Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether manufacturers are required to declare how they plan to reach (a) Net Zero and (b) Net Zero within their supply chains.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Climate transition plans allow companies to set out how they plan to reach climate targets, including supply chain decarbonisation.
The Government has established the Transition Plan Taskforce, which launched in April 2022. The Taskforce is developing guidance to support companies to disclose information about their transition plans, and is due to publish its finalised Disclosure Framework in October 2023. The Government has also committed to consult on our approach to transition plans, and we will do so after the Taskforce has published its finalised Framework.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent progress her Department has made on negotiating a free trade agreement with India; whether she has had discussions with her Indian counterpart on the potential merits of including tariff reductions for Irish whiskey exporters in that agreement; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
A free trade agreement with India offers the opportunity to deepen our already strong trade relationship, worth £34 billion in the year to end Q3 2022.
We seek a forward-looking FTA which includes a solid market access offer that can boost firms like Irish whiskey exporters, as well as easing red tape for services and ensuring greater legal certainty for investment.
On 10 February 2023, the seventh round of UK-India FTA concluded. We do not discuss details of live negotiations, and will only sign a deal that is fair, reciprocal, and ultimately in the best interests of the British people and the economy.
Asked by: Ian Paisley (Democratic Unionist Party - North Antrim)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she plans to take steps to undertake (a) trade missions and (b) other export promotion activities to help support Irish whiskey exporters from Northern Ireland to increase sales in Australia, in the context of the UK-Australia free trade agreement.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Our world-class trade agreement with Australia will bring opportunities to every part of the UK. Whiskey Distilleries from Northern Ireland will benefit from tariffs being cut to 0%, the slashing of red tape and simplified customs procedures, making it cheaper and easier to export their products to Australia.
The Department for Business and Trade works in close partnership with the Irish Whiskey Association on a range of issues. These include trade policy and export promotion activities focussing on opportunities in their target priority markets, which include Australia.