Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what protections are in the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement to ensure that citizens’ data is protected in the event that companies decide to transfer that data abroad; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) ensures that data can flow between the countries while maintaining high data protection standards. The deal does not mandate that data must flow, but rather the provisions clear the way for the flow of data between both countries for business purposes; when data needs to flow across a border it can do so without coming up against unjustified barriers. CEPA does not interfere with the high level of protection afforded to personal data when it is transferred out of the UK under the UK's data protections laws.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps she is taking to ensure that existing safeguards on people’s (a) privacy and (b) data protection will be replicated as part of a future WTO agreement on cross-border data flows; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK government is seeking provisions in trade agreements that remove barriers to the free flow of data, while not lowering the standard of protection afforded to the personal data of UK individuals. The UK is, and will remain, committed to maintaining high standards of protection for personal data, including when it is transferred across borders. The UK recognises the importance of data protection to enable trading partners to build trust through transparent treatment of personal data and to ensure that data is able to flow in an uninterrupted manner.
Currently cross-border data flows as well as privacy and personal information protection are being discussed at the e-commerce negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO). The UK will not sign up to any agreement at the WTO which will put at risk the UK’s high standards of data protection, or the personal data protection or privacy currently afforded to UK individuals.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what estimate she has made of changes in costs for (a) importers and (b) exporters during 2020 as a result of staff at Felixstowe being furloughed through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
The Secretary of State for Transport and his officials have actively engaged the Port of Felixstowe to understand the global challenge of a global peak in container traffic, so my department has not made such an estimate. Accordingly, I can assure the Hon. Gentleman that HM Government is continuing to monitor the situation, and is engaged with relevant freight trade associations.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Dutchy of Lancaster on disbanding the Expert Trade Advisory Group on Customs and Continuity in Trade.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
Our previous ‘Expert Trade Advisory Groups’ have stopped meeting, in order to minimise unnecessary duplication in our engagement, following the creation of our 11 new sector-focused ‘Trade Advisory Groups’ (TAGs).
Further, we have now also established a range of cross-government ‘Thematic Working Groups’ (TWGs), including dedicated Customs and Continuity TWGs. These groups have now met as TWGs and both groups will continue to meet in this format to make sure detailed knowledge is used to inform trade policy.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of the level of changes in costs for importers and exporters of staff availability during the covid-19 outbreak.
Answered by Graham Stuart
We have no data on the level of changes in costs for importers and exporters as a result of staff absence during the Covid-19 outbreak.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 9 November 2020 to Question 111493, what assessment she has made of the potential adverse trade effects that may be brought to the WTO by UK funding for virtual tradeshow access.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
There is currently no evidence of the impact made through funding or attending virtual trade shows - adverse or otherwise - published by either UK industry or other nations, on which to make an assessment at this time.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to Answer of 9 November 2020 to Question 111493 on Trade Affairs: Internet, what assessment she has made of the potential effect on UK trade of other countries funding access to virtual trade shows.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
There is currently no evidence of the impact made through funding or attending virtual trade shows - adverse or otherwise - published by either UK industry or other nations, on which to make an assessment at this time.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on the effect on businesses of not being able to attend tradeshows abroad.
Answered by Graham Stuart
My Rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade meets Cabinet colleagues on a regular basis to discuss a range of issues, including the effect of the pandemic on business.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
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 her policies of the findings of the Which? report entitled National Trade Conversation, published 11 November 2020.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government engages with all evidence and we are committed to ensuring the voice of the consumer is represented in trade policy. We have committed to maintaining the consumer standards that the UK public currently enjoys.
The Department has worked with Which? as they have undertaken the National Trade Conversation, including sitting on the Advisory Group established as part of the programme and my personal involvement in the launch event for the Research Report.
The work of Which? represents a valuable addition to our understanding of how consumers engage on trade and their core interests and values.