Department for International Trade

£88,525.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

China is the number one export destination for UK pork in terms of value and quantity, despite the challenges of Covid-19.

The UK continues to negotiate with China to lift the ban on exporting British beef, which came into force last year following a single case of BSE. The Chief Veterinary Office wrote to Chinese officials at the end of 2021 on this issue.

The UK government's agriculture, food and drink counsellor, based in Beijing, supports UK food and drink companies to successfully export to China. Increasing exports of pork and regaining market access for beef are among DIT’s top priorities for that market.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

HM Government is getting on with the job, setting up engagement mechanisms to make sure the United Kingdom’s position is well-informed and reflects the interests of the British people. These engagement mechanisms include the Ministerially-chaired Strategic Trade Advisory Group (STAG), eleven sector-specific Trade Advisory Groups (TAGs), and ten cross-government Thematic Working Groups (TWGs) currently.

Research is being conducted by Ipsos Mori between February and May 2022. It covers member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council. This research will be used to inform negotiations.

Increasing and promoting trade with Nigeria is a priority for the UK Government. Total trade in goods and services between the UK and Nigeria was £3.5 billion last year (ending Q3 2021), an increase of 1.9% or £65 million from the previous year. At the most recent bi-annual UK-Nigeria Economic Development Forum government to government dialogue, held on 26 April, Ministers from both countries agreed to start a working group to discuss how to enhance the bilateral trading relationship.

Officials are working to support British business access foreign exchange facilities through the Economic Development Forum and the associated Finance and Financial Services Working Group.

From 2016 to 2021 UK exports of spirits to Nigeria increased by 92.1%. DIT continues to offer a wide range of support for British alcohol and spirit producers wishing to export into Nigeria. Through our work, import adjustment tax is now no longer applicable on Scotch Whisky exports to Nigeria.

Increasing and promoting trade with Nigeria is a priority for the UK Government. Total trade in goods and services between the UK and Nigeria was £3.5 billion last year (ending Q3 2021), an increase of 1.9% or £65 million from the previous year. At the most recent bi-annual UK-Nigeria Economic Development Forum government to government dialogue, held on 26 April, Ministers from both countries agreed to start a working group to discuss how to enhance the bilateral trading relationship.

Officials are working to support British business access foreign exchange facilities through the Economic Development Forum and the associated Finance and Financial Services Working Group.

From 2016 to 2021 UK exports of spirits to Nigeria increased by 92.1%. DIT continues to offer a wide range of support for British alcohol and spirit producers wishing to export into Nigeria. Through our work, import adjustment tax is now no longer applicable on Scotch Whisky exports to Nigeria.

Increasing and promoting trade with Nigeria is a priority for the UK Government. Total trade in goods and services between the UK and Nigeria was £3.5 billion last year (ending Q3 2021), an increase of 1.9% or £65 million from the previous year. At the most recent bi-annual UK-Nigeria Economic Development Forum government to government dialogue, held on 26 April, Ministers from both countries agreed to start a working group to discuss how to enhance the bilateral trading relationship.

Officials are working to support British business access foreign exchange facilities through the Economic Development Forum and the associated Finance and Financial Services Working Group.

From 2016 to 2021 UK exports of spirits to Nigeria increased by 92.1%. DIT continues to offer a wide range of support for British alcohol and spirit producers wishing to export into Nigeria. Through our work, import adjustment tax is now no longer applicable on Scotch Whisky exports to Nigeria.

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

UK food and drink, including Scotch whisky, is renowned worldwide for its quality and provenance. In 2021, whisky was the highest value UK food and drink export to China and amounted to £200.1m. The UK government’s agriculture, food and drink counsellor in China works closely with the Scotch Whisky Association and whisky companies to promote whisky in China. This includes supporting the protection of intellectual property and whisky tasting and educational events and promotions, including via digital media. Our success is built on our strong domestic standards and the quality and safety of our products.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

The UK has never lost a tribunal under Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provisions despite having such arrangements in place with over 90 treaty partners. UK firms have over £100 billion invested in Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) countries, which will be protected by CPTPP’s investment chapter.

