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, pursuant to the Answer of 25 May 2021 to Question 3839, whether work on a potential trade agreement with Australia has been prioritised as part of the full focus on recovering from the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Free trade and resilient supply chains through open markets will be crucial to the global economic recovery as the coronavirus crisis passes.
The biggest regional benefits from an ambitious UK-Australia trade agreement, as modelled in the deeper scenario of our Scoping Assessment, are expected to go to Scotland, the North East and the North West of England, the West Midlands, the South East and London.
A trade agreement with Australia will help to reduce trade barriers and drive increased two-way trade in goods. A UK-Australia trade agreement will be an important part of the UK’s post-COVID economic strategy, making it easier for businesses to access goods, services, and capital to fuel economic recovery, and growth.
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 support UK maritime businesses to export clean maritime technologies globally as part of the Government's commitment to reducing emissions from international shipping.
Answered by Graham Stuart
In support of the National Shipbuilding Strategy, the Department for International Trade (DIT) will launch a Clean Green Shipbuilding Export Campaign at London International Shipping Week in September, as part of the wider DIT Clean Growth Export Strategy. DIT is also working with other Government departments to highlight UK green marine expertise to a global audience during COP 26 in November.
Shipyards and other maritime exporters can also access UK Export Finance (UKEF) support which helps them compete for international business. The sector can benefit from UKEF’s £2 billion Direct Lending Facility dedicated to clean growth projects, which offers competitive fixed rates of interest. UKEF’s Transition Export Development Guarantee is available to enable oil and gas focused exporters with credible clean energy transition plans to access working capital support.
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 support her Department is providing to help UK maritime businesses export clean maritime technologies globally as part of the Government's commitment to reducing emissions from international shipping.
Answered by Graham Stuart
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Dissolution.
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 secure a free trade agreement with the Maldives; and what steps she plans to take to ensure that agreement eliminates the 20 per cent tariff on tuna imports from that country.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
The United Kingdom is pursuing agreements with a number of trading partners over the next few years already, in an ambitious programme of work, so we are unable to consider a free trade agreement with the Maldives at the present time. We will keep this under review.
The Maldives remains an important partner to the United Kingdom and we are keen to support countries that adopt sustainable fishing methods like the Maldives. My officials are continually exploring opportunities to enhance bilateral trade in important areas, such as food and drink and sustainable development.
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 the Government plans to join the Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Sustainable trade is a priority for the UK as an independent trading nation. We have already liberalised over 100 environmental goods in the UK Global Tariff and co-sponsored the new plurilateral Structured Discussions on Trade and Environmental Sustainability in the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
We are actively considering further policy options, including the three policy areas which comprise the Agreement on Climate Change, Trade and Sustainability (ACCTS) - environmental goods and services liberalisation, ecolabelling and fossil fuel subsidies.
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 it her policy to negotiate tariff-free access for products imported from Greenland.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK has announced a number of tariff suspensions and Autonomous Tariff Quotas as part of our independent global tariff regime to help ensure continuity of trade, including with Greenland. We welcome continued engagement with Greenland and are considering options to ensure a prosperous trading relationship in the future.
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 (a) the implications for her policies and (b) the effect on UK businesses of the EU trade remedies (i) AD653 and (ii) AS656 not being transitioned; and whether she has received representations from businesses on that matter.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
HM Government ran a Call for Evidence to determine which EU trade remedy measures should be transitioned to the United Kingdom’s system after the transition period. As part of the consistent criteria applied, the evidence from respondents needed to demonstrate that transitioning a measure had support from British businesses that produce a sufficient proportion of those products.
The deadlines for the Call for Evidence were determined by legislative obligations and operational requirements to make sure that measures were successfully transitioned by 31st December 2020. While we received some evidence from British producers in support of transitioning measures AD653 and AS656, this did not meet the criterion of demonstrating support from businesses producing a sufficient proportion of the products. Further evidence was not submitted in time for consideration and HM Government was, therefore, unable to transition these measures.
Businesses can raise trading issues and apply for a new trade remedy investigation. However, my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade can only decide in favour of the imposition of new trade remedy measures following a full investigation and recommendation from the Trade Remedies Investigations Directorate (or its successor, in due course, the Trade Remedies Authority).
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, for what reason the EU trade remedies (a) AD653 and (b) AS656 were not transitioned; and what assessment she has made of the adequacy of the evidence collected to represent the UK manufacture of woven glass fibre in the context of that matter.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
HM Government ran a Call for Evidence to determine which EU trade remedy measures should be transitioned to the United Kingdom’s system after the transition period. As part of the consistent criteria applied, the evidence from respondents needed to demonstrate that transitioning a measure had support from British businesses that produce a sufficient proportion of those products.
The deadlines for the Call for Evidence were determined by legislative obligations and operational requirements to make sure that measures were successfully transitioned by 31st December 2020. While we received some evidence from British producers in support of transitioning measures AD653 and AS656, this did not meet the criterion of demonstrating support from businesses producing a sufficient proportion of the products. Further evidence was not submitted in time for consideration and HM Government was, therefore, unable to transition these measures.
Businesses can raise trading issues and apply for a new trade remedy investigation. However, my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade can only decide in favour of the imposition of new trade remedy measures following a full investigation and recommendation from the Trade Remedies Investigations Directorate (or its successor, in due course, the Trade Remedies Authority).
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 she plans to take in response to EU trade remedies (a) AD653 and (b) AS656 not being transitioned.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
HM Government ran a Call for Evidence to determine which EU trade remedy measures should be transitioned to the United Kingdom’s system after the transition period. As part of the consistent criteria applied, the evidence from respondents needed to demonstrate that transitioning a measure had support from British businesses that produce a sufficient proportion of those products.
The deadlines for the Call for Evidence were determined by legislative obligations and operational requirements to make sure that measures were successfully transitioned by 31st December 2020. While we received some evidence from British producers in support of transitioning measures AD653 and AS656, this did not meet the criterion of demonstrating support from businesses producing a sufficient proportion of the products. Further evidence was not submitted in time for consideration and HM Government was, therefore, unable to transition these measures.
Businesses can raise trading issues and apply for a new trade remedy investigation. However, my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade can only decide in favour of the imposition of new trade remedy measures following a full investigation and recommendation from the Trade Remedies Investigations Directorate (or its successor, in due course, the Trade Remedies Authority).
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, which Minister of her Department is responsible for international trade relating to agri-tech.
Answered by Graham Stuart
I am responsible for UK Agri-Tech exports overseas and my noble Friend the Minister of State for Investment, Lord Grimstone, for foreign direct investment in the UK Agri-Tech sector.