Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2023 to Question 119982 on Iron and Steel: Russia, if she will take steps to prevent steel exported from Russia from entering the UK through third countries.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK Government does not speculate on future sanctions measures as to do so could reduce their impact. We will continue to apply pressure against Putin and his regime, until Ukraine prevails, or Putin ends his war of choice.
I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave him on 17 January 2023, UIN 119982, for further detail on the measures on iron and steel taken to date.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether her Department has made an estimate of the volumes of Russian steel potentially entering the UK after being processed in third countries.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I refer the Honourable Member to the answer I gave him on 17 January 2023, UIN 119982.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what estimate her Department has made of the volume of Russian steel entering the UK via third countries.
Answered by Andrew Bowie - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine the UK has announced an unprecedented package of measures to cut off the funding for Putin’s war machine. This includes targeting steel products, a key revenue source for Russia, where we have banned the import of all finished steel and implemented tariff increases of 35 percentage points on all steel from Russia. Since April, the UK has imported no steel defined as finished or semi-finished directly from Russia.
The Government recognises that any circumvention of sanctions measures through third countries undermines their wider impact. We are working alongside international partners to build an evidence basis of any such activity.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to the Minister for Trade policy's oral contribution of 21 April, to Question 23, if she will publish a copy of any written offer to the TUC to join the Trade Advisory Board.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
It is not practice to publish such correspondence but the Hon. Gentleman is mistaken as to the meeting and offer in question.
It is a matter of public record that the General Secretary and Deputy General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC) have seats on the Department’s Trade Union Advisory Group and Strategic Trade Advisory Group respectively.
Following the TUC’s request, the Department has offered a number of seats on Trade Advisory Groups (TAGs) for representatives of trades unions, but the TUC have not taken up these seats yet.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment her Department has made of the impact on the steel industry of removing Russia’s entitlement to Most Favoured Nation tariff.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
On 25 March, the government implemented increased tariff duties on a number of goods originating in Russia and Belarus. These measures are a necessary response to Putin’s continued assault on Ukraine.
Careful analysis was conducted across government to identify relevant products. The government looked at relevant considerations, including balancing the impacts on the UK economy against wider objectives.
UK steel producers which sourced materials from Russia are changing to alternative sources and are doing all they can to mitigate supply chain disruption. Producers are showing great resilience in these challenging circumstances. We are continuing to work with companies to monitor impacts.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what progress has been made on ensuring the removal of section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminium imports in the US.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Following two months of intensive discussions, the UK secured an expansive removal of Section 232 tariffs on UK steel and aluminium exports to the US on 22 March. The solution reached with the US is bespoke for the UK and reflects the needs and interests of our steel and aluminium industries.
From 1 June 2022, the US will replace its Section 232 tariffs on certain UK exports of steel and aluminium with “tariff-rate quotas” (TRQs). This re-opens tariff-free access to the US market back to levels before section 232 tariffs up to a specified volume. This will bring welcome relief to the UK steel and aluminium industries which support the jobs of around 80,000 people across the UK supply chain.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether the Government plans to prohibit imports of Russian-made steel in the context of Russia's actions in Ukraine.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
In lockstep with our allies, we are introducing the largest and most severe economic sanctions that Russia has ever faced, to help cripple Putin’s war machine. Following the G7 statement of Friday 11 March, the UK will deny Russia’s entitlement to Most Favoured Nation tariff access on key products, including steel.
As you know, we do not speculate on future sanctions. However, we have made clear that will continue to apply pressure on Putin’s regime.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent assessment she has made of the (a) national and (b) international potential merits of introducing a TRIPS waiver in respect of covid-19 related (i) vaccines and (ii) vaccine technology.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
Whilst HM Government has not seen evidence that Intellectual Property (IP) is a barrier to the production or supply of COVID-19 goods, including vaccines, we will continue to engage constructively in debates at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Council and other international institutions to promote affordable and equitable global access to COVID-19 vaccines for all.
The United Kingdom affirmed this commitment in the G7 Trade Ministers’ communique of 22nd October, which notes our determination to achieve an impactful outcome on trade and health, including how the international IP framework can best support the WTO’s pandemic response.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if she will publish the letter from British High Commissioner to Malaysia, Charles Hay MVO, to her Department of 17 June 2020 regarding labour concerns within Malaysia's glove industry.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The UK takes allegations of labour exploitation in supply chains extremely seriously. On 26 March 2020 we became the first country to publish a Government Modern Slavery Statement setting out the steps we have taken to prevent modern slavery and incentivise responsible business conduct in our supply chains. This Government is committed to ensuring that our trade policy is consistent with our international obligations. We are clear that more trade does not have to come at the expense of human rights.
Advice from civil servants to ministers is not routinely published.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to the US-EU agreement on steel and aluminium announced on 30 October 2021, what (a) assessment she has made of the implications of that agreement for British steel producers and (b) steps she is taking to ensure UK manufacturers have the same access to the US market as their European competitors.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The US-EU deal on the application of Section 232 tariffs comes into effect from 1 January. Following their announcement, the US issued a statement reflecting our ongoing discussions with each other on this issue and committing to resume talks with the UK. In preparation, we continue to work closely with the steel and aluminium industries to understand the implications of the US-EU deal. Any deal that the UK secures with the US must work for the steel and aluminium sectors.