Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to make a free trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council conditional on improvements in those countries’ human rights, including the release of high-profile political prisoners.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
The Gulf Cooperation Council is a major trading partner of the United Kingdom, with an overall trade relationship worth £30.3 billion in 2020. On 8th October, HM Government opened a public consultation, requesting input from consumers, businesses, and civil society to help us craft a deal that levels up our nation.
HM Government is clear that more trade need not come at the expense of our values. The United Kingdom will continue to show global leadership in encouraging all states to uphold international rights and responsibilities.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether human rights were discussed at the meeting between UK Government Ministers, the Gulf Cooperation Council General Secretary, and the representative of the government of Bahrain, Hamad Bin Salman Al Khalifa, on 7 October in London.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
On 8th October, my Rt. hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade and my hon Friend the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, the Minister for International Trade, met with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary General H.E. Dr. Nayef Falah M. Al-Hajraf and the GCC Chief Negotiator H.E. Abdulrahman Al Harbi. The Bahraini Commerce Minister H.E. Zayed bin Rashid Alzayani joined by telephone, to represent Bahrain as the current holder of the GCC presidency.
The meeting focused on British and the GCC ambition to launch Free Trade Agreement negotiations in 2022. Both sides welcomed HM Government’s launch of a public consultation, to seek views from consumers, businesses and civil society, to help us craft a deal that levels up our nation.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of all soy sauce that was imported into the UK in 2019 was from (1) the EU, and (2) Japan.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
In 2019 the percentage of UK imports of soy(a) sauce from (1) the EU was 47.5% and (2) Japan was 14.9%.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the tariff for soy sauce entering the UK from Japan under existing EU trade arrangements; and what the tariff will be under the UK-Japan trade deal.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
The tariff for soy(a) sauce entering the UK under the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) is 0%.
The tariff for soy(a) sauce entering the UK under the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) will be 0%.
Had the UK not signed the agreement, the tariff for soy(a) sauce entering the UK under the UK Global Tariff (UKGT) would have been 6%.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the former International Trade Secretary, the Rt Hon Liam Fox MP, sought advice as to how to manage any perceived conflicts of interest arising from Ayman Asfari’s political donations, before he wrote a letter, whilst International Trade Secretary, to the Bahraini Crown Prince lobbying on behalf of Mr Asfari's company Petrofac.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
Advice was sought following the launch of the Serious Fraud Office investigation into Petrofac in May 2017 and that advice was followed by the Department. All dealings with the company have been according to normal departmental protocols.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government why they have suspended the issuance of new export licences for the sale of arms to Bahrain.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government is carefully considering the implications of the Court of Appeal judgment of 20 June for decision making. While we do this, we will not grant any new licences for exports to Saudi Arabia and its coalition partners (UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain and Egypt) for possible use in the conflict in Yemen. We disagree with the judgment and are seeking permission to appeal.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to halt the sale of arms to Saudi Arabia following the confirmation of the cause of death of Jamal Khashoggi.
Answered by Baroness Fairhead
The situation in Saudi Arabia is kept under careful review and decisions are made on a case by case basis.
Export licence applications are carefully assessed against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria. A licence would not be granted if to do so was inconsistent with the Criteria. The policy remains as announced to parliament in a Written Ministerial Statement on 25 March 2014: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmhansrd/cm140325/wmstext/140325m0001.htm#14032566000018 .
The key test for the Government for our continued military exports to Saudi Arabia in relation to International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is whether there is a clear risk that those items might be used in the commission of a serious violation of IHL.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what risks they highlighted in their due diligence on the Sichuan Guodong Construction Group; and what information about those risks they then passed on to Sheffield City Council in the light of their investment deal with that Group.
Answered by Baroness Fairhead
In 2015 UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) considered the development track record and market capital of Sichuan Guodong Construction Group Corporation Limited, the parent company, and Sichuan Guodong Construction Ltd, a listed subsidiary company on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, in relation to their ability to make significant investments in Sheffield. This included a recommendation from the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China that Wang Chunming, chairman of both companies, was included in the business delegation alongside President Xi for his October 2015 State Visit to the UK.
This consideration of this group of companies was in conjunction with UKTI taking a role in supporting the relationship that had emerged between this group of companies and Sheffield City Council.
On 28th June 2016 a co-operation signing document was signed between Sichuan Guodong Construction Group Corporation Ltd (the parent company) and Sheffield City Council.
In 2015 UKTI did not identify undue risks when considering whether they should take a role in supporting the relationship that had emerged between the Sichuan Guodong group of companies and Sheffield City Council. Therefore no risks were identified to Sheffield City Council.
Asked by: Lord Scriven (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Sichuan Guodong Construction Group in relationship to the Sheffield City Council investment deal with that Group.
Answered by Baroness Fairhead
In 2015 UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) considered the development track record and market capital of Sichuan Guodong Construction Group Corporation Limited, the parent company, and Sichuan Guodong Construction Ltd, a listed subsidiary company on the Shanghai Stock Exchange, in relation to their ability to make significant investments in Sheffield. This included a recommendation from the Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China that Wang Chunming, chairman of both companies, was included in the business delegation alongside President Xi for his October 2015 State Visit to the UK.
This consideration of this group of companies was in conjunction with UKTI taking a role in supporting the relationship that had emerged between this group of companies and Sheffield City Council.
On 28th June 2016 a co-operation signing document was signed between Sichuan Guodong Construction Group Corporation Ltd (the parent company) and Sheffield City Council.
In 2015 UKTI did not identify undue risks when considering whether they should take a role in supporting the relationship that had emerged between the Sichuan Guodong group of companies and Sheffield City Council. Therefore no risks were identified to Sheffield City Council.