Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many companies in the (a) West Midlands and (b) UK have made export enquiries to his Department since it was created; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Mark Garnier - Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Work and Pensions)
There have been 2,769 interactions with West Midlands businesses since July 2016. This includes a mixture of incoming enquiries and contact with existing clients.
Further data is not held centrally and it could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many overnight hotel stays for official purposes in other countries have been made by him and other ministers of his Department; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Greg Hands
As at 26 January 2017, Department for International Trade Ministers have been on 64 ministerial visits to 41 markets undertaken on 46 separate overseas trips. 59 ministerial visits involved at least one overnight stay.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many representatives of businesses in the West Midlands he has met since his Department was created; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Mark Garnier - Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Work and Pensions)
Ministers constantly meet with businesses and representatives from across the UK, including the West Midlands, and will continue to do so.
The export of goods increased last quarter in the West Midlands by 17.8% compared to the same quarter the previous year, which was the second highest increase across all English regions. The count of exporters also rose by 3.4% to 11, 801 in the same period.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many specialist trade negotiators are employed by his Department; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Department for International Trade already has a strong and capable trade policy team, which has more than doubled in size since 23 June and is continuing to grow. Over the coming months, we will be developing the Trade Policy team, to build the world class negotiating strengths needed, to deliver the best outcomes for the UK. They will have the depth and breadth of expertise to handle the full range of sectoral and cross-cutting issues that arise in trade agreements, supported by analysts and lawyers. We will continue to hire the brightest and best talent from within the UK civil service and, in time, will look to enhance our team, by drawing on expertise from elsewhere.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many civil servants in his Department are working full-time with the World Trade Organisation; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Greg Hands
In the Department for International Trade, there are nine civil servants working full-time on matters related to the World Trade Organisation. They are supported by officials working in other Departments, including the Department for Exiting the European Union, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what estimate he has made of the average number of hours worked by civil servants in his Department since it was created; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Greg Hands
Since the formal creation of the Department for International Trade (DIT) on 9th November 2016, approximately 440,000 hours have been worked by Civil Servants in this department. This calculation is based upon the number of full time equivalent officials working for DIT at home and abroad working a 37 hours week on average, up to and including the 9 December.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many employees in his Department have opted out of the EU working time directive; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Greg Hands
Information on working hours for the whole department is not managed centrally. The Civil Service modernised terms and conditions anticipate that a full time Civil Servant will work 37 hours a week on average. The Civil Service is committed to ensuring staff maintain a work-life balance. All staff have access to information on both flexible working and the working time directive and should they wish to opt out of the EU working time directive then this is processed in line with Civil Service policies.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many meetings he has had with representatives from Commonwealth countries since his Department was created; and if he will make a statement.
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, including with our 52 Commonwealth partners. We recognise the need for a smooth transition which minimises disruption to our trading relationships.
My Rt Hon Friend has held meetings with representatives of a wide range of Commonwealth countries.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many civil servants working in his Department have opted out of the EU Working Time Directive.
Answered by Mark Garnier - Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Work and Pensions)
Following her appointment on 13 July 2016 the Prime Minister established the Department for International Trade (DIT). The DIT aggregates UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), UK Export and Finance (UKEF) and Trade Policy Units from the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS).
Until such time as a transfer of functions order establishes my Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade as a corporation sole, DIT remains a unified Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) department for accounting purposes. The transfer of functions order (No 2016/ 992) laid on 19 October 2016 will come into effect on 9 November 2016.
As DIT is currently being formed, details of the staff that the Department employs is being finalised, whilst employee transfers and recruitment are taking place.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether his Department has begun the formal negotiation process for any new trade deals; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Mark Garnier - Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Work and Pensions)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for International Trade (Greg Hands), gave on 21 October to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull North (Diana Johnson), UIN 49161.