Free Trade Agreement Negotiations: Australia

Debate between Kevin Hollinrake and Elizabeth Truss

Thursday 17th June 2021 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

Northern Ireland is a very successful exporter of agricultural products, and we want to make sure that there are more opportunities not only in the US market, which is now exported to by Foyle Food Group, but right across the world, including through the CPTPP.

[Kevin Hollinrake (Thirsk and Malton) (Con) [V]]

I congratulate the Secretary of State on this significant achievement. She has also set an important precedent: as this deal was done from scratch, it potentially sets the basis for all our future trade agreements. Does my right hon. Friend agree that we must include in this agreement something missing from other international free trade agreements around the world—we must establish and maintain a fair and level playing field for UK businesses employing UK people, particularly in the food and farming sector?

[Elizabeth Truss]

I am pleased that our agreement with Australia will contain a strong labour chapter, and also a small and medium-sized enterprise chapter that will cut red tape on our fantastic SMEs that want to export around the world, cutting their paperwork so that they can get more of their fantastic goods, including, of course, food and drink companies.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Hollinrake and Elizabeth Truss

Thursday 14th January 2021 Commons Chamber

[Kevin Hollinrake (Thirsk and Malton) (Con) [V]]

Thirsk and Malton is very lucky to have Karro and Cranswick—pork producers that employ hundreds of people at each of their sites—in the constituency. Their trade has been hit by the 25% tariff applied to exports of pork to the USA. What progress have we made to resolve that?

[Elizabeth Truss]

We are working very hard to de-escalate that tariff conflict and reach a negotiated settlement. I have been in discussions with the US and the EU and I will take up the matter on an urgent basis when the new US trade representative is confirmed in due course.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Hollinrake and Elizabeth Truss

Thursday 3rd September 2020 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

The answer is that I am in direct talks with the US about dealing with this issue, following the failure of the EU, which the hon. Lady wants to rejoin, to do anything about it for 15 years.

[Kevin Hollinrake (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)]

Neonicotinoids are banned in the UK as seed dressing for sugar beet growers or for oilseed rape, but they are allowed in other countries, including some in the EU, putting their producers at a natural advantage over our producers. Will advantages of that kind be eliminated in a future free trade agreement?

[Elizabeth Truss]

All our decisions about pesticides are of course made in line with the best available science, but I assure my hon. Friend that our agri-food trade advisory group will absolutely look to make sure that our farmers are not disadvantaged in trade negotiations.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Hollinrake and Elizabeth Truss

Thursday 17th October 2019 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

I am a great believer that free trade and free enterprise help us to achieve our environmental goals through better technology, more innovation and more ingenuity. The Minister of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth West (Conor Burns), recently visited Brazil and discussed those precise issues with its Trade Minister.

[Kevin Hollinrake (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)]

Sylatech is a precision engineering business in Kirkbymoorside in my constituency, but it is suffering a significant business impact due to control delays on its export licence applications. Will my hon. Friend update the House with a timescale to resolve that problem?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Hollinrake and Elizabeth Truss

Tuesday 11th September 2018 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

I find it astonishing that no Opposition Member is prepared to congratulate the Government on the announcement of the £20 billion that we are putting into the NHS because of increasing demand.

[Kevin Hollinrake (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)]

The Chancellor has been an outspoken advocate of a fairer distribution of regional spending. Has he read the letter that we sent him in late July? Will he commit to the Transport for the North strategic investment priorities in his forthcoming Budget?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Hollinrake and Elizabeth Truss

Tuesday 6th December 2016 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

Making our prisons safer places is my No. 1 priority. That is why we are dealing with drugs, drones and phones, and it is why we are investing in additional prison staff across the estate.

[Kevin Hollinrake (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)]

18. What steps the Government are taking to help relatives of missing persons manage financial and other affairs on their behalf.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Hollinrake and Elizabeth Truss

Thursday 4th February 2016 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

As part of the national resilience review being led by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Sheffield is one of the core cities that will be looked at in particular to make sure it is sufficiently resilient to flooding. I am sure that as part of that review there will be a visit to Sheffield to ensure that that very important city has the protection it needs.

[Kevin Hollinrake (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)]

Flood Re insurance will help many householders in Thirsk and Malton affected by recent floods, but it does not cover small businesses or leasehold properties with more than three units. In one such development in my constituency at Topcliffe Mill, residents of a two-bedroom flat now face a premium of £4,000 a year and an excess of £40,000. Will Ministers agree to meet me and representatives from the insurance industry to consider how we can provide a solution to this problem?

[Elizabeth Truss]

We are providing £6 million to help small businesses as a result of this winter’s floods. The issue my hon. Friend raises with regard to leaseholders is important. Ministers will be very willing to meet him to discuss it.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kevin Hollinrake and Elizabeth Truss

Thursday 10th September 2015 Commons Chamber

[Kevin Hollinrake (Thirsk and Malton) (Con)]

T3. I welcome DEFRA’s focus on connectivity in the rural productivity plan. This week, Rural Action Yorkshire said it was nigh on impossible for a rural business to be in business without decent broadband and mobile phone coverage. The final 5% and the “not spots” will require innovation and investment. What comfort can the Secretary of State give to businesses trading in those areas?

[Elizabeth Truss]

This is an absolute priority for the digital taskforce. We will get to 90% geographical coverage for voice and text by 2017, and we are currently consulting on taller mobile phone masts to enable better coverage for things such as 4G in rural areas as well.