Every parliamentary written question tabled by Richard Holden this session, with the full answer and department. See how every department answers, or back to the MP page.
Showing 41–60 of 121 · Department for Business and Trade
What the cost was of his Department's initiatives aimed at reducing official travel emissions in 2024–25, including behavioural programmes, reporting systems and policy compliance activity.
Records are not held that identify the cost of the Department's initiatives aimed at reducing official travel emissions including behavioural programmes, reporting systems and policy compliance activity.
What the total cost to the British Business Bank was in 2024–25 of policies, programmes and staffing related to net zero, decarbonisation, sustainability or the green economy, broken down by a) programme expenditure, b) staffing costs and c) consultancy and professional services.
The British Business Bank does not record or allocate its costs based on thematic categories such as net zero, decarbonisation, sustainability or the green economy. Its programme expenditure, staffing costs, and consultancy and professional services are managed and reported with reference to the programme or business line to which they relate, rather than by policy objective. For this reason, the Bank is not in a position to provide a breakdown of costs for the year 2024–25 in the format requested.
How much his Department spent on measuring, reporting or validating greenhouse gas emissions across its estate in 2024-25.
The Government Property Agency (GPA) is responsible for collecting and providing all greenhouse gas emissions data for the estate occupied by the department. The Department for Business and Trade did not incur any third-party costs in 2024–25 for measuring, reporting, or validating greenhouse gas emissions across its estate. The department does not separately record the staff time spent analysing or processing this data.
What additional costs were incurred by his Department as a result of Net Zero or sustainability requirements applied to procurement contracts over £10,000 in 2024-25.
My department did not incur any additional costs as a result of Net Zero or sustainability requirements applied to procurement contracts over £10,000 in 2024-25.
When his Department's steel strategy will be published.
The Government is developing a Steel Strategy to be published in early 2026 that will set out a long-term vision for a bright and sustainable steel sector in the UK and the actions needed to get there. The strategy will articulate what is needed to create a competitive business environment in the UK with the aim of attracting new private investment to secure and expand UK steelmaking capability and capacity which is aligned with our Net Zero goals.
What funding his Department allocated for the development of its planned Net Zero strategy and action plan, including staffing and consultancy costs in the 2025-26 financial year.
Separate funding for the department's corporate sustainability activity, including net zero strategy and action planning, is not allocated. The associated work is dispersed across several functions and it is not possible to identify the cost of this. No consultancy costs have been funded or incurred in the 2025/26 financial year to date.
What the cost to the Insolvency Service was of Net Zero, sustainability or climate-related policies in 2024–25, including changes to operational practice, reporting and staff roles.
During 2024–25, the costs associated with supporting the Government’s Net Zero, sustainability and climate related policies were £196,065.88. These were primarily related to staff time delivering mandatory disclosures and requirements including Greening Government Commitments and the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures. This figure comprises of staff salary costs and other costs associated with the online legal register, professional memberships and sustainability training. No direct expenditure was incurred on sustainability initiatives.
What the cost to Post Office Limited was in 2024–25 of Net Zero, sustainability and decarbonisation initiatives; and how much of that cost was met through direct government support.
Post Office Limited laid its FY 2024-25 Annual Report and Accounts in Parliament in December 2025. The Annual Report details the company’s policy on net zero, and is available here: post-office-limited_2025-ara-signed.pdfThe Department does not directly fund Post Office’s net zero initiatives.
What his Department's spend was on sustainability and Net Zero-related estate activity managed via the Government Property Agency in 2024–25 , including a) energy efficiency measures, b) climate adaptation work and c) reporting and monitoring systems.
The department has not incurred any expenditure on energy efficiency measures, climate adaptation work and reporting and monitoring systems associated with estate activity managed via the Government Property Agency in 2024–25.
How much his Department spent in 2024-25 on external consultants, advisers or delivery partners in relation to Net Zero, sustainability, decarbonisation and green economy programmes; and which firms were contracted.
My department is committed to supporting Net Zero goals and advancing Clean Energy initiatives. In 2024, the UK signed a Government-to-Government Arrangement with the Dominican Republic to help deliver infrastructure projects that promote mutual economic growth. This project provided recommendations to prioritise renewable energy projects aligned with national targets and opportunities for UK supply chain involvement.
Pursuant to the Answer of 8 December 2025 to Question 95965, what assessment his Department has made of whether the £8 to £13 per tonne electricity cost differential faced by UK steel producers reflects any difference in the quality or specification of steel produced, expressed as a percentage where possible.
The energy intensity factor used only relates to the production of crude or liquid steel, which is not further treated or rolled into specific products. The electricity cost differential per tonne of steel between specific plants will depend on various factors including electrical conversion efficiency, material inputs, and further quality and specification of the final steel product produced.
What the net zero targets for their Department and its arm’s-length bodies are; and what guidance has been issued to those bodies on adopting net zero targets earlier than 2050.
