Asked by: Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour - Torfaen)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy for Albania was appointed; and how many times they have visited that country since their appointment.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys support the UK Government’s overall strategy to drive economic growth, promote UK trade and encourage inward investment. In addition to visiting their respective markets, Trade Envoys undertake a variety of activities including meeting UK companies, hosting inward delegations, and speaking engagements. Due to travel restrictions arising from the Coronavirus Pandemic, many visits to markets were disrupted and Trade Envoys had to work virtually or through other means, strengthening the relationships to support the Government’s trade and investment agenda.
Trade Envoy | Country | Appointment Date | Number of Visits |
Mark Eastwood MP | Pakistan | August 2021 | 0 |
Mark Garnier | Thailand | October 2020 | 3 |
Mark Menzies | Colombia | September 2017 | 5 |
Martin Vickers | Albania | October 2020 | 1 |
Asked by: Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour - Torfaen)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy for Thailand was appointed; and how many times they have visited that country since their appointment.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys support the UK Government’s overall strategy to drive economic growth, promote UK trade and encourage inward investment. In addition to visiting their respective markets, Trade Envoys undertake a variety of activities including meeting UK companies, hosting inward delegations, and speaking engagements. Due to travel restrictions arising from the Coronavirus Pandemic, many visits to markets were disrupted and Trade Envoys had to work virtually or through other means, strengthening the relationships to support the Government’s trade and investment agenda.
Trade Envoy | Country | Appointment Date | Number of Visits |
Mark Eastwood MP | Pakistan | August 2021 | 0 |
Mark Garnier | Thailand | October 2020 | 3 |
Mark Menzies | Colombia | September 2017 | 5 |
Martin Vickers | Albania | October 2020 | 1 |
Asked by: Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour - Torfaen)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy for Pakistan was appointed; and how many times they have visited that country since their appointment.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys support the UK Government’s overall strategy to drive economic growth, promote UK trade and encourage inward investment. In addition to visiting their respective markets, Trade Envoys undertake a variety of activities including meeting UK companies, hosting inward delegations, and speaking engagements. Due to travel restrictions arising from the Coronavirus Pandemic, many visits to markets were disrupted and Trade Envoys had to work virtually or through other means, strengthening the relationships to support the Government’s trade and investment agenda.
Trade Envoy | Country | Appointment Date | Number of Visits |
Mark Eastwood MP | Pakistan | August 2021 | 0 |
Mark Garnier | Thailand | October 2020 | 3 |
Mark Menzies | Colombia | September 2017 | 5 |
Martin Vickers | Albania | October 2020 | 1 |
Asked by: Nick Thomas-Symonds (Labour - Torfaen)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when the Prime Minister's Trade Envoy for Colombia was appointed; and how many times they have visited that country since their appointment.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Prime Minister’s Trade Envoys support the UK Government’s overall strategy to drive economic growth, promote UK trade and encourage inward investment. In addition to visiting their respective markets, Trade Envoys undertake a variety of activities including meeting UK companies, hosting inward delegations, and speaking engagements. Due to travel restrictions arising from the Coronavirus Pandemic, many visits to markets were disrupted and Trade Envoys had to work virtually or through other means, strengthening the relationships to support the Government’s trade and investment agenda.
Trade Envoy | Country | Appointment Date | Number of Visits |
Mark Eastwood MP | Pakistan | August 2021 | 0 |
Mark Garnier | Thailand | October 2020 | 3 |
Mark Menzies | Colombia | September 2017 | 5 |
Martin Vickers | Albania | October 2020 | 1 |
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to encourage a free, fair, and democratic general election in Thailand in May 2023.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government will monitor the lead up to the general election in Thailand in May. We are observing with interest the political campaign environment and engaging with the Election Commission of Thailand and across political parties contesting the election. The UK Government is funding election-monitoring organisations to provide training of election observers across Thailand and conducting a pre-election assessment of the current state of election management bodies and other actors.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to protect and reassure Thai nationals in the UK given recent attacks in other countries on those seen as critics of the current and former governments of Thailand.
Answered by Lord Sharpe of Epsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Home Office)
We continually assess potential threats in the UK, and this Government takes the rights, freedoms, and safety of individuals and communities in the UK very seriously.
Through our excellent police forces and the agencies that work with them, we take a proactive approach to protecting individuals and communities from all manner of threats. Where we identify individuals who may be at heightened risk, we are front-footed in deploying protective security guidance and other measures where necessary.
As you would expect, Home Office officials work closely with the FCDO and DLUHC as well as other government departments in ensuring that the UK is a safe and welcoming place for all those from other countries, including Thai nationals.
Asked by: Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Thailand regarding the treatment of child defendants, particularly with respect to trials under Section 112 of the Thai Criminal Code.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government continues to monitor use of lèse-majesté and other defamation-related laws in Thailand. We have raised issues about recent charges brought against protesters and critical voices, and the use of pre-trial detention, with the Thai authorities. We also regularly observe public court hearings involving those prosecuted for their political participation and expression to reinforce the importance of due process, and visibly supporting and promoting the work of local human rights defenders.
Asked by: Catherine West (Labour - Hornsey and Wood Green)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with (a) the Department for Business and Trade and (b) his counterpart in the Thai government on the issue of labour rights in Thai factories used by British companies.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government is clear that it expects all UK businesses to respect human rights throughout their operations, in line with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. In 2015, we introduced the Modern Slavery Act, which requires businesses with a turnover of £36 million or more to publish an annual modern slavery statement stating the steps they have taken to prevent modern slavery in their operations and supply chains.
The Foreign Secretary has not discussed the labour rights of garment workers in Thailand with the Department of Business and Trade or with his Thai counterpart. The British Ambassador to Thailand has raised this issue at senior levels of the Royal Thai Government.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with the Government of Thailand on the (a) humanitarian and (b) health situation facing Uyghur asylum-seekers in Thailand.
Answered by Anne-Marie Trevelyan - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The United Kingdom continues to monitor the humanitarian and health situation of the Uyghurs in Thailand. We have raised this matter directly with the Thai authorities on a number of occasions, both at ministerial and official levels, and continue to work closely with likeminded partners on the issue. The United Kingdom remains committed to upholding the principle of non-refoulement and has repeatedly urged other countries to honour their obligations not to force people to return to a country where they are likely to face torture or ill treatment.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, in which countries does her Department employ staff based in UK (a) embassies (b) consulates.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
As of 31 January 2023, this department employed UK-based staff in UK embassies in the following countries:
Algeria, Azerbaijan, Chile, China, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kuwait, Mexico, Morocco, Oman, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Vietnam, Myanmar.
UK-based staff in UK consulates in the following countries:
Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United States, Vietnam.