Asked by: Darren Jones (Labour - Bristol North West)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many officials in (a) his private office and (b) the wider Department have been allocated to the production and promotion of online content for use on social media in (a) 2018-19, (b) 2019-20 and (c) 2020-21.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
There are no officials in my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade’s Private Office whose dedicated role is the production and promotion of online content for use on social media.
In the UK, the number of officials in the Department whose roles are dedicated to the production and promotion of online content for use on social media is 6 full-time employees. Other officials in the UK and overseas may contribute content as required.
This has been at a consistent level across the years indicated at (a), (b) and (c).
In UK Export Finance, the number of full-time equivalent members of staff working on production and promotion of content for social media in those three years was (a) 2018-19 1.5 FTE; (b) 2019-20 1.5 FTE; and (c) 2020-21, 1.0 FTE. Other officials contribute to the production and promotion as required.
Asked by: Darren Jones (Labour - Bristol North West)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many officials in their Department were dedicated to their Department's responsibilities associated with the delivery of the Industrial Strategy in (a) 2017, (b) 2018, (c) 2019, (d) 2020 and (e) 2021.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Industrial Strategy is a cross-government policy which comprises and drives a significant number of initiatives. These span a wide array of policy areas across 20 government departments and arms-length bodies.
Trade is a critical element of the Industrial Strategy. Global trade has had an overwhelmingly positive impact on prosperity in the UK and around the world. International trade and investment are linked to increased jobs, productivity, growth, prosperity and development. The structure and networks the Department for International Trade (DIT) has put in place ensure the Department can deliver on the international aspects of the Industrial Strategy.
Given the breadth of the delivery work, it is difficult to obtain accurate figures for resources associated with the Industrial Strategy in teams within DIT. This information is unlikely to be retrievable at this point in time and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Darren Jones (Labour - Bristol North West)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment her Department has made of the economic and environmental benefits of allowing Australian wine to be carbonated in the UK and labelled as Australian sparkling wine; and if she will ensure that any future trade deal with Australia will permit that process.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government is aware of interest in this subject, which has been raised in our ongoing stakeholder engagement. We are working hard for an agreement which works for both British businesses and consumers.
We have recently completed our third round of negotiations with Australia, including positive and detailed discussion on technical barriers to trade. We will continue to engage with wine producers, exporters, and distributors to address issues relating to trade in wine between the UK and Australia – including the agreement the Government has already reached with Australia to secure ongoing trading terms for wine.
Asked by: Darren Jones (Labour - Bristol North West)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether she has made an assessment of the effect of the levying of import taxes on assistive and adaptive equipment used by people with disabilities in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a withdrawal agreement; and what steps she plans to take to ensure that people with disabilities will be able to access such equipment in the event the UK leaves the EU without a withdrawal agreement.
Answered by Conor Burns
The Government is committed to ensuring people with disabilities are not negatively impacted in any EU Exit scenario. If the UK leaves the EU without a deal in place, the Government would implement its Temporary Tariff Regime, announced in March. Under this regime the majority of imports would be tariff free, reducing the risk of price increases for consumers. The Temporary Tariff Regime does not plan to impose import taxes on assistive and adaptive equipment. The full list of products that will face tariffs in a no deal exit can be found online.
Asked by: Darren Jones (Labour - Bristol North West)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will publish the risk assessments made by his Department on the granting of export licences for arms sales to Saudi Arabia since 25 May 2010.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria provides a thorough risk assessment framework for considering all applications to export military goods to Saudi Arabia. The policy remains as announced to Parliament in a Written Ministerial Statement on 25 March 2014:
https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140325/wmstext/140325m0001.htm#14032566000018 and updated with an additional policy, as announced in a Written Ministerial Statement on 13 September 2018:
Asked by: Darren Jones (Labour - Bristol North West)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will take steps to limit arms sales to Saudi Arabia.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government takes its export control responsibilities very seriously and our processes have been subject to judicial scrutiny.
Export licence applications are carefully assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. A licence would not be granted if to do so was inconsistent with the Criteria. The policy remains as announced to parliament in a Written Ministerial Statement on 25 March 2014: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140325/wmstext/140325m0001.htm#14032566000018.
The key test for the Government for our continued military exports to Saudi Arabia in relation to International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is whether there is a clear risk that those items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of IHL. The situation is kept under careful and continual review.
Asked by: Darren Jones (Labour - Bristol North West)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to the Prime Minister’s statement of 10 July 2017, Official Report, column 26, on the G20 summit, what rule changes he has requested from the WTO relating to the (a) services and (b) digital sector.
Answered by Mark Garnier
As the Prime Minister and Department for International Trade ministers have set out, the UK is a founding member and active participant in the ongoing work of the World Trade Organisation (WTO). This includes an active involvement in services and the digital sector, where we continue to advocate for services trade liberalisation and are encouraging members to restart negotiations on the ambitious Trade in Services Agreement (TiSA).
On the digital economy, we are working with other WTO Member States to achieve a positive outcome at the Ministerial Conference in December 2017. This includes working with developing and least developed countries as a core supporter of UNCTAD’s ‘eTrade for All’ initiative which seeks to improve the ability of developing countries to benefit from e-commerce.