Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps she is taking to ensure continued export of (a) satellite TV signals licensed in the UK to the countries of the EU and (b) the continued export of UK television programmes and films to the EU after the transition period.
Answered by Graham Stuart
After the transition period, the UK will continue to be a signatory to the European Convention on Transfrontier Television (ECTT). This means that the 22 countries that are co-signatories must allow freedom of reception of services under UK jurisdiction.
However, UK-based audio-visual media service providers may need to comply with the rules of a Member State to have access to the EU market in which they would want to provide their services. Similarly, EU providers wishing to supply services in the United Kingdom may need to abide by UK rules.
Broadcasters and on-demand programme services providers have been encouraged to seek legal advice and contact EU media regulators to check whether their current licence will continue to be accepted in the EU countries where the service is available, or if a separate licence or authorisation will be required.
Europe remains the second biggest territory for UK TV exports worth an estimated £470m in 2018/19. The UK's European Works (EW) status is valued by our Audio-Visual sector and our European partners who value access to the UK's world class content on their screens.
As a signatory to the ECTT framework, UK content will continue to hold the status of EW with guaranteed access to the EW quota within the EU. The government is implementing the recent updates to the Audio-Visual Media Services Directive (AVMSD) in our domestic regime, which will extend quotas for EW to on-demand content, underlining the government's ongoing commitment to the EW framework for film and television.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many UK firms (a) exported to, (b) imported from and (c) exported to and imported from the EU in the 2019-20 financial year.
Answered by Graham Stuart
In 2019, 39,000 businesses only exported goods to the EU, 95,000 businesses only imported goods from the EU and 89,000 businesses exported and imported goods from the EU.
Source: HMRC 2019 UK Importer and Exporter Population
Data is available by calendar year only.
Data on businesses exporting services to the EU is not available.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
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 effect of the UK Global Tariff on the economic merits of freeports through tariff inversion.
Answered by Greg Hands
In designing the UK Global Tariff (UKGT), we have assessed all available evidence submitted as part of the public consultation, and in addition, conducted our own assessment to ensure that the policy is robust and supportive of the UK economy as a whole. We will publish more analysis in the Tax Information and Impact Note (TIIN) alongside the legislation, as is standard practice.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of the level risk of an increase in goods smuggled into the UK from the EU as a result to the Government's phased introduction of border controls; and what assessment she has made of the effect of smuggled goods on trade negotiations with non-EU countries.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) already tackle smuggling and they will continue to do so through intelligence-led targeting. My Department continues working closely with HMRC to make sure that the United Kingdom’s trade policy will be effectively operationalised at the border after the transition period ends.
Border controls on controlled goods will continue regardless of whether imports come from the European Union or Rest of the World countries. To ensure compliance with new customs procedures and controls at the border after transition period ends, my Rt Hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster recently announced a new infrastructure funding package that includes £470m to build the necessary infrastructure required.