Asked by: Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour - Torfaen)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, when she expects the UK to meet the Government's target for 80 per cent of UK Trade to be carried out under Free Trade Agreements.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The UK Government has secured trade agreements with 71 countries plus the EU. These partners accounted for 63% (£814bn) of UK bilateral trade in 2021. It is important to remember that when the Government adopted this target the United States was in ongoing talks on a free trade agreement (FTA) with the UK but has since taken a different approach to FTA talks under the Biden administration. The US is 16.6% of our total global trade. We continue to make progress, signing three Memoranda of Understanding at state-level to facilitate trade and investment opportunities.
Our Free Trade Agreement programme continues at unprecedented pace and scale. We are negotiating with seven partners concurrently – India, the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Canada, Mexico, Israel and Greenland. We are also in preparations to begin negotiations on new trade deals with Switzerland and South Korea.
We have an ambitious programme, but it is the substance of trade deals that is important, not the timing.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has taken steps to provide assistance to the Mexican government following reports of cartel violence following the arrest of Ovidio Guzman Lopez.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The increasing level of violence in Mexico is a worrying trend, including the events of last week in the state of Sinaloa following the arrest of Ovidio Guzmán López. The British Embassy in Mexico City and senior British officials in London regularly engage on this with the Mexican authorities, including monitoring violence trends in Mexico and offering assistance in the field of Rule of Law.
Colleagues from the International Policing Assistance Services (IPAS) visited Mexico in March 2020 to advise the Secretary General of the National Public Security System in Mexico (SESNSP) on how to review Mexican policing techniques and to progress police reform. Following their report, UK experts plan to undertake further visits to Mexico to assist the SESNSP with the next stage of their police reform process.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department is providing support to UK citizens in Culiacan, Mexico following reports of cartel violence in that region.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 30 September 2022, the UK Government advised against all but essential travel to Culiacán, along with the majority of the state of Sinaloa, due to increased levels of violence. On 6 January, UK officials also advised any UK citizens in the area to follow the instructions of local authorities. The British Embassy in Mexico remains available to assist any British traveller who needs emergency assistance while travelling in Mexico.
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of trends in the level of migration of people from Cuba to the US in 2022.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
We are aware that increasing numbers of Cuban nationals are migrating from Cuba to countries in the region, including to the US. The UK opposes the US embargo against Cuba, which continues to damage Cuba's economy. We consistently vote in support of the annual United Nations General Assembly Resolution calling for an end to the embargo.
Many Cuban migrants travel through Mexico to reach the US. Our Embassy in Mexico City monitors the cross-border migration situation closely. British Embassy officials visit migration shelters on Mexico's southern and northern borders and remain in close contact with Mexican authorities.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, pursuant to his Department's publication of ministerial overseas travel data for July to September 2022, what the cost was of the plane tickets for the former Minister of State for Business, Energy and Clean Growth’s journeys to and from (a) New Mexico, USA from 20-26 August 2022 and (b) Bali, Indonesia from 27 August to 3 September 2022.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The cost of plane tickets for the former Minister of State for Business, Energy and Clean Growth’s journeys to and from (a) New Mexico, USA from 20-26 August 2022 and (b) Bali, Indonesia from 27 August to 3 September are shown in the table below.
| (a) | (b) |
Cost of Plane tickets | £5,618.56 (Fare paid + Tax) | £6,351.46 (Fare paid + Tax) |
Asked by: Fabian Hamilton (Labour - Leeds North East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support the British Embassy in Mexico City with the investigation into the presumed murder of Claudia Uruchurtu.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our sympathies are with family of Claudia Uruchurtu who disappeared on the 26th March 2021. The Ambassador and the Embassy have been in regular contact with her family and have raised the case with senior representatives of the Federal government and the outgoing and incoming governments of the State of Oaxaca. On 7 December, the judge found four of those accused of the forced disappearance of Claudia to be guilty. They will be sentenced on 15 December. We remain in contact with the family and state authorities to ensure that due process continues to be followed.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking to work with the Mexican Government and international community to reduce the murders of land and environmental rights defenders in Mexico.
Answered by David Rutley - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
In June this year, the FCDO's Media Freedom Coordinator participated in a consultation panel organised by UNESCO and the Mexican Government to establish a new National Prevention and Protection System for human rights defenders, which includes land and environmental defenders and journalists. We continue to engage regularly with Mexican authorities at ministerial, official, and state level to discuss a range of human rights issues in Mexico, including the murders of land and environmental rights defenders. A bilateral UK-Mexico human rights dialogue has also been agreed which will be used to discuss these and other issues.
