Written questions by McMurdock.

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, what steps he is taking to support small and medium-sized farmers to access the quota for beef exports to the US.

The Department is supporting UK meat producers to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the US-UK Economic Prosperity Deal. This week, the first agri‑food trade mission visited the United States, accompanied by the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; it provided UK meat producers with direct engagement with a wide range of businesses and opportunities across the US meat sector. The Department will continue to support further market engagement throughout the year, working closely with partners including the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and the National Farmers' Union (NFU).

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.

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.

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, 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 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, 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.

Whether he is taking steps to help reduce levels of imports of Chinese-produced steel.

We seek to protect our steel industry from the impacts of unfair trading practices and global overcapacity, using trade remedies such as anti‑dumping and anti‑subsidy measures alongside the steel safeguard.We are prioritising the development of a robust, evidence-based and effective measure to ensure our domestic sector remains protected following the expiry of the safeguard at the end of June 2026.

Pursuant to Answer of 2 February 2026 to Question 109496 on Iron and Steel: Imports, what recent steps he has taken to help increase the availability of UK-produced (a) crude, (b) semi-finished and (c) finished steel.

This government has committed up to £2.5 billion to the sector, in addition to the £500m for Port Talbot and a £400 million increase to the investment at Sheffield Forgemasters, as well as cutting electricity costs, changing procurement rules and working to protect our industry from unfair competition.The steel strategy, to be published in early 2026, will set out a vision for a competitive sector with increased UK based production.These measures benefit producers across the steel supply chain, although in many cases production of crude, semi-finished and finished steel will exist within the same company and site.

With reference to the Trade Remedies Authority's press release entitled Anti-dumping measure on ironing boards from China maintained, published on 12 February 2026, whether other Chinese goods have been recommended for anti-dumping measures.

The UK currently applies 45 trade remedy measures, 28 of which are on goods from China. All live trade remedy cases can be viewed on their public file, online, including those investigations on goods of Chinese-origin. I am not aware of any plans from the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA), or representations from the ironing board sector, to recommend changes to the current duties in place on imports of ironing boards.Unfair international trading practices can have a deleterious effect on domestic producers, which is why the TRA was established as the UK’s independent body responsible for conducting trade remedies investigations, to tackle injury caused by practices such as dumping or subsidisation. The remit of the TRA also includes assessing applications from industry for new investigations, doing so in line with domestic legislation and WTO rules. I would consider any recommendation to impose further trade remedy measures if the TRA were to make one, in accordance with the legislation.

With reference to the Trade Remedies Authority's press release entitled Anti-dumping measure on ironing boards from China maintained, published on 12 February 2026, whether the dumping of Chinese goods was raised during the Prime Minister's recent visit to Beijing.

No, my decision to extend the existing anti-dumping measure on ironing boards from China was not raised during the Prime Minister’s recent visit to Beijing.

With reference to the Trade Remedies Authority's press release entitled Anti-dumping measure on ironing boards from China maintained, published on 12 February 2026, what recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of Chinese dumping on UK industries.

The UK currently applies 45 trade remedy measures, 28 of which are on goods from China. All live trade remedy cases can be viewed on their public file, online, including those investigations on goods of Chinese-origin. I am not aware of any plans from the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA), or representations from the ironing board sector, to recommend changes to the current duties in place on imports of ironing boards.Unfair international trading practices can have a deleterious effect on domestic producers, which is why the TRA was established as the UK’s independent body responsible for conducting trade remedies investigations, to tackle injury caused by practices such as dumping or subsidisation. The remit of the TRA also includes assessing applications from industry for new investigations, doing so in line with domestic legislation and WTO rules. I would consider any recommendation to impose further trade remedy measures if the TRA were to make one, in accordance with the legislation.

With reference to the Trade Remedies Authority's press release entitled Anti-dumping measure on ironing boards from China maintained, published on 12 February 2026, what discussions he has had with UK manufacturers on the potential impact of Chinese dumping on their businesses.

Where businesses believe that they are being injured by dumped imports, they should engage with the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA). The TRA was established as the UK’s independent body responsible for conducting trade remedies investigations to tackle injury caused by practices such as dumping, and make appropriate recommendations to the Secretary of State on whether a duty should be applied to level the playing field. My department and I regularly engage with a wide range of sectors on the challenges posed by unfair trading practices.

With reference to the Trade Remedies Authority's press release entitled Anti-dumping measure on ironing boards from China maintained, published on 12 February 2026, whether he plans to add further anti-dumping measures to the duties approved.

