Oral Answers to Questions

Damian Hinds Excerpts

Thursday 14th January 2021 Commons Chamber

[Damian Hinds (East Hampshire) (Con)]

What assessment she has made of the export potential in the UK educational technology sector.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Trade (Graham Stuart)]

The latest data gathered from a survey by the British Educational Suppliers Association indicates that UK EdTech exports are worth £170 million a year. That is expected to increase in light of the pandemic, which has lifted demand for EdTech products and services. The UK is well placed to take advantage of this trend as the fourth largest market globally. More important than the market value is the difference that good educational technology can make.

[Damian Hinds [V]]

My hon. Friend will recall that, when we worked together on the international education strategy, EdTech was a key export growth area—and that was before, as he mentions, the focus that the pandemic put on its role. What can be done across Government to maximise the export potential of EdTech for the future?

[Graham Stuart]

My right hon. Friend is quite right. It was in his time as Secretary of State for Education that we built much closer ties between our Departments to make sure we could promote educational exports. He is also right to highlight the pandemic’s impact on EdTech. We are working with BESA, the British Educational Suppliers Association, and the Department for Education, his old Department, on a major EdTech event this month, which will connect companies with overseas buyers.

More activity is planned for later in the year in several key markets, supported by the international trade champion, Sir Steve Smith. That post, of course, came out of the work that my right hon. Friend did to develop the international education strategy. He will be pleased to know that we will soon be launching a refreshed international education strategy, in collaboration with the Department for Education and with the support of other Government Departments, that includes provisions to maximise EdTech’s export potential.

Oral Answers to Questions

Damian Hinds Excerpts

Thursday 19th November 2020 Commons Chamber

[Anthony Browne (South Cambridgeshire) (Con)]

What steps the Government are taking to maintain food and farming standards in future trade agreements.

[Damian Hinds (East Hampshire) (Con)]

What steps the Government are taking to maintain food and farming standards in future trade agreements.

[Duncan Baker (North Norfolk) (Con)]

What steps the Government are taking to maintain food and farming standards in future trade agreements.

--- Later in debate ---

[Greg Hands]

I thank my hon. Friend for that question. He is a reliable supporter of farmers in his constituency. The Agri-food trade and agriculture group will feed in during the negotiations. He also asked about the TAC, and I wish to use this occasion to praise its chairman, Tim Smith, for the excellent work that he has done so far, and in very good time.

[Damian Hinds]

Colleagues across the House welcome the news about the Trade and Agriculture Commission’s statutory footing. It will be a strong voice for our farmers, and it will also provide expert independent advice for this House as we consider the impact of each trade deal on agriculture. When does the Minister expect those amendments to be tabled, and for the Trade Bill to resume its progress?

[Greg Hands]

We plan to table that amendment to the Trade Bill on Report in the House of Lords. The scheduling of business is obviously a matter for business managers, but we intend the Bill to be completed by the end of the transition period.