Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for Education

Oral Answers to Questions

Robin Walker Excerpts
Thursday 10th April 2014

(10 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Matt Hancock Portrait Matthew Hancock
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I am very glad to say that unemployment is falling throughout Wales as part of our long-term economic plan across the country. I am sure that in Wrexham, as elsewhere in the country, small businesses will be celebrating the fact that they are getting £2,000 off their jobs tax, which the Labour party has proposed to put up.

Robin Walker Portrait Mr Robin Walker (Worcester) (Con)
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8. What steps he is taking to promote trade opportunities for UK business in high-growth markets.

Michael Fallon Portrait The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Michael Fallon)
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UK Trade & Investment’s strategy confirms its continued focus on China, India and other high-growth markets, including some in Africa and central America. UKTI has identified more than 60 high-value opportunities in those markets, and with the help of our trade envoys, it promotes those opportunities to business. The £4 million announced by the Chancellor to support mid-sized businesses will enable UKTI to introduce such companies to those opportunities in high-growth markets.

Robin Walker Portrait Mr Walker
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In export week, will the Minister congratulate Worcester firm Waste Spectrum, which is exactly one of those mid-sized companies that has recently achieved its first sale to China and will be dispatching one of its specially designed incinerators, built in Worcester, to that high-growth market at the end of this month?

Michael Fallon Portrait Michael Fallon
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I congratulate Waste Spectrum and the Worcester ambassadors, and I thank my hon. Friend for his work to promote trade with China. I know he visited China with the trade mission and was involved with an inward delegation from China, and understand that he is planning to visit China again. We need to thank him for his work in promoting links with that particular country.