Committees

Business and Trade Committee

Commons Select Committee

The Business and Trade Committee scrutinises the policy, spending and administration of the Department for Business and Trade and its public bodies.

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Our Sub-Committee on Economic Security, Arms and Export Controls scrutinises key elements of the UK Government’s economic security regime, and considers whether more needs to be done to ensure that its strategy can meet the challenges of an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape.

Previous publications on the scrutiny of International Trade can be found on the website of the International Trade Committee, which was disbanded in April 2023.

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8 current inquiries

Inquiries allow committees to consider oral and written evidence on a particular topic. They usually result in the publication of a report.

View all inquiries
UK trade with the EU
Report:
Published
On 22 June 2026
Govt. response:
Due by
On 22 August 2026
Opened 8 April 2026
UK trade with the US
Opened 8 April 2026
Artificial Intelligence, business and the future of the workforce
Opened 10 March 2026
China and the UK economy
Opened 5 March 2026
Competition and market functioning in the UK live music industry
Report:
Published
On 24 May 2026
Govt. response:
Due by
On 24 July 2026
Opened 4 December 2025
Financing the real economy
Report:
Published
On 7 June 2026
Govt. response:
Due by
On 7 August 2026
Opened 4 August 2025
Small business strategy
Report:
Published
On 11 February 2026
Govt. response:
Overdue
Since 11 April 2026
Opened 16 June 2025
Industrial Strategy
Report:
Published
On 6 June 2025
Govt. response:
Published
On 12 September 2025
Opened 28 January 2025

Non-inquiry work

Non-inquiry sessions
Non-inquiry sessions are brief packages of work that will not necessarily result in a report. They may be used to revisit previous inquiry topics or take evidence on a topical matter.
Regular evidence sessions
Some committees take evidence from certain officeholders or organisations on a regular basis outside the structure of an inquiry.
Pre-appointment hearings
People nominated to certain public offices may be examined by a committee to assess their suitability and plans for the role.

Latest news

View all news
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Ministers must “get off the fence and give leadership” on UK-EU future, says BTC
10 years on from the Brexit vote and thirteen months after its first report into the UK’s “EU reset”
22 June 2026
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DBT must do whatever it takes to clear Post Office Horizon shortfall claims this year, say MPs
In a short report today the Business and Trade Committee says Government must allot whatever resources it takes
19 June 2026
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MPs call for radical overhaul of Britain's investment system to unlock up to £200 billion of growth a year
The Government will not achieve its ambition of delivering the highest growth in the G7 unless it undertakes sweeping reforms to Britain's investment institutions, the Business and Trade Committee warns today.
7 June 2026

Upcoming events

View all events
Tuesday 30 June 2026
2:30pm Public
Oral evidence session 30 June 2026
China and the UK economy - Oral evidence
2:30pm
  • Chris Bryant MP (Minister for Trade at Department for Business and Trade)
  • Kate Joseph (Director General, Economic Security and Trade Relations at Department for Business and Trade)
  • Lewis Neal (HM Trade Commissioner for China at Department for Business and Trade)
Employment rights - Oral evidence
3:30pm
  • Tom Ironside (Director of Business and Regulation at British Retail Consortium)
  • Joanne Thomas (General Secretary at Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers)
  • Sampson Law (Head of Policy at UNISON)
  • David Sheen (Public Affairs Director at UK Hospitality)
4:15pm
  • Matthew Taylor CBE (Chair at Fair Work Agency)
The Thatcher Room, Portcullis House

Latest publications

View all publications
Letter from Live Nation Entertainment relating to the Committee's report on competition and market functioning in the UK live music industry, 16 June 2026
Inquiry Competition and market functioning in the UK live music industry
Open PDF
394KB
Correspondence
Letter from the Secretary of State relating the UK-India Free Trade Agreement, 17 June 2026
Open PDF
192KB
Correspondence
Letter from the Minister of State for Trade relating to the launch of the Supply Chain Centre, 17 June 2026
Open PDF
195KB
Correspondence

Useful information

FAQs

Contact us

We receive a significant number of emails each day. All requests and invitations are considered but we do not respond directly to everyone. Please be aware, the committee does not look at individual cases or specific complaints.