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Written Question
Crops: Morocco
Thursday 24th November 2022

Asked by: James Duddridge (Conservative - Rochford and Southend East)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if she will make an assessment of any potential disruption to the UK Morocco Association Agreement and the risk to securing access to affordable fruits and vegetable sold in the UK market.

Answered by Greg Hands

The UK Morocco Association Agreement has been in operation since 1 January 2021 and we are now working effectively with Morocco to assess how we can maximise trade under the agreement. At the trade sub-committee earlier this year, we discussed a range of priority sectors, including fruits and vegetables which constitute around 35% of all goods imported from Morocco to the UK.

There is an ongoing Judicial Review pertaining to the application of the Association Agreement to the Western Sahara. We are unable to comment as this is a matter of sub-judice whilst the matter is in UK courts.

Speech in Public Bill Committees - Tue 18 Oct 2022
Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill (Third sitting)

"I followed the hon. Gentleman’s printing example, in the main, but on school meals, is he just being illustrative? I cannot quite see how the meals that my children have at their school might be contracted out and delivered from Australia or New Zealand...."
James Duddridge - View Speech

View all James Duddridge (Con - Rochford and Southend East) contributions to the debate on: Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill (Third sitting)
Speech in Public Bill Committees - Tue 18 Oct 2022
Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill (Third sitting)

"Thank you very much, Mr Pritchard. I thank the Members of His Majesty’s official Opposition for their kind words.

The debate on amendment 19 has been useful and wide ranging. I am working on the assumption that we will not have a clause stand part debate, so with your permission, …..."
James Duddridge - View Speech

View all James Duddridge (Con - Rochford and Southend East) contributions to the debate on: Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill (Third sitting)
Speech in Public Bill Committees - Tue 18 Oct 2022
Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill (Third sitting)

"I look forward to that.

There were some wide-ranging comments about the Bill. This is a very focused Bill, and I will focus on the procurement element. The Government did not produce a focused Bill by design; we focused the Bill on what there was a legislative need to change. …..."
James Duddridge - View Speech

View all James Duddridge (Con - Rochford and Southend East) contributions to the debate on: Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill (Third sitting)
Speech in Public Bill Committees - Tue 18 Oct 2022
Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill (Third sitting)

"I think Essex County Council, which is Conservative-run, would think competition is good. The more people applying, whether they are from Essex, Kent or New Zealand, the better. If that provides better services procured with our money—taxpayers’ money—that is fundamentally good. Clearly, local businesses and SMEs have a competitive advantage …..."
James Duddridge - View Speech

View all James Duddridge (Con - Rochford and Southend East) contributions to the debate on: Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill (Third sitting)
Speech in Public Bill Committees - Tue 18 Oct 2022
Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill (Third sitting)

"The wording is in line with the CPTPP. Australia, New Zealand and ourselves are conscious that while this deal is in all three nations’ interests, it is also a potential stepping stone to a bigger deal. Throughout the negotiations we, on all sides, thought very carefully about what will be …..."
James Duddridge - View Speech

View all James Duddridge (Con - Rochford and Southend East) contributions to the debate on: Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill (Third sitting)
Speech in Public Bill Committees - Tue 18 Oct 2022
Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill (Third sitting)

"The Opposition Front-Bench spokesman is tempting me to speak to two Bills under one. When the Procurement Bill goes through, this Bill will not be needed. The trajectory the Government are taking is consistent across the board, but it would be wrong for me to debate a future Bill. We …..."
James Duddridge - View Speech

View all James Duddridge (Con - Rochford and Southend East) contributions to the debate on: Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill (Third sitting)
Speech in Public Bill Committees - Tue 18 Oct 2022
Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill (Third sitting)

"It is good to see the hon. Lady in her place. I think it is the first time we have served in Committee together—no doubt, not the last time—and I welcome her to her place.

I also welcome her probing amendment—I assume it is probing, forgive me—but it is unnecessary. …..."
James Duddridge - View Speech

View all James Duddridge (Con - Rochford and Southend East) contributions to the debate on: Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill (Third sitting)
Speech in Public Bill Committees - Tue 18 Oct 2022
Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill (Third sitting)

"The Procurement Bill is in the House of Lords. It has still not reached us. I do not wish to be disparaging about the House of Lords, but had the Bill started here and were the hon. Gentleman, the hon. Member for Airdrie and Shotts and I on the case, …..."
James Duddridge - View Speech

View all James Duddridge (Con - Rochford and Southend East) contributions to the debate on: Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill (Third sitting)
Speech in Public Bill Committees - Tue 18 Oct 2022
Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill (Third sitting)

"I thank the hon. Gentleman for his constructive criticism. In the 25 meetings between the chief negotiator and the devolved Administrations, what, specifically, did the DAs raise on procurement issues that they were unhappy with?..."
James Duddridge - View Speech

View all James Duddridge (Con - Rochford and Southend East) contributions to the debate on: Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill (Third sitting)