Asked by: Lord Hylton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Benyon on 27 October (HL2481), which countries have been notified by the Health and Safety Executive of the risks connected with exports of the chemical herbicide Paraquat.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
The export of paraquat from Great Britain (GB) is regulated under the GB Prior Informed Consent (GB PIC) regulatory regime for the export and import of listed hazardous chemicals. Companies intending to export any of these chemicals from GB must notify the importing country via the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the Designated National Authority. GB PIC requires all exports of listed chemicals to be labelled appropriately and accompanied by a safety data sheet (SDS) containing information on the intrinsic hazards of the chemical and on safe storage and use. Where possible, the information on the label and on the SDS must be given in an official language, or in one or more of the principal languages, of the country of destination.
In 2021, paraquat was exported from GB to Colombia, Ecuador, Guatemala, India, Japan, Mexico, Singapore, South Africa and the USA.
Asked by: Kenny MacAskill (Alba Party - East Lothian)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 29 September to Question 48499 on Dogs: Imports, if his Department will publish the number of dogs imported into the UK from each country outlined in that Answer in (a) 2020, (b) 2021 and (c) 2022.
Answered by Rebecca Pow - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Below are tables to show the countries of origin of commercial dog imports. The data for 2020 is for UK, and the data for 2021 and 2022 (up to the 31/08/2022) is Great Britain only. We do not hold data for Northern Ireland for 2021 and 2022.
This information is drawn from external TRACES and IPAFFs systems, which are not directly controlled by the department.
EU imports | 2020 |
| Rest of World Imports | 2020 |
Country Of Origin | Dogs |
| Country Of Origin | Dogs |
Austria | 6 |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 1 |
Belgium | 13 |
| Argentina | 30 |
Bulgaria | 222 |
| Australia | 118 |
Croatia | 153 |
| Bahrain | 95 |
Cyprus | 4246 |
| Barbados | 8 |
Czech Republic | 135 |
| Belarus | 50 |
Denmark | 2 |
| Bermuda | 4 |
Estonia | 21 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 1636 |
Finland | 7 |
| Brazil | 120 |
France | 33 |
| Canada | 76 |
Germany | 103 |
| Cayman Islands | 6 |
Greece | 563 |
| Colombia | 12 |
Hungary | 5065 |
| Costa Rica | 9 |
Ireland (Rep. of) | 5814 |
| Egypt | 26 |
Italy | 243 |
| Ethiopia | 3 |
Latvia | 5 |
| French Polynesia | 1 |
Lithuania | 99 |
| Hong Kong | 69 |
Malta | 5 |
| India | 29 |
Netherlands | 38 |
| Indonesia | 2 |
Poland | 3945 |
| Israel | 13 |
Portugal | 343 |
| Japan | 8 |
Romania | 32525 |
| Jordan | 3 |
Slovakia | 106 |
| Kenya | 26 |
Slovenia | 5 |
| Korea (South) | 29 |
Spain | 6475 |
| Kuwait | 12 |
Sweden | 15 |
| Lebanon | 10 |
Switzerland | 1 |
| Macao | 2 |
Total | 60188 |
| Malawi | 1 |
|
|
| Malaysia | 25 |
|
|
| Mauritius | 85 |
|
|
| Mexico | 51 |
|
|
| Namibia | 3 |
|
|
| New Zealand | 40 |
|
|
| North Macedonia | 566 |
|
|
| Nigeria | 3 |
|
|
| Oman | 8 |
|
|
| Peru | 5 |
|
|
| Philippines | 1 |
|
|
| Qatar | 43 |
|
|
| Russia | 713 |
|
|
| Saudi Arabia | 9 |
|
|
| Serbia | 40 |
|
|
| Singapore | 58 |
|
|
| South Africa | 519 |
|
|
| Sri Lanka | 2 |
|
|
| Taiwan | 7 |
|
|
| Tajikistan | 1 |
|
|
| Thailand | 18 |
|
|
| Turkey | 375 |
|
|
| Turks and Caicos | 1 |
|
|
| UAE | 164 |
|
|
| Uganda | 2 |
|
|
| Ukraine | 3 |
|
|
| Uruguay | 5 |
|
|
| USA | 1592 |
|
|
| Viet Nam | 15 |
|
|
| Zimbabwe | 11 |
|
|
| Total | 6764 |
EU Imports | 2021 | Rest of World Imports | 2021 |
Country | Dogs | Country of origin | Dogs |
Austria | 22 | Argentina | 17 |
Belgium | 78 | Australia | 345 |
