Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of energy market liberalisation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo on levels of investment by British hydropower companies in that country.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) does not have an office in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to assess the commercial opportunities, either in general or the specific sectors named in the questions. However, DBT can support opportunities in DRC via its hub in South Africa or sector advisers. The Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy, Lord Popat, has a watching brief to evaluate the opportunities in DRC and His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner (HMTC) for Africa is working to ensure we understand the potential for British Business to operate ethically in the DRC. Both our Trade Envoy and HMTC are due to visit the DRC in April.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department has taken recent steps to help support British hydropower companies to increase trade in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the context of energy market liberalisation in that country.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) does not have an office in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to assess the commercial opportunities, either in general or the specific sectors named in the questions. However, DBT can support opportunities in DRC via its hub in South Africa or sector advisers. The Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy, Lord Popat, has a watching brief to evaluate the opportunities in DRC and His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner (HMTC) for Africa is working to ensure we understand the potential for British Business to operate ethically in the DRC. Both our Trade Envoy and HMTC are due to visit the DRC in April.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of increasing trade with the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the aid required by that country.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) does not have an office in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to assess the commercial opportunities, either in general or the specific sectors named in the questions. However, DBT can support opportunities in DRC via its hub in South Africa or sector advisers. The Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy, Lord Popat, has a watching brief to evaluate the opportunities in DRC and His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner (HMTC) for Africa is working to ensure we understand the potential for British Business to operate ethically in the DRC. Both our Trade Envoy and HMTC are due to visit the DRC in April.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to promote agricultural technology to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) does not have an office in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to assess the commercial opportunities, either in general or the specific sectors named in the questions. However, DBT can support opportunities in DRC via its hub in South Africa or sector advisers. The Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy, Lord Popat, has a watching brief to evaluate the opportunities in DRC and His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner (HMTC) for Africa is working to ensure we understand the potential for British Business to operate ethically in the DRC. Both our Trade Envoy and HMTC are due to visit the DRC in April.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what financial support is available to businesses that have (a) been disrupted and (b) had stock damaged as a result of flooding.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Business Recovery Grant (BRG), part of the Flooding Framework, provides £2500 per affected business premises to small and medium sized businesses in the immediate aftermath of flooding to help them get back on their feet.
This support was provided in October 2023 in response to Storm Babet and those affected by Storm Henk interested in the BRG should contact their Local Authority for details and qualification requirements.
Businesses significantly affected by recent flooding could also be eligible for business rates relief via schemes delivered by DLUHC and via DEFRA schemes.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will call on Fujitsu to compensate the sub-postmasters who were wrongly convicted between 2000 and 2014.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government has set up a statutory inquiry into the Post Office Horizon scandal. Collective and individual accountability for the scandal can only be considered when the Inquiry has reviewed all the evidence.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will lift (a) tariffs and (b) quotas on (i) tomatoes, (ii) cucumbers, (iii) other winter fruit and vegetables and (iv) other products originating from Morocco.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK-Morocco Association Agreement requires both parties to undertake a review of all agriculture and fisheries tariffs within three years of its entry into force in 2021. This review was launched on 16 November 2023. Following conclusion of the review, the parties will examine granting further liberalisation on agriculture products on a regular basis.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to encourage British businesses to invest in (a) green energy, (b) hydrogen and (c) other sustainable initiatives in (i) the Western Sahara and (ii) Morocco.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK works closely with Morocco to maximise cooperation in several areas, including in trade and investment. The UK-Morocco Association Agreement facilitates this trading relationship, which has grown significantly since entry into force in January 2021.
The Department of Business and Trade frequently engages its Moroccan counterparts to promote and support green investment into Morocco. The UK and Morocco are co-leads on the Power Breakthrough, which aims to make clean power the most affordable and reliable option for all countries by 2030. With regard to Western Sahara, I refer my hon. Friend to my response to Question 1500.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Appeal Court decision in Western Sahara Campaign UK v Secretary of State for International Trade and Anor, what steps she is taking to encourage businesses to explore investment opportunities in the Western Sahara.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
HM Government does not provide legal advice to private companies and individuals in relation to their commercial activities. It is therefore for companies to take their own decisions on whether to do business in Western Sahara, as elsewhere.
Asked by: Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative - Shrewsbury and Atcham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department issues any guidance to employee relocation businesses on the Association of Relocation Professionals' Code of Conduct as a professional standard.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
My department does not issue guidance to employee relocation businesses on the Association of Relocation Professionals' Code of Conduct as a professional standard.