Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that arms sold to the Government of Sri Lanka are not used to violate the human rights of the Sri Lankan people.
Answered by Graham Stuart
All export licence applications are considered on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria, known as the Consolidated Criteria, based on the most up-to-date information and analysis available, including reports from NGOs and our overseas network.
The Consolidated Criteria provide a thorough risk assessment framework and require us to assess the impact of providing equipment and its capabilities.
Licensing decisions for Sri Lanka take into account international humanitarian and human rights law as well as the type of goods. We do not issue any export licences where we assess there is a clear risk that the goods may be used for internal repression or external aggression.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps he is taking to open up financial and services markets in developing economies.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Department for International Trade is committed to delivering the best international trading framework for the UK, including maximising opportunities across the financial and services markets.
The Department for International Trade and the Department for International Development are working closely together to ensure development and global prosperity are at the heart of UK trade and investment policy and to help shape the UK’s future trade arrangements with developing countries.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps he has taken to support progress towards doubling British exports by 2020.
Answered by Greg Hands
In 2016, UK exports were £544.5 billion; an increase of 5.2% from 2015 and 22.6% from 2010. In order to sustain and improve this trend, the Department prioritises export promotion by identifying the sector and market combinations around the world with the most opportunity to deliver the largest increase in export value. Informed by this, we ensure that our staff working overseas are embedded in the right markets and are equipped with the sector skills required to drive demand for British goods and services.
The Government is also committed to ensuring that no viable UK export fails for lack of finance or insurance from the private sector and has therefore doubled UK Export Finance’s (UKEF) total risk appetite to £5 billion, is increasing capacity for support in individual markets by up to 100%, and has increased the number of pre-approved local currencies in which UKEF can offer support from 10 to 40, enabling more overseas buyers of UK exports to pay in their own currency.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will pursue a free trade deal between the UK and South Africa after the UK has left the EU.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Government is currently reviewing its trade policy as the UK prepares to leave the EU. This offers us an opportunity to forge a new role for ourselves in the world: to negotiate and design, in time, our own trade arrangements with countries like South Africa.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans he has to pursue free trade deals with African nations after the UK has left the EU.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Government is currently reviewing its trade policy as the UK prepares to leave the EU. This offers us an opportunity to forge a new role for ourselves in the world: to negotiate and design, in time, our own trade arrangements with African countries.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, which developing nations he is planning to negotiate free trade deals with after the UK has left the EU.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Government is currently reviewing its trade policy as the UK prepares to leave the EU. This offers us an opportunity to forge a new role for ourselves in the world: to negotiate and design, in time, our own trade arrangements with developing countries.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of the UK abolishing all tariffs after the UK has left the EU.
Answered by Greg Hands
Free trade is and will remain fundamental to the prosperity of the United Kingdom and the world economy. The historic decision of the British people to leave the European Union has created a golden opportunity for the UK to become a world leader in free and fair trade. The detail of future UK customs policy, including tariff rates, is for now contingent on negotiations with the European Union and the Government will not provide a running commentary on these negotiations.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with which African countries his Department plans to prioritise trade deals after the UK has left the EU.
Answered by Mark Garnier - Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Work and Pensions)
The Government is currently reviewing its trade policy as the UK prepares to leave the EU. This offers us an opportunity to forge a new role for ourselves in the world: to negotiate and design, in time, our own trade arrangements. We recognise the need for a smooth transition which minimises disruption to our trading relationship with African countries.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps his Department is taking to promote the ratification of World Trade Organisation rules and improve border and custom clearance procedures within the African continent.
Answered by Mark Garnier - Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Work and Pensions)
The Department for International Trade is working with others to understand the issues which African countries face in implementing the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Agreement on Trade Facilitation and to encourage ratification of the Agreement by all WTO Members. The UK, through the Department for International Development, has committed nearly £180 million between 2013 and 2022 to support African and other developing countries to implement this Agreement to reduce red tape at the border.
Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will eliminate import tariffs on agricultural produce from developing nations when the UK has left the EU.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Government is currently reviewing its trade policy as the UK prepares to leave the EU. This offers us an opportunity to forge a new role for ourselves in the world: to negotiate and design, in time, our own trade arrangements. The UK remains committed to ensuring developing countries can reduce poverty through trading opportunities.