Written questions by McMurdock.

What assessment he has made of the relationship between minimum wage levels and entry-level job availability for young people.

When setting minimum wage rates, the Government carefully considers the recommendations of the Low Pay Commission (LPC), an internationally respected independent body. The LPC takes into account current labour market conditions, including the youth labour market, when making its recommendations.Accordingly, the increase to the National Minimum Wage rate from April 2026 was more modest than in recent years, and the latest remit issued to the LPC asks the Commissioners to prioritise young people's employment prospects when making recommendations for the April 2027 rates.Evidence to date shows little or no significant impact on employment from past increases to the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW).

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled Hundreds of new UK jobs as Nigerian companies confirm millions in investment, published on 17 March 2026, what proportion of jobs created will require high-skilled workers.

As an integral part of the UK's growth objective, the Government is making it simpler and easier for business to make long term investment into the UK, including Nigerian inward investment.DBT routinely publishes official statistics on foreign direct investment in the UK on the GOV.UK website, including the number of jobs involved.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled Hundreds of new UK jobs as Nigerian companies confirm millions in investment, published on 17 March 2026, what estimate he has made of the monetary value of the investments confirmed by Nigerian companies as a result of the UK–Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP).

As an integral part of the UK's growth objective, the Government is making it simpler and easier for business to make long term investment into the UK, including Nigerian inward investment.DBT routinely publishes official statistics on foreign direct investment in the UK on the GOV.UK website, including the number of jobs involved.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled Hundreds of new UK jobs as Nigerian companies confirm millions in investment, published on 17 March 2026, what mechanisms will be used to monitor whether the jobs announced are delivered in practice.

As an integral part of the UK's growth objective, the Government is making it simpler and easier for business to make long term investment into the UK, including Nigerian inward investment.DBT routinely publishes official statistics on foreign direct investment in the UK on the GOV.UK website, including the number of jobs involved.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled Hundreds of new UK jobs as Nigerian companies confirm millions in investment, published on 17 March 2026, what assessment he has made of the trends in the level of inward investment from Nigeria into the United Kingdom.

As an integral part of the UK's growth objective, the Government is making it simpler and easier for business to make long term investment into the UK, including Nigerian inward investment.DBT routinely publishes official statistics on foreign direct investment in the UK on the GOV.UK website, including the number of jobs involved.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled Hundreds of new UK jobs as Nigerian companies confirm millions in investment, published on 17 March 2026, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of these investments on opportunities for UK-based workers aged 18–24.

As an integral part of the UK's growth objective, the Government is making it simpler and easier for business to make long term investment into the UK, including Nigerian inward investment.DBT routinely publishes official statistics on foreign direct investment in the UK on the GOV.UK website, including the number of jobs involved.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled Hundreds of new UK jobs as Nigerian companies confirm millions in investment, published on 17 March 2026, what estimate he has made of the net economic impact of the investments announced.

As an integral part of the UK's growth objective, the Government is making it simpler and easier for business to make long term investment into the UK, including Nigerian inward investment.DBT routinely publishes official statistics on foreign direct investment in the UK on the GOV.UK website, including the number of jobs involved.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled Hundreds of new UK jobs as Nigerian companies confirm millions in investment, published on 17 March 2026, over what timeframe the jobs will be created.

As an integral part of the UK's growth objective, the Government is making it simpler and easier for business to make long term investment into the UK, including Nigerian inward investment.DBT routinely publishes official statistics on foreign direct investment in the UK on the GOV.UK website, including the number of jobs involved.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled Hundreds of new UK jobs as Nigerian companies confirm millions in investment, published on 17 March 2026, how many of the jobs associated with Nigerian investment mentioned in his press release he attributes specifically to the UK-Nigeria Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership.

As an integral part of the UK's growth objective, the Government is making it simpler and easier for business to make long term investment into the UK, including Nigerian inward investment.DBT routinely publishes official statistics on foreign direct investment in the UK on the GOV.UK website, including the number of jobs involved.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled Hundreds of new UK jobs as Nigerian companies confirm millions in investment, published on 17 March 2026, how many jobs will be created in Essex as a result of that investment.

As an integral part of the UK's growth objective, the Government is making it simpler and easier for business to make long term investment into the UK, including Nigerian inward investment.DBT routinely publishes official statistics on foreign direct investment in the UK on the GOV.UK website, including the number of jobs involved.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled Hundreds of new UK jobs as Nigerian companies confirm millions in investment, published on 17 March 2026, how many of the jobs announced have already been created.

As an integral part of the UK's growth objective, the Government is making it simpler and easier for business to make long term investment into the UK, including Nigerian inward investment.DBT routinely publishes official statistics on foreign direct investment in the UK on the GOV.UK website, including the number of jobs involved.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled Hundreds of new UK jobs as Nigerian companies confirm millions in investment, published on 17 March 2026, what proportion of the jobs announced will be (a) full-time, (b) part-time and (c) temporary roles.

As an integral part of the UK's growth objective, the Government is making it simpler and easier for business to make long term investment into the UK, including Nigerian inward investment.DBT routinely publishes official statistics on foreign direct investment in the UK on the GOV.UK website, including the number of jobs involved.

With reference to the Written Statement of 26 February 2026 by the Minister for Industry on British Steel, what contingency provision has been made within existing Departmental budgets to help ensure domestic steel production can be maintained should financial support requirements exceed current forecasts.

HMG is working closely with EY, who are providing onsite management support, to review British Steel’s forecasts and ensure that any funding requests are robust. HMG and EY work closely with British Steel management on scenario planning to ensure that the company can respond effectively to unexpected financial pressures. Contingency provisions have been built into forecasts throughout the intervention to address potential risks, including lower sales receipts, fluctuations in production levels, and urgent capital investment needs. At present, the intervention is funded from existing budgets which are considered sufficient to manage any such pressures.

