Topical Questions 2022-11-03
2022-11-03
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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The negotiations for a trade deal with India have faced obstacles, particularly due to the Home Secretary's comments on migrants from India.
We recently heard that negotiations to conclude a trade deal with India have stalled because of the comments made by the Home Secretary about migrants from that country—just another mess to lay at her door. Will the Secretary of State tell us whether she will ensure that the Home Secretary's hardline opposition to migration will not harm our economic relationships?
It is not true that negotiations with India have stalled, either because of the Home Secretary's comments or for any other reason. They are ongoing. What has changed is the deadline: as a result of my becoming Secretary of State, we are focusing on the deal and not the day, and that is the most important aspect. The Home Secretary is well within her rights to discuss migration issues, and her comments were not specific to the India trade deal. She has a responsibility for migration, and she is doing her job properly.
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Q2
Direct Answer
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There is ongoing progress in establishing a free trade agreement between the UK and Pakistan.
What progress is being made on establishing a free trade agreement with Pakistan?
I welcome my hon. Friend's interest in trade with Pakistan. When I visited the country—I was the last Trade Minister to do so—I observed the excellent co-operation that was taking place between businesses in the UK and Pakistan. Big investments by UK firms such as GSK in Karachi are key to the delivery of £3 billion-worth of trade. I am pleased to say that we will be formalising this relationship through a new ministerial-led UK-Pakistan trade dialogue, in which we will co-operate further on reducing and removing barriers to trade.
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Q3
Partial Answer
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British food and drink exports to Europe are still below their 2019 levels, while imports from Europe have increased significantly.
In the first half of the year, British food and drink exports to Europe were still 5% below their 2019 level, but imports from Europe were up by 22%. The last Secretary of State would not take any action to reduce the barriers to trading with Europe and, indeed, cut the funding for business groups to back British exporters. After the economic car crash that she and the rest of the Government caused last month, is it not time that this Secretary of State took a different approach?
I disagree with the hon. Gentleman. We are doing everything we can to support businesses. He will know that 2019 was before the pandemic, so of course we recognise that supply chain issues have had an impact on exports. I have been referring to this throughout today's questions session. We have an export support service, and plenty of support in place to assist businesses trading across Europe and the rest of the world.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide specific actions or changes in approach compared to predecessor
We Are Doing Everything We Can To Support Businesses
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Q4
Partial Answer
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Exports of cars and car parts are still significantly down as a result of trade barriers, and many small businesses have stopped exporting to Europe.
I am sorry that the Secretary of State continues to take such a complacent attitude to trade with Europe. This is not just about food and drink; recent data shows that exports of cars and car parts are still significantly down as a result of the trade barriers, and many hundreds of small businesses which were exporting to Europe, according to His Majesty's Revenue and Customs, have simply stopped doing so. The Secretary of State's own colleague, the Under-Secretary of State for Justice, the hon. Member for Finchley and Golders Green (Mike Freer)—a former exports Minister—has said that businesses which want to export are simply not getting enough support to do so.
Given the desperate need for growth following the kamikaze Budget that the Secretary of State backed last month, can she tell the House whether there will be more or less support for British exports after the Chancellor's fiscal statement?
Given the desperate need for growth following the kamikaze Budget that the Secretary of State backed last month, can she tell the House whether there will be more or less support for British exports after the Chancellor's fiscal statement?
It amazes me that, even now, Brexit is still being blamed for everything. It is about time that the Opposition, who call other people complacent, paid attention to what is going on in the world and got off their personal hobby-horses. On car manufacturing, there is an issue with battery supply from the US, as everybody knows. We are doing everything that we can to support companies in getting the parts that they need. The export support service is doing a fantastic job, and I commend the officials who work in it.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not address the specific ask about more or less support for British exports after the Chancellor's fiscal statement
Blaming The Opposition
Saying Everything Is Being Done To Support Businesses
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Q5
Direct Answer
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Courier companies are demanding payment of duty on goods from the European Union.
When couriers demand payment of duty on goods from the European Union, with which we have a free trade agreement, are we being ripped off?
Items moving between countries normally attract customs duty and import VAT, but my right hon. Friend will know that the trade and co-operation agreement means that there will be no customs duty on goods moving between Great Britain and the EU if the goods meet rules of origin. Delivery companies may charge their clients handling fees for moving products internationally, but the Government do not have control over those charges, which are a commercial matter.
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Q6
Partial Answer
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The Scottish Parliament would be unlikely to ratify a free trade agreement without a standard human rights clause.
The Scottish Parliament would be unlikely to ratify a free trade agreement that did not include a standard human rights clause, such as the one that the European Union insists on. The Government seem to have ditched those human rights clauses. Should not trade policy reflect the policies and requirements of all the constituent parts of the United Kingdom, not just those of the Westminster Government?
The hon. and learned Lady raises the important issue of human rights, but the UK Government engage around the world in defence of human rights, as she will be well aware from all her interactions in this place. The Scottish National party has always opposed EU trade deals, and the deals that she mentions that include human rights clauses were opposed by the Scottish National party in Brussels. It is a bit rich to say that EU trade deals are great but UK ones are not when she has opposed every single EU trade deal.
