Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of the potential merits of ruling out investor-state dispute settlement provisions in future trade agreements.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
The precise details of any future Free Trade Agreement are a matter for formal negotiations, and we would not seek to pre-empt these discussions.
HM Government recognises the important role that Investment protections with Investor State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) can play in protecting British investors abroad, including pensioners across the country through their pension funds and SMEs. Where ISDS is included in future agreements, we will seek to ensure fair outcomes of claims and high ethical standards for arbitrators, with increased transparency and efficiency of proceedings.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent steps have been taken to attract international investment in the Northern Powerhouse.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In 2016 the Department for International Trade (DIT) established a dedicated taskforce to deliver bespoke activity to attract foreign investment into the Northern Powerhouse. This activity includes: full profiling of the offer in key sectors for the region and showcasing these at events overseas; working with DIT’s overseas network, and local partners across the North, to deliver bespoke activity to promote the region as a destination for investment; international promotion of a portfolio of Northern capital investment opportunities; and provision of funding for the account management of existing foreign investors by local partners.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps his Department is taking to protect consumers from the economic effect of the introduction of reciprocal tariffs imposed by the EU in response to the tariffs imposed by the US Administration.
Answered by George Hollingbery
The UK will uphold the rules of the international trading system which support growth, consumers and industry. We will continue to engage with the US at the highest level, in concert with the EU, to avoid escalation, ensure that world trade is not further undermined, and protect the interests of British industry and consumers.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what programmes his Department has put in place to use the skills and networks of UK citizens living abroad to promote UK trade.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for International Trade promotes export opportunities to British companies through our overseas network of 174 offices across 109 countries, offering specialised support services tailored to the needs of individual opportunities, setting up trade missions and events, and providing introductions and helping address barriers to markets. Furthermore, GREAT.gov.uk helps UK business to find thousands of export opportunities in markets around the world, be on-boarded onto the world’s largest global e-commerce sites or be connected directly with international buyers.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he plans to appoint a Chief Science Adviser prior to the opening of negotiations on the UK leaving the EU.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave on the 2 February to my hon Friend for South Basildon and East Thurrock, UIN 61710.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many days he has spend abroad on government business since his appointment.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Details of Ministerial travel, are published quarterly on gov.uk at:
The Department for International Trade was established in July 2016. The next tranche of transparency data relating to Ministers will be published in due course, covering the quarter July - September 2016.
Asked by: Dan Jarvis (Labour - Barnsley Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether leaving the EU customs union is a prerequisite to signing trade agreements with non-EU countries.
Answered by Mark Garnier
As the Prime Minister has said, the UK will strike a unique agreement that gets the best deal for people at home, and the right deal for Britain abroad. The issues relating to the customs union are complex and the Government continues to consider our approach to this issue carefully. Whilst we remain clear that it would be wrong to give a running commentary on our work, it is not correct that the UK simply faces a binary choice between our customs arrangements and future trading relationship with non-EU countries.