Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to (a) support the development of the UK’s lithium industry and (b) enhance battery manufacturing capabilities.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Domestic production of lithium will be increasingly important as demand for resilient and responsible sources of critical minerals grows. Government has supported several lithium projects through the Automotive Transformation Fund, and the UK recently celebrated the opening of the first lithium hydroxide demonstration plant by Cornish Lithium. in Government will continue to work closely with industry to maximise our potential for domestic lithium production.
The Autumn Budget committed over £2bn by 2030 for the automotive sector including the electric vehicle manufacturing sector and supply chain, including gigafactories. Alongside the National Wealth Fund, this will accelerate investment in our zero emission vehicle supply chain providing long-term certainty for industry.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of the report entitled Classification of the audit at SAIC-Volkswagen (Xinjiang) Automotive Ltd, published by Volkswagen in September 2024.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
No company should have forced labour in its supply chains. This Government is committed to working with international partners and businesses to ensure global supply chains are free from human and labour rights abuses. The Government is reviewing how we can best tackle forced labour in supply chains.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the report entitled Classification of the audit at SAIC-Volkswagen (Xinjiang) Automotive Ltd, published in September 2024, what steps the Government is taking to ensure products entering UK markets do not use forced labour in their supply chains; and if he will have discussions with counterparts in China on ensuring the accuracy of audits for the purposes of ensuring that products being sold in the UK do not use forced labour in their production.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
No company should have forced labour in its supply chains. This Government is committed to working with international partners and businesses to ensure global supply chains are free from human and labour rights abuses. The Government is reviewing how we can best tackle forced labour in supply chains.
The UK consistently raises human rights issues at the highest levels with the Chinese authorities. The Government’s overseas business risk guidance sets out the risks of operating in Xinjiang and urges UK companies to conduct appropriate due diligence and consider their corporate responsibilities when making business decisions.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps her Department is taking to help ensure that the supply chains of UK car manufacturers do not include Uyghur slave labour.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
Modern slavery is a barbaric crime which we are determined to stamp out. In 2022, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights published its assessment of the human rights situation in Xinjiang, which found that China had carried out “serious human rights violations” against Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities.
Section 54 of The UK’s Modern Slavery Act 2015 requires businesses with a turnover of £36m or more to publish modern slavery statements and statements from relevant UK car manufacturers are available at https://modern-slavery-statement-registry.service.gov.uk. We have set out clear guidance for businesses on the risks of doing business in Xinjiang and announced plans to introduce financial penalties for organisations who fail to meet their statutory obligations to publish annual modern slavery statements.
I have requested meetings with named manufacturers in the Human Rights Watch (HRW) report entitled ‘Asleep at the Wheel: Car Companies' Complicity in Forced Labor in China’, published in February 2024, to discuss this issue in more detail.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has made an assessment of the implications for her policies of the findings of the report entitled China: Carmakers Implicated in Uyghur Forced Labor, published by Human Rights Watch on 1 February 2024 that car manufacturers including Tesla and Toyota are using Uyghur slave labour.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
Modern slavery is a barbaric crime which we are determined to stamp out. In 2022, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights published its assessment of the human rights situation in Xinjiang, which found that China had carried out “serious human rights violations” against Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities.
The Government’s overseas business risk guidance sets out the risks of operating in Xinjiang and urges UK companies to conduct appropriate due diligence and consider their corporate responsibilities when making business decisions. The Department for Business and Trade is continuing to consider actor agnostic measures that would improve supply chain transparency and traceability. I have requested meetings with named manufacturers in the Human Rights Watch (HRW) report to discuss this issue in more detail.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department has taken steps in response to the findings in the Human Rights Watch report entitled Asleep at the Wheel: Car Companies' Complicity in Forced Labor in China, published on 1 February 2024.
Answered by Nusrat Ghani
Modern slavery is a barbaric crime which we are determined to stamp out. In 2022, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights published its assessment of the human rights situation in Xinjiang, which found that China had carried out “serious human rights violations” against Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim minorities.
The Government’s overseas business risk guidance sets out the risks of operating in Xinjiang and urges UK companies to conduct appropriate due diligence and consider their corporate responsibilities when making business decisions. The Department for Business and Trade is continuing to consider actor agnostic measures that would improve supply chain transparency and traceability. I have requested meetings with named manufacturers in the Human Rights Watch (HRW) report to discuss this issue in more detail.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2023 to Questions 200185, 200186 and 200187 on UK Export Finance: China, what her policy is on public funds being directed to Chinese companies involved in the Belt and Road Initiative through (a) UK Export Finance and (b) other public bodies.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston
As advised in the response to the previous questions (200185, 200186 and 200187), UK Export Finance (UKEF) follows the UK government’s policy towards engagement with China set out in the Integrated Review and elsewhere.
UKEF is committed to high standards of environmental, social and human rights (ESHR) risk management. Its specialist ESHR team reviews projects for ESHR risks and impacts before any decision on support is made. If a decision is taken to provide support, UKEF undertakes ESHR monitoring of the project for the duration of that support.
UKEF’s due diligence also includes appropriate assessment of attendant risks. UKEF charges a risk-based premium to companies for its support, and has a robust recovery process in place to protect the taxpayer and offset potential losses.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2023 to Questions 200185, 200186 and 200187 on UK Export Finance: China, what (a) labour standards and (b) other human rights due diligence procedures are applied to prospective UK Export Finance partner companies.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston
As advised in the response to the previous questions (200185, 200186 and 200187), UK Export Finance (UKEF) follows the UK government’s policy towards engagement with China set out in the Integrated Review and elsewhere.
UKEF is committed to high standards of environmental, social and human rights (ESHR) risk management. Its specialist ESHR team reviews projects for ESHR risks and impacts before any decision on support is made. If a decision is taken to provide support, UKEF undertakes ESHR monitoring of the project for the duration of that support.
UKEF’s due diligence also includes appropriate assessment of attendant risks. UKEF charges a risk-based premium to companies for its support, and has a robust recovery process in place to protect the taxpayer and offset potential losses.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what her Department's policy is on UK Export Finance's provision of funding to projects delivered by Chinese companies operating in Africa; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston
UK Export Finance (UKEF) helps UK exporters access finance and insurance on commercial terms to support them to win business overseas, fulfil orders and get paid. UKEF follows the UK government’s policy towards China set out in the Integrated Review Refresh 2023 and elsewhere.
UKEF's deals in all countries go through an extensive due diligence process to take account of relevant UK Government policies, applicable sanctions and other relevant bars as well as meeting high international environmental, social and human rights standards.
UKEF is unable to comment on pending applications for the department’s support for reasons of commercial sensitivity. Details of business supported by UKEF can be found in its Annual Report and Accounts for the relevant year which are available online here.
Asked by: Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative - Chingford and Woodford Green)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what the value of funding was provided by UK Export Finance to Chinese companies operating in Africa in (a) 2020, (b) 2021 and (c) 2022.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston
UK Export Finance (UKEF) helps UK exporters access finance and insurance on commercial terms to support them to win business overseas, fulfil orders and get paid. UKEF follows the UK government’s policy towards China set out in the Integrated Review Refresh 2023 and elsewhere.
UKEF's deals in all countries go through an extensive due diligence process to take account of relevant UK Government policies, applicable sanctions and other relevant bars as well as meeting high international environmental, social and human rights standards.
UKEF is unable to comment on pending applications for the department’s support for reasons of commercial sensitivity. Details of business supported by UKEF can be found in its Annual Report and Accounts for the relevant year which are available online here.