Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Export Barriers for Food and Farming Businesses

Thursday 9 February 2023 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Department removed 192 export barriers for food and farming businesses across 79 countries up to March 2022.
  • The Department's Export Academy and Export Support Service offer modules and advice for companies to enter international markets.
  • The Government plans to place eight new dedicated UK agrifood and drink attachs in key markets to support export growth.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Sheryll Murray Con
Business & Trade Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The MP asked about recent progress on reducing export barriers for UK food and farming businesses.

Question

What recent progress her Department has made on tackling export barriers for food and farming businesses. I am concerned about the barriers faced by these sectors in accessing international markets.

Answer from Kevin Hollinrake

Over the financial year up to March 2022, we did away with 192 barriers across 79 countries, including by opening up markets for UK poultry meat in Japan, and for UK pork in Mexico—a market that will be worth £50 million to UK pork producers in the first five years of trade. Cornwall is home to fantastic British produce, such as Cornish yarg and clotted cream, which are promoted and recognised around the globe through the GREAT Britain and Northern Ireland campaign.

Answered
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Q2 Sheryll Murray Con
Business & Trade Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The MP asked about additional support for small food and drink businesses in accessing international markets.

Question

What more can the Department do to help these small businesses access the widest possible market? South East Cornwall farmers are rightly proud of their excellent produce. I have to mention Cornish blue and Cornish Gouda, which are made in my constituency.

Answer from Kevin Hollinrake

Our Export Academy delivers specialist food and drink modules to get companies started, and our Export Support Service can answer questions on export markets in Europe. Companies can access our network of international trade advisers across England, and the Department has teams in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

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Q3 Nia Griffith Lab Llanelli
Business & Trade
Context

The MP asked about the progress of agrifood and drink attachés in helping UK SMEs find new export markets.

Question

It is over a year since the announcement of eight additional agrifood and drink attachés. Given that there was yet another gloomy report from the British Chambers of Commerce last month, which said that three quarters of SMEs anticipated zero or negative export growth this year, help is certainly needed. Will the Minister tell us what specialist training the attachés have completed on food and drink regulation in the relevant countries? How many UK SMEs have they helped to find new markets, and what is the value of any new exports that they have secured?

Answer from Kevin Hollinrake

I am very happy to engage with the hon. Lady on that question, which had a number of other questions within it. As she knows, we have staff in more than 100 markets, and are building our existing attaché roles in China, Japan and the Gulf region. The Government are placing eight new dedicated UK agriculture, food and drink attachés in growth markets such as the US, Canada, Africa, India, South America, Brazil and Mexico.

Partly answered

Not addressed: specific training details and number of SMEs helped

How: I Am Very Happy To Engage With The Hon. Lady On That Question, Which Had A Number Of Other Questions Within It.

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