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Written Question
Trade Agreements: Australia
Tuesday 20th July 2021

Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent discussions she has had with the National Farmers Union of Scotland on the free trade agreement with Australia.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Our negotiating strategy is based on the results of one of the largest public consultations in UK history, and we are speaking to businesses and interest groups in every part of the UK to ensure their voice is heard.

On the 19th May I had a one-to-one conversation with NFU Scotland, and on the 26th May I held a joint roundtable with the National Farmers Union (NFU) NFU Cymru, NFU Scotland, and Ulster Farmers' Union.

On the 16th June, I held a further joint roundtable with the regional farmers unions to provide an update on negotiations of the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement, ahead of the publication of the Agreement in Principle document on the 17th June.


Written Question
Import Duties: USA
Tuesday 25th May 2021

Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what progress she has made with the US Administration on making the temporary suspension of tariffs on Scotch whisky, cashmere and other products permanent.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

HM Government is focused on an ambitious programme of bilateral talks with the US during the four-month tariff suspension, and is making progress towards a settlement that works for the whole of the UK and keeps harmful tariffs off.

The Secretary of State for International Trade engages with US Trade Representative Katherine Tai on this issue at every opportunity, and both are committed to finding a fair and permanent settlement to the disputes, that paves the way for an even stronger trading relationship.


Written Question
Trade Agreements: USA
Monday 8th February 2021

Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, when she will next meet with the US Trade Representative; and what will be discussed at that meeting.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Secretary of State for International Trade looks forward to meeting with the US Trade Representative at the earliest opportunity, date subject to Senate confirmation processes.

We expect the meeting might cover the UK’s ambitious trade agenda with our largest trading partner, promoting free, fair and sustainable trade. We would expect this to include the UK-US Free Trade Agreement; priorities on the global stage such as reform of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), digital and environmental trade; and the swift resolution of trade disputes that are an unhelpful backdrop to the UK-US trade relationship.


Written Question
Trade Agreements: USA
Wednesday 9th September 2020

Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, when she plans to next meet with the US Trade Representative on removing tariffs on (a) cashmere and (b) other products.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

The Government takes the negative impact of US tariffs on key UK products, including cashmere, very seriously. These tariffs are unnecessary, unhelpful and harm industry on both sides of the Atlantic.

The Secretary of State for International Trade continues to raise the issue of tariffs with the US administration at every opportunity. Most recently in early August, the Secretary of State visited the US and raised this issue with Ambassador Lighthizer, pressing for the removal of tariffs and a settlement to the Airbus and Boeing disputes as soon as possible.


Written Question
Free Zones: Scotland
Monday 9th September 2019

Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether she has plans to establish areas that are outside the UK’s customs territory in Scotland.

Answered by Conor Burns

The Secretary of State for International Trade recently announced the creation of new UK Freeports that will boost trade, attract inward investment and drive economic growth after Brexit.

Whilst we develop the policy, it is important that we consider a Freeport model that works in the best interests of the whole of the UK. Once a model has been decided, a selection process will take place where specific locations for UK Freeports will be chosen.


Written Question
Food: Scotland
Friday 1st February 2019

Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)

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 Scotland to (a) Asia (b) South America and (c) Africa.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department for International Trade (DIT) supports companies in Scotland and the rest of the UK to trade globally through initiatives including the GREAT campaign, Export Campaigns, the Tradeshow Access Programme and financial support offered by UK Export Finance. The Department’s Export Strategy sets out how we will put in place the right practical, promotional and financial support to help businesses to grow sustainably by exporting. This also includes support from dedicated food and drink teams working for Her Majesty's Trade Commissioners across Asia Pacific, Latin America and Africa.

DIT also supports the Government’s work to gain overseas market access for produce from the UK. In China, we have secured market access for seed potatoes, a huge boon to the Scottish farming industry which delivers about 70% of the UK seed potato export volume, alongside access for beef, where UK exports are expected to be worth £250m over 5 years.


Written Question
Exports
Monday 21st January 2019

Asked by: John Lamont (Conservative - Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what the value is of exports of goods and services from the UK which are currently governed by WTO rules.

Answered by George Hollingbery

Based on the latest estimates, in 2017 the UK exported £613.4bn in goods and services to WTO members (including special member state territories of the European Union). This trade is subject to both WTO and potentially other preferential trade agreement rules. This accounts for 99.3% of the UK’s total exports of goods and services.

Of this total, £101.2bn worth of goods and services were exported to countries that are WTO members but do not, at the time of writing, benefit from any form of preferential or non-MFN trade in any goods or services with the EU-28. This accounts for 16.4% of the UK’s total exports of goods and services.

Source: ONS UK trade in services April to June 2018 (NSA) and ONS Monthly UK Trade Statistics, October 2018.