Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how consumers can recognise before purchase products from the illegal Palestinian settlements; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
The United Kingdom does not recognise the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including settlements, as part of Israel. Certain products, such as food, originating from settlements must be labelled as such. Our retained EU legislation is clear that information on origin and provenance of goods must not be misleading and should be provided if failure to do so would itself be misleading to consumers.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 29 June 2020 to Question 63203 on clothing: Bangladesh, what further discussions she has had since 21 May 2020 with UK retailers on payments to garment manufacturers in Bangladesh for products supplied during the covid-19 pandemic; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
My Department continues to work across HM Government and with British retailers on this important issue. We have been encouraging companies to honour existing orders, prioritising the labour portion of cost of goods to help protect workers’ incomes. We work with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and British garment retailers to combat payment issues through a regular working group too. Moreover, FCDO has recently launched the Vulnerable Supply Chains Facility, which will enable vulnerable garment workers in Bangladesh to recover from – and remain resilient to – the economic and social impacts of COVID-19.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what representations she has made to UK retailers who have not paid garment manufacturers in Bangladesh for products supplied during the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
My Department is working across HM Government and with British retailers on this important issue.
There was a joint Ministerial meeting with the British Retail Consortium and its members on 21st May on the garment supply chains of British companies. Some of the topics for discussion included providing advice to businesses operating in Britain on how they can (a) support workers impacted by COVID-19; (b) support their supply chains in developing countries; and (c) meet their own duties to uphold rights and responsibilities overseas.
Asked by: Stephen Timms (Labour - East Ham)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, when he plans to publish the UK's (a) tariff schedules and (b) tariff-rate quotas as part of Government preparations for leaving the EU without a deal.
Answered by George Hollingbery
Our tariff schedule for a no deal scenario is being finalised. Ministers have examined a range of options for our future tariff regime and carefully considered the evidence available in the interests of UK businesses and consumers. Once a final decision has been taken we will communicate to stakeholders in an appropriate way for a market sensitive announcement.