Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, what steps he plans to take to prevent the potential circumvention of the proposed ban on settlement goods through the trans-shipment, processing and re-export of goods through Israel and third countries.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The measures announced by the Foreign Secretary on 8 September will restrict the import of goods originating in illegal settlements into the UK.
The UK enforces sanctions through a coordinated cross-government approach, with specialist departments and agencies responsible for specific sanctions measures.
Our trade policies are designed to be as effective as possible - UK enforcement effort will be focused on ensuring that goods originating in illegal settlements are not allowed to be imported into the UK. This will be through a coordinated cross-government approach with specialist departments, and agencies responsible for specific sanctions measures.
Where breaches occur, bodies including OFSI (the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation, within HMT), HMRC, DfT, the Home Office, OTSI (the Office of Trade Sanctions Implementation, within BIST) and the NCA can use civil and criminal powers, which range from warnings and civil penalties to prosecution in the most serious cases including powers to confiscate assets held to be the proceeds of crime.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether the retention of existing strategic export licences relating to Israel will be reassessed according to considerations of whether they materially contribute to the occupation of the West Bank.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Government has concluded that Israel's ongoing occupation of Palestinian territory is unlawful. We have already suspended licences for equipment that might be used by the IDF in Gaza. This suspension remains in place. Additionally, we will now refuse all applications for exports that materially contribute to the occupation.
We have also reviewed all extant licences for exports to Israel on the same basis. All licences are maintained under careful and continual review, and we can and will suspend or revoke any that we assess materially contribute to the occupation.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade, whether UK Export Finance will exclude activities connected with the construction, expansion or economic development of settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory from eligibility for its support.
Answered by Blair McDougall - Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade) (Jointly with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
UK Export Finance (UKEF) works in accordance with government policy over sanctions and export licences, wherever they apply. UKEF does not support transactions involving illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. UKEF’s support for transactions in Israel only extends to projects within its internationally recognised borders.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the fulfilment of consumer requirements in the (a) funeral, (b) cremation and (c) burial services sectors.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Minister of State (Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade has not undertaken a separate assessment of consumer requirements in the funeral, cremation and burial services sectors. The Competition and Markets Authority's funerals market investigation identified concerns about consumer outcomes in funeral markets and introduced the Funerals Market Investigation Order 2021 to improve transparency and support informed consumer choice.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what representations he made to his Indian counterpart on the release of Jagtar Singh Johal during his delegation's visit to India.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Secretary of State was in India for a very short period to progress trade discussions only. We continue to raise concerns about Mr Johal’s prolonged detention at every appropriate opportunity with the Government of India, and the Foreign Secretary did so again on her visit on 4th June. We have made clear that faster progress is needed to reach a resolution, including a full investigation into Mr Johal’s allegations of torture.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps the Government is taking to ensure that employers are providing support for women in the workplace with flexible working.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government knows how important flexible working can be to help women with caring responsibilities manage their work and personal commitments. It can also be equally important for carers of vulnerable adults as well as employees with long-term physical or mental health conditions.
That is why the Government, through the Employment Rights Bill, is increasing access to flexible working by making it the default except where not reasonably feasible. These measures will support all employees, including women, to access flexible working. The changes in the Bill will require employers to accept flexible working requests where it is reasonably feasible to do so.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to take steps to disclose UK foreign direct investment holdings in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
The Department for Business and Trade does not hold this information. It is held by the Office for National Statistics.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department plans to exempt trade with the Occupied Palestinian Territories from the free trade agreement being negotiated with Israel.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
The government’s position is clear that Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are illegal under international law
Goods originating from illegal Israeli settlements are not entitled to tariff and trade preferences under either the existing agreement between the UK and Israel or in our agreement with the Palestinian Authority. This will not change in an upgraded free trade agreement with Israel.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has had discussions with D&D London on the closure of 35 TGI Fridays branches.
Answered by Gareth Thomas
We understand that this will be a concerning time for workers at TGI Fridays, and we stand ready to support those impacted. Affected employees will be able to access Government support, including Universal Credit and Job Centre Plus to help them find new jobs, through its Rapid Response Service. DBT officials are monitoring developments and are in touch with administrators.
Asked by: Ayoub Khan (Independent - Birmingham Perry Barr)
Question to the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to support women with flexible working.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Through the recently introduced Employment Rights Bill, we are amending existing legislation to ensure employers accept flexible working requests, except where they are not reasonably feasible. These changes will support employees to access flexible working, including women. We know flexible working is particularly important supporting women who combine work with caring responsibilities.