Asked by: Robert Buckland (Conservative - South Swindon)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what her planned timetable is for the signing of a UK-India trade agreement.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Progress has been made on negotiating a free trade agreement with India, closing the majority of chapters and making headway on the outstanding issues. Only the most complex issues remain open, with talks focused on goods, services, and investment.
The Government remains focused on securing a deal in the best interests of the British people and economy. It has always been about the deal and not the date.
Officials are expected to continue talks during India's pre-election period.
Asked by: Robert Buckland (Conservative - South Swindon)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to support sustainable investment in Southern Africa; and if she will publish a sustainable investment plan for Southern Africa.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK’s Economic Partnership Agreements with southern African countries and the UK Developing Countries Trading Scheme enable trade and promote development. UK Export Finance supports the region with billions of pounds of finance or insurance cover available for projects involving UK suppliers. The Prime Minister has announced that he will host the second UK-African Investment Summit in 2024, which will help UK businesses secure sustainable investment into the region and maintain the UK’s position as the leading investor in Africa.
The Government’s plans for sustainable investment in developing economies is set out in the International Development Strategy.
Asked by: Robert Buckland (Conservative - South Swindon)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the implementation of the Developing Countries Trading Scheme in Africa on the UK's renewables industry; and what plans she has for developing partnerships between UK companies working in renewables and their African counterparts.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Developing Countries Trading Scheme supports the UK renewables industry by allowing duty-free imports on everything but arms from 33 Least Developed Countries in Africa.
In addition, the UK Global Tariff allows duty-free imports of raw materials such as cobalt, nickel and graphite from all countries, including those in Africa.
We are supporting partnerships between UK and African firms in renewables. Through the Africa Energy Forum in June, we brought together UK investors and exporters and African governments in renewables and the 2024 UK Africa Investment Summit will further develop commercial partnerships including in renewables.