The Net Zero target in the Climate Change Act 2008, is a target for the whole of the UK, not individual departments or arms-length bodies.Greening Government Commitments are the central framework setting out the actions UK government departments and their agencies will take to reduce their impacts on the environment, including setting targets to reduce emissions, during the framework period.Defra are reviewing the Greening Government Commitments to ensure that they remain aligned with government priorities.
Pursuant to the Answer of 9 December 2025 to Question 96697 on Motor Vehicles: China, whether Ministers or officials in his Department have had discussions since 4 July 2024 with UK manufacturers or trade bodies that trade with or sell products in China about engagement with the Trade Remedies Authority.
Ministers and officials regularly engage UK manufacturers and industry bodies on a wide range of trade issues. However, I am not aware of any specific such discussions.
If he will publish a list of the countries from which electric vehicles are currently (a) eligible for a zero per cent import tariff and (b) not eligible for a zero per cent import tariff when entering the United Kingdom market.
Such a list is already available as the list of electric vehicle tariffs by country can be found on the Government’s Online Tariff Tool here (https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/find_commodity), which provides the most up-to-date details on import tariffs for every country.
Pursuant to the answer of 27 November 2025 to WPQ 92058, whether he has had discussions with manufacturers who also sell products in China on reluctance to engage with the Trade Remedies Authority because of the possibility of retaliatory action by that country.
No, neither the Secretary of State nor I have had any such discussions. However, the Government and the Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) regularly engage with UK manufacturers to understand their concerns, and they may always submit applications anonymously to the TRA. Trade remedy investigations should be undertaken on the basis of evidence, pursuant to the WTO agreements, and available to all WTO members. My Department will always challenge actions taken outside this framework. The UK and China are deepening its dialogue on trade remedy matters through the UK-China Joint Economic and Trade Commission.
If he will take steps to reduce the rate of pub closures.
The Government recognises the significant pressures facing pubs and we are providing support through various measures to help ease these pressures.We've introduced permanently lower tax rates for retail, hospitality and leisure properties with a ratable value under £500,000, worth nearly £900 million annually, benefitting over 750,000 properties. The new relief rates are permanent, giving businesses certainty and stability, and there will be no cap so all qualifying properties will benefit.The Chancellor announced a new National Licensing Policy Framework as part of her budget. This sets out a vision for a proportionate licensing system that supports good businesses while continuing to tackle bad operators.We're also investing £440,000 with Pub is The Hub to help rural pubs diversify, aiming to support rural communities, create new jobs and services.
What estimate his Department has made of a) the average energy cost faced by UK steel producers in the most recent year, b) the equivalent cost faced by producers in France and Germany, and c) the potential impact of this cost gap on the competitiveness of UK steelmaking.
The Government is committed to delivering a steel strategy setting out a long-term vision for the UK steel industry articulating what is needed to create a competitive business environment in the UK and the actions required to get there. UK steel producers that benefit from British Industry Supercharger support and the current Network Charging Compensation scheme paid industrial electricity prices of £93 per MWh in 2025 (a 60% relief). The increase in compensation for network charges from 60% to 90%, which was announced in the Industrial Strategy and will be delivered from 1 April 2026, will reduce electricity prices for steel producers by a further £7 to £10 per MWh approximately. The equivalent cost faced by industrial electricity users in France and Germany is £69/MWh and £60/MWh respectively. Using average electricity intensity factors for electric arc furnace-based steel production, the difference to UK producers equates to approximately £8-£13 per tonne of crude steel.
Pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 87864 on Department for Transport: Electric Vehicles, whether he has had discussions with car manufacturers on the potential impact of the entry of electric vehicles from China into the UK market on the cost of new electric and petrol cars.
China plays a significant global role across the automotive sector, and this brings challenges and opportunities for the UK. We closely monitor how changes to trade flows and other issues impact UK manufacturers. While DBT Ministers, including the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, engage regularly with UK car manufacturers on a range of relevant issues, including on the entry of electric vehicles from China into the UK market, decisions on the cost of new vehicles are a commercial matter for individual companies.
What assessment he has made of the potential impact of the Employment Rights Bill on SME firms within UK automotive supply chains; and whether his Department has undertaken any separate modelling of the cost implications for SMEs operating as tier-two and tier-three suppliers.
On Monday 21 October 2024, the Government published a comprehensive package of analysis on the impact of the Employment Rights Bill [Employment Rights Bill: impact assessments - GOV.UK]. The assessment provides analysis of the potential costs and benefits to business, the impacts on SMEs, potential trade implications as well as the sectoral impacts of the Bill, including the manufacturing sector.
What formal consultation his Department has undertaken with (a) UK automotive manufacturers and (b) their UK-based supply-chain firms on the Employment Rights Bill; what representations his Department has received from those businesses; and how the Government has responded to those representations.
The Government is committed to engaging closely with employers throughout the development and implementation of Make Work Pay. Officials meet regularly with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders to discuss the Employment Rights Bill, as well as other bodies representing automotive manufacturers and suppliers, such as Make UK, the largest representative of UK manufacturers. There is also regular engagement through the Auto Council’s Skills Working Group.