Publication scheme - Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade
This publication scheme specifies the categories of information that BIST and its agencies regularly publish and explains how to get that information.
In July 2026, the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) replaced the Department for Business and Trade (DBT).
We will continue to update this BIST publication scheme throughout the year as new BIST publications become available.
The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act encourages public authorities to make information available to the public wherever possible. The Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) does this by publishing the data that people need to understand who we are, what we spend and what we achieve.
Under the act, we are required to:
- adopt a publication scheme that details the information we make available
- ensure that all published information is in accordance with the scheme
If the information you need is not available, you can make a request for it under the Freedom of Information Act using our online form.
About us
This information covers our organisational details, structure, locations and contacts. This includes:
- about us
- our management and ministerial team information
- an organogram of staff roles and salaries
- gender pay gap reporting
- workforce management information
- details of our ministers’ meetings with external organisations
- details of senior staff’s meetings with external organisations
- details of special advisers’ meetings with external organisations
- information about the organisations the department is responsible for, works in partnership with, or sponsors
- legislation relevant to BIST’s functions
- senior civil servants’ business appointment applications
- our departmental home page includes contact details
Spending
This is where we publish financial information about projected and actual income, expenditure, procurement, contracts and financial audits. This includes:
- our annual report and accounts
- spending for transactions over £25,000
- contracts and tenders worth over £12,000
- government procurement card spend over £500
- main estimates memorandum
- National Audit Office reports on the work of Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade
- our ministers’ allowances and expenses
- our senior staff and board members’ allowances and expenses
- our special advisers gifts and hospitality
- Trade Unions Congress (TUC) facility time reporting
- our prompt payment data
- our spend control data
Priorities and progress
This information covers departmental strategies and plans, performance indicators, audits, inspections and reviews, including:
- our services
- DBT’s monitoring and evaluation strategy 2023 to 2026
- DBT inward investment results
- the impact assessments we have made
- DBT Major Projects Portfolio data 2024
- our complaints procedure service standards
- our statistics
How we make decisions
This is where we publish details of our decision-making processes and records of our decisions. These include:
- BIST’s policy proposals and decisions
- our research and analysis
- our public consultations
- our trade and investment factsheets
Policies and procedures
This information covers our protocols, policies and procedures for providing services, and responsibilities, including:
- the civil service code
- our complaints procedure
- our recruitment and employment of staff
- our records management and personal data policies
Lists and registers
This is where we publish details of the department’s public registers, asset registers and disclosure logs, including:
- our information asset register
- our public registers and registers held as public records
- the register of gifts for ministers and special advisers
- a register of board member’s interests
- a register of ministers’ interests
Data and datasets
You can find datasets published by BIST on the National Data Library website.
Requesting information
If you cannot find what you want through this scheme, or otherwise on GOV.UK, please use our online form.
Alternatively, you can write to us at:
Freedom of Information
Information Rights Unit
Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade
Old Admiralty Building
Admiralty Place
London
SW1A 2DY
Email : foi@businessandtrade.gov.uk
Be specific about the information you want and we will try to find it for you.
Feedback and complaints about the scheme
We want our publication scheme to meet the needs of our users. We welcome suggestions for particular information that we might commit to publishing under the scheme in future.
You can send any comments or complaints about the scheme using the contact details provided on this webpage.