Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if her Department will make an assessment of the potential impact of China not reinstating the export licences of British pork producers on the UK economy.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The China export licences of five UK pork establishments were suspended following COVID-19 outbreaks at their sites in 2020 and 2021. The export licenses of three of these five establishments remain suspended.
High-quality UK agri-food and drink exports are an important part of our trading relationship with China, with over a quarter (28%) of our overall pork exports going to China in 2022, with a value of £95m. We recognise that these exports link to UK jobs, which is why Ministers have been consistently and proactively raising these suspensions as a priority with their Chinese counterparts to achieve the relisting of the pork establishments as soon as possible.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, how many pork export licences to China were voluntarily surrendered by UK abattoirs in 2020; and how many and what proportion of these surrendered licenses are yet to be reinstated.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
The China export licences of five UK pork establishments were suspended following COVID-19 outbreaks at their sites in 2020 and 2021. The export licenses of three of these five establishments remain suspended.
High-quality UK agri-food and drink exports are an important part of our trading relationship with China, with over a quarter (28%) of our overall pork exports going to China in 2022, with a value of £95m. We recognise that these exports link to UK jobs, which is why Ministers have been consistently and proactively raising these suspensions as a priority with their Chinese counterparts to achieve the relisting of the pork establishments as soon as possible.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when she expects the Insolvency Service to deliver its conclusions on the civil investigation into redundancies made by P&O Ferries; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Insolvency Service’s civil investigation into the circumstances surrounding the redundancies made by P&O Ferries is ongoing.
As such it would not be appropriate to comment at this time.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will take steps to ensure that shipping companies cannot deduct the costs for onboard accommodation from seafarers’ wages; and whether she has had recent discussions with the Department for Transport on that matter.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Department for Business and Trade officials are working closely with the Department for Transport on their Seafarers Wages Bill, these discussions include accommodation provisions and the deduction of costs for seafarers.
The Low Pay Commission recently recommended that seafarers be exempt from accommodation offset while on-board ships, the Government is considering this and will respond in due course.
Asked by: Karl Turner (Labour - Kingston upon Hull East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when she plans to respond to the Low Pay Commission’s recent recommendations on seafarers and the accommodation offset.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Department for Business and Trade officials are currently considering all recommendations that the Low Pay Commission have recently made, including those relating to seafarers and the accommodation offset. We will respond to these recommendations in due course.