Asked by: Richard Graham (Conservative - Gloucester)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps his Department is taking to further UK exports in the space sector.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department for International Trade’s (DIT) Export Strategy, published 21st August, set out how government will support businesses of all sizes to make the most of the opportunities presented by markets around the world. In line with this strategy, DIT is significantly boosting its support for UK space exports. We have launched high value campaigns targeting the US and Indian markets and are working with UK companies to support their exporting activity through our Space Sector team, International Trade Advisers and overseas DIT network. DIT also co-chairs with industry the Space Growth Partnership’s Space Exports Group and Space Exports Forum.
Asked by: Richard Graham (Conservative - Gloucester)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what progress has been made on the production of the Type (a) 26 and (b) 31e Frigates; and what plans he to export those frigates.
Answered by Stuart Andrew - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
I refer the hon. Member to the response I gave to the right hon. Member for North Durham (Kevan Jones) and the hon. Member for Glasgow South West (Chris Stephens) on 5 September 2018 in response to Questions 167940, 167941, 167942, 167945 and 167315 and given by my noble Friend, the Minister of State for Defence, Earl Howe, to the noble Lord, Lord Campbell of Pittenweem, in the House of Lords to Question HL5772.
We awarded the £3.7 billion contract to manufacture the first batch of three Type 26 Frigates in June 2017. We cut steel on the first ship, HMS Glasgow, in July 2017 and the build programme is progressing well.
There has already been success in exporting the Type 26 Frigate: our international partner Australia has announced its decision to build the Hunter Class variant of the Type 26 Frigate to meet its SEA 5000 requirement. We have also supported by BAE Systems' bid for the Canadian Future Surface Combatant competition and are committed to supporting future potential export opportunities.
Asked by: Richard Graham (Conservative - Gloucester)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what steps his Department is taking to develop a UK alternative to participation in the Galileo satellite navigation programme.
Answered by Sam Gyimah
The UK’s preference is to remain involved in the Galileo programme and we are continuing in our negotiations with the European Union on that basis. However, as a responsible Government, we need to look at alternatives to meet our national security, strategic and industrial requirements.
As such, on 29 August, the Government announced that we are investing £92m of Brexit readiness money on developing an independent satellite system. The study will inform the decision to create the system as an alternative to Galileo should an acceptable agreement for continued UK participation in Galileo not be possible.
Asked by: Richard Graham (Conservative - Gloucester)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what the percentage increase in trade is for UK exports to the Association of South East Asian Nations since 2010; and what comparative assessment he has made of this figure and UK exports to other regions.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The UK’s total trade with the ASEAN countries, including export and import of goods and services amounted to £35.6bn in 2017, representing growth of 35% since 2010, and 10.6% since 2016. Total UK exports to these countries have increased by 42% to £17.1bn since 2010.
In comparison, also since 2010, total UK trade with the world has grown by 35% to £1.26tn, and by 9.9% since 2016, while exports have increased by 38% to £615.9bn. Growth figures throughout are shown in nominal terms.
Asked by: Richard Graham (Conservative - Gloucester)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to support legislation in developing countries to help disabled people.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
The Global Disability Summit on 24th July was a landmark moment for disability inclusion with over 170 sets of ambitious commitments from governments, the private sector, multilateral organisations and civil society. Nine national governments committed to passing or formulating new or revised laws to give people with disabilities greater rights. Progress will be monitored and a one-year on progress report produced.
Asked by: Richard Graham (Conservative - Gloucester)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to assist countries with long coastlines such as Indonesia to tackle plastic pollution.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
At the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, the Prime Minister called for international action and committed UKAid to tackle the problem of marine plastic pollution. As part of the wider Government effort, DFID is developing programmes of up to £33 million to improve waste management and reduce plastic pollution from manufacturing in poor countries. In addition, DFID and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs funds the Global Environment Facility, which is funding projects to address plastic pollution and improve marine management in Indonesia.
Asked by: Richard Graham (Conservative - Gloucester)
Question to the Department for International Development:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps her Department is taking to support the promotion of democracy in developing countries.
Answered by Harriett Baldwin
Strengthening global peace, security and governance is one of the four pillars of the UK Aid Strategy. DFID champions democratic values at the international level. For example, the inclusion of a specific Goal 16 on inclusive, peaceful societies in the 2030 Agenda. We have scaled up our support to the Open Government Partnership’s global work and launched a new Transparency Agenda in 2018 promoting civic engagement in decision-making. And we have recently agreed a new centrally managed programme supporting the Westminster Foundation for Democracy to promote inclusive, democratic politics in a range of developing countries.
DFID promotes democratic institutions and politics in many of our focus countries, alongside the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, through support to build effective parliaments, and political parties; and empower civil society to hold governments to account. Between 2010 and 2015 we supported freer and fairer elections in 13 countries in which 162 million people voted. DFID’s recently launched UK Aid Connect programme will promote an independent, free media in developing countries as a fundamental pillar of democracy.
Asked by: Richard Graham (Conservative - Gloucester)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what progress her Department has made on the roll-out of the Pensions Dashboard.
Answered by Guy Opperman - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
On Tuesday 4 September 2018, I published a written statement providing an update on pensions including the pensions dashboard. This can be found here: : https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2018-09-04/HCWS933/
We will shortly report on the findings of the Feasibility Study, and will engage with industry, consumer groups and other stakeholders to agree timelines for delivery.
Asked by: Richard Graham (Conservative - Gloucester)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether he plans to allocate more departmental resources to South East Asia in order to increase trading opportunities in that region.
Answered by Graham Stuart
We are looking at doing more to support UK businesses in high growth markets, including regular government-to-government dialogues in trade and investment and supporting trade reviews to identify key market access barriers in parts of Southeast Asia.
In February DIT established the first UK Export Finance post in Indonesia to improve access for UK businesses to trade finance. More recently we have appointed a new commercial cyber envoy in Singapore, and three new trade policy posts in Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia, jointly funded by DIT and FCO.
We have recently appointed Natalie Black as HM Trade Commissioner to Asia Pacific. Natalie will be based in Singapore and will be personally responsible for delivering our regional trade plan and overseeing this work in Southeast Asia.
Asked by: Richard Graham (Conservative - Gloucester)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether he plans to allocate more departmental resources to South East Asia in order to increase trading opportunities in that region.
Answered by Graham Stuart
We are looking at doing more to support UK businesses in high growth markets, including regular government-to-government dialogues in trade and investment and supporting trade reviews to identify key market access barriers in parts of Southeast Asia.
In February DIT established the first UK Export Finance post in Indonesia to improve access for UK businesses to trade finance. More recently we have appointed a new commercial cyber envoy in Singapore, and three new trade policy posts in Singapore, Vietnam and Indonesia, jointly funded by DIT and FCO.
We have recently appointed Natalie Black as HM Trade Commissioner to Asia Pacific. Natalie will be based in Singapore and will be personally responsible for delivering our regional trade plan and overseeing this work in Southeast Asia.