Asked by: Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to return the level of exports from to UK to countries in the EU to the exports level prior to the UK leaving the EU.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Lainston - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The EU is a vital export destination for British businesses, with exports to the EU totalling £298 billion in the 12 months to the end of June 2022.
The Government’s refreshed Export Strategy helps businesses at every stage of exporting and our Export Support Service is a single point of access digital enquiry service, assisting business in trading with the EU. In addition, the Department for International Trade has around 300 trade experts across Europe, including a dedicated Trade Commissioner for the continent, and we will have facilitated almost 500 activities and events to support UK exporters between April 2022 and March 2023.
Asked by: Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have been subject to lobbying to open the NHS market to United States firms as part of any future UK–US trade deals.
Answered by Baroness Fairhead
As outlined in the Trade White Paper, ‘Preparing for our Future UK Trade Policy’, the UK is committed to a transparent approach to international trade. We have invited views on the UK’s approach to future trade agreements, including our future trade relationship with the US, and engagement with stakeholders is ongoing as they continue to feed into our policy development.
The Government has been clear that protecting the NHS is of the utmost importance. Nothing in our future trade agreements, including with the US, will prevent the UK from regulating in the pursuit of legitimate public policy objectives such as the NHS. As we leave the EU, the UK will continue to ensure that rigorous protections for the NHS are included in all trade agreements it is party to.
Asked by: Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, with regard to lobbying in relation to any future UK–US trade deal, whether they will disclose (1) the names of all those lobbying Her Majesty's Government, (2) the form and timing of such lobbying, and (3) the subjects covered by those lobbyists.
Answered by Baroness Fairhead
As outlined in the Trade White Paper, ‘Preparing for our Future UK Trade Policy’, the UK is committed to a transparent approach to international trade. We have invited views on the UK’s approach to future trade agreements, including our future trade relationship with the US, and engagement with stakeholders is ongoing as they continue to feed into our policy development.
The Government has been clear that protecting the NHS is of the utmost importance. Nothing in our future trade agreements, including with the US, will prevent the UK from regulating in the pursuit of legitimate public policy objectives such as the NHS. As we leave the EU, the UK will continue to ensure that rigorous protections for the NHS are included in all trade agreements it is party to.
Asked by: Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are being lobbied in respect of any future UK–US trade deal.
Answered by Baroness Fairhead
As outlined in the Trade White Paper, ‘Preparing for our Future UK Trade Policy’, the UK is committed to a transparent approach to international trade. We have invited views on the UK’s approach to future trade agreements, including our future trade relationship with the US, and engagement with stakeholders is ongoing as they continue to feed into our policy development.
The Government has been clear that protecting the NHS is of the utmost importance. Nothing in our future trade agreements, including with the US, will prevent the UK from regulating in the pursuit of legitimate public policy objectives such as the NHS. As we leave the EU, the UK will continue to ensure that rigorous protections for the NHS are included in all trade agreements it is party to.
Asked by: Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what are their plans for parliamentary scrutiny of post-Brexit trade deals.
Answered by Baroness Fairhead
As outlined in the Government’s White Paper – ‘Preparing for our Future UK Trade Policy’, parliament will play a vital role in the scrutiny of future trade agreements, as it always has. The UK remains committed to a transparent, fair, and inclusive approach to international trade and has invited views on the UK’s approach to its future trade policy, including future trade agreements.
The Department for International Trade continues to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, to gather views that will help to inform decisions on the future approach to the scrutiny of future trade agreements.