Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to her Department's Analysis Paper: Local Jobs, Trade and Investment, what assessment she has made of the extent to which the figures on the number of employees employed in nationally export intensive sectors enable an accurate assessment of (a) how export intensive jobs are at the constituency level and (b) how many jobs are supported by exports at the constituency level.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
HM Government is grateful to the Board of Trade for its thought leadership on trade policy. The Rt Hon. Lady will know from reading the Global Britain, Local Jobs report that there are benefits for the British people – in every corner of the country – from an ambitious trade agenda.
We are proud to have secured trade deals with 66 countries, plus the EU. These agreements provide a strong foundation for our trading relationships, covering trade worth £890 billion in 2019, but do not represent the limit of our ambition. We will seek to improve upon these to maximise trading opportunities.
HM Government will make sure digital markets are opened by reducing barriers to the flow of data, whilst maintaining high standards of protection. We will reduce regulatory divergence by securing commitments through Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, the WTO E-Commerce Joint Initiative negotiations, and the United Kingdom’s G7 Presidency. It is important that all regulations are proportionate and not trade-distorting. We will bring down non-tariff barriers through trade negotiations so that safe goods and services from the United Kingdom can be sold into new markets freely.
The Board of Trade report defines “key industries” as those parts of the economy with the greatest chances to increase their exports, thanks to trade policy and trade promotion interventions. HM Government agrees with the Board of Trade that trade agreements can deliver opportunities nationwide, and is considering how to add the data from this cutting-edge research into our policy.
The Rt Hon. Lady will know that the Department for International Trade (DIT) has already published an impact assessment for the FTA with Japan, setting out the potential impacts on every part of the United Kingdom.[1] The Board of Trade’s report focuses on the next international steps our nation can take. Domestic policy, including ‘freeports’, is not explored in the report. Neither the Board of Trade nor HM Government intend to publish an addendum to this report.
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-japan-cepa-final-impact-assessment.
Asked by: Darren Jones (Labour - Bristol North West)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many officials in (a) his private office and (b) the wider Department have been allocated to the production and promotion of online content for use on social media in (a) 2018-19, (b) 2019-20 and (c) 2020-21.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
There are no officials in my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade’s Private Office whose dedicated role is the production and promotion of online content for use on social media.
In the UK, the number of officials in the Department whose roles are dedicated to the production and promotion of online content for use on social media is 6 full-time employees. Other officials in the UK and overseas may contribute content as required.
This has been at a consistent level across the years indicated at (a), (b) and (c).
In UK Export Finance, the number of full-time equivalent members of staff working on production and promotion of content for social media in those three years was (a) 2018-19 1.5 FTE; (b) 2019-20 1.5 FTE; and (c) 2020-21, 1.0 FTE. Other officials contribute to the production and promotion as required.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions she has had with Treasury Ministers on future funding allocations to the Music Export Growth Scheme (MEGS); and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department for International Trade (DIT) has not held discussions with Treasury Ministers on future funding of the Music Export Growth Scheme (MEGS). DIT’s business planning continues for 2021-22, including export support we can provide for the UK music sector.
On 10 February, DIT, through the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) who administer the scheme, awarded MEGS grants totalling £100,000 to ten UK small and medium-sized music businesses which will go towards growing audiences internationally through digital marketing and other forms of overseas promotion.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps she is taking to promote British wool exports.
Answered by Graham Stuart
Trade promotion campaigns in key markets; partnership working with stakeholders, such as the UK Fashion and Textiles Association, at tradeshows, like Premier Vision; leveraging of the DIT’s teams in 110 countries; financing and insurance from UK Export Finance; and the global promotion of the GREAT campaign; are some of the many measures being taken to support British wool exports.
Asked by: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour - South Shields)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 17 December 2020 to Question 115685 on Arms Trade Export Controls; what those errors were; what period of time elapsed before those errors were identified and the licences revoked; whether any inappropriate deliveries were made under those licences before revocation; and what steps her Department is taking to prevent similar errors recurring.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
One OIEL had one destination revoked (Isle of Man). The Isle of Man is a British Crown Dependency and we do not licence exports of military goods to there from the United Kingdom. A licence was issued on 9th January 2014, the error was identified on 10th February 2015 and the licence revoked 11th February 2015.
One OIEL for a variety of goods to a large number of countries had some items for three destinations (Hong Kong, Mongolia and Taiwan) recommended for rejection by one adviser. A licence was issued on 12th May 2015, the error was identified on 29th May 2015, and the licence revoked on 3rd July 2015. The procedure for partial refusal recommendations from advisers has now been amended.
One OIEL had 31 destinations revoked (Argentina, Australia, Bahrain, Barbados, Bolivia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Gibraltar, Guatemala, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Namibia, New Caledonia and Dependencies, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, St Helena, Switzerland, Taiwan, Trinidad and Tobago, United States and Uruguay). The items included on this application required import authorisation from recipient countries before an export licence is granted specifying quantities, which could not be obtained. A licence was issued on 12th February 2019 and the error identified on 15th July 2019; the licence was revoked 17th July 2019.
Two OITCLs for Sierra Leone had goods revoked because the licences were issued in error (Criterion 1). The activity licenced, which was the promotion of supply of less-lethal weapons, was outside the scope of policy as set out by Lord Howell on 9th February 2012. One licence was issued on 5th January 2017 and another on 14th June 2017. The errors were identified on 22nd July 2019 and the licences revoked 29th July 2019.
