Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps her Department will take to align the UK to the principles of the Coalition of Trade Ministers on Climate.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The UK is committed to ensure trade supports long-term climate action, in line with the Coalition of Trade Ministers’ principles of leadership, transparency, inclusivity and cooperation.
The Secretary of State attended the launch of this at the World Economic Forum in Davos this January and we continue to advocate for collective action at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and other multilateral fora. For example, the UK has been a leading voice on the proposed G7-led ‘Climate Club’ – aiming to make it as inclusive as possible. Meanwhile, we are supporting the Net Zero transition through our Clean Growth export programme, foreign direct investment, UK Export Finance, and through overseas aid.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether she had discussions at the World Economic Forum on restoration of the WTO rules-based trade regime.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Secretary of State had important discussions at the World Economic Forum on strengthening the multilateral trading system, including by achieving a fully functioning World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute settlement system. These included bilateral meetings with the US, European Commission and other allies, a meeting with the WTO Director General, attendance at the Coalition of Trade Ministers on Climate, and a WTO mini-ministerial.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether her Department has held discussions with the Prime Minister on appointing a Prime Minister's Trade Envoy to Mexico.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Department for International Trade is constantly reviewing suitable markets to identify where the appointment of a Trade Envoy can be of greatest benefit to the trade and investment aims of the UK.
Discussions are ongoing with respect to the appointment of a Trade Envoy to Mexico.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether the Government's contract for covid-19 vaccines with Pfizer includes an Investor State Dispute Settlement clause.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
The Department for International Trade is not responsible for the United Kingdom’s COVID-19 vaccination programme.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans she has to include anti-corruption provisions in future trade deals.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
As detailed in our ‘Strategic Approach’ publications, we are aiming to secure provisions in free trade agreements with the US, Australia and New Zealand that address the trade-distorting effects of corruption on global trade and fair competition to help maintain the United Kingdom’s high standards in this area.
The United Kingdom-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement includes a new provision covering anti-corruption, which signals the United Kingdom and Japan’s shared ambition to combat the distorting effects of corruption on trade.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether she has plans to end UK Export Finance support for fossil fuel projects.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
At the UK-Africa Investment Summit in January we announced an end to HMG support for thermal coal mining and coal power plant overseas, and we continue to keep our approach to other fossil fuel investments and financing overseas under review.
UK Export Finance (UKEF) is obliged to consider all requests for its support to UK exports in all sectors. This includes the oil and gas sector, but also many other sectors such as renewables and green growth.
UKEF is helping to drive UK content into overseas renewables and green growth projects across the globe and has been proactively developing the breadth of its support for these sectors. This is supported by £2 billion of direct lending for UKEF, which was announced in the Spring Budget, to support UK exports to these sectors.
The support provided by UKEF to UK exporters takes the form of direct loans, guarantees and insurances for which premiums are charged and, for which, there is no net cost to the taxpayer.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether her Department plans to announce an end to UK funding for fossil fuels overseas to include an end to UK Export Finance support for fossil fuels.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
At the UK-Africa Investment Summit in January we announced an end to HMG support for thermal coal mining and coal power plant overseas, and we continue to keep our approach to other fossil fuel investments and financing overseas under review.
UK Export Finance (UKEF) is obliged to consider all requests for its support to UK exports in all sectors. This includes the oil and gas sector, but also many other sectors such as renewables and green growth.
UKEF is helping to drive UK content into overseas renewables and green growth projects across the globe and has been proactively developing the breadth of its support for these sectors. This is supported by £2 billion of direct lending for UKEF, which was announced in the Spring Budget, to support UK exports to these sectors.
The support provided by UKEF to UK exporters takes the form of direct loans, guarantees and insurances for which premiums are charged and, for which, there is no net cost to the taxpayer.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether UK businesses are eligible to apply for funding from the Investment Promotion Programme.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
All suitable qualified UK businesses will be eligible to bid for the procurement of service delivery contracts of the Investment Promotion Programme (IPP); all commercial processes are in line with Government Commercial Operating standards.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether his Department (a) currently has or (b) has plans for Official Development Assistance-funded programmes other than the Investment Promotion Programme.
Answered by Conor Burns
DIT is currently building a portfolio of development programming to drive trade and investment between international business and developing country markets. DIT’s interventions are under design but will link to DIT’s unique competencies in trade and investment. DIT’s development projects will adhere to the word and spirit of the International Development Act and follow the priorities set out in the 2015 Aid Strategy, including maintaining the commitment to keep aid untied.
Asked by: Dan Carden (Labour - Liverpool, Walton)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what analysis his Department conducted on the effectiveness of public private partnerships before it rolled out the Investment Promotion Programme.
Answered by Conor Burns
The Department for International Trade (DIT) carried out extensive research of the evidence on the effectiveness of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) as part of the appraisal of the programme. This included evidence from the World Economic Forum, the World Bank and the International Financial Corporation (IFC) that showed that PPPs can produce effective development outcomes and offer value for money. DIT analysts will be producing internal analysis on all pillars of the programme which will be published as part of the Final Business Case.