UK Government department
The
Department for Business and Trade
(
DBT
)
[1]
is a
ministerial department
of the
Government of the United Kingdom
. It was established on 7 February 2023 by a
cabinet reshuffle
under the
Rishi Sunak premiership
. The new department absorbed the functions of the former
Department for International Trade
and some of the functions of the former
Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy
.
The department is headed by the
Secretary of State for Business and Trade
, assisted by a number of junior ministers. The incumbent and the first to hold the role is
Kemi Badenoch
.
Background
[
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]
Foundation
[
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]
The department was established on 7 February 2023. It combines the business-focused responsibilities of the former
Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy
(BEIS) with the former
Department for International Trade
(DIT). The ministers and senior civil servants from DIT were carried over to continue leading the new department.
The creation of the new department was described by Downing Street as an opportunity to provide "a single, coherent voice for business inside government, focused on growing the economy with better regulation, new trade deals abroad, and a renewed culture of enterprise at home".
[2]
Responsibilities
[
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]
The department's focus was outlined by Downing Street as follows:
- Delivering economic growth opportunities across the economy.
- Backing business by improving access to finance and delivering a pro-enterprise regulatory system;
- Promoting British businesses on the global stage and attracting high-value investment, including through high-quality Free Trade Agreements with India and other priority partners.
- Promoting competitive markets and addressing market distorting practises to support growth whilst protecting consumers;
- Championing free trade;
- Ensuring economic security and supply chain resilience;
- Supporting economic growth and innovation by making the most of Brexit freedoms and removing unnecessary regulatory burdens;
- Delivering legislation on setting minimum service levels for priority public service sectors and to review, reform, retain, and/or repeal retained EU law by December 2023.
[2]
Scrutiny
[
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]
Since 26 April 2023, the work of the department has been scrutinised by the
Business and Trade Select Committee
of the
House of Commons
. This is a renaming of the Business Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee, which absorbs the responsibilities of the dissolved International Trade Committee.
[3]
[4]
History
[
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]
The department was responsible for finalising negotiations for the UK's to join the
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership
in April 2023, a free-trade agreement (FTA) between 11 countries around the Pacific Rim: Canada, Mexico, Peru, Chile, New Zealand, Australia, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Japan. It successfully concluded an agreement after 2 years of negotiations.
[5]
[6]
In May 2023, the Minister for Investment,
Dominic Johnson
became the first UK government minister to visit
Hong Kong
since 2018, and the first since the imposition of a new
national security law
by Beijing in the Special Administration Region.
[7]
In May 2023, the department announced that it had commenced negotiations for a bilateral trade agreement with Switzerland.
[6]
[8]
Ministers
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DBaT ministers are as follows, with cabinet members in bold:
Minister
|
Portrait
|
Office
|
Portfolio
|
The Rt Hon.
Kemi Badenoch
MP
|
|
Secretary of State for Business and Trade
President of the Board of Trade
Minister for Women and Equalities
|
Overall responsibility for the department. Responsible for leading on departmental strategy and delivering on the department's responsibilities. Also responsible for engaging with business across government, and for making necessary public appointments. The Secretary of State is responsible for leading UK government representation during free trade agreement negotiations, outlining mandates, and making decisions. The Secretary of State also leads UK government representation at meetings of the
World Trade Organization
, and at ministerial meetings of the
G7
and
G20
where the Secretary of State is further responsible for developing and maintaining the UK's overseas business network.
[9]
As President of the Board of Trade, the Secretary of State is responsible for leading engagement with the whole of the UK on the UK’s global trade and investment agenda. The role is held concurrently with her position as Secretary of State for Business and Trade.
[10]
As Minister for Women and Equalities, the Secretary of State also has responsibility for developing an equalities policy that is based on individual autonomy and dignity and for promoting equality of opportunity for everyone.
[11]
|
Kevin Hollinrake
MP
|
|
Minister of State for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business
|
The Minister's policy portfolio includes: small business and enterprise, scale up strategy, access to finance, labour market and employment rights (including
National Minimum Wage
), postal services (including
Royal Mail
), consumer and competition policy (including subsidy control), mutual recognition of professional qualifications, levelling up and regional growth, and corporate governance and transparency.
The Minister is responsible for the following business sectors: audit and insolvency; hospitality; retail; consumer goods, and personal care.
The Minister is further responsible for the following
non-departmental public bodies
: the
Office for Product Safety and Standards
,
Post Office Limited
, the
British Business Bank
, the
Low Pay Commission
, the
Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS)
, the
Small Business Commissioner
,
Companies House
, the
Competition & Markets Authority
,
the Competition Service and Competition Appeal Tribunal
,
The Insolvency Service
, the
Central Arbitration Committee
, the
Certification Officer
, the
Office of Manpower Economics
, the
Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies
, the
Groceries Code Adjudicator
, the
Pub Code Adjudicator
, the
British Hallmarking Council
;
Financial Reporting Council
, and the Regulatory Policy Committee.
[12]
|
The Rt Hon.
Lord Johnson of Lainston
CBE
|
|
Minister of State for Investment
Minister of State for Regulatory Reform
|
The Minister of State for Investment is responsible for investment strategy, investment promotion across all sectors, investor relationship management, investment events (including the UK Global Investment Summit),investor screening for the Department, and defence and security exports. The Minister is also responsible for the Office for Investment and managing the passage of trade legislation through the
House of Lords
.
