Written questions by Shannon.

If he will make it his policy to seek closer trade relations between the Northern Ireland agri-food market and the US.

Awaiting answer.

What support is available to British entrepreneurs seeking to establish businesses in Africa and Asia.

The Department for Business and Trade supports UK businesses to export and grow in markets worldwide, including Africa and Asia. Through the Business Growth Service, entrepreneurs can access tailored market advice, free Business Academy training and UK Ex...

What recent assessment he has made of opportunities for UK businesses in emerging markets.

The Department for Business and Trade is supporting businesses with the highest-growth potential and targeting markets identified in the Industrial and Trade Strategies as having significant economic opportunity.Our Free Trade Agreements help businesses c...

What estimate he has made of the level of representation of women in senior leadership positions across the UK private and public sectors.

The Government is committed to improving women’s representation in senior leadership positions. Through the FTSE Women Leaders Review, we support a voluntary, business-led approach to increasing women’s representation. The Review’s 2025 report shows that ...

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of small businesses on economic growth.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) account for 5.7 million businesses, representing over 99.9% of the business population, and make a substantial contribution to UK economic activity. They generate around 51% of UK private sector turnover (£2.8 tri...

What steps the Government is taking to support small businesses adopting digital technologies.

Last summer, the industry-led SME Digital Adoption Taskforce set out ten recommendations to help small and medium-sized enterprises adopt digital technology, and boost productivity. We are taking these forward, including by collaborating with industry on ...

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of new trade agreements on manufacturing exports.

The Department publishes analysis to assess the potential impacts of new Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) in advance of negotiations. On conclusion of negotiations, the Department publishes full impact assessments. The analysis in these publications covers a ...

What steps he is taking to ensure compliance with employment rights in the gig economy.

The government established the Fair Work Agency (FWA) in April 2026, which will deliver a much-needed upgrade to employment rights enforcement. It brings enforcement functions of three predecessor bodies together into one place, so employment rights are e...

What steps he is taking to help improve corporate governance standards among large UK companies.

My department’s upcoming Modernising Corporate Reporting consultation will outline the government’s plans to improve corporate governance reporting, including for large companies, with the programme also giving consideration to the wider corporate governa...

What support is available to small exporters seeking to access new markets overseas.

Exports are central to the Government’s growth mission. For the first time, DBT has integrated its business support offer in a single, accessible place – the Business Growth Service – to help firms start, scale, and succeed. From tailored market advice an...

What assessment his Department has made of trends in the level of regional disparities in business start-up rates across the UK.

Data on regional start-up rates is available via the Office for National Statistics Business Demography publication. Latest data shows that London has the highest rate of business births and Northern Ireland has the lowest. There has been relatively littl...

What assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of the Insolvency Service in tackling fraudulent business practices.

The Insolvency Service plays a key part in tackling fraudulent business practices. The agency has established the systems needed to investigate offences introduced by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 and is strengthening its partners...

How many workers have been impacted by enforcement actions related to breaches of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 in the last year.

HMRC enforces National Minimum Wage (NMW) regulations on behalf of the Fair Work Agency (FWA), through both responding to worker complaints, and targeted enforcement activity.The latest enforcement and compliance report (2025) shows that in 2024-2025 HMRC...

What recent discussions he has had with business representatives on export opportunities following the UK's departure from the EU.

The Secretary of State and Ministers regularly engage with a wide range of business representatives to discuss export opportunities. These discussions take place through formal stakeholder forums, sector roundtables, and bilateral meetings, and help infor...

What steps he is taking to encourage investment in businesses located in economically disadvantaged regions.

84% of businesses supported by the British Business Bank were outside London in 2024/25. The expected boost to Gross Value Added expected from those businesses supported in 2024/25 is more than £100 million in every UK nation and region.Their £1.6 billion...

How many businesses accessed support schemes administered by the Department in the most recent financial year for which data is available.

The Department does not hold this information centrally. Data on businesses accessing support schemes administered by the Department is not collected on a single dataset for the most recent financial year.Support is delivered through a range of schemes in...

What steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to support small businesses facing rising energy prices.

The United Kingdom has a diverse and resilient energy system. The government is monitoring the impacts of the situation in the Middle East, including small businesses, and engaging with industry to understand the full picture.Alongside existing measures t...

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of changes in operating costs on small and medium-sized enterprises in the past 12 months.

The Department for Business and Trade recognises that SMEs are facing a challenging set of cost pressures, exacerbated by the ongoing situation in the Middle East. To support SMEs bring down costs and improve cashflow, the Government has introduced a £4.3...

What recent assessment he has made of the potential impact of barriers to growth on start-up businesses.

The government is committed to supporting start-ups through the Small Business Plan, the most comprehensive package of support for small and medium-sized businesses in a generation.The Plan sets out measures to help start-ups across the UK, including tack...

What discussions he has had with regulators regarding the adequacy of consumer protection in online marketplaces.

The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 makes clear that online marketplaces must exercise professional diligence in relation to consumer transactions promoted or made on their platforms.The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and loca...