Written questions by Rosindell.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential (a) implications for his policies and (b) impact on bilateral trade relations of the International Monetary Fund's loan deal with the Republic of El Salvador.

The UK Government is aware of the agreement reached between the International Monetary Fund and the Government of El Salvador for a new arrangement under the Extended Fund Facility, which aims to support economic reforms in the country. The UK will continue to use the UK-Central America Association Agreement to strengthen our trade relationship with El Salvador, which was worth £66m in the 12 months to June 2024.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of Mexico's recent constitutional reforms on UK investments in the regional energy sector.

The UK Embassy in Mexico regularly engages with the Mexican Government to underline the importance of strong institutions, independent courts, and the rule of law. My Department has been following the regulatory reforms closely. We are aware of market reactions and maintain a dialogue with the Mexican Government at the highest levels about how these reforms may affect UK business. Mexico is a long-standing and valued trade partner for the UK and we are working to grow our two-way trade and investment.

What recent progress he has made on free-trade negotiations with the Swiss Confederation.

The fifth round of negotiations on an enhanced Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Switzerland took place in London between 14 and 18 October 2024. UK negotiators made good progress, working towards agreeing ambitious outcomes in key areas including services, investment and digital. Round 6 talks are expected to take place in Switzerland in early 2025. The Government will continue to work towards delivering outcomes in the FTA that secure economic growth for the UK and will update Parliament on the progress of discussions with Switzerland as they continue to develop.

Pursuant to the Answer of 14th October 2024 to Question 5918 on Department for Business and Trade: Canada, whether he plans to meet the Agent General of (a) Ontario, (b) Quebec and (c) Saskatchewan in the next six months.

The Secretary of State for Business and Trade has no plans to meet with the Agents General of Ontario, Quebec, or Saskatchewan in the next six months.Canada is a key ally and valued partner for the UK. Our trade relationship – worth £26.4 billion in the 12 months to June 2024 – is underpinned by regular engagement, including at the provincial level.In November 2024, I attended the 8th annual CPTPP ministerial meeting in Vancouver, during which I met with Canadian officials, business leaders and Indigenous communities to confirm our common interests in a future of shared security and economic growth.

Whether his Department has made an assessment of the implications for (a) his policies and (b) bilateral trade relations of Argentina’s most recent debt repayments to international bondholders.

The UK Government continually monitors international economic developments and is aware of the domestic reforms that the Argentine government is undertaking and their most recent debt repayments. The UK is working with Argentina to strengthen our trade relationship – worth £2 billion in the 12 months to June 2024. In October 2024, the Secretary of State met his Argentine counterpart, the first ministerial meeting between trade ministers since 2019 and agreed to work together in areas such as services, customs, and education.

What progress he has made on (a) a free trade agreement and (b) reducing trade tariffs applicable to Scottish whiskey with India.

At the G20 on 18 November, the Prime Minister met Prime Minister Modi to announce that the UK will relaunch trade talks in the new year with India – one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Work is underway across government to prepare for negot...

If he will take steps to help protect jobs that could otherwise be replaced by increased use of artificial intelligence.

New technologies, including AI, have the potential to boost wages, drive up productivity and empower workers. The government’s approach to new technologies is to protect good jobs, enable good future jobs and ensure rights and protections keep pace with t...

What steps he is taking to keep the UK as a competitive place to invest in AI start-ups.

The UK has a competitive advantage in AI, with some of the world’s most innovative AI companies based here.The government commissioned an Action Plan in July, led by Matt Clifford to identify how AI can drive economic growth and explore untapped AI opport...

Pursuant to the Answer of 14 October 2024 to Question 5919 on Financial Services: Liechtenstein, whether he has had any meetings with his Liechtenstein counterpart.

The Secretary of State for Business and Trade has not met with his Liechtenstein counterpart.

Whether he has met with the Agent-General of (a) New South Wales, (b) Queensland, (c) South Australia, (d) Tasmania, (e) Victoria, and (f) Western Australia.

The Department for Business and Trade is working in close partnership with Australia across a range of areas, most notably on the implementation and utilisation of the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement. This engagement has not included meetings by the Sec...

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that Royal Mail adheres to the universal service obligation.

As the independent regulator for the postal sector, it is for Ofcom to monitor Royal Mail’s delivery of the universal service obligation and decide how to respond should Royal Mail fail to meet its obligations.Ofcom is currently investigating Royal Mail’s...

How many companies have been reported to Companies House for using (a) names and addresses and (b) other personal information without consent when registering in the last year; and whether his Departme

To the year ending 30 September 2024, Companies House received 28,933 reports related to the unauthorised use of addresses. No figure is available for personal information. In future, all directors (and equivalents), persons with significant control and t...

Whether he has met with the Agent General of (a) Ontario, (b) Quebec, and (c) Saskatchewan since taking his position.

The Secretary of State for Business and Trade has not met with the Agent General of Ontario, Quebec or Saskatchewan since taking his position. Canada is a valued partner for the UK and provincial level engagement is an important part of our bilateral rela...

Whether he has met with his counterpart in Liechtenstein to discuss the exchange of financial services.

Officials at the Department for Business and Trade meet regularly with their counterparts in Liechtenstein to discuss how to increase trade under the UK-EEA/EFTA Free Trade Agreement, including at the annual Services, Investment and Digital sub-committee....

If he will take steps to ensure that Crown dependencies are represented in trade negotiations.

This government understands the Crown Dependencies ambition for coverage in UK trade agreements. We will continue to seek to represent the interests of the Crown Dependencies on UK trade negotiations, and we will not act on their behalf without prior cons...

What steps he is taking to support the pub industry.

Pubs are at the heart of our communities and play a vital role in supporting economic growth across the UK. That’s why it is important for us to act on the challenges that they face, by, for example, reforming business rates to level the playing field for...

What steps his Department is taking to support the shipbuilding industry.

The Government is committed to delivering a thriving shipbuilding sector across the UK, supporting the whole supply chain, from design to repair, systems and integration.My Department, working alongside other Government Departments, is supporting a 30-year pipeline of shipbuilding projects, promoting UK export and investment at a wide range of international tradeshows and missions throughout the year.Our long term industrial strategy will support sectors like shipbuilding by offering the certainty needed to attract investment.

What steps he is taking to support the car manufacturing industry.

The British automotive industry is the jewel in the crown of our manufacturing sector. By accelerating domestic battery making capacity, driving investment in gigafactories and removing planning barriers to get shovels in the ground, we will give our manufacturing sector the certainty it needs to flourish.The UK is also home to a world-class and comprehensive innovation ecosystem, including the Advanced Propulsion Centre, Faraday Battery Challenge, High Value Manufacturing Catapult and the Automotive Transformation Fund.