Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether she is taking steps to increase trade with Taiwan.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The UK and Taiwan share a deep, £8bn trade and investment relationship. Longstanding Trade Talks with Taiwan are held annually to boost trade and support economic growth. In November 2022 my Rt. Hon. Friend for Chelsea and Fulham, the former Minister of State for Trade Policy, co-hosted the UK-Taiwan 25th annual Trade Talks in Taipei, during which discussions were held on areas of mutual interest, including on barriers to trade in sectors like fintech, food and drink and pharma, aimed at helping more UK firms export and invest in Taiwan. We are exploring a range of opportunities to further enhance our trade partnership.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland Executive on increasing Northern Irish exports by the end of 2023.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Three Department for International Trade (DIT) Ministers have visited Northern Ireland since June 2022 and held bilateral discussions with the then Minister for the Economy, Gordon Lyons MLA. Discussions focused on the roll-out of DIT services to Northern Ireland businesses to help boost exports, including the UK Export Academy and UK Export Finance.
My department is working in partnership with the Department for the Economy and Invest Northern Ireland to complement services available to businesses to support increasing international exports.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent steps her Department has taken to promote the export of British beef.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department for International Trade (DIT) works closely with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to increase opportunities for UK beef, and in recent years unlocked barriers to enable exports to markets such as Japan, the Philippines, and the USA.
DIT works with industry partners to deliver trade promotion activity to promote British beef globally, through trade shows, meet the buyer missions and other marketing activities.
DIT has recently established a new trade and investment hub in Northern Ireland, that works closely with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), the Northern Ireland Meat Exporters Association, Ulster Farmers Union and Livestock and Meat Commission for Northern Ireland, in support of export goals.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if she will take steps to remove the duty on importing urine drainage bags by reclassifying them as medical or surgical instruments and apparatus.
Answered by James Duddridge
In 2021 the Government implemented temporary tariff suspensions on over 100 products to support the healthcare response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These suspensions are currently due to expire on 31 December 2022, after which the UK Global Tariff (UKGT) rate will apply.
As with all policy, we welcome stakeholder feedback and monitor these suspensions closely. Businesses can submit feedback on specific tariff lines via the UKGT feedback form available at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tariffs-on-goods-imported-into-the-uk.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, for what reasons her Department is reintroducing the six per cent import duty for urine drainage bags following the covid-19 duty suspension.
Answered by James Duddridge
In 2021 the Government implemented temporary tariff suspensions on over 100 products to support the healthcare response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These suspensions are currently due to expire on 31 December 2022, after which the UK Global Tariff (UKGT) rate will apply.
As with all policy, we welcome stakeholder feedback and monitor these suspensions closely. Businesses can submit feedback on specific tariff lines via the UKGT feedback form available at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tariffs-on-goods-imported-into-the-uk.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether she is taking steps to help ensure that human rights are prioritised within the UK's trade deals.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to either negotiating trade deals or supporting human rights. The UK assesses and considers appropriate action in response to egregious human rights violations and abuses globally, and this goes much wider than considering trade alone, drawing on the wider tools and levers at our disposal.
The UK is a leading advocate for human rights around the world and we remain committed to the promotion of universal human rights. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office leads this effort within the UK government. This is undertaken separately to negotiations on free trade agreements.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if she will take steps to encourage the US administration to grant Irish whiskey from Northern Ireland the same level of distinctive product protection as currently afforded to Scotch whisky.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
I am aware of the concerns raised by the Irish Whiskey Association with regard to protection of Irish whiskey, and their objective that Irish whiskey be offered equivalent protection to Scotch whisky in the US. We sought to address this issue through our previous free trade agreement negotiations, and we will continue to raise it in our ongoing engagement with the US.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether she has plans to amend or remove any trade regulations imposed since the UK's departure from the EU for the purposes of facilitating the shipping of aid and donations to Ukraine.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Prorogation.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps is he taking to help increase the level of exports of (a) pork and (b) beef from the UK to China.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
China is the number one export destination for UK pork in terms of value and quantity, despite the challenges of Covid-19.
The UK continues to negotiate with China to lift the ban on exporting British beef, which came into force last year following a single case of BSE. The Chief Veterinary Office wrote to Chinese officials at the end of 2021 on this issue.
The UK government's agriculture, food and drink counsellor, based in Beijing, supports UK food and drink companies to successfully export to China. Increasing exports of pork and regaining market access for beef are among DIT’s top priorities for that market.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if she will take steps with her international counterparts to discourage trade with Russia that may aid or assist that state's invasion of Ukraine.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
In lockstep with our allies, we are introducing the largest and most severe package of economic sanctions that Russia has ever faced, to maximise the impact on Russia’s campaign in Ukraine and cut off funding for Putin’s war machine.
Whilst we do not speculate on future sanctions, we will continue to consider further measures to increase pressure on Putin’s regime.