Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if she will take steps to negotiate a reduction in the high tariffs on British-made tableware imported to the USA for use in hotels and restaurants.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
We know how important the US market is for the UK ceramics industry, and we will make the case for the reduction of these tariffs when an opportunity arises. This will most likely need to be in the form of free trade agreement negotiations, given World Trade Organisation restrictions. The UK is ready to progress negotiations on a UK-US Free Trade Agreement when the US is ready to do so.
In our continued engagement with the sector and when these negotiations proceed, we will factor in the tableware industry’s interests into our strategies and approach.
In the meantime, we continue to make it easier to sell iconic British tableware in other overseas markets. Thanks to our recently signed UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement and UK-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, British tableware exporters will benefit from the removal of 5% tariffs on their products when exporting to Australia and New Zealand.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps her Department has taken to help increase global export opportunities for British ceramics.
Answered by Mike Freer
The British ceramics industry is world-renowned and can access new markets more easily through our future Free Trade Agreements. For example, in June, we reached Agreement in Principle with Australia. This fundamentally liberalising agreement removes tariffs on all UK exports, including ceramics.
Alongside our trade deals, we provide a range of exporting support to help businesses grow internationally, including trade advisers locally and overseas; financial exporting support from UK Export Finance’s specialists; access to the UK Export Academy and the Digital Exporting Programme. This includes access to one-to-one guidance on digital sales and marketing.
Businesses interested in more information on export opportunities for British ceramics can visit https://www.great.gov.uk/.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps her Department has taken to promote investment into the UK economy.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The UK is a leading destination for foreign investment; second in the world for inward Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) stocks with $2.1 trillion, behind the USA in 2019.
In 2019/20, the Department for International Trade provided support for 1,449 FDI projects, creating almost 45,000 new jobs and safeguarding a further 8,000. In November 2020 the Prime Minister announced a new Office for Investment within the Department, but under the sponsorship of 10 Downing Street, to support strategic investment. We are also prioritising regional investment and growth through our High Potential Opportunities Programme.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps her Department has taken to ensure that SMEs in (a) Stoke-on-Trent and (b) Staffordshire can benefit from future free trade agreements.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department is providing tailored regional activity to ensure Small & Medium Enterprises (SME’s) can fully benefit from the opportunities that Free Trade Agreements provide. In Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire, we have added resources through our Midlands-based regional teams to manage this activity. We have recruited a dedicated International Trade Adviser (ITA) within the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to work with the LEP on their strategic trade priorities and on promoting the benefits of all future trade agreements. We also founded the Export Academy to provide businesses with the knowledge, skills, and tools to develop and export plan and implement it. Future activity will focus on a combination of online offerings, trade missions, and direct one-to-one support from our dedicated team of 6 International Trade Advisers that cover Stoke and Staffordshire.