Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of the appointment of the interim chair of the Competition Markets Authority on the regulation of (a) technology and (b) other large corporations.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Secretary of State is grateful for the leadership Doug Gurr, the Interim Chair of the Competition and Markets Authority (“CMA”), has shown since his appointment.
Businesses of all sizes and types are required to comply with competition law. The CMA has published its prioritisation principles which set out the factors the CMA takes into consideration when deciding how to use its resources as effectively as possible.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing legislation that mandates full ingredient disclosure for all menstrual products.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Period products are regulated by the General Product Safety Regulations 2005, which requires all products to be safe and for consumers to be provided with information on the potential risks of a product. Through the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill, the Government has committed to consult on this matter to ensure that any changes to the safety provisions of these products are robust and consistent.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will review the terms of the UK/Israel: Trade and Partnership Agreement, in the context of allegations of human rights violations in Israel.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
We believe that having strong diplomatic and economic relationships with partners allows us to have frank discussions on important issues. The UK Government continues to work with our allies and partners, including across the region, to find a path towards permanent peace.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make it his policy to suspend trade negotiations with Israel pending the outcomes of ongoing investigations by the International Court of Justice into allegations of human rights violations in that country.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The government respects the independence of the International Court of Justice, and we are carefully considering the Court's advisory opinion with the seriousness and rigour it deserves.
We are of the clear view that Israel should bring an end to its presence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories as rapidly as possible, but this must be done in a way that creates the conditions for negotiations towards the two-state solution. On 29 July 2024, the Secretary of State announced the Government's intention to deliver negotiations with the Gulf Cooperation Council, India, Israel, South Korea, Switzerland and Turkey.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department has taken to consult with civil society organizations on the potential impact of the proposed UK-Israel free trade agreement on (a) human rights and (b) compliance with international law.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Department regularly engages with stakeholders on the Free Trade Agreement programme and I have held several such sessions, including with civil society leaders. The strategic approach to negotiations has been published on gov.uk, including an overview of negotiation objectives and a response to the call for input which ran in early 2022.
The government will continue to stand up for human rights and international law around the world, providing support to open societies and drawing on our full range of tools and levers.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of allegations of human rights violations by Israel, in the context of free trade negotiations between the UK and Israel.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The UK is a leading advocate for human rights around the world. We remain committed to the promotion of universal human rights. We will draw on our full range of tools and levers, including our independent global human rights sanctions regime, to hold to account those involved in serious human rights violations and abuses.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to include a chapter on human rights in the proposed UK-Israel trade agreement.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The UK is a leading advocate for human rights around the world. We remain committed to the promotion of universal human rights. We will draw on our full range of tools and levers, including our independent global human rights sanctions regime, to hold to account those involved in serious human rights violations and abuses.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of a free trade agreement between the UK and Israel on the use of (a) surveillance and (b) cybersecurity technologies manufactured by UK businesses in Gaza.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Any export of controlled items requires approval under the UK's Export Controls regime - this is not affected by whether there is an FTA in place or not.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will take steps to prohibit the import of goods produced in illegal Israeli settlements under the terms of proposed UK-Israel free trade agreement.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Goods originating from illegal Israeli settlements are not entitled to tariff and trade preferences under either the agreement between the UK and Israel, or in our agreement with the Palestinian Authority.
The UK will not compromise on any of our longstanding positions on the Middle East Peace Process through the FTA negotiation, including with respect to settlements.
Asked by: Tom Morrison (Liberal Democrat - Cheadle)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has made an assessment of the competitiveness of the UK creative industry.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As set out in the Industrial Strategy Green Paper published in 2024, the UK's creative industries are world-leading, with the UK, according to UN Trade and Development statistics, being the third largest creative services exporter globally (behind Ireland and the United States).
While the Department for Business and Trade has not made a formal assessment of the competitiveness of the UK creative industry, in 2023, the UK, according to UN Trade and Development statistics, was the tenth largest exporter of creative goods and according to Department for Culture, Media and Sport statistics contributed an estimated £124 billion to the UK economy, accounting for 5.2 per cent of UK gross value added.
The forthcoming Industrial Strategy aims to leverage the sector's global comparative advantages to unlock private investment, boost exports and develop its highly skilled workforce.