Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether there will be a provision in the UK-India free trade agreement safeguarding the manufacture of generic medicine for the NHS.
Answered by Greg Hands
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Brighton, Pavilion, on 8 December 2022, UIN 92159.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps she will take to enable parliamentary scrutiny of the proposed UK-India free trade agreement.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Government has put in place enhanced scrutiny arrangements for free trade agreements, going beyond the statutory requirements.
We have provided extensive information to Parliament, including our strategic approach and regular updates following each of the six rounds of negotiations so far.
In addition, Ministers regularly meet with the International Trade Select Committee and International Agreements Select Committees.
The UK-India Free Trade Agreement will be subject to the usual procedures under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act. In addition, the Government will commission and publish the advice from the independent Trade and Agriculture Commission to inform parliamentary scrutiny.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps she is taking to help small businesses benefit from trade deals.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
Supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is vital for the growth of UK trade. Therefore, in all Free Trade Agreements the government seeks a dedicated SME chapter and SME-friendly provisions throughout. These signpost SMEs towards the information they need to pursue new trading opportunities and make informed decisions.
Businesses wishing to benefit from Free Trade Agreements can access dedicated resources every step of the way. This includes The Department for International Trade’s comprehensive offer for businesses, which features step-by-step guides on our great.gov.uk portal, opportunities to learn through our Export Academy, or one-to-one support from our Export Support Service and International Trade Advisers.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps she is taking with Cabinet colleagues to help SMEs benefit from free trade agreements.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are vital to increasing UK trade. That is why we are seeking SME chapters and SME-friendly provisions throughout all our Free Trade Agreements. These chapters and provisions signpost SMEs towards the information they need to make informed decisions and take advantage of new opportunities.
In addition, the Department worked across Whitehall to deliver the refreshed Export Strategy, which focuses on barriers faced by UK businesses, particularly SMEs. HM Government supports exporters at every stage of their journey, through the Export Support Service, the UK Export Academy, UK Export Finance, and our International Trade Advisers and global networks.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of the impact of handling fees by freight companies following the UK's departure from the EU on small businesses.
Answered by Mike Freer
High consumer demand and sustained disruption caused by Covid-19 has put pressure on global freight capacity, which has resulted in demand for shipping containers outstripping supply. This has caused an increase in the cost of freight transport globally. Higher prices have impacted UK trade causing disruption for businesses and individuals. SMEs have been disproportionately affected by higher costs. However, the increased fees are expected to be short in duration with EU trade and services being marginally affected. DIT will continue to engage with businesses and to monitor the impact of rising shipping prices on international trade.
Asked by: Lord McCabe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of (a) trends in the costs of imports from and exports to the EU and (b) the effects on small businesses of those costs.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
This information is publicly available and can be accessed here: ONS Business insights and impact on the UK economy survey Wave 42.
On 1 October DIT launched the Export Support Service, which gives businesses across the UK one place to get answers to practical questions about exporting to Europe by using the digital service on GOV.UK or by phoning the helpline.