Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what telephone discussions her Department had with representatives of the US administration between 2 and 7 October 2019 on the imposition of tariffs on malt Scotch whisky.
Answered by Conor Burns
As a priority, we are continuing to engage with the US at all levels to protect and promote UK industry. Specifically, we are working closely with the US make the case that tariffs are not in the interest of the UK, EU or US. My Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade has recently spoken to US Trade Representative Lighthizer. My Rt Hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has raised this urgent matter with US Secretary of State Pompeo and the Prime Minister urged President Trump directly to reconsider the announced tariffs. I have also personally had a call with US Ambassador Johnson on this issue. We will continue to work with the UK, EU and US and support the case for de-escalation and a negotiated settlement.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions her Department had by telephone between 2 and 7 October 2019 with representatives of the EU on the imposition of US tariffs on malt Scotch whisky.
Answered by Conor Burns
We are working with the European Commission to continue to support a negotiated settlement to the Airbus dispute. We are continuing to engage and influence EU decision-making on these matters. We are also working with the EU to seek confirmation from the WTO of our compliance and that the UK and the EU should therefore not be subject to tariffs. We have also had extensive engagement with the US administration on the issue of tariffs.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what email correspondence her Department had with representatives of the EU between 2 and 7 October 2019 on the imposition of US tariffs on malt Scotch whisky.
Answered by Conor Burns
We are working with the European Commission to continue to support a negotiated settlement to the Airbus dispute. We are continuing to engage and influence EU decision-making on these matters. We are also working with the EU to seek confirmation from the WTO of our compliance and that the UK and the EU should therefore not be subject to tariffs. We have also had extensive engagement with the US administration on the issue of tariffs.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many non-disclosure agreements have been entered into by his Department in respect of a personnel matter relating to a Minister in his Department in each of the last five years.
Answered by Graham Stuart
None.
Asked by: Brendan O'Hara (Scottish National Party - Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many staff worked for the Defence and Security Organisation on 1 April 2016; and what the budget for that organisation is for 2016-17.
Answered by Liam Fox
At 1 April 2016 the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation had 122 staff-in-post, with a 2016-17 budget of £9.73M NET.