Asked by: Steve Baker (Conservative - Wycombe)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps she is taking to work with the shipping industry to reduce container shipping prices; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
I refer my Hon. Friend for Wycombe to the answer I gave him on the 26th November 2021, UIN: 77444.
Asked by: Steve Baker (Conservative - Wycombe)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent assessment she has made of the impact of container shipping prices on UK trade; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
High consumer demand and sustained disruption caused by Covid-19 has put pressure on global freight capacity which has resulted in demand for shipping containers outstripping supply. This has caused an increase in the cost of freight transport globally. Higher prices have impacted UK trade causing disruption for businesses and individuals. DIT has supported DfT in working with the shipping industry to mitigate disruption. DIT is also engaging with affected businesses and continues to monitor the impact of rising shipping prices on international trade.
Asked by: Steve Baker (Conservative - Wycombe)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of UK Export Finance; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As UK Export Finance (UKEF) celebrates its 100th anniversary as the world’s first export credit agency, it is building on along heritage of innovation. In 2018-19 UKEF underwrote the largest amount of business since 1991, providing £6.8 billion in support for UK exports. 79% of these companies were Small and Medium Enterprises. In the same period UKEF also made its largest ever transaction, with over a £5 billion package of support.
Earlier this year, UKEF were named the best export credit agency for 2018 by Global Trade Review and Trade Finance Global. The British Exporters Association has also recently commended the significant expansion of UKEF’s product range over the last decade. UKEF is well equipped to provide world class export finance to help UK businesses succeed globally.
Asked by: Steve Baker (Conservative - Wycombe)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, when she plans to open trade negotiations (a) bilaterally with the US, (b) for the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, (c) bilaterally with Japan, (d) bilaterally with Australia, (e) bilaterally with New Zealand, (f) with Mercosur, (g) bilaterally with other individual countries and (h) multilaterally through the WTO.
Answered by Conor Burns
Our priority is to be in a position to begin negotiations with our key partners as soon after we leave the EU as possible.
We will prioritise negotiating trade agreements with our close friends and likeminded allies: the United States, Australia, New Zealand and Japan, as well as considering accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
We continue to build stronger bilateral trading relationships through dialogue and engagement with partners. We are also assessing options for future trading arrangements, this includes the Mercosur bloc and its members. The UK already participates in WTO negotiations as part of the EU. Once we regain our independent voice at the WTO, the UK will continue to take an active role in these negotiations.
Asked by: Steve Baker (Conservative - Wycombe)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of the potential economic merits of a trade deal between the UK and (a) the United States, (b) Australia and (c) Japan.
Answered by Conor Burns
The Secretary of State recently visited the US, Australia, and Japan to meet her counterparts as well as British businesses and reiterated her commitment to free trade agreements (FTAs) with these countries.
At the start of new FTA negotiations, the Government will publish its Outline Approach which will include our negotiating objectives and be accompanied by a scoping assessment which will be informed by economic modelling, setting out the potential economic impacts of any agreement.
Asked by: Steve Baker (Conservative - Wycombe)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, on (a) how many occasions and (b) what dates the Chief Trade Negotiation Adviser has met (i) the Prime Minister’s Europe Adviser and (ii) the Prime Minister in the last 12 months.
Answered by George Hollingbery
The Chief Negotiation Adviser’s role is to lead on trade negotiation and strategy, at the Department for International Trade. He advises my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade on trade agreements and market access deals with the UK’s global trading partners. The negotiation with the EU regarding the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration is the responsibility of the Prime Minister’s Europe Adviser.
The Chief Trade Negotiation Adviser has had one 1:1 meeting with the Prime Minister’s Europe Adviser in the last 12 months. He has had no 1:1 meetings with the Prime Minister in the last 12 months, but has had two meetings with her accompanied by the Secretary of State for International Trade and others in the last 12 months.
Asked by: Steve Baker (Conservative - Wycombe)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if he will make it his policy to (a) establish a prosperity zone among countries with similar approaches to the UK to have trade, completion and property rights and (b) negotiate and inherit bilateral trade deals with nations whose markets are more distorted.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
In due course, Britain will be leaving the EU. This offers us an opportunity to forge a new role for ourselves in the world. The Prime Minister has established the Department for International Trade to promote British trade across the world and ensure the UK takes advantage of the huge opportunities open to us. The Government is currently reviewing its trade policy. We will engage fully on this with a broad range of stakeholders over the coming weeks and months.