The UK has Investor-State Dispute Settlement arrangements with 90 treaty partners and has never lost a case or even been taken to a tribunal under these provisions. UK firms have over £100 billion invested in Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) countries, including pension funds. The CPTPP investment chapter offers protection for UK investments and businesses abroad. CPTPP protects countries right to regulate and will not undermine the UK’s net zero objectives.

Our Free Trade Agreements are a key means to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals to reduce poverty and inequality. In line with the Government’s levelling up agenda, we are committed to ensuring that our Free Trade Agreements deliver opportunities for the whole of the UK.

Our recent Free Trade Agreement with Australia is expected to boost the economy by £2.3 billion and add £900 million to household wages each year in the long run. Government analysis suggests that the West Midlands, North East, North West, South East, South West and Wales are set to see the biggest gains.

It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.

Department for International Trade (DIT) officials in the UK and around the world regularly engage with a large number of companies. These engagements are focussed on export and inward investment opportunities, which is DIT's remit.

Transparency returns include the best information available to the department at the time of publication. On some visits, accommodation, transport and other services are provided by Embassies or host governments. Information on the costs of these services is not centrally held.

Transparency returns include the best information available to the department at the time of publication. On some visits, accommodation, transport and other services are provided by Embassies or host governments. Information on the costs of these services is not centrally held.

Transparency returns include the best information available to the department at the time of publication. On some visits, accommodation, transport and other services are provided by Embassies or host governments. Information on the costs of these services is not centrally held.

Transparency returns include the best information available to the department at the time of publication. On some visits, accommodation, transport and other services are provided by Embassies or host governments. Information on the costs of these services is not centrally held.

Transparency returns include the best information available to the department at the time of publication. On some visits, accommodation, transport and other services are provided by Embassies or host governments. Information on the costs of these services is not centrally held.

Transparency returns include the best information available to the department at the time of publication. On some visits, accommodation, transport and other services are provided by Embassies or host governments. Information on the costs of these services is not centrally held.

The declaration will be updated in the next 30 days.

The declaration will be updated in the next 30 days.

Promoting gender equality and women’s economic empowerment is central to the Government’s ‘Modernising Trade’ agenda and features explicitly in UK negotiation objectives.

We are using our FTAs to open new opportunities for women. We have already secured dedicated chapters with Japan, Australia, and New Zealand as well as important additional commitments across these agreements.

We have had five productive rounds of negotiations to date and agreed a significant proportion of legal text across multiple chapters.

My Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade attended the first UK-US Future of Atlantic Trade Dialogue last month and hosted the second in Aberdeen this week to progress mutual priorities with USTR Katherine Tai.

The UK statement at China’s World Trade Organization Trade Policy Review in October 2021 sets out the Department’s position on China’s level of compliance.

We recognise China’s progress but have called on China to fully meet the commitments set out in its Accession Protocol. We have concerns about lack of transparency in various areas, including subsidies and state-owned enterprises, and practices which distort markets.

The statement can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/wto-trade-policy-review-of-china-uk-statement.

The Department has begun preparing for implementation of the Australia and New Zealand Free Trade Agreements. This is a cross-government effort, with teams considering pre-entry into force legislative and domestic preparations, and implementation post entry into force.

DIT has allocated £46.3m in 2022-23, £48.3m in 2023-24 and £48.5m in 2024-25 for the negotiation and implementation of free trade agreements, however, it is not possible to identify funding solely for the implementation of the UKs trade agreements with Australia and New Zealand. The Department has no allocated funding for 2025-26.

Traders importing into Northern Ireland can access UK TRQs by moving goods to Great Britain and clearing customs, then moving to Northern Ireland under the UK Trader Scheme, provided the goods moved meet wider requirements to be not “at risk,” as outlined on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-can-declare-goods-you-bring-into-northern-ireland-not-at-risk-of-moving-to-the-eu

At present, EU regulation 2020/2170, passed unilaterally by the EU in December 2020, significantly limits the terms on which NI traders can access quotas under the UK’s new trade agreements directly.

