Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
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 the rules of origin of the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement on the production of battery electric vehicle truck tractors if they are not included in the proposed three-year postponement of the introduction of new rules of origin on electric car batteries.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Commission has proposed a 3-year delay to the rules of origin for certain electric accumulators and electrified vehicles. The scope of the proposal is limited to only those rules which were staged over several years and due to change in 2024 and again in 2027. The rules which apply to battery electric truck tractors were not due to change in 2024 and have been in force since the end of the transition period.
We continue to listen closely to the concerns of the sector and work with industry to maximise the benefits provided by the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what representations she has received from manufacturers of zero-emission tailpipe HGVs on including battery electric vehicle truck tractors in the proposed three-year delay to the introduction of new rules of origin.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Commission has proposed a 3-year delay to the rules of origin for certain electric accumulators and electrified vehicles. The scope of the proposal is limited to only those rules which were staged over several years and due to change in 2024 and again in 2027. The rules which apply to battery electric truck tractors were not due to change in 2024 and have been in force since the end of the transition period.
We continue to listen closely to the concerns of the sector and work with industry to maximise the benefits provided by the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will commission an independent assessment into the compatibility of membership of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership with membership of the (a) European Patent Office and (b) European Patent Convention.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK has ensured that accession negotiations with CPTPP are consistent with the UK’s interests, the Government’s policies and priorities on intellectual property, and with the UK’s existing international obligations, including the non-EU European Patent Convention (EPC) which establishes the European Patent Office.
The UK has not agreed to any provisions that would require us to diverge from the EPC and therefore an independent assessment is not required. With respect to Article 18.38 of the agreement (Grace Period), the UK has agreed with the CPTPP Parties that we will only comply with that article once necessary amendments to the EPC have been made in line with Article 18.38, and not before.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Minister of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of extending the criteria of Eligible Persons for evacuation from the Gaza strip to non-British nationals with permission to travel to the UK .
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The FCDO are making attempts across multiple channels to keep in touch with the British nationals in Gaza to provide the most accurate advice as to how and when to cross the Rafah Border. The FCDO usually provides consular assistance to British nationals and their non-British national immediate family members, including a spouse, partner, and children under 18, as long as they are travelling with or accompanied by a British national.
We are aware of the difficulties affecting those who would like to exit Gaza. We therefore encourage any British national to register their presence via the FCDO's Travel Advice page. The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary have both repeatedly reinforced the importance of ensuring that all foreign nationals are able to evacuate Gaza safely, as well as ensuring that humanitarian aid urgently reaches those who need it most in Gaza. We are continuing to raise this at the highest levels.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the oral contribution of the Minister of State of 30 November 2023, Official Report, column 1043, how the £200 million of funding to support small and medium-sized enterprises (a) has been and (b) will be spent.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade have a range of programmes dedicated to supporting SMEs to grow and export. This includes the UK Export Academy, International Trade Advisors, Help to Grow, the Export Support Service, our growth hubs and Business Support Helpline, we also support through the British Business Bank, including Future Fund: Breakthrough.
We are also supporting SMEs to adopt advanced digital technologies through the expansion of our Made Smarter programme; and the setting up of a Digital Adoption Taskforce.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her negotiating objectives for a new trade deal with Canada include access to cheese tariff rate quotas similar for those in the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the EU and Canada.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Negotiations with Canada on market access are ongoing. Both countries share the view that free and fair trade is good for economies, good for business and good for consumers. The UK’s key aim is to secure comprehensive access for UK agricultural goods into the Canadian market through the reduction or elimination of tariffs.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether negotiations on a UK-Canada trade deal will include an extension to the rules of arguing provision and annual origin quotas for certain agricultural products.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
Negotiations with Canada on this issue are ongoing. The UK is seeking to develop simple and modern rules of origin that reflect UK industry requirements and consider existing, as well as future, supply chains supported by predictable and low-cost administrative arrangements.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether negotiating objectives for a trade deal with Canada include the option of retaining an entry price system which could require certain types of fruit and vegetables to have a pre-determined import price or have a tariff applied.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani - Minister of State (Minister for Europe)
The EU’s Entry Price System was removed by the UK with the introduction of the UK Global Tariff in 2021. Market access negotiations between Canada and the UK are ongoing.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will publish a list of global trade shows which her Department has encouraged businesses to attend in each of the last two years.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Over the last two financial years (including 2023-24), the Department for Business and Trade has organised international activations for UK export-ready small and medium sized enterprises at over 90 international trade shows listed below.
