Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what were the UK's export figures to the EU for (1) 2022, and (2) 2019; and what, if any, estimates they have made of figures for 2022 if the UK had remained in the EU.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The latest revised figures from the ONS show that UK exports of goods and services to the EU totalled £344 billion in 2022, this is up 15% in current prices compared to 2019 (£299 billion). Since leaving the EU, we have agreed trade deals with 73 countries and the EU, UK exports to the world totalled £834 billion in 2022, this is up 18% in current prices compared to 2019 (£707 billion).
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what figures they hold for UK exports to the EU in (1) 2019, and (2) 2022; and what assessment they have made of the estimated difference in the figures for 2022 if the UK had remained in the EU.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Latest figures from the ONS show that UK exports of goods and services to the EU totalled £340 billion in 2022, this is up 14% in current prices compared to 2019 (£298 billion). Since leaving the EU, we have agreed trade deals with 73 countries and the EU, UK exports to the world totalled £815 billion in 2022, this is up 17% in current prices compared to 2019 (£700 billion).
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they are taking to encourage optimism among (1) UK exporters, and (2) inward investors into the UK.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade has an extensive programme of business engagement which markets the UK as a place where business can invest, grow and export. 'Made in the UK, Sold to the World' highlights the demand for UK goods and services around the world, and the GREAT campaign markets the UK as a destination for investment.
We are also taking proactive measures to solidify business confidence such as enacting our 12-Point Plan for exports which is transforming our support services, and hosting the Global Investment Summit in November which will promote the UK to the world’s foremost investors.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what feedback they have received from SMEs about export support provided by His Majesty's Government.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
This Department remains committed to the continuous improvement of our support services to exporters. The ESS Service Delivery Centre received 13,600 export enquiries, 93% from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) (up to end of March 2023), and regularly reviews feedback from exporters to ensure the continuous improvement of the service.
Feedback from SMEs on our services was central to the transformation of the Export Support Service, for example the National Survey of Registered Businesses gathers feedback on businesses’ awareness, usage and needs from export services, available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/dit-national-survey-of-registered-businesses-exporting-behaviours-attitudes-and-needs-2021.
This Department will continue to listen and consult small businesses on their experience to improve our services.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of their potential for doing more than is currently being done to support SMEs in promoting goods and services overseas.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government’s Export Strategy, ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World’, focuses on the challenges UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face when exporting and sets out a 12-point plan which targets barriers to trade and helps SMEs at every stage of their export journey.
This Department supports companies through its network of domestic and overseas trade advisers, Export Support Service, Export Academy, and International Markets network.
But we are also doing more – maximising uptake of new Free Trade Agreements by SMEs, using data to better target our services and working across Government to reduce barriers to exporting and simplify border processes.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what support is being requested from SMEs from His Majesty's Government for promoting goods and services overseas.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK’s 5.4 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are at the centre of our ambition to reach £1 trillion in exports annually by 2030. The Government’s Export Strategy, ‘Made in the UK, Sold to the World’, focuses on helping SMEs at every stage of their export journey.
The Export Strategy’s development and implementation has been informed by extensive engagement with SMEs to understand the challenges they face when exporting and how the Government can provide support. This Department continues to support SMEs through its network of domestic and overseas trade advisers, sector specialists, the Export Support Service, Export Academy, and International Markets network.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the UK–Ukraine Digital Trade Agreement, what discussions they have had with the government of Kazakhstan regarding assistance in removing barriers to digital trade or signing a similar agreement.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Lainston - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK continues to work to strengthen our trade and investment relationships with countries such as Kazakhstan. Fast growing economies such as Kazakhstan provide an abundance of opportunities for UK businesses across a wide range of sectors – notwithstanding our world leading digital sector.
The Department for Business and Trade is supporting British business to grab these opportunities through trade dialogues and regular exchanges including the annual United Kingdom-Kazakhstan Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade and Investment that I co-chaired earlier this year in February in London.
At this moment, we are not expecting to launch negotiations with Kazakhstan on a Digital Trade Agreement.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government, whether they will list the individual regions within the UK they use to determine their strategies for (1) trade and investment, and (2) freight and logistics, sectors; and what is their rationale for selecting those regions.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Lainston - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
All English Regions and Devolved Nations geographies are included when determining strategies for Trade and Investment. Officials work with businesses and local stakeholders to ensure a place focus, as reflected by the organisational structure. English Regions is divided into three Super Regions - the Northern Powerhouse, Midlands Engine and the South (including London), with regional teams operating within these. As well as our second HQ at Darlington’s Economic Campus, we have established Trade and Investment hubs in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast to help bring the Department for Business and Trade’s support closer to businesses in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Freight and logistics policy is a matter for the Department for Transport.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Penn on 30 January (HL4895), what mechanisms they have made available to British companies who wish to make use of the export credit guarantees in trading with Ukraine; and what criteria they have developed for companies which wish to be involved.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Lainston - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As the UK’s export credit agency, UK Export Finance (UKEF) can help connect UK suppliers with overseas buyers, helping exporters to win contracts, fulfil orders and receive payment.
Following a Ministerial Direction in March 2022, UKEF retained its market limit of £3.5 billion for Ukraine in the national interest. Any support remains subject to projects meeting UKEF’s robust due diligence processes, including the UK's latest international commitments and sanctions. It is not UKEF’s policy to comment further on potential transactions for security and commercial reasons.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Penn on 30 January (HL4895), with which government agency in Ukraine they are dealing to grant export guarantees.
Answered by Lord Johnson of Lainston - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As the UK’s export credit agency, UK Export Finance (UKEF) can help connect UK suppliers with overseas buyers, helping exporters to win contracts, fulfil orders and receive payment.
Following a Ministerial Direction in March 2022, UKEF retained its market limit of £3.5 billion for Ukraine in the national interest. Any support remains subject to projects meeting UKEF’s robust due diligence processes, including the UK's latest international commitments and sanctions. It is not UKEF’s policy to comment further on potential transactions for security and commercial reasons.