Asked by: Jane Stevenson (Conservative - Wolverhampton North East)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of the (a) price and (b) volume of timber imported into the UK since the end of the transition period; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Greg Hands
The United Kingdom imported £3.2bn timber in 2020 (down from £3.4bn in 2019), over two-thirds of which (69%) was imported from the EU. In 2021, in the four months from January to April, the UK has imported £1.4bn of timber (70% from the EU).
By weight this was 6.1 Megatonnes of timber imports in 2020. So far in 2021 (January to April) 2.4 Megatonnes of timber have been imported.
Asked by: Jane Stevenson (Conservative - Wolverhampton North East)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of the impact of introducing an anti-dumping surcharge for aluminium products on the UK's manufacturing sector.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
The United Kingdom’s policy on trade remedies, under which anti-dumping is one measure, is to protect British producers from harm caused by unfair trading practices, such as dumping, subsidies, or unforeseen surges in imports.
The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA), established on 1st June, is Britain’s independent arms-length body responsible for investigating unfair trading practices or unforeseen surges in imports, based on the evidence available.
If the TRA concludes that a measure should be imposed following an investigation, it will provide an impartial and evidence-based recommendation to the Secretary of State. When a recommendation is received, the Secretary of State may only accept or reject it and cannot amend the details of the TRA’s recommendation.
As part of our transition policy, we transitioned one anti-dumping measure on aluminium foil in small rolls from China, and one on certain aluminium road wheels from China. The TRA will conduct a review of the two measures in due course.
Asked by: Jane Stevenson (Conservative - Wolverhampton North East)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what her policy is on the reintroduction of an anti-dumping surcharge on aluminium; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
The United Kingdom’s policy on trade remedies, under which anti-dumping is one measure, is to protect British producers from harm caused by unfair trading practices, such as dumping, subsidies, or unforeseen surges in imports.
The Trade Remedies Authority (TRA), established on 1st June, is Britain’s independent arms-length body responsible for investigating unfair trading practices or unforeseen surges in imports, based on the evidence available.
If the TRA concludes that a measure should be imposed following an investigation, it will provide an impartial and evidence-based recommendation to the Secretary of State. When a recommendation is received, the Secretary of State may only accept or reject it and cannot amend the details of the TRA’s recommendation.
As part of our transition policy, we transitioned one anti-dumping measure on aluminium foil in small rolls from China, and one on certain aluminium road wheels from China. The TRA will conduct a review of the two measures in due course.
Asked by: Jane Stevenson (Conservative - Wolverhampton North East)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions she has had with her EU counterparts on removing tariff rate quotas on steel and aluminium products exported to the UK; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
The Department for International Trade and the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy have engaged closely with the European Commission to secure tariff-free quota allocations for some British steel exports into the EU from 1st January 2021.
The United Kingdom has put in place some country-specific allocations within its overall tariff rate quotas for steel products subject to the steel safeguards also, to enable EU companies to trade tariff-free into the United Kingdom. These tariff-free allocations came into operation on 1st January 2021 too.
Aluminium products exported to the United Kingdom are not subject to safeguard measures.
Asked by: Jane Stevenson (Conservative - Wolverhampton North East)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if she will exempt aluminised steel from the UK steel import quotas that are due to come into effect on 1 January 2021.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
The priority of HM Government is to make sure that British industry retains appropriate trade remedy protections at the end of the transition period.
We have committed to carrying across existing measures where there is a British producer interest, including steel safeguard measures; of the 26 steel product categories currently covered by EU safeguard measures, we have worked with industry to identify 19 product categories that are relevant to Britain. Some aluminised products are amongst these categories.
The Trade Remedies Investigations Directorate (TRID) is currently conducting a transition review to consider whether it is appropriate to vary the United Kingdom's safeguard measures, extend them or revoke them. Interested parties can provide evidence to factor into TRID’s assessment.
Asked by: Jane Stevenson (Conservative - Wolverhampton North East)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what her policy is on the inclusion of non-UK produced steel products in steel safeguarding tariffs and quotas; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
The priority of HM Government is to make sure that British industry retains appropriate trade remedy protections at the end of the transition period.
We have committed to carrying across existing measures where there is a British producer interest, including steel safeguard measures; of the 26 steel product categories currently covered by EU safeguard measures, we have worked with industry to identify 19 product categories that are relevant to Britain. Some include aluminised products are amongst these categories.
The Trade Remedies Investigations Directorate (TRID) is currently conducting a transition review to consider whether it is appropriate to vary Britain’s safeguard measures, extend them or revoke them. Interested parties can provide evidence to factor into TRID’s assessment.
Asked by: Jane Stevenson (Conservative - Wolverhampton North East)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions she has had with the UK steel industry on the inclusion of aluminised steel in tariffs and quotas after the end of the transition period.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
The priority of HM Government is to make sure that British industry retains appropriate trade remedy protections at the end of the transition period.
We have committed to carrying across existing measures where there is a British producer interest, including steel safeguard measures; of the 26 steel product categories currently covered by EU safeguard measures, we have worked with industry to identify 19 product categories that are relevant to Britain. Some include aluminised products are amongst these categories.
The Trade Remedies Investigations Directorate (TRID) is currently conducting a transition review to consider whether it is appropriate to vary Britain’s safeguard measures, extend them or revoke them. Interested parties can provide evidence to factor into TRID’s assessment.
Asked by: Jane Stevenson (Conservative - Wolverhampton North East)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what her policy is on the anti-dumping duty applied to aluminium extrusions after the end of the transition period.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
HM Government’s priority is to provide continuity for industry wherever possible by ensuring British industry retains appropriate trade remedy protection after the transition period.
This is why HM Government has laid legislation to allow the Trade Remedies Investigations Directorate (TRID), to undertake new investigations into goods that the European Commission is already investigating. This will help us to protect businesses where the investigations do not conclude before the end of the transition period, such as aluminium extrusions. This minimises the possibility of a gap in protection for British businesses, where an ongoing Commission investigation has resulted in the application of provisional measures that then cease to apply in the United Kingdom after 31st December. British producers can contact TRID in confidence to discuss applying for an investigation.
Asked by: Jane Stevenson (Conservative - Wolverhampton North East)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what her policy is on rules of origin for exports to the EU after the end of the transition period; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
Rules of Origin commitments exist in all Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), and my Hon. Friend will understand that United Kingdom-EU discussions on Rules of Origin provisions after the end of the transition period are ongoing.
Nonetheless, as these discussions progress, we remain committed to working with businesses and traders to make sure that the United Kingdom-EU FTA reflects our interests and priorities as far as is possible, including modern Rules of Origin that are clear, simple and facilitate trade.