Asked by: Andrew Selous (Conservative - South West Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, for what reasons UK Export Finance can only lend for periods up to 10 years; by what legal authority the OECD imposes that lending restriction; what assessment he has made of the UK's trade position compared with that of international competitors as a result of that restriction; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Greg Hands
The UK government supports a rules-based approach to international trade. The OECD Arrangement on Officially Supported Export Credits (the Arrangement) is an important agreement to ensure that exporters compete on price and quality and not the terms of government supported finance. It is binding on the UK as it is incorporated into UK law.
UK Export Finance can support lending of up to 18 years for certain projects, in line with the terms of the Arrangement, including its sector understandings. This is consistent with OECD competitors including France, Germany and the USA.
Asked by: Andrew Selous (Conservative - South West Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether his Department operates a ban the box employment policy in respect of ex-offender job applicants with unspent convictions; and how many employees of his Department have unspent convictions.
Answered by Mark Garnier - Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Work and Pensions)
The Department for International Trade is operating its recruitment processes in line with the Ban the Box principles. We are committed to improving diversity of opportunity and creating an inclusive working environment that attracts the best talent and makes the most of potential skills and productivity of ex-offenders in the community.
All offers of employment are subject to clearance through the appropriate vetting processes. Following successful clearance and the individual taking up their offer of employment with the department, any history of criminal convictions would not be held on a central personnel record.