The UK put forward proposals to address this issue in our Command Paper of July 2021 and is continuing to press for solutions in negotiations with the EU on the Protocol.

There was a typo in my answer of 6 April. The correct cost of the flight was £5,575.72. The department’s transparency return published in January 2020 included flight costs only.

Transparency returns include the best information available to the department at the time of publication. On some visits, accommodation, transport and other services are provided by Embassies or host governments. Information on the costs of these services is not centrally held.

The existing United Kingdom-Israel Trade and Partnership Agreement requires that goods originating in Israel are declared as such upon import into the United Kingdom.

Goods imported from illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are not entitled to benefits from preferential trade and we are committed to maintaining that approach.

It is not practice to publish such correspondence but the Hon. Gentleman is mistaken as to the meeting and offer in question.

It is a matter of public record that the General Secretary and Deputy General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) have seats on the Department’s Trade Union Advisory Group and Strategic Trade Advisory Group respectively.

Following the TUC’s request, the Department has offered a number of seats on Trade Advisory Groups (TAGs) for representatives of trades unions, but the TUC have not taken up these seats yet.

At the first UK-U.S. Trade Dialogue on 21-22 March in Baltimore, the UK and U.S. made a number of commitments (found here in the Joint Statement), including re-launching the joint Small and Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) Dialogue. We will continue to identify further steps to move forward our important U.S.-UK bilateral trade relationship at the next Trade Dialogue on 25-26 April in Aberdeen.

The UK has its own unique interests and relationship with the United States. Our independent trade policy allows us to pursue this in detail, and discussions at the UK-U.S. Joint Dialogues have been tailored to our bilateral interests.

In lockstep with our allies, we are introducing the largest and most severe package of economic sanctions that Russia has ever faced, to maximise the impact on Russia’s campaign in Ukraine and cut off funding for Putin’s war machine.

Whilst we do not speculate on future sanctions, we will continue to consider further measures to increase pressure on Putin’s regime.

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine placed global food security under increased pressure. Russia has compounded this by restricting exports of some of its basic foods and fertilisers. As the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Director-General has pointed out, trade is of paramount importance in preventing hunger, and use of export restrictions can trigger a spiral of further price rises and restrictions.

G7 leaders committed to avoiding export bans and other trade restrictive measures and called on others to do likewise. The United Kingdom has been leading efforts in the WTO to put food security and the importance of open markets on the agenda for MC12, and in particular called for the prohibition of the use of export restrictions on humanitarian purchases made by the World Food Programme.

The ESS helpline was launched 1 October to support business – availability, quality, speed and cost of service all matter. Calls are answered quickly; 93% within 30 seconds, 59% of enquiries are dealt with in a single call, and users report an 89% satisfaction rate. The Department has optimised the service since launch; reducing costs by 18% and adding new services. The utilisation rate fluctuates by the hour. Average weekly rates range from 18%, peaking at 57% in March 2022. Average monthly rates since launch are 8% (October), 6% (November), 6% (December), 8% (January), 7% (February), and 32% (March). Having very high utilisation rates (for example, above 85%) will almost certainly impact service quality with longer waiting time and reduced satisfaction rates.

UK trade flows are increasing, with the latest figures showing that in the 12 months ending February 2022 UK exports were up almost £50bn (8.2%) compared to the previous 12 months, whilst imports were up 15.6%.

Since the beginning of 2020 UK trade flows have largely been lower, driven by factors associated with the COVID pandemic, global recession, supply chain disruption, and adjustment to a new trading environment.

The impact of the global recession hit the UK harder than many other countries, in part because of our specialisation in services, which have been more negatively affected by COVID than goods production. Understanding the full impact of the different shocks, uncertainty and multiple factors in play will take time.