Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help increase the (a) volume and( b) value of trade between the United Kingdom and Greece.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Reinvigorating the UK’s relationship with our European partners is a priority for this Government.
The Prime Minister met with his Greek counterpart in December, when both underlined the importance of the bilateral relationship, and agreed that there were opportunities to deliver further trade and investment for both countries. HM Trade Commissioner for Europe’s visit to Athens in October 2024 also served to strengthen engagement with industry stakeholders.
My officials continue to work to identify opportunities for UK businesses and address barriers to trade with Greece.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when he plans to appoint country-specific trade envoys.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The House will be notified of any Trade Envoy appointments in due course.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help increase the (a) volume and (b) value of trade between the UK and Norway.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The United Kingdom is committed to our strong trading relationship with Norway. The Prime Minister signed a Joint Declaration with Norway on our strategic partnership in December 2024. This declaration reaffirms our commitment to working together and using existing structures under the UK-EEA/EFTA Free Trade Agreement to identify further opportunities to increase the volume and value of our trade.
The Secretary of State for Business and Trade recently met with his Norwegian counterpart, and officials held the third UK-EEA/EFTA Joint Committee trade meeting in December 2024 where they discussed how we can remove barriers and grow our trading relationship.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help increase the (a) volume and (b) value of trade between the UK and Indonesia.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Indonesia is an emerging economic powerhouse where UK companies see significant opportunities, particularly in renewable energy, infrastructure, education and health. In November 2024 the Prime Minister and President Prabowo of Indonesia agreed to work towards a new Indonesia-UK Economic Growth Partnership to drive increased trade and investment.
The UK will also support Indonesia to deliver the reforms needed to join the OECD, which should address business environment issues to further increase trade and investment opportunities.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help increase the (a) volume and (b) value of trade between the UK and Namibia.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade, and UK Export Finance, has officials throughout our Embassy network in Africa to support businesses where there are commercial opportunities. Additionally, the Developing Countries Trading Scheme, which entered into force in June 2023, makes it simpler and more beneficial for African countries (including Tanzania and Malawi) to export goods to the UK. The UK-Southern African Customs Union and Mozambique (SACUM) and UK-Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) are development-focused free trade agreements that underpin UK goods trade with Botswana, Namibia (SACUM) and Zimbabwe (ESA).
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help increase the (a) volume and (b) value of trade between the UK and Zimbabwe.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade, and UK Export Finance, has officials throughout our Embassy network in Africa to support businesses where there are commercial opportunities. Additionally, the Developing Countries Trading Scheme, which entered into force in June 2023, makes it simpler and more beneficial for African countries (including Tanzania and Malawi) to export goods to the UK. The UK-Southern African Customs Union and Mozambique (SACUM) and UK-Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) are development-focused free trade agreements that underpin UK goods trade with Botswana, Namibia (SACUM) and Zimbabwe (ESA).
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help increase the (a) volume and (b) value of trade between the UK and Tanzania.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade, and UK Export Finance, has officials throughout our Embassy network in Africa to support businesses where there are commercial opportunities. Additionally, the Developing Countries Trading Scheme, which entered into force in June 2023, makes it simpler and more beneficial for African countries (including Tanzania and Malawi) to export goods to the UK. The UK-Southern African Customs Union and Mozambique (SACUM) and UK-Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) are development-focused free trade agreements that underpin UK goods trade with Botswana, Namibia (SACUM) and Zimbabwe (ESA).
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help increase the (a) volume and (b) value of trade between the UK and Botswana.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade, and UK Export Finance, has officials throughout our Embassy network in Africa to support businesses where there are commercial opportunities. Additionally, the Developing Countries Trading Scheme, which entered into force in June 2023, makes it simpler and more beneficial for African countries (including Tanzania and Malawi) to export goods to the UK. The UK-Southern African Customs Union and Mozambique (SACUM) and UK-Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) are development-focused free trade agreements that underpin UK goods trade with Botswana, Namibia (SACUM) and Zimbabwe (ESA).
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help increase the (a) volume and (b) value of trade between the UK and Malawi.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade, and UK Export Finance, has officials throughout our Embassy network in Africa to support businesses where there are commercial opportunities. Additionally, the Developing Countries Trading Scheme, which entered into force in June 2023, makes it simpler and more beneficial for African countries (including Tanzania and Malawi) to export goods to the UK. The UK-Southern African Customs Union and Mozambique (SACUM) and UK-Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) are development-focused free trade agreements that underpin UK goods trade with Botswana, Namibia (SACUM) and Zimbabwe (ESA).
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help increase the (a) volume and (b) value of trade between the UK and Japan.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We continue to discuss with Japan how to improve our bilateral trade, including through implementation and utilisation of the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). For example, last year we secured Geographical Indication status protection for 76 additional British food and drink products in Japan.
At the G20 Summit last November, the UK and Japan Prime Ministers also announced a new ministerial level Economic 2+2 dialogue to advance bilateral trade and discuss geopolitical issues which are vital to economic growth in both countries.