Oral Answers to Questions

Alistair Carmichael Excerpts

Thursday 11th January 2018 Commons Chamber

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Trade (Graham Stuart)]

I thank my hon. Friend for that question and for all she does to champion Chelmsford exporters, building on her great expertise in the European Parliament and elsewhere.

The Department does huge amounts to support small businesses to export and, as my right hon. Friend the Minister for Trade Policy explained earlier, we are seeing significant success in that regard. Baroness Fairhead recently announced a new great export readiness tool on great.gov.uk to help SMEs better to understand how export-ready they are and what they can do to start exporting or to expand their exporting activity.

[Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland) (LD)]

T6. Given what we know Saudi Arabia to be doing in Yemen, is it appropriate that we should still be selling arms to it?

[Dr Fox]

All arms exports are covered by the consolidated criteria and, as the recent judicial review showed, the Government pay very due attention not just to the letter, but to the spirit of the consolidated criteria.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland) (LD)]

4. What recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Scotland on the Sawers report on Womenomics.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Victoria Atkins)]

The Sawers report highlights many of the issues women face in the workplace. The gender pay gap in Scotland is at a near record low, but it must be eradicated completely. The Minister for Women and Equalities regularly meets Cabinet colleagues to discuss such important issues.

[Mr Carmichael]

The Sawers report was intended to be the start of a road map for the engagement of women in Scotland’s economy and not just an end in itself. I suggest that the Minister would be well advised to meet Professor Sawers to discuss how her report can now be taken forward in government.

[Victoria Atkins]

That is a very pleasant suggestion, and I look forward to meeting Professor Sawers in due course.