Business and Trade Committee

The Commons Business and Trade Committee scrutinises the work of the Department for Business and Trade, commercial policy, consumer affairs, and competition matters. Operating as a select committee with power to take oral evidence from ministers, officials, and external witnesses, it conducts inquiries on issues affecting UK business competitiveness and trade relationships. Recent work has focused on China-UK economic relations and business perspectives on engagement with Beijing, examined artificial intelligence's impact on the workforce and business operations through witness panels, and investigated Royal Mail's universal service obligation performance and potential reform. The committee has also held sessions on trade negotiations with the US and EU, questioned the CMA Chair appointment regarding the balance between competition enforcement and business growth, and scrutinised consumer protection frameworks and the Competition and Markets Authority's pricing oversight. Additional inquiries have addressed UK-US trade deal investment protections and regulatory standards alignment, and assessed the logistical and industry impacts of the EU Trade Reset initiative.