Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to Section 1.3 2. of the UK-US Atlantic Declaration, what progress he has made on (a) enabling the UK and US export controls toolkits to work in a complementary way, (b) implementing export controls related to certain sensitive technologies, (c) targeting end-uses of concern, and (d) tackling the challenge of intangible transfers.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
We are committed to ensuring our export controls develop to address risks to national security and international peace and security posed by emerging technologies, while supporting UK exporters in strategically important sectors.
Building on the commitments in the UK-US Atlantic Declaration, defence trade collaboration between the UK, US, and Australia was announced in August 2024, through the publication of the UK’s AUKUS Nations Open General Licence, and the new exemption to the US International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) for the UK. This development recognised the compatibility of our respective export controls systems, lifting key restrictions and allowing our defence firms to work together even more closely.
In line with our commitments in the Atlantic Declaration, the UK is also working closely with our partners on the challenge of intangible transfers and targeting of end-uses users of concern.
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the policy paper entitled The Atlantic Declaration, updated on 21 June 2023, what progress he has made on (a) a shared workplan on critical and emerging technologies, (b) collaborative Research and Development in (i) advanced semiconductor and (ii) other priority technologies, (c) a Critical Minerals Agreement, (d) establishing a US-UK Strategic Technologies Investor Council, (e) establishing a US-UK Data Bridge, (f) a Joint Clean Energy Supply Chain Action Plan and (g) a Civil Nuclear Partnership.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The UK has worked closely with the U.S. to implement commitments across all five pillars of the Atlantic Declaration, which was announced in June 2023. Key achievements include participation in the inaugural Quantum Development Group, launching the inaugural UK-US Joint Committee Meeting on Science and Technology, establishing the UK-U.S. Data Bridge, and setting up the Strategic Technology Investor Council, and establishing the US-UK Joint Standing Committee on Nuclear Energy Cooperation.
The UK looks forward to working with President-elect Trump in office, including on his policy priorities and improving UK-US trading relations to support businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.
Asked by: Liam Byrne (Labour - Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the policy paper entitled The Atlantic Declaration, updated on 21 June 2023, who is the lead (a) minister and (b) official for (i) a shared workplan on critical and emerging technologies, (ii) collaborative Research and Development in (A) advanced semiconductor and (B) other priority technologies, (iii) a Critical Minerals Agreement, (iv) establishing a US-UK Strategic Technologies Investor Council, (v) establishing a US-UK Data Bridge, (vi) a Joint Clean Energy Supply Chain Action Plan and (vii) a Civil Nuclear Partnership.
Answered by Abena Oppong-Asare - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
The Cabinet Office’s National Security Secretariat is responsible for the overall implementation of the Atlantic Declaration. It operates under the leadership of the National Security Advisor, and Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics. Relevant departments are responsible for specific commitments:
Critical and emerging technologies (Secretary of State, Department for Business and Trade and Secretary of State Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Economic security and technology protection toolkits and supply chains (Secretary of State Department for Business and Trade and Secretary of State Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Digital transformation (Secretary of State Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Clean Energy (Secretary of State Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Defence, Health Security, and Space (Secretary of State Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Cabinet Office and Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence)