Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what the cost of the Small Deals Initiative has been to the public purse in each year since its establishment.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
UK Export Finance (UKEF) operates at no net cost to the taxpayer. UKEF’s Smaller Deals Initiative is staffed by civil servants employed on standard terms and conditions by UKEF. No costs outside of UKEF’s normal core business have been incurred since the Initiative’s inception.
The Smaller Deals Initiative works on the same “no net cost to the taxpayer” basis as UKEF generally. It collects premiums from transactions supported in exchange for taking on risk on behalf of the taxpayer and to cover the Initiative’s administrative costs.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of the (a) effectiveness of the Brexit voucher schemes in (i) Ireland and (ii) the Netherlands and (b) the potential merits of introducing a similar scheme in the UK to support SMEs with their trade with European partners after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As part of work on a new Export Strategy we are examining the range of existing UK export promotion schemes and will consider the effectiveness of voucher schemes used elsewhere.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of the effect of covid-19 on UK business representation at overseas trade shows.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We advise UK businesses to follow FCO travel advice in determining whether to attend overseas trade shows. We are maintaining a log of all cancelled and postponed events which the Department for International Trade was due either to participate in or support companies to attend, such as the ‘MIPIM’ Global Property Event, via for example the Tradeshow Access Programme. We recognise the impact that continued uncertainty will have on UK business and supply chains and will seek to minimise this using our UK and globally based staff and partners.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of the effect of covid-19 on (a) Chinese and (b) other overseas demand for UK exports.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
It is too early to estimate the scale of the impact, which will depend on how severe and prolonged the COVID-19 outbreak becomes. We remain closely engaged with businesses to monitor developments.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what support her Department is providing to UK businesses affected by coronavirus.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Department for International Trade teams around the globe are supporting British companies facing disruption due to COVID-19. The Department’s officials in China and other affected areas are working with affected or concerned UK businesses to provide support, including engaging with local government and suppliers, and working with business associations to disseminate the latest information on freight services, UK consular and visa services, and accessing UK Export Finance facilities.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of the effect of covid-19 on the viability of UK business supply chains.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The department are actively engaging with business and working with other government departments to understand the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak, including its effects on trade. There is a risk of ongoing disruption to international supply chains, particularly in sectors such as automotive, technology, pharmaceuticals, clothing and apparel, tourism and aviation.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many companies offered direct support for overseas investment or commercial trade deals by (a) UK Export Finance and (b) other parts of her Department have been subject to corruption or bribery investigations in each year since 2016.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
UK Export Finance (UKEF) is not an investigatory body. As such, it is only aware of such investigations as have been made public by law enforcement agencies.
The Department for International Trade (DIT) does not hold such data for the 10,000 business interactions it conducts each month across 108 countries.
Both DIT and UKEF have clear policies in place enabling all staff to report any suspicions or suspicious behaviour immediately to the relevant authorities.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of the implications for the Government's policies of the multi-party interim appeal arrangement entered into by the EU and 16 other WTO members to settle appeal proceedings in the absence of a functioning WTO appellate body; and what plans the Government has to participate in that arrangement.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK remains a strong supporter of the multilateral trading system and the World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement system. A fully-functioning, compulsory, binding, and impartial dispute settlement system with an appeal function is important in providing certainty and stability to the WTO system. The UK notes that some WTO Members are now considering multi-party interim appeal arrangements as a contingency measure whilst the Appellate Body is inquorate. The final proposal for such an interim arrangement has not yet been published, and we will continue to follow developments on this closely.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of potential (a) challenges in the negotiations on the UK's proposed schedules at the WTO and (b) amendments, financial settlements or other compensatory measures that may be required as a result of those negotiations.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The independent UK goods and services schedules aim to maintain the existing commitments and the balance of rights and obligations between the UK and our trading partners. The UK has formally opened negotiations under Article XXVIII (GATT) on aspects of our goods schedule. We continue to assess the impacts as we seek to conclude negotiations. The appropriate WTO certification procedure for the UK services schedule does not allow for market access or compensation negotiations. We continue to consult with the Russian Federation to see their outstanding objection to technical elements withdrawn. A WTO member can trade on an uncertified schedule whilst working to have its schedule certified.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what progress the UK is making in submitting schedules at the WTO.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK has submitted independent goods and services schedules to the WTO for certification. The UK’s independent goods schedule was circulated on 24 July 2018, and we have now formally opened negotiations under Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). The UK’s independent services schedule was circulated in December 2018. There is an outstanding objection to the technical elements from the Russian Federation, and we continue to consult with them to see their objection withdrawn. A WTO member can trade on an uncertified schedule, whilst working to have its schedule certified.