Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises can benefit from Free Trade Agreements.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are vital to increasing UK trade. That is why we are seeking SME chapters and SME-friendly provisions throughout all our Free Trade Agreements. These chapters and provisions signpost SMEs towards the information they need to make informed decisions and take advantage of new opportunities.
In addition, the refreshed Export Strategy focuses on barriers faced by UK businesses, particularly SMEs. We will support exporters at every stage of their journey, through the Export Support Service, the UK Export Academy, UK Export Finance, and our International Trade Advisers and global networks.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to encourage World Trade Organization members to support the introduction of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights waiver.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
The United Kingdom does not support the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) waiver. We have not seen evidence that Intellectual Property (IP) rights are a blocker to increasing the supply of COVID-19 goods, including vaccines. Rather, evidence shows continued increases of COVID-19 vaccine doses being manufactured.
While we recognise and share concerns regarding the lack of access to vaccines in parts of the world, we must focus on the real challenges to vaccine equity. This includes pressure on health systems; supply chain issues like export restrictions; and vaccine confidence. We remain open to initiatives which help overcome these challenges, which waiving IP rights does not.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that protections for exports to third countries negotiated while the UK was a member of the EU are maintained following the UK's departure.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
Since leaving the EU, HM Government has sought continuity for businesses, investors, and consumers in our trading relationships.
Of the non-EU countries that were in scope of our trade continuity programme, those secured to date account for 99% of the value of trade with all continuity partners. We have secured continuity agreements with 68 non-EU countries. The value of trade with these countries is £189bn in 2020.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of trends in the level of UK trade with the EU since January 2020.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
UK goods trade (excluding precious metals) with the EU was £368.9bn in 2020, down 15.8% compared to 2019, mainly due to decreases in April 2020 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
UK trade in goods with the EU suffered a further decrease in January 2021, down 36.0% for the month (compared to December 2020).
Since January 2021, monthly goods trade has increased, with monthly exports now almost at pre-covid levels (July 2021 was 5.6% below 2019 monthly average), and imports growing but still below pre-covid levels (July 2021 was 14.6% below 2019 monthly average).
UK trade in services with the EU have shown little recovery since falling in April 2020. Services trade with the EU was £160.2bn in the 12 months to end of June 2021 down 22.3% on the previous 12 months.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to ensure that the rights of workers are protected in future trade deals.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
The UK is committed to ensuring that the rights of workers are upheld in trade deals. HM government has made clear that trade does not have to come at the expense of labour standards, and this is reflected in our UK trade policy.
In its public mandates, the Government committed to protect the UK’s world-leading labour standards.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent progress they have made in negotiating new Free Trade Agreements.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
HM Government signed a new free trade agreement (FTA) with the European Economic Area (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) in July. Building on the success of the United Kingdom’s recent Agreement-in-Principle with Australia, we have been accelerating talks to reach an Agreement-in-Principle with New Zealand too.
We are progressing plans to accede to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) and recently concluded a public consultation for FTA negotiations with India, as well as a call for input for new FTA negotiations with Canada and Mexico.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the devolved administrations regarding the UK’s application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
The Department has engaged extensively with the Devolved Administrations throughout the accession process thus far, both at the Chief Negotiator and at Ministerial level, including the sharing of negotiation positions in devolved areas. At every stage, we have taken into consideration their views and priorities. Our programme of engagement totals hundreds of hours at official level and dozens at Ministerial level.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with UK trade partners on inserting clauses on environmental standards into future trade deals.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
The UK is seeking ambitious environmental provisions in all future trade deals, including those which preserve our high levels of environmental protection and ensure our trade and environment policies are mutually supportive.
Negotiations, including with both Australia and New Zealand, are progressing and the UK is also preparing for the next phase of negotiations, including with India, Mexico and Canada.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with UK trade partners on inserting clauses on human rights into future trade deals.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
HM Government is clear that more trade will not come at the expense of human rights. The UK will continue to show global leadership in encouraging all states to uphold international human rights obligations and hold those who violate human rights to account. By having stronger economic relationships with partners, we can have more open discussions on a range of issues, including human rights.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the Pesticide Action Network UK Toxic Trade: How joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) threatens to weaken UK pesticide standards, published on 7 June; and what assessment they have made of the YouGov polling referenced in that report which found that more than two thirds of respondents were concerned about negative impacts to the environment and human health resulting from a lowering of UK pesticide standards as a result of joining the CPTPP.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
The Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership protects the right for members to regulate on public policy issues such as environmental standards. This includes setting regulations on pesticides. The Government will continue to ensure that its own levels of protection are based on appropriate scientific risk assessment with the protection of people and the environment being of greatest importance. The Government shares the public’s high regard for the UK’s environmental protections and will not compromise on them. The Government has ensured in law that existing standards will remain in place, and is clear that trade does not have to come at the expense of the environment.