2022-23 | |
Trade show | Country |
Cannes Lion | France |
Aero India | India |
Arab Health | UAE |
BETT Asia | Malaysia |
Bio Convention - San Diego | USA |
Chemspec Europe | Germany |
DSEI Japan | Japan |
ExpoNaval | Chile |
Fruit Attraction | Spain |
Gulfood (February 2023) | UAE |
IACP | USA |
IDEX | UAE |
Indo Defence | Indonesia |
Indo Pacific | Australia |
Innotrans | Germany |
International Atomic Energy Agency General Conf | Austria |
Intersec | UAE |
Investing in Africa Mining, Indaba | South Africa |
JP Morgan Healthcare conf | USA |
Kidscreen | USA |
Medica | Germany |
Middle East Beauty | France |
Mobile World Congress (MWC) | Spain |
Money 2020 | USA |
International Defence Industry Exhibition MSPO | Poland |
Pitti Uomo | Italy |
Posidonia 2022 | Greece |
Sial | France |
Singapore Fintech Week | Singapore |
SMM Hamburg | Germany |
SOFIC | USA |
South By South West (SXSW) | USA |
Web Summit 2022 | Portugal |
2023-24 | |
Trade show | Country |
AAHAR | India |
Agritechnica | Germany |
Anuga | Germany |
Arab Health | UAE |
Asia Pacific Maritime | Singapore |
Australia Space Policy Forum | Australia |
Bengalaru Tech Summit | India |
BETT Asia | Malaysia |
Big 5 Construction | UAE |
BIO International | USA |
Cannes Lions | France |
Chemspec | Germany |
CPHI | Spain |
Defense & Security | Thailand |
DIMDEX | Qatar |
Dubai Airshow | UAE |
DUPHAT | UAE |
FoodEx | Japan |
GCC Beauty World ME | Dubai |
Global Health Expo | Saudi Arabia |
Global Space & Technology Convention | Singapore |
GULFOOD 2024 | UAE |
IACP | USA |
Indo Pacific | Australia |
InFlavour | Saudi Arabia |
Intersec | UAE |
Investing in Africa Mining Indaba | South Africa |
International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO) | Poland |
International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) | Turkey |
Intersec | UAE |
Intersec KSA | Saudi Arabia |
JP Morgan Health Tech | USA |
Kidscreen 2024 | USA |
Kormarine | ROK |
Medica | Germany |
METSTRADE | Netherlands |
Middle East Rail | UAE |
Mobile World Congress | Spain |
Money 2020 | USA |
NorShipping | Norway |
Paris Air Show | France |
PCHI (Personal Care and Homecare Ingredients) | China |
Photonics West | USA |
Pitti Uomo | Italy |
Prowein | Germany |
ReBuild Ukraine | Poland |
Seafood Expo | USA |
Singapore Fintech Week | Singapore |
Singapore Maritime Week | Singapore |
SOF Week | USA |
Space Tech Expo | Germany |
SXSW | USA |
Web Summit | Portugal |
Wind Europe | Denmark |
Wind Europe 2024 | Spain |
World Defense Show | Saudi Arabia |
World New Energy Vehicle Congress | China |
World Nuclear Exhibition | Paris |
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many licence applications for (a) plant-based and (b) alcohol-free medicines the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency received in each of the last five years.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The following table shows the number of applications for plant-based and alcohol-free medicines that the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has received in the last five years:
Year | Plant-based medicines | Alcohol-free medicines |
2019 | 21 | 850 |
2020 | 3 | 1209 |
2021 | 1 | 1242 |
2022 | 1 | 1065 |
2023 | 4 | 1084 |
Source: Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
Notes: