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Written Question
Animals: Exports
Tuesday 7th September 2021

Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what her Department’s policy is on live animal exports in respect of future trade deals.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Maintaining high environmental, animal welfare and food standards is a red line in the Government’s Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations. FTAs do not create new permissions for imports from partner countries. Imports will continue to meet the same UK food safety and biosecurity import standards as they did before.

As part of the UK’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare, the Government has introduced the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill to Parliament, which includes measures to ban live animal exports for slaughter and fattening. The Bill will make the UK the first European country to ban this practice.


Written Question
Trade and Agriculture Commission
Tuesday 7th September 2021

Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps her Department has taken to ensure representation of farmers on the Trade and Agriculture Commission.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for International Trade (DIT) invited Expressions of Interest for independent advisors to sit on the Trade and Agriculture Commission (TAC) in July, and DIT will announce the membership in the coming weeks.

The TAC will be composed of independent experts in their fields, in line with the provisions of the Trade Act 2021. This will include expertise in UK animal welfare standards, UK animal and plant health standards, UK environmental standards relating to agricultural products, and international trade law and policy.


Written Question
Trade and Agriculture Commission
Tuesday 7th September 2021

Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, when the Trade and Agriculture Commission will be formally constituted; and when the Trade and Agriculture Commission will hold its first meeting.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for International Trade (DIT) invited Expressions of Interest for independent advisors to sit on the Trade and Agriculture Commission (TAC) in July, and DIT will announce the membership in the coming weeks.

The TAC will be composed of independent experts in their fields, in line with the provisions of the Trade Act 2021. This will include expertise in UK animal welfare standards, UK animal and plant health standards, UK environmental standards relating to agricultural products, and international trade law and policy.


Written Question
Trade Agreements: Australia
Tuesday 25th May 2021

Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what protections there will be for British farmers under a trade deal with Australia.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

HM Government wants to secure an ambitious free trade deal with Australia that benefits businesses across the UK.

Any deal the UK signs with Australia will include protections for the agriculture industry and will not undercut UK farmers or compromise our high standards.

Tariff liberalisation is often staged over time, with safeguards built in. The government’s aim in negotiations is to secure a balanced and mutually beneficial liberalisation of tariffs, taking into account specific UK product sensitivities.

HM Government will continue to work with the industry, keeping them involved throughout the process and helping it capture the full benefits of trade.


Written Question
A14: Repairs and Maintenance
Monday 7th September 2020

Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to Answer of 1 September 2020 to Question 78611, if he will make an assessment of the strategic importance of upgrading the A14 in Suffolk to (a) enhance the route for transport between the port of Felixstowe and the areas incorporating the Midlands Engine and Northern Powerhouse schemes and (b) contribute to the delivery of the UK's (i) economic and (ii) trade strategies after the end of the transition period.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Department for International Trade does not currently have any plans to undertake any such assessment.


Written Question
Felixstowe Port: A14
Tuesday 1st September 2020

Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions she has held with the Secretary of State for Transport on upgrading the A14 in Suffolk to enhance the route for transport between the port of Felixstowe and the areas incorporating the Midlands Engine and Northern Powerhouse schemes.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Secretary of State for International Trade has had no formal discussions with the Secretary of State for Transport on this matter.


Written Question
A14: Repairs and Maintenance
Tuesday 1st September 2020

Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of the strategic importance of upgrading the A14 in Suffolk to (a) enhance the route for transport between the port of Felixstowe and the areas incorporating the Midlands Engine and Northern Powerhouse schemes and (b) contribute to the delivery of the UK's (i) economic and (ii) trade strategies after the end of the transition period.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

No assessment has been made by DIT of the strategic importance of upgrading the A14 in Suffolk.


Written Question
Trade Agreements: USA
Monday 8th June 2020

Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps her Department will take to ensure that high standards of animal welfare are maintained in any prospective UK-USA trade deal.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK is clear that it will not compromise on its high standards of food safety and animal welfare.

The UK’s food regulators will continue to provide independent advice to ensure that all food imports into the UK comply with those high standards.

Our analysis shows that agricultural sectors are set to gain from a US deal. We have been clear that any future deal with the US must work for UK consumers, farmers and companies.


Written Question
Trade Agreements: USA
Monday 8th June 2020

Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps her Department will take to ensure that food production and food hygiene standards are maintained in any prospective UK-USA trade deal.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK is clear that it will not compromise on its high standards of food safety and animal welfare.

The UK’s food regulators will continue to provide independent advice to ensure that all food imports into the UK comply with those high standards.

Our analysis shows that agricultural sectors are set to gain from a US deal. We have been clear that any future deal with the US must work for UK consumers, farmers and companies.


Written Question
Trade Agreements: USA
Monday 8th June 2020

Asked by: Dan Poulter (Conservative - Central Suffolk and North Ipswich)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps her Department will take to ensure there is a level playing field for UK farmers and food producers against US farmers and producers in any prospective UK-USA trade deal.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The UK is clear that it will not compromise on its high standards of food safety and animal welfare.

The UK’s food regulators will continue to provide independent advice to ensure that all food imports into the UK comply with those high standards.

Our analysis shows that agricultural sectors are set to gain from a US deal. We have been clear that any future deal with the US must work for UK consumers, farmers and companies.