Pursuant to his Department’s press release entitled Top UK music acts awarded £1.4 million funding to raise profile, published on 2 March 2026, what steps are being taken to ensure recipients from across the entirety of the UK are aware of, and able to access, funding through the Music Export Growth Scheme.

UK-based music small and medium-sized enterprises can apply for Music Export Growth Scheme (MEGS) funding. Information on MEGS is available on the 'Find a Grant' service on Gov/UK. My department's MEGS delivery partner the BPI has a dedicated section on its website and shares details of MEGS funding rounds on its social media channels. When MEGS funding rounds open, my department shares information on how to apply for the scheme with its regional teams across England and Department for Business and Trade offices in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The BPI shares information on new MEGS funding rounds with UK music trade bodies, arts organisations, with the music press and direct to some music companies.

Pursuant to his Department’s press release entitled Top UK music acts awarded £1.4 million funding to raise profile, published on 2 March 2026, what independent analysis his Department has commissioned of the calculation that there is a £14 return for each £1 granted through MEGS.

The figure referenced in the press release was supplied by the BPI and is based on analysis of commercial outcomes reported by MEGS recipients in previous funding rounds. This is an industry estimate produced by the BPI and reflects their assessment of the scheme's impact on participating businesses. The estimate is based on industry held commercial data and is not used as an official Government economic metric.

Pursuant to his Department’s press release entitled Top UK music acts awarded £1.4 million funding to raise profile, published on 2 March 2026, how many of the 68 acts awarded funding are based in Essex.

In the latest round of Music Export Growth Scheme awards announced on 2 March, one Essex-based act, 'Essosa', received grant funding.

Pursuant to his Department’s press release entitled Top UK music acts awarded £1.4 million funding to raise profile, published on 2 March 2026, what discussions his Department has had with representatives of the UK music industry on the future priorities of export support programmes; and how these discussions are shaping future policy design.

The UK Government's Creative Industries Sector Plan, published in June 2025, set out creative industries trade and investment priorities for the period up to 2035 and announced an up to £30 million Music Growth Package which will include export support. My department continues to hold discussions with the UK music sector about targeted export support that will best enable UK music businesses to grow internationally.

Pursuant to his Department’s press release entitled Top UK music acts awarded £1.4 million funding to raise profile, published on 2 March 2026, if he will publish a list of each act who has been granted MEGS funding; and how much each act has received.

The list of acts that received grant awards in the latest funding round of the Music Export Growth Scheme announced on 2 March 2026, were as follows:Amber Run, anaiis, And Also The Trees, Andrew Cushin, Antony Szmierek, As It Is, Asta Hiroki, Aurora Orchestra, bar italia, Bear's Den, Beth McCarthy, BIG SPECIAL, Black Country, New Road, Black Josh & Lee Scott, Cage Fight, Canned Pineapple, Cassyette, Chalk, Chartreuse, Chloe Slater, Common Saints, DANIEL AVERY, Dark Tropics, Daytime TV, Dry Cleaning, Eleni Drake, Elles Bailey, Erotic Secrets of Pompeii, Essosa, EYNKA, Finn Forster, Gaynor O'Flynn, Girl In The Year Above, Halina Rice, Hana Lili, Harriet, Jalen Ngonda, King Jammy, LASTELLE, Leifur James, Maiah Wynne, Matilda Mann, MEGA, Mica Millar, Modern Woman, Naomi Scott, Nightbus, Nina Nesbitt, NOVELIST, Panic Shack, PUBLIC SERVICE BROADCASTING, PVA, Qendresa, Samm Henshaw, Seb Lowe, SOTA, Stornoway, Summer Pearl and Zola Marcelle, The Cinelli Brothers, The Molotovs, The New Eves, The Snuts, The Wellermen, Tropic Gold, Ulrika Spacek, Wes Nelson, Will Samson, Witch FeverFor commercial reasons, we do not disclose individual MEGS grant awards. In this funding round, individual grant awards ranged from £5,000 to £50,000.

Pursuant to his Department’s press release entitled Top UK music acts awarded £1.4 million funding to raise profile, published on 2 March 2026, what steps he is taking to ensure that funding granted is exclusively used to promote the act and not for other purposes.

All businesses awarded MEGS funding were required to submit an application prior to approval which detailed the proposed activity to be delivered if the application was approved - that proposed activity was then assessed to ensure it satisfied the scheme eligibility criteria, specifically that the activity promoted the act outside of the UK.All successful businesses are issued a Grant Agreement to confirm the activity that the MEGS funds can be spent on. Once the business signs that Agreement, MEGS funding is then available but can only be claimed by the business after the activity has taken place and evidence is provided to demonstrate that the activity has taken place and been paid for in full.Both the British Phongraphic Industry and the Department for Business and Trade complete checks on the evidence supplied to confirm that the activity has been completed in line with the Grant Agreement and not for other purposes before any funds are paid to the business.

With reference to his Department’s press release entitled UK beef hits US shelves tariff-free for the first time – cutting costs for UK businesses, published on 2 March 2026, whether he has had discussions with his European counterparts on the potential impact of the reciprocal beef quota with the US on UK-EU trade relations.

We are delighted that as of January 1, 2026, UK farmers can, for the first time, make use of an exclusive 13,000 tonne quota for export to the United States. What the government has agreed with the US does not impact on our ability to negotiate trade agreements with other trading partners.Choosing between the US and Europe is a false choice. The UK can and must do both - improve our trading relationship with Europe while agreeing deals with the US and other nations.