Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Exports: Small and Medium-sized Businesses

Thursday 30 November 2023 · 6 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Government's export support for SMEs includes the export support service, the export academy, more than 400 export champions, a network of nearly 200 trade advisers, and support provided around the world through the international market service.
  • The Minister stated that the UK had 877 billion-worth of exports in the 12 months to the latest data point, challenging a claim about Britain's export growth being among the worst in the G7.
  • The Minister explained that the trade show programme pilot, launched in 2021, was a pilot that did not yield the expected successes, leading to its shelving.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Mohammad Yasin Lab Bedford
Business & Trade
Context

The MP asks about steps to help small and medium-sized businesses export, emphasizing the importance of such initiatives.

Question

What steps she is taking to help small and medium-sized businesses to export. The Government's export support for SMEs includes the export support service; the export academy; more than 400 export champions; our network of nearly 200 trade advisers; and support provided around the world through the international market service.

Answer from Greg Hands

The Government's export support for SMEs includes the export support service; the export academy; more than 400 export champions; our network of nearly 200 trade advisers; and support provided around the world through the international market service. Just last week, my noble Friend the Minister with responsibility for exports announced that UK Export Finance is introducing more flexible fast-track financing for SMEs, making it easier than ever for UK firms to sell into international markets.

Answered
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Q2 Ashley Dalton Lab West Lancashire
Business & Trade
Context

The MP inquires about the export growth of Britain, noting that it is among the worst in G7 economies.

Question

How can such businesses have confidence in the Government's support for SMEs when Britain's export growth is among the worst of the G7 economies and is forecast to be falling? The hon. Lady had a royal visit in her constituency; however, I think she is off on the data. We see that we had £877 billion-worth of exports in the 12 months to the end of September 2023.

Answer from Greg Hands

I certainly welcome the royal visit that the hon. Lady had in her constituency; it is always fantastic to see that support, particularly for exporters. However, I think she is a bit off on the data. When we look at export data, we see that we had £877 billion-worth of exports in the 12 months to the end of September 2023. We are heading towards the £1 trillion export target, and that figure is up by almost £200 billion—or 29%—on the figure from five years ago.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer provided data on current export figures but did not directly address why businesses might lack confidence in government support or how the government plans to improve export growth.

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Q3 Mohammad Yasin Lab Bedford
Business & Trade
Context

The MP inquires about a rebranded trade show programme pilot launched by the government but later shelved.

Question

In 2021, the Government launched a rebranded trade show programme pilot to great fanfare, but between November 2021 and March 2022 only two businesses in the UK were funded under the programme. We now hear that the scheme has been shelved. Will the Minister explain what has happened to that initiative?

Answer from Greg Hands

The last Labour Government were, of course, in office rather a long time ago. It is not always incumbent on successive Governments more than a decade later to keep previous Labour Government schemes going. The scheme to which the hon. Gentleman refers was a pilot, which did not yield the successes that we might have hoped.

Not addressed: The answer shifts focus from addressing why the programme was shelved to discussing past government policies and does not provide specific details about the shelving of the current scheme.

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Q4 Theo Clarke
Business & Trade
Context

The MP inquires about the Africa investment summit next year and seeks confirmation of ongoing support for British businesses to export to Kenya.

Question

As the Prime Minister's trade envoy to Kenya, may I welcome the fact that this week the Government held the successful global investment summit and are taking steps to help British businesses to export? Will the Minister provide an update on the Africa investment summit next year?

Answer from Greg Hands

First, let me commend my hon. Friend for winning “Speech of the Year” at last night's The Spectator parliamentary awards. She has continued her fine form today. She does an amazing job for the country as the Prime Minister's trade envoy to Kenya, and her recent visit in September was a big success.

Not addressed: The answer focuses on praising the MP's work rather than providing specific updates about the Africa investment summit or support measures.

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Q5 Alun Cairns Con
Business & Trade
Context

The MP inquires about progress on a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council and potential bilateral deals.

Question

I welcome my right hon. Friend back to his post. I pay tribute to him and to the Secretary of State for the international trade deals that they have struck during their period in office. What progress is being made on a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council?

Answer from Greg Hands

I am excited by the prospect of the deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council, with which the Secretary of State is very much engaged, and I am looking forward to being re-engaged with it. It is a huge opportunity for us, as the latest figures show that total trade between the UK and the Gulf is worth more than £60 billion.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer provides enthusiasm and general sentiments about the deal but lacks specific progress updates or timelines.

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Q6 Gareth Thomas Labour (Co-op) Harrow West
Business & Trade
Context

The MP inquires about low growth rates of British food and drink exports over the past decade.

Question

According to the International Monetary Fund, over the past decade British food and drink exports, including from SMEs, rose by just 3%, which was the lowest growth of any G7 country. Why will Ministers not share our ambitions for Britain to have the fastest export growth rate of any G7 country?

Answer from Greg Hands

Of course, the hon. Gentleman and I have been around in these jobs for a while. He was possibly the last Trade Minister under the last Labour Government, so I will not be taking lectures from him on how to improve UK exports. We have been financing dozens of global trade missions and we are spending £200 million over the spending review period on exports in general.

Not addressed: The answer criticizes the MP's past role rather than addressing specific concerns about export growth or government actions to improve it.

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