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Written Question
Horticulture: Overseas Trade
Wednesday 27th October 2021

Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of (a) the implications for her policies of the Ornamental Horticulture Roundtable Group’s action plan entitled Unlocking Green Growth: A plan for the ornamental horticulture and landscaping industry, published on 7 September 2021 and (b) how that document relates to the UK’s trade regime following its departure from the EU.

Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons

The Department recognises that there are export opportunities for ornamental horticulture as outlined in the report. Working together with the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, we look forward to engaging further with the industry and continuing to promote plant and seed exports, and services for landscaping, garden design and green urban initiatives.

We work closely with the industry to encourage companies to take advantage of the new trade regime and the opportunities offered globally within our new Free Trade Agreements.


Written Question
UK Investment Council: HSBC
Thursday 15th July 2021

Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what considerations the Government undertook before appointing HSBC to sit on the UK Investment Council.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Members of the Investment Council are invited and appointed in a personal capacity, based on evidence relevant to the following criteria:

  • competence and experience in areas relevant to international investment,
  • sector expertise, and
  • an understanding of the UK investment climate

All members have been considered under a common due diligence process in line with 10 Downing Street and Cabinet Office guidance.


Written Question
Department for International Trade: China
Friday 25th June 2021

Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many of her Department's staff are based in the UK’s consulates and embassy in China.

Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)

Based on the department’s staffing data at 30th April 2021, the Department for International Trade has 188 staff based in China (including Hong Kong). This figure includes one member of staff working for UK Export Finance (UKEF).


Written Question

Question Link

Thursday 27th May 2021

Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many Chinese companies are currently involved in the UK-China partnership on smart cities.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The UK-China partnership on Smart Cities is not an on-going programme and no companies are currently involved. The partnership was a component of a ministerial delegation in August 2018. Accompanying me were UK companies, experts, civic leaders and officials to the Fourth China Smart City International Expo in Shenzhen with a view to promoting opportunities for international trade between the UK and China.


Written Question
Department for International Trade: Consultants
Wednesday 27th March 2019

Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many consultants his Department has hired since 2016; and at what cost to the taxpayer.

Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Department does not hold information on the number of consultants hired in any one year as this work is often commissioned as part of an outcomes-based contract to ensure value for money.

DIT reported spend on consultants in its Annual Report and Accounts as follows:

  • 2016-17 - £0
  • 2017-18 - £644,000.

The spend in 2018-19 will be published in this year’s Annual Report and Accounts.

Department for International Trade Annual Report and Accounts 2016 to 2017, page 49

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-international-trade-annual-report-and-accounts-2016-to-2017

Department for International Trade annual report and accounts 2017 to 2018, page 115

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-international-trade-annual-report-and-accounts-2017-to-2018


Written Question
Department for International Trade: Public Consultation
Wednesday 13th March 2019

Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many consultations by his Department (a) are open, (b) are closed awaiting a Government response and (c) have been initiated since 2016.

Answered by George Hollingbery

The Department for International Trade currently has no open consultations.

Four consultations were launched in last year, enabling the public to provide their views on potential future trade agreement negotiations with the USA, Australia, New Zealand, and on the UK potentially seeking accession to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. We had over 600,000 responses to the consultations. A government response for each will be published before any formal free trade agreement negotiations commence.

Five consultations have been initiated since 2016, the four in 2018 and a call for evidence in 2017 to identify UK interest in existing UK trade remedy measures.


Written Question
Arms Trade: Export Credit Guarantees
Monday 30th October 2017

Asked by: Peter Dowd (Labour - Bootle)

Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what the cost was to the public purse of export credit guarantees for arms sales and other military assistance in 2016.

Answered by Mark Garnier

UK Export Finance charges a premium for all the export credit guarantee support it provides to reflect the risk assumed. The premium must cover anticipated long-term losses resulting from claims paid, as well as UKEF’s operating costs. Through this arrangement UKEF aims to operate at no net cost to the taxpayer. No claims were paid in respect of defence business in 2016.