Ministerial role

Secretary of State for Business and Trade

Organisations: Department for Business and Trade and UK Defence and Security Exports

Responsibilities

The Secretary of State has overall responsibility for the Department for Business and Trade. Responsibilities include:

• overall responsibility for delivery and strategy
• cross-government business engagement
• public appointments
• FTA negotiations, mandates, and decisions
• WTO, G7, and G20 ministerial meetings
• overseas network​

Previous holders of this role

1. The Rt Hon Peter Kyle MP

   2025 to 2026

2. The Rt Hon Jonathan Reynolds MP

   2024 to 2025

3. The Rt Hon Kemi Badenoch MP

   2023 to 2024

Announcements

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• Dame Jayne-Anne Gadhia appointed Chair of the Financial Reporting Council
  • 16 July 2026
  • Press release
• Make Work Pay: employment rights for unpaid carers and parents of seriously ill children
  • 15 July 2026
  • Open consultation
• UK appoints Kate Harrisson as new HMTC for China and Hong Kong
  • 15 July 2026
  • Press release
• Make Work Pay: ending one-sided flexibility – reforms of zero hours and similar contracts
  • 14 July 2026
  • Open consultation
• Chancellor to unlock billions in finance for small businesses
  • 13 July 2026
  • Press release
• Make Work Pay: draft code of practice on trade union right of access
  • 10 July 2026
  • Consultation outcome
• UK life sciences attracts £3bn investment, creating jobs and faster patient treatments
  • 09 July 2026
  • Press release
• UK to become world’s fastest market to commercialise innovation with regulatory shake-up
  • 08 July 2026
  • Press release
• Make Work Pay: recognition code of practice and e-balloting unfair practices
  • 06 July 2026
  • Consultation outcome
• Make Work Pay: holiday pay compliance and enforcement
  • 30 June 2026
  • Open consultation

View all announcements