Bulgaria | 1093 | Bahamas | 1 |
Croatia | 2003 | Bahrain | 55 |
Cyprus | 3758 | Barbados | 22 |
Czechia | 221 | Belarus | 1 |
Denmark | 719 | Bermuda | 12 |
England | 72 | Brazil | 125 |
Estonia | 23 | Canada | 167 |
Finland | 8 | Cayman Islands | 15 |
France | 411 | China | 174 |
Germany | 76 | Colombia | 12 |
Greece | 1017 | Costa Rica | 13 |
Hungary | 4517 | Ecuador | 2 |
Iceland | 1 | Egypt | 41 |
Italy | 296 | Ethiopia | 4 |
Latvia | 512 | Guam | 3 |
Lithuania | 678 | Hong Kong | 161 |
Luxembourg | 2 | India | 96 |
Malta | 3 | Indonesia | 2 |
Netherlands | 152 | Israel | 12 |
Northern Ireland | 2 | Jamaica | 2 |
Norway | 3 | Japan | 12 |
Poland | 5593 | Jordan | 13 |
Portugal | 500 | Kenya | 43 |
Republic of Ireland | 6658 | Kuwait | 30 |
Romania | 38081 | Lebanon | 36 |
Scotland | 1 | Macao | 1 |
Slovakia | 291 | Malawi | 2 |
Slovenia | 7 | Malaysia | 71 |
Spain | 5909 | Mauritius | 3 |
Sweden | 49 | Mexico | 11 |
Switzerland | 8 | Mozambique | 2 |
Wales | 1 | Namibia | 3 |
(blank) | 1 | Nepal | 1 |
Grand Total | 72766 | New Zealand | 92 |
|
| Nigeria | 2 |
|
| Oman | 14 |
|
| Panama | 2 |
|
| Peru | 25 |
|
| Philippines | 1 |
|
| Qatar | 179 |
|
| Russian Federation | 261 |
|
| Saudi Arabia | 27 |
|
| Serbia | 2 |
|
| Singapore | 141 |
|
| South Africa | 1522 |
|
| South Korea | 60 |
|
| Taiwan | 4 |
|
| Thailand | 48 |
|
| Turkey | 148 |
|
| Ukraine | 6 |
|
| United Arab Emirates | 499 |
|
| United States of America | 966 |
|
| Vietnam | 2 |
|
| Zimbabwe | 22 |
|
| Grand Total | 5533 |
EU Imports to 31/08/2022 | 2022 | Rest of World Imports to 31/08/2022 | 2022 |
Country Of Origin | Dogs | Country Of Origin | Dogs |
Austria | 5 | Albania | 1 |
Belgium | 25 | Algeria | 1 |
Bulgaria | 1248 | Australia | 295 |
Croatia | 1742 | Bahrain | 84 |
Cyprus | 1982 | Barbados | 13 |
Czech Republic | 108 | Bermuda | 10 |
Denmark | 216 | Brazil | 65 |
England? | 35 | Brunei | 2 |
Estonia | 13 | Canada | 90 |
Finland | 5 | Cayman Islands | 11 |
France | 68 | Chile | 5 |
Germany | 90 | China | 101 |
Greece | 254 | Colombia | 7 |
Hungary | 1766 | Costa Rica | 5 |
Isle of Man | 2 | Dominican Republic | 1 |
Ireland (Rep. of) | 4528 | Ecuador | 1 |
Italy | 184 | Egypt | 13 |
Latvia | 309 | Fiji | 1 |
Lithuania | 297 | Hong Kong | 25 |
Luxembourg | 1 | India | 108 |
Malta | 0 | Indonesia | 1 |
Netherlands | 84 | Israel | 5 |
Northern Ireland | 13 | Japan | 6 |
Norway | 7 | Jordan | 4 |
Poland | 1242 | Kenya | 24 |
Portugal | 237 | Korea (South) | 44 |
Romania | 8698 | Kuwait | 10 |
Slovakia | 127 | Lebanon | 16 |
Slovenia | 1 | Malaysia | 32 |
Spain | 3348 | Mauritius | 13 |
Sweden | 10 | Mexico | 16 |
Switzerland | 2 | Namibia | 2 |
UK | 4 | New Zealand | 82 |
Total | 26651 | Nigeria | 1 |
|
| Oman | 1 |
|
| Panama | 2 |
|
| Peru | 4 |
|
| Philippines | 7 |
|
| Qatar | 56 |
|
| Russia | 21 |
|
| Saint Lucia | 1 |
|
| Saudi Arabia | 17 |
|
| Singapore | 66 |
|
| South Africa | 557 |
|
| Sri Lanka | 3 |
|
| Taiwan | 1 |
|
| Thailand | 30 |
|
| Turkey | 57 |
|
| UAE | 233 |
|
| Uganda | 5 |
|
| Ukraine | 2 |
|
| USA | 416 |
|
| Vietnam | 1 |
|
| Zimbabwe | 9 |
|
| Total | 2584 |
Asked by: Lord Alderdice (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking as penholder for Colombia in the United Nations Security Council to monitor and support the progress of the United Nations Verification Mission in Colombia.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK has been working with Mexico as co-penholder to renew the mandate of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia. I am pleased to confirm that this new mandate was adopted on 27 October 2022. I would also refer colleagues to the press statement we negotiated last week: https://colombia.unmissions.org/en/security-council-press-statement-colombia-11. The UK will continue to be one of the strongest supporters and promoters of the implementation of the 2016 Peace Agreement.