Asked by: Hannah Bardell (Scottish National Party - Livingston)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, when he next plans to make representations to his Saudi Arabian counterpart on the alleged international broadcast rights infringement activities of the Saudi Arabian-based media company beoutQ.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
HM Government Ministers and HM Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have raised this matter with the Saudi Arabian Government and will continue to make representations about beoutQ’s alleged broadcast infringement activities.
Asked by: Hannah Bardell (Scottish National Party - Livingston)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what estimate he has made of the level of carbon emissions from his Department's estate since his Department's establishment.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for International Trade’s carbon emissions for the 2016/17 financial year, have been calculated and reported as part of the carbon footprints of its previous departments, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The Department will be calculating its carbon emissions for the 2017/18 financial year onwards and reporting them under the Greening Government Commitment and as part of its Annual Report and Accounts.
Asked by: Hannah Bardell (Scottish National Party - Livingston)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how much (a) his Department and (b) each of his Department's (i) non-departmental public bodies and (ii) executive agencies spent on external consultants and advisers since his Department was established.
Answered by Mark Garnier
I refer the hon. Member for Livingston to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hemsworth on 24 April 2017, UIN: 70225.
Asked by: Hannah Bardell (Scottish National Party - Livingston)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many expert groups his Department has set up since its establishment; and what the areas of their expertise are.
Answered by Mark Garnier
A list of all such groups set up by Government Departments are listed on the GOV.UK website: https://www.gov.uk/government/groups.
As well as formal expert groups, Department for International Trade officials draw on the expertise of international trade practitioners to provide ad hoc independent, strategic and expert advice and external challenge on our trade strategy and capability.
Asked by: Hannah Bardell (Scottish National Party - Livingston)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how much was disbursed on advertising by (a) his Department and (b) each of its (i) non-departmental public bodies and (ii) executive agencies since his Department was established.
Answered by Mark Garnier
The total value of advertising spend since the Department for International Trade (DIT) was created is outlined below. This expenditure covers the Great Campaign which moved to DIT from the Cabinet Office in 2016. This is the government’s domestic and international marketing campaigns which include Exporting is GREAT, Invest in GREAT Britain and the GREAT International Trade Campaign, which all support the government’s aims to increase UK exports, drive more demand for UK goods and services and increase the level in foreign investment into the UK.
Advertising for marketing and recruitment purposes for DIT: £13,364,662 (of which £13,072,437 relates to the GREAT campaign).
UK Export Finance spent approximately £7,500 on advertising costs from July 2016 to March 2017 and £4,610 from April to June 2017.
Asked by: Hannah Bardell (Scottish National Party - Livingston)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will list his Department's premises in the UK with more than 10 members of staff by nation and region.
Answered by Mark Garnier
The Department for International Trade retains a presence in 22 premises in the United Kingdom
England:
King Charles Street, London
1 Horseguards, London
3 Whitehall Place, London
55 Whitehall, London
1 City Walk, Leeds
Baskerville House, Birmingham
Larkhill Barracks, Salisbury
St Paul’s Place, Sheffield
Alexandra House, Leeds
Polaris House, Swindon
St George’s House, Gateshead
Stanton Avenue, Teddington
Bridge House, Guildford
Eastbrook House, Cambridge
Queensway House, Billingham
Piccadilly Gate, Manchester
Daresbury Science Park, Warrington
Victoria Square House, Birmingham
Rivergate, Bristol
Apex Court, Nottingham
Scotland:
15 York Street, Glasgow
Wales:
Companies House, Cardiff
Asked by: Hannah Bardell (Scottish National Party - Livingston)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what the cost of sickness pay to staff in his Department has been since it was established.
Answered by Mark Garnier
The Department for International Trade (DIT) became a legal entity and an employer in its own right on 9th November 2016. Since that date the total cost of sickness pay to UK staff within the Department is as follows:
DIT payroll: £88,660 (9th November 2016 – 30th June 2017)
UK Export Finance (UKEF) payroll: £68,159 (9th November 2016 – 30th 2017)
Total: £156,819
DIT and UKEF have reported data separately as two payroll providers are used.
Asked by: Hannah Bardell (Scottish National Party - Livingston)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many receptions he has hosted for representatives of print and broadcast media since the establishment of his Department; how much each such reception cost; and how many people attended each such reception.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
No such receptions have been held.
Asked by: Hannah Bardell (Scottish National Party - Livingston)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, when he last discussed with members of the US Cabinet trade in agricultural goods between the US and the UK.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade visited Washington on 19-20 June and met with Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. Their discussions covered a range of key UK interests including steel.
During the visit they agreed to convene a first meeting of the UK-US Trade Working Group in late July. Early discussions in the Working Group will focus on providing commercial continuity for US and UK businesses as the UK leaves the EU and on exploring possible ways to strengthen trade and commercial ties immediately, consistent with the EU’s common commercial policy. The Working Group will also work to lay the groundwork for a future UK-US free trade agreement once the UK has left the EU.
Asked by: Hannah Bardell (Scottish National Party - Livingston)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, when he last met his counterpart in the US Administration; and what matters were discussed.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade visited Washington on 19-20 June and met with Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. Their discussions covered a range of key UK interests including steel.
During the visit they agreed to convene a first meeting of the UK-US Trade Working Group in late July. Early discussions in the Working Group will focus on providing commercial continuity for US and UK businesses as the UK leaves the EU and on exploring possible ways to strengthen trade and commercial ties immediately, consistent with the EU’s common commercial policy. The Working Group will also work to lay the groundwork for a future UK-US free trade agreement once the UK has left the EU.