Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what estimate she has made of the potential cost to her Department of a defensive trade dispute brought against the UK at the WTO as a result of the UK's new border regime and implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The litigation costs associated with defensive trade disputes vary significantly depending on the nature and complexity of the individual dispute. This department has established the processes and procedures necessary to ensure that the UK will effectively represent itself independently in trade disputes from the end of the Transition Period. The Department for International Trade will continue to work with all Government departments to prepare for any potential defensive trade disputes, including ensuring appropriate provision is made to meet the costs.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what meetings Crawford Falconer, Chief Trade Negotiation Adviser and Second Permanent Secretary for the Department for International Trade has had with Shanker Singham since his appointment to the Department.
Answered by Graham Stuart
I refer the Hon. Member for Sheffield Central to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Hemsworth on 31 May 2017, UIN 146742 & 146743.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what meetings (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department, (c) advisers in his Department and (d) officials in his Department have held with representatives of the Legatum Institute since July 2016; and what the topics for discussion were at those meetings.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
I refer the Hon. Member for Sheffield Central to the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Birmingham, Hall Green on 26 April 2018, UIN: 137004 and the answer I gave to the Hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne North on 3 May 2018, UIN: 139483.
Details of the meetings held by the Department for International Trade (DIT) Ministers are published on the Gov.uk website and can be found here:
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what his plans are for the appointment of trade commissioners; and what the criteria for their selection and their mandates will be.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government will create a network of Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioners to head nine new regional overseas posts. These Commissioners will bring together export promotion, investment, and trade policy at our Posts overseas.
It is vital that we consider the various elements of trade together, and the Commissioners will combine this with a deep understanding of their own global region to optimise our trade relationships across the world.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions he has had with the Department for Exiting the European Union on the contents of the White Paper entitled The United Kingdom's exit from and new partnership with the European Union, Cm 9417, published in February 2017.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for International Trade is working closely with the Department for Exiting the European Union on all aspects of exiting the European Union.
We have contributed, and will continue to contribute our trade policy expertise to the Department for Exiting the European Union’s preparations and negotiations for exiting the European Union. We are working together to ensure that the UK secures the right deal, which enables the freest possible trade with the EU, while enabling us to negotiate our own trade agreements with the rest of the world.