Iran Detainees

Debate between Alistair Carmichael and Elizabeth Truss

Wednesday 16th March 2022 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

My hon. Friend is right to pay tribute to the family, to Richard Ratcliffe for all his campaigning work and to our negotiating team, who have worked day in, day out, including in Tehran and Muscat, to get this done—that has been really important.

The future of Iran is a choice for the Iranian Government. We do not want to see Iran acquire a nuclear weapon; we want to see a world in which Iran plays a more positive role. Of course, we will work to encourage a more positive trajectory.

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

I thank the Foreign Secretary for her welcome words on arbitrary detention, which go to the heart of it. Of course, arbitrary detention is not the sole preserve of Iran. It is also a common practice in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where it is reported that there were a further three executions today while the Prime Minister was in the country. Can the Foreign Secretary give me some assurance that we will pursue the issue of arbitrary detention and other human rights abuses with equal vigour wherever we find them?

[Elizabeth Truss]

We approach our relations with all countries without fear or favour. We are prepared to be honest with countries about human rights practices, which is exactly what the Prime Minister has been doing on his visit. It is important that we engage with Saudi Arabia. We have a major issue, as everyone in this House knows, with a very aggressive Russia threatening European and, indeed, global security, and we need to work with other countries to find alternative sources of oil and gas. It is important that we deal with everybody.

Sanctions

Debate between Alistair Carmichael and Elizabeth Truss

Monday 28th February 2022 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

I am looking very closely at this with my colleague the Transport Secretary to get it addressed as soon as possible.

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

I have to tell the Foreign Secretary that time is not on her side. The NS Challenger is due to berth at 6 am on Wednesday. In the past hour the Secretary of State for Transport has written to all UK ports requesting them not to grant access to Russian vessels. That is a very welcome move, but the House will have noticed that he used the word “request” rather than “instruct”. Can the Foreign Secretary tell me now, or get me early information, that if the terminal operators at Flotta in Orkney refuse to berth the NS Challenger they will not be left financially exposed as a result?

[Elizabeth Truss]

I am looking at this issue urgently with the Transport Secretary and I will get back to the right hon. Gentleman with that information.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alistair Carmichael and Elizabeth Truss

Thursday 15th April 2021 Commons Chamber

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

What recent discussions she has had with her US counterpart on not re-imposing tariffs on UK exports to the US.

[The Secretary of State for International Trade (Elizabeth Truss)]

I am delighted that the United States responded to our de-escalation of retaliatory tariffs in January and has removed the 25% tariff on Scotch whisky and other products. This is fantastic news for the 50,000 people whose jobs rely on the industry. I am working with Ambassador Tai to get a long-term resolution to the Airbus-Boeing dispute.

[Mr Carmichael]

The Scotch whisky industry is of economic importance to a large number of the most economically fragile communities in the highlands and islands, so I genuinely wish the Secretary of State very well in her endeavours to get the removal of tariffs made permanent. Is the situation that the Prime Minister has created in Northern Ireland helping or hindering the engagement with the Biden Administration?

[Elizabeth Truss]

We are extremely committed to the Good Friday agreement and have had frequent discussions with the Biden Administration. I am having very positive discussions with my counterpart Katherine Tai about resolving the Airbus-Boeing dispute—which has been going on for 16 years—to the benefit of the Scotch whisky industry, other industries throughout the UK and industries such as aerospace, in which we need Airbus to be able to compete.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alistair Carmichael and Elizabeth Truss

Thursday 8th October 2020 Commons Chamber

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

On Monday, farmers from across the whole United Kingdom will be demonstrating in Parliament Square to make the point that, to them, future food standards and animal welfare provisions are essential. Will the Secretary of State join me in meeting them to hear from them at first hand the importance of this?

[Elizabeth Truss]

I have met farmers from right across the United Kingdom, and indeed the Trade and Agriculture Commission that we have set up to advise us on these issues is conducting a series of regional meetings with MPs and farmers to get their views, to make sure that our policy on every free trade deal works for farmers right across the country.

Japan Free Trade Agreement

Debate between Alistair Carmichael and Elizabeth Truss

Monday 14th September 2020 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

My right hon. Friend is right on that, and one important aspect of this deal and our relationship with Japan is that it is a leading free enterprise democracy. We need to be working with like-minded countries, not only to protect free trade across the world, but to make sure trade is fair. That is one of the huge benefits of joining CPTPP: it is a high standards trade agreement of countries that believe in free trade.

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

May I welcome the progress that was made in relation to geographically protected indicators, a number of which come from the northern isles in relation to this deal? The Financial Times article, to which other Members have referred, does say that David Frost is concerned that the Secretary of State has given away more in relation to level-playing field issues than he is offering to the EU. If that is correct, then that is very serious indeed. Will she commit to publishing the state aid clauses now?

[Elizabeth Truss]

I am pleased that the right hon. Gentleman appreciates the new listing of Orkney beef, Orkney lamb and Orkney Scottish Islands cheddar, and I think we also have a Shetland geographical indicator—

[Mr Carmichael]

Shetland wool, which isn’t very tasty.

[Elizabeth Truss]

I am sorry to hear the right hon. Gentleman denigrate foodstuffs from his own constituency. [Hon. Members: “Wool”!] I am sorry but I did not hear him. We are still in the legal scrubbing process with Japan —[Interruption.] That has nothing to do with wool. Once that process is finished, we will be sharing our text with the International Trade Committee, which will then fully analyse it.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Alistair Carmichael and Elizabeth Truss

Wednesday 11th March 2020 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

I certainly agree with the hon. Lady that more transparency is always helpful in highlighting where we need better opportunities for people to get into public life and politics, but we have to recognise that it is partly down to political parties to show that leadership and make that happen within their own organisations.

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

2. What steps the Government is taking to tackle period poverty.