Topical Questions

Answer from Kemi Badenoch

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.

Answer from Greg Hands

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.

Answer from Kemi Badenoch

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.

Answer from Kemi Badenoch

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.

Answer from Kemi Badenoch

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.

Answer from Greg Hands

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.

Answer from Andrew Bowie

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.

Answer from Kemi Badenoch

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.

Answer from Nigel Huddleston

Negotiations for an upgraded, innovation-focused free trade agreement were completed in September. The deal will cement our relationship with a rapidly growing economy.

Answer from Greg Hands

Frequent engagements take place with organisations like the Ulster Farmers Union. Interests of Northern Irish exporters are represented in all relevant discussions.

Answer from Greg Hands

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.

Answer from Kemi Badenoch

There are ongoing discussions. Last month, I met my Dutch counterpart who brought over a trade delegation for improving UK's services exports.

Answer from Kemi Badenoch

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.

Answer from Greg Hands

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.

Answer from Kemi Badenoch

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.

Answer from Andrew Bowie

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.

Answer from Kemi Badenoch

Yes. [Laughter.]