Oral Answers to Questions

Olly Glover Excerpts

Thursday 1st May 2025 Commons Chamber

[Jonathan Reynolds]

I am always keen to support my hon. Friend, and I will certainly consider that legislation. We are not a protectionist Government—we welcome open and free trade—but we believe British goods can compete on quality, and his area is a fine example of that. Where British goods are being undercut, not by price and fair competition but by misrepresentation and fraudulent practices, we take that seriously and have taken more powers to deal with it. I am sure that he will raise this shortly during the urgent question. We will ensure that we give him the support he needs to pursue it.

[Olly Glover (Didcot and Wantage) (LD)]

T7. Enersys ABSL is a space battery manufacturer based at the Culham campus in my Oxfordshire constituency. The Minister will be aware that Culham has been designated as an AI growth zone by the Government. It applied for an export licence last August but got an outcome only last week, which meant the contract was nearly lost to a French competitor. What steps is the Minister taking to improve the process for granting export licences, so that companies are not subject to this kind of last-minute jeopardy?

[The Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security (Mr Douglas Alexander)]

I am unfamiliar with the particular case but concerned by that description. We inherited the export licensing system, and we are reviewing it as part of our ongoing work looking at all aspects of the Government’s work. If the hon. Member writes to me, I will certainly take a personal interest in the matter and write back to him.