We keep our processes under constant review and have an ongoing staff training programme. We do not hold information on any transfers that took place under these historic licences, but these licences have been corrected now. We have implemented a transformation programme which, amongst other things, will be improving our processes and control mechanisms, as well as implementing recommendations from an internal audit report.
Asked by: Andrea Jenkyns (Conservative - Morley and Outwood)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps his Department has taken to help promote the exports of UK food producers.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
As a Government, we have a manifesto commitment that we want people at home and abroad to be lining up to buy British. The UK's growing reputation for high quality food and drink, produced to high standards of food safety, animal welfare and sustainability, is an excellent platform to increase demand for our products still further around the world.
Defra works in tandem with the Department for International Trade to deliver the Food is GREAT campaign, which helps businesses to succeed in overseas markets by ensuring global recognition of UK excellence in food and drink. Food is GREAT is a key element of the joint Defra and DIT agri-food 'bounce back' package of trade support and promotion measures announced last June to help support businesses that have been impacted by coronavirus.
The Food is GREAT campaign is focused on priority markets, including the USA, China, and Japan. In November, the campaign showcased a spectacular display of food and drink products from across the UK at the China International Import Expo (CIIE) 2020 in Shanghai. Activity is being planned across all priority markets, where we will work with UK businesses to promote the best of UK food and drink on the international stage.
Defra is strengthening export capability and ambition in the sector through an Export Working Group in collaboration with the Department for International Trade and representatives of the food and drink sector. This group identifies market opportunities and increases awareness of the support and tools available to exporters. A particular focus is helping SMEs build capability to grow their businesses through exports. A new International Action Plan is being developed by this group to set out the export ambition of the sector, priority markets and the full range of government support available from tailored export advice to campaign activity and a programme of expos and trade shows. This includes further enhancing in market support, building on the success of Defra's first Agri-Counsellors in Beijing and Dubai.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment the Government has made of the effect of the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement on the video games sector.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
We recognise the importance of the UK video games industry, which is a significant player in the global games industry, with scope to deliver powerful economic benefits for the UK. The sector contributed an estimated £2.9 billion to the UK economy in 2019, a 9.1% year-on-year increase from 2018.
The UK games industry relies on a highly skilled workforce that possesses leading technical and creative expertise. The UK and the EU have agreed to a list of activities that can be carried out by short-term business visitors without the need for a work permit, on a reciprocal basis in most Member States, subject to any reservations taken. Domestically, the UK’s new Points Based System will enable companies to attract the best and brightest from around the world.
Data is of fundamental importance to the video games industry. The Trade and Cooperation Agreement helps to facilitate the cross-border flow of data by prohibiting requirements to store or process data in a specific location. As the EU left insufficient time to ratify data adequacy decisions before the end of 2020, we have agreed a time limited ‘bridging mechanism’ which will allow personal data to continue to flow as it does now whilst EU adequacy decisions for the UK are adopted, and for no more than 6 months. We see no reason why the UK should not be awarded data adequacy by the EU and we expect the process to be concluded promptly. However, we advise UK organisations to take sensible steps to prepare for a situation where the EU does not adopt adequacy decisions for the UK.
The video games sector relies on continued market access to export digital goods and services throughout the EU. The Trade and Cooperation Agreement maintains zero tariffs and zero quotas on trade in goods between the UK and the EU. The Agreement also secures commitments on the promotion of cross border trade in services by providing service suppliers and investors with transparency and certainty about future trade with the EU.
The sector also relies on a strong and stable framework governing Intellectual Property rights. The Trade and Cooperation Agreement represents a good balance between securing high standards for copyright protection and securing the UK’s domestic flexibility to continue to improve and adapt the copyright framework to meet future opportunities and challenges.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to create a comprehensive trade and environment strategy; and how they plan to publicise any strategy ahead of COP26.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
The Government is clear that more trade does not have to come at the expense of the environment. We are actively working to promote environmental objectives through our independent bilateral and multilateral trade policy as well as through our export and investment promotion support.
For example, under the UK’s new Global Tariff, we have liberalised tariffs on over 100 environmentally friendly goods. The Government has also underscored the environment as one of the three priorities for UK leadership in the World Trade Organisation (WTO).
We will use our presidency of COP26 and the G7 this year to continue to push for ambitious international action to tackle climate change and nature loss, including through trade.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the Government’s is on future development assistance for fossil fuel projects to (a) Mozambique, and (b) other developing countries.
Answered by James Duddridge
Tackling climate change is a key priority for the UK. The Government is committed to working with countries across the world, including Mozambique, to unlock their renewable energy potential and support their transition away from fossil fuels to cleaner alternatives. The UK will continue to lead by example through aligning our Official Development Assistance (ODA) with the Paris Agreement temperature goals, including our support for energy. This will include our ODA support for Mozambique and any other developing country.
The Prime Minister announced in January that the Government would end direct ODA, investment, export credit and trade promotion support for thermal coal mining and coal power plants overseas. The Government continues to keep its approach to other fossil fuel investments and financing overseas under review.
Asked by: Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to end the provision of Official Development Assistance to fossil fuel projects overseas.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Tackling climate change is a key priority for the UK. The Government is committed to working with countries across the world to unlock their renewable energy potential and support their transition away from fossil fuels to cleaner alternatives. The UK will continue to lead by example through aligning our Official Development Assistance (ODA) with the Paris Agreement temperature goals, including our support for energy.
The Prime Minister announced in January that the Government would end direct ODA, investment, export credit and trade promotion support for thermal coal mining and coal power plants overseas. The Government continues to keep its approach to other fossil fuel investments and financing overseas under review.