Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether the membership of the Trade and Agriculture Commission will contain representatives from the (a) Welsh Government, (b) Scottish Government and (c) Northern Ireland Executive.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Secretary of State for International Trade signalled her intention to establish a new Trade and Agriculture Commission on 29 June. The Commission will have a fixed term to consider trade policies that Government should adopt to secure opportunities for UK farmers, producers and exporters. The Commission will ensure the sector remains competitive and that animal welfare and environmental standards in food production are not undermined. At the end of its work, the Trade and Agriculture Commission will produce an advisory report which will be presented to Parliament by the Department for International Trade.
Details around the Commission’s membership and Terms of Reference are currently being finalised and we will inform Parliament as soon as all these details are confirmed.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps she is taking to ensure that there are representatives of the devolved Administrations on the Trade Remedies Authority.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA) Board will be crucial to safeguarding the TRA’s impartiality and making sure that it acts in the interest of all parts of the United Kingdom.
We are engaging with the devolved administrations, in line with HM Government’s commitments during the passage of the Trade Bill in 2017-18, and recently sought their proposals on recruiting TRA Board Members with knowledge of the United Kingdom as a whole, a broad range of skills and diverse experience. However, it is essential that members are appointed on merit, rather than due to their affiliations with any particular part of the United Kingdom or special interest group.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many second-hand diesel cars were exported from the UK in 2019.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Statistics are not available for the number of second-hand diesel cars exported from the UK in 2019. However, the value of those exports in 2019 was £278 million.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2020 to Question 3171 on Trade Promotion: Wales, what recent discussions she has had with the Scottish Government Minister for Culture, Tourism and External Affairs on trade promotion.
Answered by Graham Stuart
My Rt Hon Friend the Minister of State for Trade Policy (Conor Burns) has spoken to the Scottish Minister for Trade, Investment and Innovation on a range of issues, including a telephone call on 15 January. He also met the trade ministers from all the Devolved Administrations on 23 January at the Ministerial Forum.
The DIT Directors General for Trade and Investment met with all the Devolved Administrations in London on 17 January.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what representations she has received from the Welsh Government on the development of freeports in the UK.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Freeports are a key priority for this government and we are committed to developing an ambitious offer that will attract inward investment, drive productivity and help rejuvenate deprived communities across the UK.
The government is committed to ensuring that Freeport policy works for the whole of the UK and has been working with all of the Devolved Administrations to develop a UK wide offer. My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade has corresponded directly with her counterparts in the Welsh Government and meetings have also been held at an official level. We look forward to continue working with the Welsh Government as the policy develops.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2020 to Question 1338 on Overseas Trade: Wales, whether she has met representatives of Trade and Invest Wales on promoting Wales’ trading interests.
Answered by Graham Stuart
In September 2019, I met with the Noble Baroness Morgan of Ely, Welsh Government Minister for International Relations and the Welsh Language, in Newport. We discussed how we might work together more closely on trade promotion and create greater synergies across our sector teams. Present at the meeting, accompanying Baroness Morgan, was Andrew Gwatkin, Director – International Relations and Trade for Welsh Government.
In addition, UK officials regularly engage with Welsh Government, to increase awareness of the Department for International Trade’s offer available to businesses in the devolved nations through communications, bilateral visits, and the Executive and Partnership Forums.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether she has met representatives of the Welsh Government to discuss Welsh trade with India.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The department recognises and promotes the great opportunities that India presents to Welsh exporters. To demonstrate this, last summer the department, together with the Welsh government, kicked off the successful India roadshow in Cardiff. This event provided support and advice to firms interested in exploring exporting and investment opportunities in India.
In September last year I met with the Noble Baroness Morgan of Ely, the Welsh Government Minister for International Relations and the Welsh Language, to discuss how we might further develop our mutual work on trade promotion.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2020 to Question 1337 on Exports: Wales, which Welsh companies will be represented at the UK-Africa Investment Summit; and what steps her Department has taken to advertise that Summit to Welsh businesses.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Under Section 43 of the Freedom of Information Act (Commercial Interests), we are prevented from publishing in advance a list of businesses attending the Summit.
The UK-Africa Investment summit will create new lasting partnerships that will deliver more investment and jobs. This will benefit people and businesses in Africa and across the whole of the UK. We have undertaken UK-wide promotion of the Summit and the Board of Trade has discussed ways to ensure all Devolved Nations are represented in longer term engagement with Africa.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2020 to Question 1337 on Exports: Wales, what recent discussions she has had with the Welsh Government Minister for International Relations and the Welsh Language on trade promotion.
Answered by Graham Stuart
In September 2019, I met with the Noble Baroness Morgan of Ely, Welsh Government Minister for International Relations and the Welsh Language, in Newport. We discussed working more closely on trade promotion and creating greater synergies across our sector teams. Accompanying Baroness Morgan, was Andrew Gwatkin, Director – International Relations and Trade for Welsh Government. Mr Gwatkin also attended the Executive Forum with the Department for International Trade’s Directors General on 17 September 2019.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what progress has been made on the development of a Ministerial forum with the devolved Administrations international trade.
Answered by Conor Burns
The Department for International Trade has been making good progress establishing the Ministerial Forum for Trade with the devolved administrations. We hope to hold the first meeting this month.