Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans he has to maintain elements of existing free trade agreements between the EU and other countries when the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As the Government has set out in both the Department for International Trade’s (DIT) White Paper – ‘Preparing for our future UK trade policy’ – and the recently published Trade Bill. DIT is engaging with all countries with which the European Union currently has free trade agreements, with a view to replicating as far as possible the effects of existing agreements as the United Kingdom leaves the European Union.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions he has had with representatives of the Turkish Government about the future trading relationship between the UK and Turkey after March 2019.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK Government wants to ensure that the strong trading relationship between the UK and Turkey continues after the UK leaves the EU. The Secretary of State for International Trade has met Minister Nihat Zeybecki and officials continue to work closely together through the UK-Turkey Trade Working Group. Officials met in London for a meeting of the Working Group on 9 November.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans he has to facilitate the implementation of the UK's schedules and quotas at the WTO under the modification procedure.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As set out in the UK-EU letter of the 11 October 2017, in order to minimise disruption to global trade as we leave the EU, we will replicate as far as possible, our current obligations in the World Trade Organization (WTO). We recognise that tariff rate quotas are a particularly complex issue and we are working closely with the EU and other WTO members to maintain existing levels of market access.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether the revised tariff rate quotas for the UK that will be lodged with the WTO will constitute a technical rectification.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As set out in the UK-EU letter of the 11 October 2017, in order to minimise disruption to global trade as we leave the EU, we will replicate as far as possible, our current obligations in the World Trade Organization (WTO). We recognise that tariff rate quotas are a particularly complex issue and we are working closely with the EU and other WTO members to maintain existing levels of market access.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what estimate he has made of the date when schedules and tariff rate quotas for the UK will be agreed at the WTO.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
This Department is preparing the necessary schedules, so that they are ready for when the UK leaves the European Union (EU) on 29 March 2019.
It should also be noted that the UK is a full and founding member of the World Trade Organization and already has schedules which it shares at present with the EU Member States.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment he has made of the effect of the UK and EU's joint position on WTO schedules of commitments on other WTO member states.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK and the EU have proposed an approach that would minimise disruption to trade with other WTO member states by maintaining the current levels of market access set out in our WTO schedules.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many officials employed in his Department as of 12 October 2017 have substantial experience of international trade negotiations.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for International Trade has a strong and capable trade policy team which has grown significantly since its establishment in July 2016 and is continuing to grow.
We continue to hire the brightest and best talent from within the UK civil service and externally, in order to build a world class trade policy team that can deliver the best outcomes for the UK.
Internationally recognised expert Crawford Falconer is now in post as DIT’s Chief Trade Negotiation Adviser and Second Permanent Secretary.
Mr Falconer will support the establishment of a world-class trade negotiation function and lead the development of the International Trade profession for trade negotiators. He has
more than 25 years of public service experience in trade and foreign affairs.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many officials employed in his Department in June 2016 had substantial experience of international trade negotiation.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
I refer the hon Member to the answer I gave her today, UIN: 107364.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Written Statement of 5 December 2016, HCWS 316, on UK commitments at the World Trade organisation, whether the draft schedules that will be prepared will replicate the EU25, EU27 or EU28 schedules.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK goods and services schedules will be based on the most recent certified EU schedules, which is EU25 for goods, and EC12 for services. Since the schedules were certified the EU has entered into further WTO obligations, which we will also seek to replicate in our schedules.
Asked by: Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party - Aberdeen North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, which EU directives relating to his Department's responsibilities are awaiting transposition into UK law.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK remains a member of the EU until we leave, with full rights and obligations of membership. This includes transposing EU legislation into UK law. The only Directive that is awaiting transposition by the Department for International Trade is Directive (EU) 2016/970, amending Directive 2009/43/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council as regards the list of defence related products (OJ L 163, 21.6.2016, p.1). This is due to be implemented by the Export Control (Amendment) Order 2017.