Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North and Cottingham)
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 merits of the inclusion of gender equality provisions in a future Free Trade Agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government is committed to advancing women’s economic empowerment globally, and Free Trade Agreements can help to address barriers faced disproportionately by women in trade.
In UK-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations we seek to: promote women’s access to the FTA’s full benefits and opportunities as workers, business owners, entrepreneurs and consumers; recognise the importance of advancing women’s economic empowerment in trade; and uphold existing commitments relating to gender equality.
The UK and GCC are negotiating on these issues, and the Secretary of State has raised them with her counterparts, including during her visit to the GCC in May.
Asked by: Diana Johnson (Labour - Kingston upon Hull North and Cottingham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions she has had with the Gulf Cooperation Council on including gender equality provisions in negotiations for a future Free Trade Agreement.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government is committed to advancing women’s economic empowerment globally, and Free Trade Agreements can help to address barriers faced disproportionately by women in trade.
In UK-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations we seek to: promote women’s access to the FTA’s full benefits and opportunities as workers, business owners, entrepreneurs and consumers; recognise the importance of advancing women’s economic empowerment in trade; and uphold existing commitments relating to gender equality.
The UK and GCC are negotiating on these issues, and the Secretary of State has raised them with her counterparts, including during her visit to the GCC in May.