Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps she is taking to ensure that environmental safeguards are upheld when brokering trade agreements.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
HM Government shares the public’s high regard for our nation’s environmental protections and has made clear that more trade need not come at the expense of our values.
In our trade agreements, we will seek to maintain the United Kingdom’s strong environmental protection, sovereign right to regulate in pursuit of net zero by 2050, and affirm our commitments to multilateral environment agreements, including the Paris Agreement. We will pursue mechanisms to enhance cooperation on environmental sustainability, including in biodiversity, forestry and sustainable supply chains, in the months and years ahead.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans her Department will put in place to ensure a seamless trading relationship with the US after 2035, the target date set by the US EPA to have phased out testing on mammals.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK and US have a strong and enduring trading relationship. The Government welcomes the decision by the US Environmental Protection Agency to end testing on mammals by 2035 and do not anticipate that this will cause any disruption to UK trade with the US.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether her Department plans to continue to license the sale of tear gas to Oman in light of the recent use for internal repression in Sohar.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
HM Government takes its export responsibilities seriously and will continue to assess all export licences in accordance with the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria (the ‘Consolidated Criteria’). HM Government will not grant an export licence if to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated Criteria.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if she will publish details of the (a) companies and (b) components associated with the twelve licences that her Department identified as being of potential use to the Israel Defence Forces in Gaza on 12 August 2014.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
In these cases, the names of companies are commercially sensitive and will not be disclosed.
HM Government takes its export responsibilities seriously and will continue to assess all export licences in accordance with the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria (the ‘Consolidated Criteria’). HM Government will not grant an export licence if to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated Criteria.
We continue to monitor the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories closely, and keep relevant licences under review. We will take action to suspend, refuse or revoke licences – in line with the Consolidated Criteria – if circumstances require.
The items on the relevant twelve licences were:
Components for military aero-engines | One licence |
Components for targeting equipment | Three licences |
Components for military radars | Three licences |
Technology for military aero-engines and technology for naval engines | One licence |
Components for combat aircraft | Two licences |
Components for tanks | One licence |
Launching/handling/control equipment for munitions | One licence |
HM Government publishes Official Statistics (on a quarterly and annual basis) on export licences granted, refused and revoked to all destinations on GOV.UK containing detailed information including the overall value, type (e.g. Military, Other) and a summary of the items covered by these licences.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of the similarities between (a) active export licences for Israel and (b) the twelve licences that the Department for Business identified as being for components which could be part of equipment used by the Israel Defence Forces in Gaza on 12 August 2014.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
On 12th August 2014, HM Government said it was concerned that, in the event of a resumption of significant hostilities, it would not be able to clarify if the export licence criteria were being met and, accordingly, would suspend the twelve licences identified.
Today, HM Government is satisfied that we are able to assess extant licences and new applications against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria (‘the Consolidated Criteria’).
We continue to monitor the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories closely and keep relevant licences under review. We will take action to suspend, refuse or revoke licences – in line with the Consolidated Criteria – if circumstances require.
HM Government will not grant an export licence if to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated Criteria.