Asked by: Karen Lee (Labour - Lincoln)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent discussions he has had with his Cuban counterpart.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
During the recent high level and historic visit led by the Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel to London in November 2018, the Secretary of State for International Trade met with the Cuban Vice President Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz to discuss Cuba’s trade and investment plans, and the trading relationship between the UK and Cuba.
Asked by: Karen Lee (Labour - Lincoln)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans he has to support British companies that trade with Cuba in the event of the United States lifting the suspension of Title III of the Helms-Burton legislation.
Answered by George Hollingbery
We oppose the US embargo on the grounds of its damaging impact on the Cuban economy, its counterproductive effect in achieving positive change in Cuba, and the negative extra-territorial effects that it has on UK business. We oppose any possible tightening in the future for these reasons.
The EU and UK have already passed legislation – the EU Regulation 2271/96 (“The EU Blocking Regulation”) and the Extraterritorial US Legislation (Sanctions against Cuba, Iran and Libya) (Protection of Trading Interests) Order 1996 that makes it illegal to comply with the extraterritorial effects of the embargo. We will continue to work together with our EU partners to provide UK companies with the support they need to be able to trade with Cuba. Officials in London and the British Embassy in Havana provide a range of bespoke assistance to companies and regularly raise our objections to trade restrictions on Cuba with US counterparts.