Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions she has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) the devolved Administrations on the future composition of the Trade and Agriculture Commission.
Answered by Greg Hands
My Rt hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade is in contact with relevant Cabinet colleagues with regard to the Trade and Agriculture Commission (TAC). The Government also works closely with the devolved administrations on all aspects of our trade policy and I have written to my counterparts seeking their views on the Commission.
The TAC will ensure that public and industry interests are protected in Britain’s agriculture trade policy.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment her Department has made of the potential merits of a Bounce Back plan for the maritime sector.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department for International Trade is working closely with the Department of Transport to support the UK maritime sector as it seeks to recover from COVID-19. We do not plan to launch a Bounce Back plan.
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
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 funding allocated to UK Trade and Investment on the level of foreign direct investment in (a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) Linlithgow and East Falkirk constituency since 2015.
Answered by Graham Stuart
According to UNCTAD’s World Investment Report 2020, the UK’s level of FDI stock was over $2 trillion in 2019. This is more than France and Germany combined.
With respect to Scotland, support for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is a joint responsibility of both DIT and the Scottish Government. The FDI results for Scotland reflect their joint efforts.
In the most recent figures, for the financial year 2018/19, the total recorded number of FDI projects in the UK was 1,782, with 57,625 associated new jobs. DIT supported 81% of those projects accounting for 51,863 jobs. In the same period, 126 projects were recorded in Scotland, with 3,346 new jobs created as a result. DIT recognises the value that more granular data breakdown could provide but does not currently have the ability to report beyond UK regional level.
Further historical data for recorded FDI projects can be seen below:
Measure | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 |
UK FDI Projects | 2,213 | 2,265 | 2,072 | 1,782 |
Scotland FDI Projects | 108 | 183 | 141 | 126 |
UK total jobs | 115,974 | 107, 898 | 91,031 | 64,623 |
Scotland total jobs | 5,905 | 8,597 | 9,287 | 4,469 |
Asked by: Martyn Day (Scottish National Party - Linlithgow and East Falkirk)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will make it his policy that the UK will not allow goods to be imported to the UK from countries who produce goods illegally in the (a) Palestinian Occupied Territories and (b) other territories under military occupation after the end of the transition period.
Answered by Conor Burns
The UK does not recognise the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including the settlements, as part of Israel. We are committed to maintaining our current approach on this issue. The Government does not believe that any form of anti-Israeli boycott would support the peace process.
The UK strongly supports the principle of free trade and the rule of law. The UK prohibits the importation of goods from certain countries including in accordance with its obligations under EU and multilateral sanctions regimes. A list of countries against which the UK currently imposes such import controls is available on gov.uk.