Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what the agenda is for the next meeting of the Board of Trade.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The new Board of Trade is led by the President of the Board of Trade. The Secretaries of State for the Territorial Offices and other Department for International Trade Ministers have a standing invitation to attend the meetings. The work of the Board of Trade is supported by a group of Advisers. A full list of the Advisers to the Board of Trade can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/international-trade-secretary-dr-liam-fox-convenes-a-new-board-of-trade-to-ensure-the-benefits-of-free-trade-are-spread-throughout-the-uk
The next meeting of the Board of Trade will take place in the first quarter of 2018.
The purpose of the Board of Trade is to support businesses and spread the benefits of trade and investment to all parts of the United Kingdom by maximising the positive impact of the support that HMG provides to English regions, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what advice the Government gives to UK companies that are considering or that are currently engaged in joint ventures or other forms of business with military-owned or controlled companies in Burma.
Answered by Mark Garnier
The Department for International Trade (DIT) helps businesses export, drives investment, opens up markets and champions free trade. DIT’s team in Burma play an active role in supporting UK businesses looking to do business with Burma.
We offer advice and support on working with local partners and encourage all British companies to undertake appropriate due diligence on any partnerships. We also ensure that companies are aware of UK legislation including the UK Bribery Act (2010) and any remaining sanctions in relation to doing business with Burma.
The Department for International Trade continues to support trade with Burma as an important part of driving mutual prosperity, creating jobs and driving economic growth, which the UK Government believes will be crucial to securing the country's political transition.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what his Department's policy is on imports from companies based in illegal Israeli settlements.
Answered by Mark Garnier
The UK and Israel have a strong and important trading relationship. However, we do not recognise the Occupied Palestinian Territories as part of Israel and indeed it is not covered by the current EU-Israel Association Agreement which governs our trade with Israel.
We are looking across the board to ensure a smooth transition for existing EU trade agreements in the region, and that will include the EU-Israel Association Agreement as well as the Interim Association Agreement with the Palestinian Authority.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions has he had with his counterpart in Israel on imports of produce grown in illegal settlements.
Answered by Mark Garnier
The UK and Israel have a strong and important trading relationship. However, we do not recognise the Occupied Palestinian Territories as part of Israel and indeed it is not covered by the current EU-Israel Association Agreement which governs our trade with Israel.
We are looking across the board to ensure a smooth transition for existing EU trade agreements in the region, and that will include the EU-Israel Association Agreement as well as the Interim Association Agreement with the Palestinian Authority.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans his Department has to exclude imports from illegal settlements from future multilateral and bilateral trade deals.
Answered by Mark Garnier
The UK and Israel have a strong and important trading relationship. However, we do not recognise the Occupied Palestinian Territories as part of Israel and indeed it is not covered by the current EU-Israel Association Agreement which governs our trade with Israel.
We are looking across the board to ensure a smooth transition for existing EU trade agreements in the region, and that will include the EU-Israel Association Agreement as well as the Interim Association Agreement with the Palestinian Authority.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what reporting mechanism the Government has in place for its trade envoys.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys are asked to report back to my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade after each visit they undertake in the role. The Department for International Trade teams based in the Trade Envoy markets, also collate any business successes the Trade Envoys have been involved with, which is reported back on a quarterly basis.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether his Department will have ultimate responsibility for the negotiation of a UK-EU trade deal; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Exiting the European Union (DExEU) has the responsibility for the negotiation of a UK-EU trade deal as part of a future economic partnership. The Department for International Trade will continue to contribute trade policy expertise to input into DExEU’s preparations and negotiations.Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what estimate he has made of the cost of establishing his Department.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for International Trade identified an additional budget of £1.6m in 2016-17 for the one-off costs of establishing the new department.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment he has been made of the role of higher education exports in future free trade deals.
Answered by Mark Garnier
This Government recognises the valuable contribution made by Higher Education (HE) exports to the UK economy and we shall be engaging with the HE sector as we develop future trading arrangements. Ministers and officials in the Department for International Trade are working closely with counterparts across a wide range of markets in order to promote the UK as a great place to do business and with which to trade.
In 2014 (the latest figures), the total value of UK education-related exports and Transnational Education (TNE) activity was estimated to be £18.76 billion, an increase of 18 per cent over 2010 in current prices.
HE exports were estimated at £12.43 billion in 2014, an increase of around 30% over 2010 in current prices. This figure rises to an estimated £12.98 billion if HE related TNE activity, valued at around £550 million, is included.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions he has had with his Cypriot counterpart on increasing (a) imports to and (b) exports from Cyprus after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Mark Garnier
There have not as yet been any official discussions between my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade and Cypriot counterparts on increasing imports to and exports from Cyprus after the UK leaves the EU.
However, as Cyprus is a longstanding and valued trading partner of the UK - regional representatives from the Department for International Trade and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office meet on a regular basis with Cypriot stakeholders to discuss ongoing business and government; ways of improving and expanding ongoing trade relations and the deep friendship between our two countries.