Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what progress the Government has made on the recruitment of Export Champions for Northern Ireland.
Answered by Marcus Fysh
The Department for International Trade has recruited six Export Champions for Northern Ireland. Pending final appointment processes, the Export Champions will be announced in due course. Further Export Champions for Northern Ireland may be appointed at a later date.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment her Department has made of the potential effect on the UK agri-food industry of a tariff-free free trade deal with Australia.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK stands to gain from a trade agreement with Australia. The Government will secure reductions in tariffs on UK exports to Australia, saving UK businesses millions of pounds. For example, elimination of 5% tariffs on whisky could bolster Northern Irish Whiskey exports to Australia.
Any deals the Government signs will include protections for the agricultural sector and will not undercut UK farmers or compromise the UK’s high standards.
The Government carried out preliminary scoping assessments for each FTA negotiation, including Australia, which can be found on the Government’s website. A full impact assessment will be published prior to implementation.
Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many trade missions are planned by his Department in the next six months; and how businesses are identified for participation in those missions.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department for International Trade has 131 Trade Missions currently planned over the next six months. Businesses are identified through Trade Associations and our UK-wide business networks.