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Accusing The Opposition Of Opposing All Eu Trade Deals
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Q7
Partial Answer
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Andrew Dennison, founder of The Brilliant SOUK and Huxters in Dunstable, aims to grow exports via Amazon.
I met Andrew Dennison who is looking to export more through Amazon. What more can the Government do to help businesses large and small utilise e-commerce for exporting?
Businesses can access advice and support through the Department's digital exporting programme, which partners with over 50 global marketplaces including Amazon in more than 20 countries.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not specify additional new measures or funding for supporting e-commerce exports beyond existing programmes
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Q8
Partial Answer
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Context
The effectiveness of trade sanctions in weakening repressive regimes, such as Russia.
What discussions has the Secretary of State had with international counterparts on deploying economic sanctions effectively against Iran?
Discussions take place across Government, including with Foreign Office Ministers and at official level. We are looking closely at deploying effective trade sanctions against repressive regimes like Iran.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide specific details of the discussions or plans for sanction deployment
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Q9
Direct Answer
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Context
Opportunities in the technology and medical sectors with Israel.
What progress has been made on a trade deal with Israel focusing on technology and medical sectors?
Negotiations for an upgraded, innovation-focused free trade agreement were completed in September. The deal will cement our relationship with a rapidly growing economy.
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Q10
Partial Answer
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The Northern Ireland protocol posing a significant trade barrier for farming and businesses.
What discussions have been undertaken with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to ensure smooth and frictionless trade for Northern Irish farmers?
Frequent engagements take place with organisations like the Ulster Farmers Union. Interests of Northern Irish exporters are represented in all relevant discussions.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide specifics on reducing trade barriers or detailed progress on addressing them
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Q11
Direct Answer
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Context
The UK is the world's third largest exporter of lamb, with significant interest in the CPTPP agreement.
Will the interests of British food and farming, particularly the lamb industry, be prioritised during the CPTPP negotiations?
CPTPP removes tariffs from 99.9% of UK goods, including key markets in Asia. DIT is engaging on selling British lamb into the far east as part of this agreement.
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Q12
Partial Answer
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Assessment of recent trends in services trade with the EU.
What assessment have Ministers made of services trade trends with the EU, and what steps are being taken to increase this trade?
There are ongoing discussions. Last month, I met my Dutch counterpart who brought over a trade delegation for improving UK's services exports.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide specific details of the assessment or concrete steps beyond mentioning meetings with counterparts
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Q13
Direct Answer
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Activities to support British farming and exports on Back British Farming Day.
Beyond existing trade deals, what more can be done to support British farmers interested in exporting their products?
There is a huge gap in knowledge on how to export. We want to provide additional information and support for British farmers, especially regarding exporting dairy products.
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Q14
Direct Answer
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Concerns about potential lowering of food and animal welfare standards due to the pursuit of trade deals.
Can Ministers guarantee that no chlorine-washed chicken or hormone-fed beef will be imported as a result of trade deals?
Nothing in any free trade agreement alters or reduces UK food and animal welfare standards. We continue to negotiate with Brussels and the UK, unlike SNP which does not support them.
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Q15
Partial Answer
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The Government has backed a strategy by the NFU to increase agricultural exports by 30% through a 10-point plan. This follows successes in opening new beef and lamb markets around the world.
We heard earlier about our great success in opening up new beef and lamb markets around the world. Earlier this year the Government backed a strategy launched by the NFU to increase agricultural exports by 30% through a 10-point plan. Will the Secretary of State confirm that the Government will continue to work with the NFU to land that 10-point plan to grow British agricultural exports?
Yes, I am very happy to continue working with the NFU. We, of course, have our own 12-point export strategy plan; I am sure that there is a lot of overlap between the two, but we are all trying to get to the same place, and I am happy to reassure my hon. Friend on that.
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Assessment & feedback
Did not confirm directly working with the NFU's 10-point plan
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Q16
Partial Answer
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Context
There are criticisms from Saxo bank that the UK is an 'emerging market country', and a US trade official describing UK trade policy as a disaster.
My hon. Friend the Member for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey (Drew Hendry) listed the litany of issues with the Government's approach to trade deals. I mentioned Saxo bank's assessment of the UK as an “emerging market country”, and with a US trade official describing UK trade policy as a disaster, why does the Secretary of State think the standing of the UK has fallen so far in the eyes of the world?
It is simply untrue that the standing of the UK has fallen anywhere close to where the hon. Gentleman says it has. We are committed to doing trade deals; in fact, this Government have done a record amount of them and are continuing to negotiate, not least on the CPTPP and with others to increase British trade around the world.
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Assessment & feedback
The question about UK's standing being downgraded was not directly addressed; instead, denied that it had fallen
Denial Of The Issue
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Q17
Partial Answer
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During International Trade questions, participation from various parties was noted but limited from the official Opposition.
During this hour of International Trade questions, we have had participation from SNP Members, independent Members, Democratic Unionist party Members and Liberal Democrats, but the official Opposition, for most of the period, have had two Back Benchers here. Does the Secretary of State agree that that must mean that the official Opposition approve of what we are doing so much—
Yes. [Laughter.]
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Assessment & feedback
Did not provide a substantive answer to the question about the official Opposition's support for international trade policies
Short, Non-Committal Response
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