Asked by: Craig Whittaker (Conservative - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions his Department has had with the Governments of Bahrain and Kuwait on future investment and trade deals; and what assessment he has made of opportunities available to UK businesses in those countries.
Answered by Greg Hands
Bahrain and Kuwait are important trading partners and there are significant opportunities for UK businesses in both countries. We have been liaising closely with their Governments on strengthening our investment and trade links and we have been supporting new business opportunities in the region in order to promote British exports.
Both Bahrain and Kuwait are members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a Customs Union, so are not able to enter into bilateral trade deals. The GCC is one of the UK’s biggest export markets outside of the EU, and there could be significant opportunities in a stronger trading arrangement with all GCC countries. At the GCC Leaders’ Summit in December, in Manama, the Prime Minister announced the creation of the UK-GCC Trade and Investment Working Group to examine how we can unblock remaining barriers to trade and take steps to further liberalise our economies for the benefit of our mutual prosperity.
Asked by: Craig Whittaker (Conservative - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps his Department is taking to improve bilateral trade with Qatar.
Answered by Mark Garnier - Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Work and Pensions)
UK and Qatar share a strong and growing trade and investment relationship. In 2015 UK exports to Qatar totalled £2.6 billion, with Qatar exports to UK at £2.7 billion. The United Kingdom is Qatar’s number 1 destination for foreign direct investment.
My Rt. Hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade hosted a Qatar-UK Business and Investment Forum in London and Birmingham on 27 and 28 March. Qatar committed to investing £5 billion across the English regions, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, over the next 3 years. The UK also committed, via UK Export Finance, to increase the amount of export finance available to support trade with Qatar to £4.5 billion.
Asked by: Craig Whittaker (Conservative - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many companies in (a) West Yorkshire and (b) Calderdale exported goods or services to non-EU countries in each year since 2010.
Answered by Mark Garnier - Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Work and Pensions)
Data on the number of companies that export goods from West Yorkshire and Calderdale are not available. The number of companies in Yorkshire and the Humber exporting goods to non-EU countries since 2010 is available in the HMRC Regional Trade Statistics.
Data for 2013 to 2016:
https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/RTS/RTS%20Releases/RTS_Q4_2016.xls (Table 3, CEp)
Data for 2010 to 2012:
https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/RTS/RTS%20Releases/RtsQ42012.xls (Table 3, CE)
Asked by: Craig Whittaker (Conservative - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps his Department is taking to work with manufacturing businesses in West Yorkshire to strengthen their export links.
Answered by Mark Garnier - Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Work and Pensions)
The Department for International Trade (DIT) provides a wide range of help to West Yorkshire manufacturers that are seeking to export, tailored to the needs of the business. Every month we publish hundreds of new export opportunities from around the world. We provide access to a network of international trade specialists, offer programmes for new exporters to develop export strategies and e-exporting support to help retailers and brands to sell their products online. In addition to support at home, DIT staff overseas provide advice support for businesses to find opportunities in a range of markets. DIT multiplies its impact by working closely with partners such as EEF, The Manufacturer’s Organisation, and supporting key events for the local manufacturing sector such as this year’s Manufactured Yorkshire in Leeds.
Asked by: Craig Whittaker (Conservative - Calder Valley)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps his Department is taking to work with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority to strengthen the export links of businesses in West Yorkshire.
Answered by Mark Garnier - Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Work and Pensions)
The Department for International Trade (DIT) provides a wide range of help to businesses across the country. We regularly publish new export opportunities from around the world. We provide information and advice to individual businesses through a network of local international trade specialists. Our teams overseas provide support for businesses in finding opportunities in markets abroad and to help them navigate their way to new and profitable business leads. DIT works closely with local partners and has a joint export plan with Leeds City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, working with them to develop a range of additional support and services to strengthen export links for businesses. In particular providing a number of activities to help businesses meet overseas buyers, either in West Yorkshire or by going overseas, through trade mission and trade fair activity.