations, Trade Group and DBTs Overseas Network. The total Civil Servant on-payroll FTE for these areas was 1,565 in November 2025, which is the latest data available (for DBT), and 1,006 in December 2021 (for DIT only).Not all the Civil Servants identified are assigned exclusively to trade facilitation and market access barrier resolution and carry out additional duties that are unrelated to those topics.
How many Independent Trade Advisers his Department plans to employ on 30 September 2026.
As in PQ16188, the Member seems to be confusing his terminology as we do not employ any ‘Independent Trade Advisers’ but do employ 140 International Trade Advisers. We are undergoing a strategic organisational redesign to ensure we are best positioned to support UK businesses to grow and export and attract investment. This process is ongoing so it is not possible to determine numbers of staff in particular types of roles in September 2026.
How many Independent Trade Advisers were employed by his Department on 30 September in each of the last 5 years.
Assuming that the Member has asked about ‘Independent Trade Advisers’ in error when he means ‘International Trade Advisers’, as of September 2025, the Department for Business and Trade employs 140 International Trade Advisers (ITAs). The table below presents the corresponding figures for the preceding three years. Prior to this period, ITAs were engaged through delivery partners and were therefore not employed by the Department.DateITA HeadcountOctober 2022192September 2023154September 2024152September 2025140
What estimate he has made of the gross exports facilitated by the work of his Department's Independent Trade Advisers in the last period for which data is available.
In 2024/25, the Department for Business and Trade supported businesses to deliver over 2,700 Export Wins with a combined value of almost £24 billion. These successes were achieved through close collaboration across government and within the Department, including the work of International (not 'Independent') Trade Advisors.
If his Department will hold an African Investment Summit.
As set out in the Trade and Industrial strategies, this Government remains committed to strengthening UK-African trade and investment ties. According to the latest UNCTAD data, the UK had the second highest level of FDI stock in Africa at the end of 2023, after the Netherlands, and this strong position reflects our determination to deepen partnerships that deliver sustainable growth and create opportunities for UK and African businesses. We have no such specific plans, but will continue to work closely with business leaders to unlock investment potential and will announce details of future engagements once decisions have been finalised.
When he last received advice on the cost of decontaminating the site of the British Steel Limited Scunthorpe Steelworks in the event of decomissioning.
The Department received advice on decommissioning and land remediation costs ahead of making a generous offer of support in March 2025 to British Steel's current owner. The Government continues to consider all options in relation to the site at Scunthorpe.
Pursuant to the Answer of 17 December to Question 99540 on British Steel, when he last received advice on the cost of decommissioning the blast furnaces at the British Steel Limited Scunthorpe Steelworks.
The Department received advice on decommissioning and land remediation costs ahead of making a generous offer of support in March 2025 to British Steel's current owner. The Government continues to consider all options in relation to the site at Scunthorpe.
If he will provide a list of the embassies and high commissions in which staff funded by his Department are based.
As set out in our Trade and Industrial Strategies, following the Spending Review, we are reshaping the DBT overseas network led by our HM Trade Commissioners so that it is as focused as possible on the markets, sectors and opportunities that will drive economic growth for the UK. We are also restructuring the network to maximise our impact globally while becoming a smaller, more agile, and more tech enabled Department. We are working closely with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office on implementing these changes. By March 2027 we expect to have DBT funded staff in approximately 80 global markets with a regional support offer for all other markets.
If he will make an assessment of the effectiveness of his Department’s international trade advisors for negotiating new free trade agreements.
The Member is confusing two separate roles. Our International Trade Advisors (ITAs) support businesses to sell overseas: they do not conduct trade negotiations, which are led by chief negotiators, who are senior DBT officials.
What assessment he has made of the cost to the a) private sector and b) public sector of abolishing the caps on unfair dismissal compensation claims.
The Government will be publishing an Enactment Impact Assessment on the impacts of the Employment Rights Act. This will include an assessment of the removal of the compensation cap for unfair dismissal on different sectors. This assessment can be found here when published: Employment Rights Bill: impact assessments - GOV.UK.
What estimate he has made of the cost of decommissioning the blast furnaces at the British Steel Limited Scunthorpe Steelworks.
British Steel remains privately owned and estimated costs to decommission the blast furnaces is commercially sensitive information.
Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of non-tariff measures to consumer prices on different UK Standard Industrial Classification groups.
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has not published a specific, comprehensive assessment detailing the potential impact of non-tariff measures (NTMs) on consumer prices across all individual UK Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) groups.DBT produces indicative valuation estimates for market access barriers using a range of methodologies including ad valorem equivalents (AVEs). The method estimates how export demand, and therefore export value, could change in response to the removal of NTM-associated costs and subsequent price changes. The methodology could be found at Methodologies for valuing market access barriers - GOV.UK. This methodology does not provide an assessment across all individual SIC groups.
How much of the £274 million provided to British Steel was for (a) raw materials, (b) salaries, (c) energy costs and (d) payments to supply chain creditors.
To date, a total of £274 million has been provided to support British Steel’s operations, with £173 million allocated to raw materials, £47 million allocated to payroll, and £22 million allocated towards energy costs. The remaining amount represents various other essential business costs covering operating activities, including capital expenditure and operational expenditure. This will be reflected in the Department for Business and Trade’s accounts for 2025-26.
What the average monthly cost to the public purse has been for maintaining the operation of British Steel blast furnaces since the special measures under the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act 2025 were introduced.
To date, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has provided British Steel with £274 million as working capital, which on average equates to approximately £34 million per month. This funding has been instrumental in supporting British Steel’s operational needs, covering items such as raw materials and salaries. This will be reflected in the Department for Business and Trade’s accounts for 2025-26.
Whether the £274 million funding provided to British Steel has been allocated as (a) a grant, (b) a loan and (c) an equity injection; and what conditions regarding repayment have been attached to that funding.
Funding is provided to British Steel under the provisions of the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act, and is recoverable as a debt due to the Crown, as set out in section 3(6) of the Act. There are no conditions attached save the requirement for the funds to be used in accordance with the purpose set out in legislation. All funding released to British Steel is reviewed and approved in advance.
What estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of maintaining British Steel's operations between 10 December 2025 and the publication of the Steel Strategy in 2026.
The Government is committed to supporting the UK steel sector and delivering a steel strategy, to be published in early 2026. To date, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) has provided British Steel with £274 million as working capital and during the period of the Steel Industry (Special Measures) Act. The Government is committed to supporting British Steel’s operational costs as needed, covering items such as raw materials and salaries. However, future costs are susceptible to wider macroeconomic factors and the contribution of DBT funding is therefore subject to change.