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, on how many occasions the Export Controls Joint Unit has initiated a Change in Circumstances Review assessment since January 2020; and what the destination country was in each case.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) has in place an established process for responding at pace to changing conditions in a country where the UK has previously granted export licences, and where those licences remain extant.
The FCDO advises DBT on the situation in country and the risks this poses with respect to the UK’s export control responsibilities. The MOD advises DBT on the risks of diversion of exported goods and national security risks arising from hostile state activity. The Department of Business and Trade, with DBT Secretary of State as the decision-making authority, decides whether to amend, suspend or revoke any relevant licences.
Given its diplomatic sensitivity, the Government is unable to disclose the specific number and destination countries of Change in Circumstances Reviews.
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, when he plans to publish the UK Strategic Export Controls Annual Report 2023.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK Strategic Export Controls Annual Report 2023 is due to be published by the end of this year. It will be laid before Parliament and made available on Gov.uk at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/united-kingdom-strategic-export-controls-annual-report.
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, what the cost is of legal fees related to Post Office IT Horizon redress paid to external law firms by (a) scheme and (b) firm.
Answered by Gareth Thomas - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade delivers the Group Litigation Order (GLO) scheme and the recently-launched Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS).
Since the launch of the GLO scheme in March 2023, a total of c.£2.9 million has been spent on legal advice to the Department on settling the redress claims of postmasters in the GLO scheme. A further c.£12.5 million has been spent on support for victims’ legal fees.
Since the launch of the HCRS scheme in July 2024, a total of c.£100k has been spent on legal services to the Department in the setting up of the HCRS scheme. Approximately c.£360k has been spent on victims’ legal fees.
A detailed breakdown of legal fees paid by law firm and scheme is provided below:
Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS)
Victims’ legal costs £000 | |
Hudgell Solicitors | £360 |
Sub-total: Victims’ legal costs | £360 |
The Department’s legal costs £000 | |
Addleshaw Goddard LLP | £45 |
Dentons UK & Middle East LLP | £55 |
Sub-total: The Department’s legal costs | £100 |
Total legal fees under HCRS £000 | £460 |
Group Litigation Order Scheme (GLO)
Victims’ legal costs £000 | |
Freeths LLP | £10,888 |
Howe and Co Solicitors | £1,545 |
Other: under £30k per supplier | £52 |
Sub-total: Victims’ legal costs | £12,485 |
The Department’s legal costs £000 | |
Addleshaw Goddard LLP | £1,675 |
Dentons UK and Middle East LLP | £1,060 |
Secondees contracted to Government Legal Department | £121 |
Sub-total: The Department’s legal costs | £2,925 |
Total legal fees under GLO £000 | £15,410 |
The figures above exclude recoverable VAT. Figures from April 2023 are subject to audit and may change.
On the Overturned Convictions (OC) & Historical Shortfalls (HSS) schemes, this is a matter for the Post Office. I have asked them to write to my Rt. Hon. Friend, the Member for Birmingham Hodge Hill and Solihull North, and a copy of their correspondence will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
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, what his policy is on companies moving their registration overseas when they have been found in breach of export licence conditions and the Government has imposed a requirement that they return the exported goods to the UK with which they have not complied.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The registration of a business is generally a matter for its owners. However, if they are UK legal or natural persons active in the Maritime Anti-Piracy sector, they are still subject to UK Export Licensing legislation. The only requirement under existing UK licensing provisions is for Private Maritime Security Companies to make an application to use alternative approved storage for controlled goods. The enforcement of export licensing is a matter for His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs.
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, whether he plans to review the export control licensing process for vessel based armouries.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
As with all export licences, the Department for Business and Trade keeps the licensing of the Maritime Anti-Piracy Sector under continual review.
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, on how many occasions and for what reasons MNG Maritime was granted extensions to the deadline to return to the UK the weapons stored in the Vessel Based Armouries it operated following his Department’s revocation of six export licences allowing the company to operate three vessel-based armouries storing weapons for private maritime security companies in July 2023.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
In the event that a licence for a Vessel Based Armoury (VBA) is revoked, it is the responsibility of the Private Maritime Security Companies which make use of the affected VBA to arrange transfers of controlled goods to alternative, and appropriately licensed, armouries.
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, what (a) country and sector policy specialist, (b) legal, (c) administrative, (d) compliance, (e) enforcement, (f) industry engagement, (g) budgetary and (h) other resources he has allocated to the Office for Trade Sanctions Implementation.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Office for Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) has recruited people with a wide range of professional experience from across government and the private sector to fulfil OTSI’s responsibilities of policy, licensing and enforcement of certain trade sanctions, and industry engagement, along with financial management, project delivery and business support specialists. OTSI is also supported by legal, analytical and digital experts.
OTSI is funded from the £50m Economic Deterrence Initiative (EDI) for 2023/24 and 2024/25. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is expected to publish more information on the EDI in the near future.
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, what (a) training and (b) support his Department plans to provide to businesses in respect of the new Office for Trade Sanctions Implementation.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Office for Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) will support businesses to meet their obligations under the UK’s trade sanctions regime through issuing guidance and engaging with a range of sectors and businesses.
OTSI has already undertaken a major programme of industry engagement and outreach and is committed to ongoing business engagement to support compliance. OTSI has already published a suite of online guidance for businesses and launched new online tools which make it easier to report a breach and apply for a licence.
OTSI is committed to supporting businesses to comply with trade sanctions by improving existing guidance as well as creating and promulgating new guidance, where necessary.
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, whether the Office for Trade Sanctions will publish an annual report.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Office for Trade Sanctions Implementation intends to publish an annual review covering an overview of its activities across the year, following the model set by similar units such as the Office for Financial Sanctions located in HM Treasury and the Export Control Joint Unit in the Department for Business and Trade.
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, if he will make it his policy that vessel based armouries export licence applications should include an assessment of available alternative licensed storage facilities in the event that a licence is (a) suspended and (b) revoked.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Open General Trade Control Licence, which UK Private Maritime Security Companies (PMSCs) require for Maritime Anti-Piracy (MAP) operations, once granted, is open-ended for as long as the PMSC remains active in the MAP sector and is abiding by the terms of the licence. Licences can include provision for the storage of arms in approved land-based armouries as an alternative storage facility.