Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how much his Department has spent on advertising in each of the last two years.
Answered by George Hollingbery
The total advertising expenditure by the department for each of the last two years is:
2018/19: £0
2017/18: £93,000
These figures exclude campaigns run as part of the Government’s GREAT programme, recruitment advertising costs (not held centrally), and advertising costs by UK Export Finance which is a separate legal entity to the Department for International Trade.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps his Department is taking to increase food and drink exports from Northern Ireland to (a) Asia (b) South America and (c) Africa.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The Department for International Trade (DIT) collaborates closely with Invest Northern Ireland both here in the UK and overseas to support companies from the region to export globally. We encourage companies to take advantage of overseas opportunities via initiatives such as our Exporting is GREAT campaign, our Tradeshow Access Programme, bespoke “Meet the Buyer” events alongside providing financial support to exporters via UK Export Finance.
Her Majesty’s Trade Commissioners, including those for South Asia, Latin America and Africa provide a wealth of export opportunities on Great.gov.uk for companies to access.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent discussions has he had with his counterparts overseas on the export of UK pharmaceutical products.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The United Kingdom pharmaceutical sector is a major exporter with exports of £24.8 billion in 2018. Support to exports by United Kingdom pharmaceutical companies is co-ordinated by the Department for International Trade. We work closely with the sector to identify when Ministerial or official discussions with overseas counterparts are required and there is regular senior level engagement with the major UK pharmaceutical exporters.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent steps his Department has taken to increase foreign direct investment into Northern Ireland.
Answered by Graham Stuart
I refer the Hon. Member for Upper Bann to the answer given by my Hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Trade Policy, on 12 March to the Hon. Member for Strangford, UIN: 228744.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many countries in the Commonwealth have not agreed a trade deal with the UK for when the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Hollingbery
The UK enjoys excellent trading relationships with our Commonwealth partners and the Government is committed to strengthening these further.
As we leave the EU, the Government is seeking continuity for our existing EU trade arrangements, including those with Commonwealth countries. The best way to provide continuity and stability of these agreements is to have a deal with the European Union so that the UK can remain covered by all existing trade agreements during the Implementation Period. Nevertheless, the Government is working to have bilateral agreements in place ready for when we need them, whether that is in the event of no deal, or after the proposed implementation period.
The UK has signed trade agreement continuity agreements with Commonwealth countries in the Caribbean, Pacific and Eastern and Southern Africa. The list of countries is available on Gov.uk (LINK).
The Government has also published a list of those agreements that both may and will not be in place by 12 April 2019 in order that businesses and individuals ensure that they are prepared for every eventuality. (LINK) This advice will be updated regularly. Many discussions with other Commonwealth countries are at an advanced stage. As with all such discussions, they tend to go down to the wire, and we would expect nothing less from these agreements.
We will implement a UK trade preferences scheme for developing countries, including those in the Commonwealth, which will provide the same level of access as the current EU trade preference scheme. This includes maintaining duty-free, quota-free access for the world’s least developed countries.
Under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, the UK will be free to negotiate, sign and ratify new trade agreements during the time-limited implementation period, and to bring them into force from January 2021. We have completed public consultations on possible UK trade agreements with Australia and New Zealand, and potential accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which includes six members of the Commonwealth. In addition, we are building stronger relationships with large economies, such India, through a series of Joint Trade Reviews (JTRs).
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the US Administration on confectionery trade between US and UK after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Hollingbery
The Secretary of State has regular discussions with US officials about all aspects of UK-US trade. In addition, the UK-US Trade and Investment Working Group, which is dedicated to strengthening the bilateral trade and investment relationship, has now met five times since it was first convened in July 2017. These meetings include discussions on trade across a broad range of sectors relevant to US and UK economies, including the food and drink sector. They are designed to strengthen the current trading relationship and lay the groundwork for future negotiations for a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement after EU exit.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what his Department's trade policy will be if the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by George Hollingbery
Our priority remains getting approval for the deal we have negotiated with our European partners. Alongside this, the Government will continue to do the responsible thing and prepare for all eventualities with partner countries, including a ‘no deal’ scenario.
Regardless of how we leave, for the first time in more than four decades, the UK will have an independent trade policy once we exit from the EU. We will deploy all the tools at our disposal and tailor our trade policy to the strengths and requirements of the UK economy.
The Government is preparing for an ambitious programme of trade negotiations and enhanced market access. We have consulted on our first four potential free trade agreements (FTAs), with Australia, New Zealand, the United States and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
While we are looking to forge new agreements, the Government is also seeking continuity for our existing EU trade agreements as we leave the European Union. We have made good progress, signing agreements with Chile, Switzerland, the Faroe Islands, the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) states, Israel, the Palestinian Authority, the Pacific states, and CARIFORUM. We are also due to sign an agreement with Iceland-Norway shortly.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps his Department is taking ensure that the maintenance of food of comparable quality from overseas without tariffs after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Hollingbery
In the event that the UK leaves the EU under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement, there will be an implementation period during which tariffs remain unchanged. Should the UK leave the EU without a deal, the UK will implement a temporary tariff as announced on 13 March 2019. This is a balanced tariff policy which aims to minimise costs to business and mitigate price impacts on consumers, while also supporting UK producers as far as possible.
The applied tariff does not affect what food is eligible be imported into the UK. The Government is committed in all exit scenarios to upholding the UK’s high food safety, environmental, and animal welfare standards.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent discussions he has had with his Japanese counterpart on a potential trade agreement after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Hollingbery
The UK and Japanese governments continue to engage on a future trade agreement based on the commitment made on 10th January this year by the Prime Ministers of Japan and the UK. This agreement is to be as ‘ambitious, high standard and mutually beneficial as the Japan-Europe EPA’, and Japan is supportive of future UK membership of the comprehensive and progressive agreement for trans-Pacific partnership (CPTPP). We are continuing to work with Japan to realise these opportunities for a stronger trading relationship.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions his Department has had with UK businesses whose biggest trading partners are EU countries on preparations to leave the EU.
Answered by Graham Stuart
DIT leads the strategic relationship management (SRM) of major investors and exporters, works through the International Trade Adviser network across England to advise businesses and has established an enquiry service for UK businesses to receive answers to their queries on the trade and investment, and export related aspects of EU Exit.
DIT teams in Europe continue to work with UK companies to promote their high-quality British goods and services, to identify and create demand in European markets and to facilitate UK exports to the EU.
The government has published extensive advice on the step’s businesses may need to take to prepare for Brexit. Businesses should visit gov.uk/euexit to access the information they need.