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7 July 2026 - The work of the Department for Business and Trade - Oral evidence

Committee Business and Trade Committee
Inquiry The work of the Department for Business and Trade

Tuesday 7 July 2026

Start times: 2:00pm (private) 2:30pm (public)


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“Businesses need delivery, not just good intentions” BTC to question Secretary of State Rt Hon Peter Kyle

The Business and Trade Committee will question Business Secretary Peter Kyle on Tuesday after publishing seven major reports in seven weeks examining some of the biggest challenges facing British businesses.

Meeting details

At 2:30pm: Oral evidence
Work The work of the Department for Business and Trade (Regular evidence sessions)
Secretary of State at Department for Business and Trade
Interim Permanent Secretary at Department for Business and Trade

MPs will begin by pressing the Secretary of State over the Government's response to the Committee's report on small business, after concluding that ministers have not yet produced a sufficiently ambitious plan to tackle the unsustainable pressures facing firms on Britain's high streets.

The Committee's report warns that small business confidence is too low, that the Government response is “inadequate” and more needs to be done to stop the slow death of the UK high streets.

The session will also examine:

  • progress on the Industrial Strategy;
  • implementation of employment rights reforms;
  • procurement reform and support for growing UK firms;
  • steel, tariffs and UK-US and UK-EU trade;
  • Royal Mail’s ongoing service failures, one year into the takeover by “Czech Sphinx” Daniel Křetínský’s EP Group and the still unresolved Post Office scandal;
  • competition policy and consumer protection;
  • economic security, including the UK's approach to China.

Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP, Chair of the Committee, said: 

"Over the last seven weeks we've published seven major reports exposing where Britain's business environment needs to improve fast. We've set out practical recommendations to strengthen investment, back small businesses, improve trade, protect consumers and make our economy more secure.

"Now it's time to ask a simple question: what is changing? Businesses need delivery, not just good intentions." 

 

Location

Room 15, Palace of Westminster

How to attend