The UK currently applies 45 trade remedy measures, 28 of which are on goods from China. All live trade remedy cases can be viewed on their public file, online, including those investigations on goods of Chinese-origin. I am not aware of any plans from the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA), or representations from the ironing board sector, to recommend changes to the current duties in place on imports of ironing boards.Unfair international trading practices can have a deleterious effect on domestic producers, which is why the TRA was established as the UK’s independent body responsible for conducting trade remedies investigations, to tackle injury caused by practices such as dumping or subsidisation. The remit of the TRA also includes assessing applications from industry for new investigations, doing so in line with domestic legislation and WTO rules. I would consider any recommendation to impose further trade remedy measures if the TRA were to make one, in accordance with the legislation.

How many and what proportion of staff in the Department have (a) office-based, (b) hybrid and (c) remote-working contracts.

As of 31 January 2026,A) Office-based working contracts - 5,646 employees, representing 96.9% of the overall domestic civil servants in payroll.B) Hybrid working contracts – noneC) Remoting working contracts – 179 employees representing 3.1% of the overall domestic civil servants in payroll.DBT remains committed to flexible working and the business benefits that it offers, including supporting the Civil Service priority of ensuring continued, effective and productive delivery of the work carried out by civil servants across the full range of services.DBT operates a ‘hybrid’ approach, led by business needs, and as a result many employees will work both from home and in the workplace on an informal basis.

What proportion of UK Export Finance-supported exporters are based in (a) the South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency, and (b) Essex.

UK Export Finance (UKEF) has a network of Export Finance Managers (EFMs) around the whole country who are valuable points of contact for local businesses and can provide information on the range of support available. Contact details for the Essex EFM, and others can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/find-an-export-finance-manager. On 26 January, UKEF announced an £11 billion lending package from five high street banks to support small businesses’ growth. Alongside funding, businesses will also benefit from advisory support through banks’ relationship managers and the EFMs. We do not hold details of the proportion of exporters supported at constituency or county level. Full details of the businesses supported by UKEF each year are published online at: UK Export Finance: business supported - GOV.UK. The support that UKEF provides extends beyond its immediate customers. Recently published research by Oxford Economics (available online at: UK exporters boost economy, as new study reveals major impact of export credit on UK industry - GOV.UK) shows that there are 115,000 businesses in the supply chains of businesses directly supported by UKEF.

What steps the Government is taking to ensure businesses in Essex are aware of, and have access to, UK- Export Finance support.

UK Export Finance (UKEF) has a network of Export Finance Managers (EFMs) around the whole country who are valuable points of contact for local businesses and can provide information on the range of support available. Contact details for the Essex EFM, and others can be found at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/find-an-export-finance-manager. On 26 January, UKEF announced an £11 billion lending package from five high street banks to support small businesses’ growth. Alongside funding, businesses will also benefit from advisory support through banks’ relationship managers and the EFMs. We do not hold details of the proportion of exporters supported at constituency or county level. Full details of the businesses supported by UKEF each year are published online at: UK Export Finance: business supported - GOV.UK. The support that UKEF provides extends beyond its immediate customers. Recently published research by Oxford Economics (available online at: UK exporters boost economy, as new study reveals major impact of export credit on UK industry - GOV.UK) shows that there are 115,000 businesses in the supply chains of businesses directly supported by UKEF.

How many UK businesses are estimated to be part of the supply chains supported by UK Export Finance customers; and what plans the Government has to increase export-linked supply chain activity.

The recently published report by Oxford Economics, Analysing UKEF-Supported Supply Chains (which is available online at: Research and Analysis: Analysing UKEF-supported supply chains - GOV.UK), shows that exporters in UK Export Finance’s (UKEF’s) direct customer base support a further 115,000 businesses in supply chains throughout the whole of the UK.The government’s ambitious Industrial and Trade Strategies, published last year, set out the government’s plans to support the UK’s supply chains.Legislation is currently before the House to increase UKEF’s statutory commitment limit.UKEF is also working with the Department for Business and Trade to ensure that businesses understand how UKEF can support them in taking advantage of new free trade agreements as they are agreed.

What assessment he has made of the potential implications for his policies of the Competition and Market Authority’s report entitled The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is conducting a market investigation into veterinary services for household pets, published 7 September 2023.

Competition issues and pricing practices in the veterinary services market are currently being examined by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) as part of its market investigation into veterinary services for household pets. The CMA is expected to publish its final report by March. The Government will consider the CMA’s final findings and respond to the report within 90 days of its publication.

What steps is he taking to help improve price transparency for veterinary services.

Competition issues and pricing practices in the veterinary services market are currently being examined by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) as part of its market investigation into veterinary services for household pets. The CMA is expected to publish its final report by March. The Government will consider the CMA’s final findings and respond to the report within 90 days of its publication.