Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what was the value is of UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia since 2010.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Sales data by region for military exports are published annually on GOV.UK. at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-defence-and-security-export-figures-2016/uk-defence-and-security-export-statistics-for-2016
The Government also publishes Official Statistics about export licences granted and refused on a quarterly and annual basis, which can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data
The data, which includes export values for some licences, currently provides details of licences up to 31 December 2017. Information about the period 1 January to 31 March 2018 will be published in July 2018.
However, licences granted are not necessarily a measure of sales or exports shipped in a given period as they are generally valid for between two and five years. Licensing data only provides a partial indication of sales as exporters only declare export values for a subsection of licences (Standard Individual Export Licences). Some licences expire before they are used and in these circumstances exporters must submit a further application, which can result in a significant element of double counting.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to the Human Rights and Democracy Report 2016, published by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in July 2017, which countries listed as countries of concern on human rights the Government has authorised arms sales to in the last year.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Government publishes Official Statistics (on a quarterly and annual basis) of licences granted and refused for military exports on GOV.UK. These reports contain detailed information on export licences issued, refused or revoked, by destination, including the overall value, type (e.g. Military, Other) and a summary of the items covered by these licences. These can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/strategic-export-controls-licensing-data
All export licences are issued in strict accordance with the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what contact he has had with businesses in Coventry South constituency in connection with trade with the EU after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Greg Hands
The UK is seeking the broadest and deepest possible agreement that works for all parts of the UK - including in the West Midlands and Coventry South.
The Department for International Trade supports businesses from across the UK through its regional International Trade Advisers, sector teams, overseas network, international events programme and online services.
The Department's Export Hub visited Coventry in February 2018.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, What the overall trade surplus was in (a) strawberries, (b) cream, (c) cheddar cheese and (d) gin in the last 12 months for which figures are available.
Answered by Mark Garnier - Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Work and Pensions)
In the 12 months to 1st June 2017, the UK reported a trade surpluses of £175m in milk and cream, £30m in Cheddar cheese and £471m in Gin, and a trade deficit of £168m in fresh strawberries (Source: HMRC Overseas Trade Statistics https://www.uktradeinfo.com/Statistics/BuildYourOwnTables/Pages/Home.aspx).
The Harmonised Commodity Description and Coding System (HS) nomenclature, an internationally standardised system used to classify traded products, does not provide a unique code for cream. Rather, milk and cream are grouped together.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether he has plans to publish a White Paper on International Trade.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Government has set out in the Queen's Speech its intentions to introduce the necessary trade legislation to develop an independent international trade policy upon exiting the European Union. Before such legislation is introduced, a supporting paper will be published.