Written Statements
(3 weeks, 1 day ago)
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UK-Switzerland Free Trade Agreement Negotiations
(3 weeks, 1 day ago)
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The Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security (Mr Douglas Alexander)
The fifth round of negotiations on an enhanced free trade agreement with Switzerland took place in London between 14 and 18 October 2024.
The talks were the UK’s first with the Swiss since the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, my right hon. Friend the Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (Jonathan Reynolds) announced the Government’s intention to deliver the UK’s FTA negotiations programme in July.
Economic growth is our first mission in Government and FTAs have an important role to play in achieving this. A stronger trade relationship with Switzerland will contribute to growth, jobs and prosperity in the UK, providing long-term certainty on UK business travel to Switzerland and helping data and ideas flow seamlessly between two world-leading services powerhouses. Total trade between the UK and Switzerland was worth £50.8 billion in 2023.
Talks continue to be constructive, with both countries working towards agreeing ambitious outcomes in key areas, including services, investment and digital. The talks will facilitate UK-Swiss co-operation in areas of mutual interest that support growth.
UK negotiators made good progress in this round and covered almost all areas of the negotiation, including but not limited to:
Services, investment and digital
Productive discussions were held on key technical issues, as we work towards consolidated chapter structures and texts. This will allow us to continue to have further technical discussions on remaining issues—including but not limited to digital and business mobility—and move towards economically and commercially meaningful market access proposals.
Intellectual property
Talks continued to advance, this round, on a number of technical rights areas, building on the existing high standards in international fora and in our respective domestic regimes.
Government procurement
Overall, constructive progress has been made on chapter text that builds upon the World Trade Organisation agreement on government procurement, of which we are both members. Discussions on economically and commercially meaningful market access continue.
Innovation
Negotiators continued discussions on ways to future-proof an enhanced FTA, given the rapidly changing nature of the global economy and the need to respond and adapt to the trade opportunities and challenges that arise from innovation.
Goods, trade facilitation and regulatory environment
Negotiators exchanged market access offers on goods, with the aim of achieving commercially meaningful outcomes. Discussions continued on technical issues regarding the movement of goods between the UK and Switzerland.
Negotiators also covered issues relating to the overall functioning of an upgraded agreement, as well as areas of future co-operation.
The Government will only ever sign a trade agreement which aligns with the UK’s national interests, upholding our high standards across a range of sectors, including protections for the national health service.
Round six of negotiations is expected to take place in Switzerland in early 2025. The Government will continue to work towards delivering outcomes in the FTA that secure economic growth for the UK, and will update Parliament on the progress of discussions with Switzerland as they continue to develop.
[HCWS173]
Tax Credit, Child Benefit and Guardian's Allowance Rates
(3 weeks, 1 day ago)
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The Chief Secretary to the Treasury (Darren Jones)
The Tax Credits Act 2002 and the Social Security Administration Act 1992 place a statutory duty on His Majesty’s Treasury to review the rates of tax credits and child benefit each year in line with the general level of prices. There is a further statutory duty on the Treasury to increase guardian’s allowance in line with price growth. I have now concluded the review for the tax year 2025-26.
I have decided to increase child benefit rates in line with the consumer prices index for the year to September 2024, which is 1.7%. Guardian’s allowance will also increase by the same rate. This means that, from 7 April 2025:
The child benefit rate for the eldest child will increase from £25.60 to £26.05 per week;
The child benefit rate for other children will increase from £16.95 to £17.25 per week;
Guardian’s allowance will increase from £21.75 to £22.10 per week.
I have determined that there will be no need for changes to tax credits rates in the tax year 2025-26, as there will be no tax credits awards after 5 April 2025.
The new rates will apply across the United Kingdom. I will deposit the full list of these rates in the House Libraries shortly.
[HCWS174]
State Pension and Benefit Rates
(3 weeks, 1 day ago)
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The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Liz Kendall)
I have concluded my statutory annual review of state pension and benefit rates under the Social Security Administration Act 1992. The new rates will apply in the tax year 2025-26 and will mainly come into effect from 7 April 2025.
I am pleased to announce that the basic and new state pensions, and the standard minimum guarantee in pension credit, will be increased by 4.1%, in line with the increase in average weekly earnings in the year to May-July 2024.
This demonstrates our commitment to supporting pensioners, by protecting the triple lock, which benefits over 12 million pensioners. From April, the full yearly rate of the new state pension will increase by over £470.
Other state pension and benefit rates covered by my statutory review will be increased by 1.7%, in line with the increase in the consumer prices index in the year to September 2024.
This includes universal credit and other benefits; statutory payments linked to participation in the labour market; and additional state pension and pension credit elements other than the standard minimum guarantee.
These increases will apply across Great Britain.
In England and Wales, personal independence payment and other benefits to help with additional needs arising from disability, and the rate of carer’s allowance, will also increase by 1.7%. In Scotland, these are devolved matters.
All of social security, including state pensions, is a transferred matter in Northern Ireland.
I will place the full list of proposed state pension and benefit rates for 2025-26 in the Libraries of both Houses in due course.
Although not covered by my statutory review of state pension and benefit rates, I can also inform the House that local housing allowance rates for 2025-26 will be maintained at the 2024-25 levels, following their increase in April 2024; and that the benefit cap has not been reviewed for 2025-26 and will also be maintained at the 2024-25 levels.
[HCWS175]
BAE Systems Barrow Incident
(3 weeks, 1 day ago)
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The Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry (Maria Eagle)
On 30 October 2024, there was a fire in a submarine construction facility, the Devonshire Dock Hall (DDH) at the submarine build yard run by BAE Systems in Barrow-in-Furness.
The fire started shortly after midnight on Wednesday morning. BAE Systems implemented its emergency response plan, which moved fully to the recovery phase at 1 pm the same day. I can confirm that at no point was there any nuclear risk from this fire.
Seven BAE Systems personnel were taken to hospital following the initial fire as a precautionary measure and all have now been released.
Once the area has been made safe a formal fire investigation will take place to establish the root cause of the fire and the extent of the damage. Until this occurs it is too soon to give a precise assessment of what, if any, impact there will be on any BAE Systems capabilities or submarine build projects. Ministers continue to engage closely with BAE Systems.
Barrow is the historic home of submarine building in the UK and this Government are committed to delivering the plan for Barrow, creating economic opportunity and delivering the nuclear deterrent as part of our national endeavour.
I would like to make a special mention of the emergency services, including those of BAE Systems and Cumbria, whose professionalism and highly effective response safe- guarded the local population and helped put this fire out.
[HCWS176]