Asked by: Jim Sheridan (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Colombian government about the killing on 7 October 2014 of Norman Ortiz.
Answered by Lord Swire
I have recently become aware of reports on the death of Norman Ortiz. My department is looking into the case.
Asked by: Jim Sheridan (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, what recent discussions he has had with the First Minister in Scotland on jobs.
Answered by David Mundell
The Scotland Office is part of the Scottish Employability Forum, where we work jointly with the Scottish Government and Cosla on employment issues and which will next meet in November.
Asked by: Jim Sheridan (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will take steps to ensure that DG Trade in the European Commission meets more public interest groups from the UK to discuss the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The European Commission has been extensively consulting and reporting back as negotiations progress on the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), for example through the establishment of their own expert advisory group, an open door policy for meetings with interested parties, and stakeholder events open to all interest groups during each round of negotiations. The Trade Commissioner and his senior officials have also contributed extensively to engagement in the UK, by providing evidence to the House of Lords during their enquiry into TTIP and by speaking at meetings and events organised both by the Government and stakeholders. We support their approach, and are happy to continue to encourage them to consult extensively.
Asked by: Jim Sheridan (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will take steps to ensure that DG Trade in the European Commission meets more trades unions from the UK to discuss the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The European Commission has been extensively consulting and reporting back as negotiations progress on the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), for example through the establishment of their own expert advisory group, an open door policy for meetings with interested parties, and stakeholder events open to all interest groups during each round of negotiations. The Trade Commissioner and his senior officials have also contributed extensively to engagement in the UK, by providing evidence to the House of Lords during their enquiry into TTIP and by speaking at meetings and events organised both by the Government and stakeholders. We support their approach, and are happy to continue to encourage them to consult extensively.
Asked by: Jim Sheridan (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will take steps to ensure that DG Trade in the European Commission meets more environmental interest groups from the UK to discuss the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The European Commission has been extensively consulting and reporting back as negotiations progress on the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), for example through the establishment of their own expert advisory group, an open door policy for meetings with interested parties, and stakeholder events open to all interest groups during each round of negotiations. The Trade Commissioner and his senior officials have also contributed extensively to engagement in the UK, by providing evidence to the House of Lords during their enquiry into TTIP and by speaking at meetings and events organised both by the Government and stakeholders. We support their approach, and are happy to continue to encourage them to consult extensively.
Asked by: Jim Sheridan (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what representations he has received from his counterpart in (a) South Africa, (b) Ecuador, (c) India and (d) Indonesia on the investor state dispute mechanism in the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The purpose of an investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism in an investment protection agreement is to provide an independent process for foreign investors to seek compensation where they believe they have suffered a loss as a result of action by the host state which breaches the provisions of the treaty. ISDS provisions can help to create a positive investment climate and promote growth. As such, ISDS will not have a direct impact on consumers, who will benefit from other elements of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and who have separate routes for seeking redress. The UK currently has over 90 investment protection agreements with other countries. While a number of UK businesses have used ISDS to seek compensation, there has been no successful action against the UK in respect of any of these agreements. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has commissioned research into investment protection agreements and the ISDS mechanism, reviewed academic research, consulted external experts and carried out its own internal analysis on investment provisions. The ISDS provisions in TTIP are still under negotiation. We believe these provisions must strike the right balance between protecting investors and the host nation’s right to regulate and determine policy. Balanced investment protection provisions in TTIP could act as a model for future trade and investment agreements.
I am not aware of having received any representations from South Africa, Ecuador, India and Indonesia on investor state dispute settlement in the TTIP negotiations.
Asked by: Jim Sheridan (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what his policy is on the investor state dispute settlement mechanism in the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership agreement.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The purpose of an investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism in an investment protection agreement is to provide an independent process for foreign investors to seek compensation where they believe they have suffered a loss as a result of action by the host state which breaches the provisions of the treaty. ISDS provisions can help to create a positive investment climate and promote growth. As such, ISDS will not have a direct impact on consumers, who will benefit from other elements of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and who have separate routes for seeking redress. The UK currently has over 90 investment protection agreements with other countries. While a number of UK businesses have used ISDS to seek compensation, there has been no successful action against the UK in respect of any of these agreements. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has commissioned research into investment protection agreements and the ISDS mechanism, reviewed academic research, consulted external experts and carried out its own internal analysis on investment provisions. The ISDS provisions in TTIP are still under negotiation. We believe these provisions must strike the right balance between protecting investors and the host nation’s right to regulate and determine policy. Balanced investment protection provisions in TTIP could act as a model for future trade and investment agreements.
I am not aware of having received any representations from South Africa, Ecuador, India and Indonesia on investor state dispute settlement in the TTIP negotiations.
Asked by: Jim Sheridan (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the potential effect on consumers of the inclusion of an investor state dispute settlement mechanism in the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership agreement.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The purpose of an investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism in an investment protection agreement is to provide an independent process for foreign investors to seek compensation where they believe they have suffered a loss as a result of action by the host state which breaches the provisions of the treaty. ISDS provisions can help to create a positive investment climate and promote growth. As such, ISDS will not have a direct impact on consumers, who will benefit from other elements of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and who have separate routes for seeking redress. The UK currently has over 90 investment protection agreements with other countries. While a number of UK businesses have used ISDS to seek compensation, there has been no successful action against the UK in respect of any of these agreements. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has commissioned research into investment protection agreements and the ISDS mechanism, reviewed academic research, consulted external experts and carried out its own internal analysis on investment provisions. The ISDS provisions in TTIP are still under negotiation. We believe these provisions must strike the right balance between protecting investors and the host nation’s right to regulate and determine policy. Balanced investment protection provisions in TTIP could act as a model for future trade and investment agreements.
I am not aware of having received any representations from South Africa, Ecuador, India and Indonesia on investor state dispute settlement in the TTIP negotiations.
Asked by: Jim Sheridan (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, whether cross-border use of personal data is being discussed as part of the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The EU and the USA are exploring cross-border data flows in the context of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), given their importance to international commerce, in particular in services. The European Commission has publicly stated that existing EU rules regarding personal data protection are not on the table.
Asked by: Jim Sheridan (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will give a formal response to the report published by LSE Enterprise entitled, Costs and Benefits of an EU-US Investment Protection Treaty.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The purpose of an investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism in an investment protection agreement is to provide an independent process for foreign investors to seek compensation where they believe they have suffered a loss as a result of action by the host state which breaches the provisions of the treaty. ISDS provisions can help to create a positive investment climate and promote growth. As such, ISDS will not have a direct impact on consumers, who will benefit from other elements of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and who have separate routes for seeking redress. The UK currently has over 90 investment protection agreements with other countries. While a number of UK businesses have used ISDS to seek compensation, there has been no successful action against the UK in respect of any of these agreements. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has commissioned research into investment protection agreements and the ISDS mechanism, reviewed academic research, consulted external experts and carried out its own internal analysis on investment provisions. The ISDS provisions in TTIP are still under negotiation. We believe these provisions must strike the right balance between protecting investors and the host nation’s right to regulate and determine policy. Balanced investment protection provisions in TTIP could act as a model for future trade and investment agreements.
I am not aware of having received any representations from South Africa, Ecuador, India and Indonesia on investor state dispute settlement in the TTIP negotiations.