The Minister of State for Regulatory Reform is responsible for cross-government regulatory reform and the creation and implementation of better regulation. The Minister is also responsible for managing the passage of business legislation through the House of Lords and all
Private Members' Bills
.
[13]
|
The Rt Hon.
Greg Hands
MP
|
|
Minister of State for Trade Policy
[14]
|
The Minister of State for Trade Policy supports the Secretary of State with:
Support on all free trade agreements (FTAs);
support on World Trade Organization (WTO), G7, G20, OECD, Commonwealth and wider multilateral engagement;
market access strategy;
FTA implementation;
the Board of Trade;
union policy;
chairing the XWH Inter-Ministerial Trade Advisory Group (IMTAG);
External engagement via the:
Strategic Trade Advisory Group,
sectoral trade advisory groups,
trade union advisory groups,
civil society and think tank roundtables.
[15]
|
The Rt Hon.
Lord Offord of Garvel
CVO
|
|
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exports
|
The Minister is responsible for export strategy implementation and promotion across all sectors, supporting the exports of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), Export Support Service, free trade agreement utilisation, outward direct investment delivery and UK Internal Market and the Union.
The Minister is also responsible for UK representation at trade missions and trade shows and the 'Made in the UK, Sold to the World' trade campaign.
The Minister is further responsible for the
Board of Trade
and
UK Export Finance
.
[16]
|
Alan Mak
MP
|
|
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Industry and Economic Security
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Investment Security Unit
|
The Minister's portfolio includes responsibility for the following business sectors: advanced manufacturing, automotive, aerospace, steel, materials, maritime and shipbuilding, and professional and business services.
The Minister is further responsible for the following policy areas: sustainability and infrastructure, free trade agreements with Canada and Mexico, managing retained EU law (repeal and reform), economic security, trade defence, global supply chains, critical minerals, Ukraine reconstructions, and the UK sanctions regime. The Minister is also responsible for managing the Industrial Development Advisory Board (IDAB).
[17]
|
See also
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References
[
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- ^
"Compensation scheme for Group Litigation Order case postmasters: privacy notice - GOV.UK"
. gov.uk. 10 February 2023
. Retrieved
10 February
2023
.
- ^
a
b
Making Government Deliver for the British People: Updating the machinery of government for the world of today and of tomorrow
(PDF)
. UK Government. 7 February 2023
. Retrieved
7 February
2023
.
Text was copied from this source, which is available under an
Open Government Licence v3.0
. ⓒ Crown copyright.
- ^
"International Trade Committee dissolved and Business and Trade Committee formed"
. House of Commons
. Retrieved
18 May
2023
.
- ^
"Business and Trade Committee Commons Select Committee"
. House of Commons
. Retrieved
18 May
2023
.
- ^
Kane, James (18 April 2023).
"Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)"
.
Institute for Government
. Institute for Government
. Retrieved
18 May
2023
.
- ^
a
b
"Business and Trade Department marks 100-day milestone"
.
GOV.UK
. 17 May 2023
. Retrieved
18 May
2023
.
- ^
"British investment minister visits Hong Kong, first official visit in 5 years"
.
Reuters
. Reuters. 9 May 2023
. Retrieved
18 May
2023
.
- ^
Wood, Zoe (14 May 2023).
"Kemi Badenoch flying to Switzerland to discuss post-Brexit trade deal"
.
The Guardian
. Retrieved
18 May
2023
.
- ^
"Secretary of State for Business and Trade - GOV.UK"
.
GOV.UK
. HM Government
. Retrieved
18 May
2023
.
- ^
"Board of Trade"
.
GOV.UK
. HM Government
. Retrieved
18 May
2023
.
Text was copied from this source, which is available under an
Open Government Licence v3.0
. ⓒ Crown copyright.
- ^
"Minister for Women and Equalities"
.
GOV.UK
. UK Government
. Retrieved
17 November
2022
.
Text was copied from this source, which is available under an
Open Government Licence v3.0
. ⓒ Crown copyright.
- ^
"Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Enterprise, Markets and Small Business) - GOV.UK"
.
GOV.UK
. Retrieved
18 May
2023
.
Text was copied from this source, which is available under an
Open Government Licence v3.0
. ⓒ Crown copyright.
- ^
"Minister of State (Minister for Regulatory Reform) - GOV.UK"
.
GOV.UK
. HM Government
. Retrieved
18 May
2023
.
Text was copied from this source, which is available under an
Open Government Licence v3.0
. ⓒ Crown copyright.
- ^
"The Rt Hon Greg Hands MP"
. www.gov.uk
. Retrieved
15 November
2023
.
- ^
"Minister of State for Trade Policy - GOV.UK"
.
GOV.UK
. HM Government
. Retrieved
2 December
2023
.
- ^
"Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Exports) - GOV.UK"
.
GOV.UK
. HM Government
. Retrieved
18 May
2023
.
Text was copied from this source, which is available under an
Open Government Licence v3.0
. ⓒ Crown copyright.
- ^
"Minister for Industry and Economic Security - GOV.UK"
.
GOV.UK
. Retrieved
18 May
2023
.
Text was copied from this source, which is available under an
Open Government Licence v3.0
. ⓒ Crown copyright.
External links
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