Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of potential (a) challenges in the negotiations on the UK's proposed schedules at the WTO and (b) amendments, financial settlements or other compensatory measures that may be required as a result of those negotiations.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The independent UK goods and services schedules aim to maintain the existing commitments and the balance of rights and obligations between the UK and our trading partners. The UK has formally opened negotiations under Article XXVIII (GATT) on aspects of our goods schedule. We continue to assess the impacts as we seek to conclude negotiations. The appropriate WTO certification procedure for the UK services schedule does not allow for market access or compensation negotiations. We continue to consult with the Russian Federation to see their outstanding objection to technical elements withdrawn. A WTO member can trade on an uncertified schedule whilst working to have its schedule certified.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what progress the UK is making in submitting schedules at the WTO.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK has submitted independent goods and services schedules to the WTO for certification. The UK’s independent goods schedule was circulated on 24 July 2018, and we have now formally opened negotiations under Article XXVIII of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). The UK’s independent services schedule was circulated in December 2018. There is an outstanding objection to the technical elements from the Russian Federation, and we continue to consult with them to see their objection withdrawn. A WTO member can trade on an uncertified schedule, whilst working to have its schedule certified.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps her Department has taken to identify potential export markets for UK renewables; and which countries have been identified for future trade missions with representatives from the renewables industry.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department for International Trade works with UK suppliers, foreign Governments, sector focussed trade associations and procuring authorities to identify potential export markets for the renewable energy sectors. Understanding the UK’s capability and matching it with relevant high value export opportunities overseas forms part of the work of our renewable energy sector team.
The Department is currently organising a trade mission to Indonesia in late March, focusing on the waste sector. The programme of activity for the next financial year has not yet been finalised and it will be coordinated alongside the programme for the 26th Conference of Parties.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether her Department plans to participate in Environmental Goods Agreement negotiations at the WTO; and what progress has been made in those negotiations to date.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK Government is strongly in favour of seeing negotiations on an Environmental Goods Agreement restart and of playing a key role in them, given the important contribution this agreement would make to tackling climate change. Environmental Goods Agreement negotiations began in the WTO in 2014 but stalled in 2016 due to disagreements in negotiations between prospective signatories.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what estimate she has made of the number of SMEs that have started exporting overseas following support through (a) the Small Deals Initiative and (b) other UK Export Finance support.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Small Deals initiative was set up in October 2017 and supported its first transaction in August 2018. Since then it has supported a further six, with a further one anticipated during the current financial year. Of those deals, 57% have involved Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise (SMEs) exporters.
During the last five financial years, UK Export Finance (UKEF) has supported the following total numbers of exporters:
2018/19 262
2017/18 191
2016/17 221
2015/16 226
Consistently over 70% of businesses directly supported by UKEF are SMEs. In addition, many transactions involving larger businesses further support the UK supply chain, which includes significant numbers of SMEs.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to the WTO ruling of 2 October 2019 on countermeasures in relation to EU subsidies to Airbus, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect of the imposition of tariffs by the US on the level of UK exports to the US.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The tariffs imposed by the US following the 2 October 2019 ruling harm businesses on both sides of the Atlantic. The extent to which these tariff costs will fall onto UK producers will vary by sector and the Department for International Trade is working closely with other departments to monitor the effect of these tariffs on exports to the US. The Government continues to lobby at the highest levels with the US Administration for the removal of the tariffs.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of the effect of support for UK investors to win commercial deals at the UK-Africa Investment Summit on (a) the UK's emission reduction commitments, (b) the UK's priorities at COP26, (c) UK Export Finance's Equator Principles commitments and (d) regional integration and economic cooperation between African nations.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The UK-Africa Investment Summit agreed new lasting partnerships between the UK and African countries to deliver more investment, jobs and growth. This government is committed to tackling climate change and will be targeting ambitious action during our presidency of COP26 this year. The Department for International Trade will continue to promote export and investment opportunities in clean growth sectors.
UK Export Finance rigorously follows the requirements of the OECD Common Approaches and Equator Principles, which set the framework for export credit agencies and international financial institutions in managing environmental, social and human rights risks.
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment her Department has made of the (a) human rights situation in Cambodia and (b) implications for her policies of the decision by the EU to withdraw that country's trade preferences.
Answered by Conor Burns
The Government remains concerned about the human rights situation in Cambodia and continues to use diplomatic channels to urge Cambodia to show progress.
During the transition period the UK will continue to apply unilateral preferences to developing countries in accordance with the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences. At this stage, we have not taken any decision on continuing any EU suspension of Cambodia’s trade preferences at the end of the Transition Period.