Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential economic effect of transferring the terms of the EU-South Korea trade deal to the UK after the UK leaves the EU without renegotiating those terms.
Answered by Greg Hands
Total trade between the UK and South Korea in goods and services has increased to approximately £11bn in 2015, from £6bn in 2010 when the EU-Korea Free Trade Agreement was signed. The UK Government is committed to seeking continuity in its current trade and investment relationships, including those covered by EU free trade agreements or other EU preferential arrangements.
Sources
Data has been extracted from the latest release of the ONS Pink Book 2016, available here: https://www.ons.gov.uk/releases/unitedkingdombalanceofpaymentsthepinkbook2016
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans the Government has to renegotiate the terms of the EU-South Korea trade deal in the event that it is transferred to the UK after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Greg Hands
The UK Government is committed to seeking continuity in its current trade and investment relationships, including those covered by EU free trade agreements or other EU preferential arrangements. The UK-Korea Trade Working Group, which was established in December 2016, will discuss tackling barriers to trade and investment, wider global trade issues and how to ensure continuity for businesses, as well as exploring future trade opportunities following the UK’s exit from the EU.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what representations the Government has made to countries with trade deals with the EU about applying the terms of those deals to UK trade after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Greg Hands
The UK Government is committed to seeking continuity in its current trade and investment relationships, including those covered by EU Free Trade Agreements or other EU preferential arrangements.
Our objective is to provide continuity for UK businesses as we leave the European Union.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what representations the Government has made to countries with trade deals with the EU on renegotiating the terms of those deals for trade with the UK after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Greg Hands
The UK Government is committed to seeking continuity in its current trade and investment relationships, including those covered by EU Free Trade Agreements or other EU preferential arrangements.
Our objective is to provide continuity for UK businesses as we leave the European Union.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what representations his Department has received from industry on renegotiating the terms of the EU's trade deal with South Korea before its terms are transferred to the UK after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Department engages widely with businesses, representative bodies, civil society, and other stakeholders, and will continue to do so as it works with trading partners to seek continuity in current trade and investment relationships.
Asked by: Stephen Gethins (Scottish National Party - Arbroath and Broughty Ferry)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether his Department plans to align arms export policy with the EU Common Position on Arms Exports when the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Mark Garnier - Shadow Parliamentary Under Secretary (Work and Pensions)
Common Position 2008/944/CFSP is given effect in the UK through the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. This has the status of guidance given under Section 9 of the Export Control Act 2002. After the UK leaves the EU, they will remain in force until such time as any new or amended guidance is announced to Parliament.