Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which countries they are in discussions with to make up the supply deficit of (1) oil, and (2) gas, arising from the current geopolitical situation.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
My Rt. Hon. Friends the Prime Minister, the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, and the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs engage regularly with a range of European and international counterparts on energy security. As a member of the International Energy Agency and International Energy Forum the Government has regular discussions with partners about ensuring security of supply.
We remain confident that the UK’s energy security will be maintained. The UK is a significant producer of both crude oil and petroleum products, and hold oil stocks in the unlikely event of a major oil supply disruption. The UK has highly diverse sources of gas supply. We meet around half of our annual gas supply through domestic production and the vast majority of imports come from reliable suppliers such as Norway.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to formulate a strategy for trade in services with the EU at a (1) bilateral, and (2) multilateral, level.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Through the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the UK and EU have agreed provisions on trade in services in line with our respective FTAs with Japan, but with some additional benefits for both sides. We have secured commitments in line with our objectives as set out in the UK Approach Document, meaning the agreement will promote cross border trade in services by providing service suppliers and investors with transparency and certainty about future trade with the EU at the multilateral level. More broadly, the UK is working at multilateral forums to encourage greater services trade liberalisation.
The agreement additionally includes provisions that will enable many UK businesses to continue to operate across borders without the need to establish in the EU and will afford them the clarity and transparency they need to navigate diverse Member State regimes at a bilateral level.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to reduce the administrative burden on trade with the EU; and what options there could be to reduce that burden through a 'one-in, two-out' rule.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Our trade deal with the EU includes wide-ranging provisions that seek to facilitate trade by avoiding unnecessary regulatory barriers. It provides an overarching framework for cooperation between the UK and EU on the regulatory matters affecting trade, as appropriate for two independent partners, and enables both sides to reduce costs in the longer term.
We continue to strive to ensure that the UK’s regulatory system is world-leading and achieves the right balance between supporting excellent business practices and stimulating innovation, investment and trade while protecting workers, consumers, and the environment.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which transactions will be called in for scrutiny from the 17 sectors listed in the proposed National Security and Investment Bill.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The call-in power may only be used if the Secretary of State reasonably suspects that (i) a trigger event has occurred or is in progress or contemplation; and (ii) that trigger event has given rise to or may give rise to a national security risk. A trigger event refers to an acquisition of control over a qualifying entity or asset. The Bill’s provisions set out a clear process for the Secretary of State to call-in an acquisition. Decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis.
The 17 proposed sectors would be within scope of the ‘mandatory regime’ set out in the National Security and Investment Bill. This will require acquirers making investments in those sectors to notify and receive approval from the Secretary of State before completing certain types of acquisition.
The consultation on the sectors proposed to be subject to mandatory notification is currently open until 6 January.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that (1) the National Security and Investment Bill, and (2) the Telecommunications Bill, do not inhibit foreign investment in the UK.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The National Security and Investment Bill will introduce slicker investment routes and more certainty for businesses, as we remain open to trade and recover from COVID-19. This will ensure the UK remains the premier investment destination in the world, providing certainty for businesses that they will not be targeted by hostile actors.
Analysis outlined in the Impact Assessment for the National Security and Investment Bill has shown that, providing national security regimes are clear, objective, and predictable, they do not play a major role in the investment decision-making process.
The Government has been clear that this regime will be exclusively used to protect the UK from national security threats, rather than wider political considerations. The Government is making the process of notifying and screening investments simpler, quicker, and slicker by providing clearance within statutory timelines. The Government will also facilitate businesses engaging with the process by providing informal advice on the regime and not charging fees for submitting a notification.
The powers given to my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State to give designated vendor directions in the Telecommunications (Security) Bill is designed to allow for restrictions to be imposed on the use by telecoms providers of goods, services, and facilities from high-risk vendors, in the interests of national security. The restrictions that may be imposed by way of a direction do not extend to restrictions on inward investment from other countries.
The recently announced Office for Investment will work seamlessly across the Government to drive and co-ordinate the deal-enabling activities that are required to land high-impact and high-value investments.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that trade agreements will contribute to the UK's net zero carbon emissions target.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government is committed to negotiating free trade agreements which help support our ambition on climate change and achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
These agreements will facilitate trade in goods and services which support the deployment of low carbon, carbon capture and energy efficient technology in the UK, underpin international cooperation in research and development, and reaffirm the UK’s sovereign right to regulate to take the measures necessary to end our contribution to global warming over the next three decades
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they were consulted by the British Chambers of Commerce prior to the decision of that organisation to remove itself from the Association of European Chambers of Commerce and Industry; what assessment they have made of that decision; and what powers they have, if any, to reverse that decision.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) is an organisation that is independent of Her Majesty’s Government. The BCC’s membership of any other organisations is a matter for the BCC to consider and decide upon. They did not consult with the Government prior to making this decision and the Government has no power to reverse it.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the role (1) chambers of commerce, and (2) trade associations, can play in supporting the UK economic growth.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Chambers of commerce and trade associations play an important role in supporting the UK’s economic growth. In June, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State led a series of roundtables, bringing together businesses, business representative groups and leading academics from the UK to consider the measures needed to support the UK’s economic recovery from Covid-19. This was attended by the British Chambers of Commerce, the national representative body of 52 Accredited Chambers of Commerce across the UK and Energy UK, the trade association for British energy. There is also regular engagement with the British Chambers of Commerce at a variety of senior levels within the Department.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have a complete list of all (1) chambers of commerce, and (2) trade associations, registered in the UK; and whether the list of trade associations includes identifying each such association by sector.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We do not hold a list of all the Chambers of Commerce, however the majority of Chambers are affiliated to the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC). A list of those Chambers can be found on the BCC’s website.
A list of all UK trade associations is not available from official sources. There is no compulsory requirement to register a trade association anywhere, unless it is a company limited by guarantee in which case the organisation must register with Companies House in order to comply with statutory company law.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what support and advice they have provided (1) to chambers of commerce, and (2) trade associations, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Secretary of State has held frequent calls with major business representative organisations. Other engagement includes the Secretary of State’s recent industry roundtables on Economic Recovery. The BEIS ministerial team continues to use these opportunities to assure the effectiveness of Government’s responses to the COVID-19 outbreak and to ensure a safe return to work across the whole UK economy as quickly as possible.