Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 6 February 2017 to Question 62357, how many times Rolls Royce received cover from UK Export Finance in each year since 2010.
Answered by Greg Hands
Details of all UK Export Finance (UKEF) support for Rolls Royce since 2010 are published in UKEF’s Annual Report and Accounts, which have been presented to Parliament.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2017 to Question 59272, whether a date has been set for Parliament to vote on the ratification of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement.
Answered by Greg Hands
The UK Government welcomed the vote to approve the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement in the European Parliament on 15 February. Subject to Canadian ratification, this will enable the agreement to be provisionally applied in spring this year. Once the agreement has been provisionally applied, the UK will move towards ratifying the agreement, but the exact timetable has not yet been decided.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many overseas contracts UK Export Finance has supported in which the applicant declared that an agent had provided facilitation services in each year since 2010.
Answered by Greg Hands
UK Export Finance (UKEF) has reviewed applications including agents, from 1 July 2014 – 30 June 2015 and is in the process of reviewing applications from 1 July 2012 – 30 June 2014. All applications reviewed indicate that UKEF has not provided support to any overseas contract where the application declared that an agent provided facilitation services.
The majority of UKEF’s historic application forms were received prior to the introduction of an electronic management system. An answer extending to 2010 could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps the Government plans to take to ensure that trade deals which he negotiates after the UK leaves the EU are equitable to and provide support for poorer and developing countries.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Department for International Trade is working closely with the Department for International Development, on the UK’s future trade policy with developing countries. We remain committed to ensuring developing countries can reduce poverty through trading opportunities, recognising the need for a smooth transition which minimises disruption to trading relationships.
We are encouraging wealth creation, economic growth and enterprise, all of which enable the poorest to lift themselves out of poverty.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether UK Export Finance staff ask for advice from diplomatic missions on agents when special handling arrangements apply.
Answered by Greg Hands
UK Export Finance consistently makes enquiries on the standing of agents with the relevant UK overseas diplomatic mission as part of its due diligence on applications that it receives. Its due diligence processes are the same whether or not the applicant has requested the use of special handling arrangements.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, which export contracts in which the applicant declared that an agent had provided facilitation services were supported by UK Export Finance classified by (a) type of export support, (b) amount of expert support, (c) country, (d) project, (e) amount or rate of commission, (f) fees payable to the agent and (g) the countries where such fees are payable in each month and year since 2010; and what the name and address of each such agent was.
Answered by Greg Hands
Information provided to UK Export Finance in relation to agents is commercially sensitive.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 13 January 2017 to Question 59272, if he will make a request to the Government's business managers to hold a debate on the floor of the House on the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement.
Answered by Greg Hands
My Rt. Hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade has always been clear that he wanted to see a full Parliamentary debate on the floor of the House of Commons on the EU-Canada Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) ahead of the vote on the European Parliament, now scheduled for 15 February. Decisions with respect to the timing and form of a debate are for the business managers in the House of Commons. Due to the pressures of the legislative timetable it was not possible to hold the debate in the main chamber, but the Government was pleased to have the opportunity to debate this important matter on 6 February 2017.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, which companies that have requested special handling arrangements when providing UK Export Finance with information about their agents and commission payments.
Answered by Greg Hands
Information on the identities of the companies that requested special handling arrangements from UK Export Finance is commercially sensitive.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, in how many instances since 2000 UK Export Finance has provided support to a company which was using Unaoil as an agent.
Answered by Greg Hands
The details of agents declared by applicants is not held centrally. A search of every application received since the year 2000 would exceed the disproportionate cost threshold.
Asked by: Roger Godsiff (Labour - Birmingham, Hall Green)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what export credit support his Department or its predecessor has provided to Cyril Sweett or related companies since 2000.
Answered by Greg Hands
Since 2000, UK Export Finance has not provided support to Cyril Sweett or its known subsidiaries.