Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have plans to regulate professional awards programmes.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel
The Department for Business and Trade has no plans to regulate professional awards programmes within the legislative framework for regulated professions.
The Professional Qualifications Act (2022) is part of the legislative framework for regulated professions. It covers those professions where there is a legal requirement for an individual to have qualifications or experience in order to practise. Typically, regulators are responsible for determining entry requirements for a profession and assessing whether individuals are fit to practise.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they keep a list of exporters for the purposes of determining who to invite to government sponsored trade conferences held in the UK; and what are the criteria for selection for invitees to such conferences.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) does not maintain an official list of exporters for this particular purpose. The criteria for selecting businesses invited by the Department to specific events vary depending on several factors. These factors differ based on the type of events, whether organised by DBT or third parties. Invitations to events are extended to businesses based on the Department's contacts with them, collaboration with stakeholders, or broader promotional efforts.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government which directorate produces the list of invitees for the Uzbek–British Trade and Industry Council; and what are the criteria for selection for the invitees.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel
The British Embassy have set up a registration site that is open to all interested parties. The event is published publicly on the GREAT website, and the Department for Business and Trade and Uzbekistan's Ministry of Investment work together to amplify and raise awareness of the event among businesses. No criteria is applied to those that wish to register and attend.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government which directorate produces the list of invitees for the Kazakh–British Trade and Industry Council; and what are the criteria for selection for the invitees.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel
The Kazakh-British Trade and Industry Council no longer exists.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government which directorate produces the list of invitees for the Turkmenistan United Kingdom Trade and Industry Council; and what are the criteria for selection for the invitees.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel
The Turkmen Government choose participants on their side, made up mainly of government ministries, but of late, with business representatives. On the UK side, the British Embassy in Ashgabat suggests companies that might be interested in joining, in consultation with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the Department for Business and Trade. Our criteria is to identify companies with an interest in exporting to the market.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the rules produced by the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments apply to the Prime Minister's trade envoys.
Answered by Lord Offord of Garvel
The Business Appointment Rules do not apply to the Prime Minister's Trade Envoys.
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
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
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
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
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.