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Written Question
Exports: Research
Thursday 10th November 2022

Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if she will make an assessment of the potential implications for her policies of the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Institute in Germany linking export support services to R&D applications to inform the work of her Department and its links with Innovate UK.

Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The important link between trade and innovation is reflected throughout the UK Innovation Strategy and, under the Export Strategy, the Department for International Trade (DIT) provides business support across sectors and all stages from research to commercialisation, aligning with Innovate UK and other organisations to promote UK solutions and expertise globally. This includes showcasing UK innovations at international fora - including the ‘Innovation in Medical Technologies’ brochure and MedTech company directory launched at the Medica trade fair this month. DIT already works with the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft Institute on shared objectives, including collaborating on an Innovate UK Artificial Intelligence mission to Germany.


Written Question
Service Industries: Exports
Monday 7th November 2022

Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether it is her policy for the UK's professional and financial services industries to gain full market access in trade deals with (a) India, (b) Israel and (c) Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans Pacific Partnership.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The UK is the second-largest exporter of other business services, which includes professional, and financial services, in the world. To improve the access these important and diverse sectors have to foreign markets HMG seeks ambitious commitments in its free trade agreements to support all elements of the services ecosystem. This includes provisions on market access, regulatory transparency, investment, business travel, recognition of qualifications, regulatory dialogue and data.

HMG has published its objectives for negotiations with India, Israel and CPTPP, which can be found on gov.uk.


Written Question
Service Industries: Exports
Monday 7th November 2022

Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps her Department is taking to enable the UK's financial and professional services industries gain full access to international markets through international trade agreements being negotiated by her Department.

Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The UK is the second-largest exporter of other business services, which includes professional, and financial services, in the world. To improve the access these important and diverse sectors have to foreign markets HMG seeks ambitious commitments in its free trade agreements to support all elements of the services ecosystem. This includes provisions on market access, regulatory transparency, investment, business travel, recognition of qualifications, regulatory dialogue and data.

HMG has published its objectives for negotiations with India, Israel and CPTPP, which can be found on gov.uk.


Written Question
Trade Promotion: Uruguay
Monday 6th June 2022

Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether her Department plans to appoint a trade envoy to Uruguay.

Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)

We are constantly reviewing suitable markets to identify where the appointment of a Trade Envoy can be of greatest benefit to the Government’s trade and investment objectives.

There are no plans at present to add Uruguay to the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy Programme.


Written Question
Trade Agreements: New Zealand
Tuesday 15th March 2022

Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, on which day and at what time her Department shared (a) the whole UK-New Zealand free trade agreement, (b) elements of the UK-New Zealand free trade agreement and (c) a press release announcing that that agreement was to be signed with (i) media representatives, (ii) the Trade and Agriculture Commission and (iii) any of the Trade Advisory Groups or members.

Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons

Chapter text for the UK-New Zealand free trade agreement (FTA) was shared in instalments with Trade Advisory Groups (TAGs) and the Trade and Agriculture Commission (TAC) from 24 January 2022. Press releases were sent under embargo to media representatives and TAGs – but not to the TAC – at 09:46 and 10:47 respectively on 28 February. No elements of the FTA text were shared with media representatives before publication. Letters were sent to all Members of Parliament and Peers to inform them of the FTA on the day of signature.


Written Question
Trade Agreements: Antibiotics
Wednesday 2nd February 2022

Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of the forthcoming divergence of EU and UK farm antibiotic usage regulations on UK trade arrangements; and if she will make a statement.

Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons

Businesses wishing to export to the EU will need to meet the EU’s SPS requirements, just as imports to the United Kingdom have to meet our biosecurity import standards. The use of antibiotics as growth promoters in animal feed remains banned in the United Kingdom under retained EU law.

HM Government is committed to reducing unnecessary use of antibiotics in animals and it remains our intention to strengthen our national law in this area. As such, we are currently reviewing the Veterinary Medicines Regulations 2013 and will set out proposed changes as part of a public consultation during 2022.


Written Question
Food: Imports
Wednesday 2nd February 2022

Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to the recommendation of the Trade and Agriculture Commission, the National Food Strategy and the Climate Change Committee, whether she plans to establish a set of core standards for food imports.

Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons

HM Government is committed to upholding the United Kingdom’s high environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards. We will continue to promote robust food standards nationally and internationally.

The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 retains our standards on environmental protections, animal welfare, animal and plant health and food safety. This maintains the same high level of protection for both domestic and imported products. All food imports must comply with our import requirements.

The United Kingdom already prohibits, for example, the use of artificial growth hormones in both domestic production and imported meat products.


Written Question
Trade Agreements: Australia
Wednesday 2nd February 2022

Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, in the context of the Trade and Agriculture Commission and the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement, what progress her Department has made in carrying out the duty under Section 42 of the Agriculture Act to report on (a) whether and (b) to what the proposed trade agreement with Australia is consistent with the maintenance of UK levels of statutory protection in relation to human health; which agency is providing that advice; and what remit she plans for that report to have; and if she will make a statement.

Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons

The Department for International Trade (DIT) has started work to produce a report under S42 of the Agriculture Act.

DIT will be drawing on advice from a number of sources, including the independent Trade and Agriculture Commission. On human health protections, DIT is working with the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland to ensure the report is robust and comprehensive.

The remit of the S42 report is as set out in S42 of the Agriculture Act 2020.


Written Question
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership
Monday 28th June 2021

Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether negotiations on accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership will respect the UK's obligations to (a) the European Patent Convention and (b) other international agreements.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK possesses a world leading intellectual property regime, and it will not sign trade deals that compromise it. The Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) sets coherent and consistent rules in intellectual property, which will benefit both UK businesses and consumers. CPTPP represents a baseline and commits parties to a minimum level of IP standards.

The UK takes its existing international obligations seriously and have no intention of leaving the European Patent Convention or any other international intellectual property conventions that the UK is party to.


Written Question
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership: Intellectual Property
Monday 28th June 2021

Asked by: Angus Brendan MacNeil (Independent - Na h-Eileanan an Iar)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership on the intellectual property sector.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK possesses a world leading intellectual property regime, and it will not sign trade deals that compromise it. The Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) sets coherent and consistent rules in intellectual property, which will benefit both UK businesses and consumers. CPTPP represents a baseline and commits parties to a minimum level of IP standards.

The UK takes its existing international obligations seriously and have no intention of leaving the European Patent Convention or any other international intellectual property conventions that the UK is party to.