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 all arms and equipment licensed for export from the UK meet the consolidated EU and national arms export licensing criteria.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
All export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria (‘Consolidated Criteria’). In reaching a decision, the Department for International Trade (DIT) receives advice from a number of Departments including the Ministry of Defence (MoD) and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Together, we draw on all available information, including reports from Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) and our diplomatic missions. The Consolidated Criteria provides a thorough risk assessment framework and requires us to think hard about the impact of exporting any equipment. These are not decisions my Department takes lightly, and we will not license the export of items where to do so would be inconsistent with the Consolidated Criteria.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent discussions they have had with UK trading partners about inserting human rights clauses into the text of future trade agreements.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
The United Kingdom has a strong history of safeguarding rights and promoting our values globally. Our strong economic relationships with trading partners allow HM Government to have open discussions on a range of difficult issues, including rights and responsibilities. We continue to encourage all states to uphold international obligations.
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 government of Brazil about ensuring that UK–Brazil trade does not affect the preservation of the Amazon rainforest.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
Trade does not have to come at the expense of the environment. As part of our independent trade policy, HM Government is committed to upholding the United Kingdom’s high environmental standards. HM Government is already working with Brazilian counterparts and other interested parties to tackle deforestation and has committed £200m through a number of International Climate Finance programmes aimed at tackling deforestation. The United Kingdom will continue to monitor the situation in the Amazon closely and to raise in our ongoing dialogue with Brazil.
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 World Trade Organisation about invoking Article 24 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade in the event that an agreement is not reached with the EU before the end of the transition period; and what progress they have made in establishing UK independent World Trade Organisation schedules.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
At the end of this year the UK will have recovered its economic and political independence. The question is whether we can agree with the EU a deeper trading relationship or whether we have a trading relationship based on the 2019 deal, without a free trade agreement (FTA), on the lines of Australia’s.
On leaving the EU on February 1st 2020 the UK took up its independent seat at the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The UK’s independent schedules were submitted to the WTO for certification in 2018 in July (Goods) and December (Services), and when the transition period ends at the end of this year they will form the basis of the UK’s independent trade policy.
GATT Article XXIV permits the establishment of FTAs and Customs Unions as an exception to the most favoured nation principle, but it has no relevance without an agreement between the WTO members in question.
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 most recent inward investment statistics.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
Two major FDI publication have recently been published, reflecting on European investment performance in 2019. The Financial Times’ FDI Report 2020 placed the UK top in Europe, with 1,271 recorded FDI projects – more than Germany and France combined (702 and 500 respectively). This gave the UK an overall market share of 20% in Europe.
The EY UK Attractiveness Survey 2020 shows a different picture with the UK receiving fewer projects than France (1,109 to 1,197), therefore conceding the top spot in Europe. Despite the EY report recording an increase for the UK’s FDI project numbers, France saw a greater increase (5% compared to 16%).
According to UNCTAD’s WIR 2020, the UK remains the top destination in Europe for attracting foreign direct investment with the highest inward FDI stock in Europe, and has improved its position to being the second highest inward FDI stock in the world, behind the US. The UK’s FDI stock of $ 2 trillion has risen by 10% compared to 2018 and almost doubled from its 2010 levels.
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 has been made on negotiating a trade agreement with the United States.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
The first UK-US negotiation round successfully concluded on 15 May. It saw the two sides hold a full discussion covering all aspects of a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement. Discussions have continued between the negotiation rounds across a number of chapters.
The sessions in the first negotiation round focused on agreeing the scope, objectives and modalities of the potential chapters. Progress has been made in a number of areas, including services, investment and digital trade.
The second UK-US Free Trade Agreement negotiating round began on 15 June and will take place over two weeks.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in rolling over UK trading arrangements with countries that have an agreement with the EU.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
As of 31st January 2020, when the United Kingdom left the EU, we had successfully concluded and signed trade continuity agreements with 48 countries.
This accounts for £110 billion of United Kingdom trade in 2018, which represents 74% of the trade with countries with whom we were seeking continuity before the Withdrawal Agreement was signed – and we are continuing our programme to replicate the effects of existing EU trade agreements with other countries to ensure maximum continuity for British businesses following the transition period.
Work continues on these remaining trade continuity agreements in a way that reflects the reality of the current situation and respects public health. An up-to-date list of trade continuity agreements, signed and in discussion, is publicly available at: gov.uk/guidance/uk-trade-agreements-with-non-eu-countries.
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 maintaining environmental protection standards in trade agreements.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
We are clear that more trade does not have to come at the expense of the environment. HM Government is committed to meeting its ambitious environmental objectives and the United Kingdom has long supported the promotion of our values globally. This will continue now that we have left the EU.
The precise details of any United Kingdom free trade agreement are a matter for formal?negotiations?and we would not seek to pre-empt these discussions, but I can assure the Noble Lady that we are exploring all options in the design of future trade and investment agreements, including possible environment provisions, to ensure that future trade is sustainable and upholds the United Kingdom’s high environmental standards.
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 expedite the import of essential medical products during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
HM Government is working around the clock to ensure the NHS and our social care workers have the medical equipment to do their critical frontline work.
To achieve this, a cross-government sourcing effort has been undertaken to secure new supply lines of medical products from across the world.
As a result of the Department of International Trade’s work, purchase orders have now been raised by the Department for Health and Social Care for many billions of items globally from new suppliers including gloves, masks, and aprons.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent assessment they have made of the effectiveness of their Export Strategy.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
We launched the Export Strategy in August 2018 with the goal of strengthening the UK’s position as a global trading nation.
I’m pleased to say that UK exports are at a record high, with the latest figures showing exports of £705.1 billion in the 12 months to January 2020. That is an increase of 7% year-on-year.