Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of anti-dumping measures on (a) electric and (b) pedal bikes from China on bicycle manufacturers in the UK.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK currently applies an anti-dumping measure on imports of Chinese bicycles and certain bicycle parts, and an anti-dumping and a countervailing measure on imports of Chinese e-bikes. All three measures are currently subject to review by the UK’s independent Trade Remedies Authority who will assess the impact of amending the measure on UK producers, importers and consumers. The Secretary of State will have the final decision on the measures, and he will weigh up all the evidence provided. Whilst these reviews remain an ongoing process I cannot comment further.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of reduced glass import tariffs on UK glass manufacturers.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Business and Trade recently conducted an assessment to determine whether the current tariff rate for various glass products was appropriate.
Having considered the predominance of imports from the EU or from countries with whom we have an FTA, and further analysis of specific imports from non-FTA partners, the
evidence does not suggest that tariff liberalisation is materially affecting the interests of the sector, or the competitiveness of businesses.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of amending the definition of animals in the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to include (a) decapod crustaceans and (b) cephalopod molluscs.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is committed to an evidence-based approach to improve welfare standards for decapod crustaceans and cephalopod molluscs. Defra seeks to commission research and expert opinion to inform any future policy decisions and welcomes the continued dialogue with stakeholders.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the effectiveness of the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government has noted the EU’s adoption of the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive and has been in regular contact with the European Commission on this issue through the Trade Specialised Committee on Level Playing Field, which last met on 9th October 2024. The Directive will apply to UK companies with a turnover generated in the EU of more than €450 million.
We will continue to assess and monitor the effectiveness of the UK’s existing measures, alongside the impacts of new policy tools that are emerging to ensure we can best promote responsible business practices, and take action where appropriate.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress he has made in building an evidence base on the fur sector.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Defra is continuing to build the evidence base on the fur sector in Great Britain. This includes commissioning our expert Animal Welfare Committee (AWC) to produce a report on what constitutes responsible sourcing of fur. The AWC report will add to our understanding of the fur industry and help inform our next steps.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she has had discussions with the (a) Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology and (b) Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on (i) coordinated action to deliver the phase out of animal testing and (ii) the potential merits of establishing a cross-Government taskforce.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Home Office)
This Government has made a commitment to the development of alternative methodologies to the use of animals in science and Lord Hanson has held discussions on the delivery of that commitment with Ministers for the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The plan we develop will maintain the UK’s place at the forefront of science development and innovation.
In the limited circumstances where there is no animal alternative and procedures are required to deliver important benefits to people, the environment, and other animals then we deliver robust, rigorous and trustworthy regulation of those procedures.
The Home Office assures that, in every research proposal: animals are replaced with non-animal alternatives wherever possible; that experiments are appropriate designed and analysed experiments that are robust, reproducible, and add to the knowledge base; and that we assure the methodologies use the latest technologies to minimise pain, suffering and distress and improve understanding of the impact of welfare on scientific outcomes.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of progress made towards tackling desertification at the sixteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the United Nation Convention to Combat Desertification.
Answered by Anneliese Dodds - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
COP16 was the biggest and most inclusive Desertification COP to date. It marked a significant milestone, raising global ambition and mobilising finance to strengthen drought resilience, restore degraded land and combat desertification: issues critically interlinked with the UK's international development, climate and nature goals. We welcome the leadership the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia COP16 Presidency has shown in elevating these critical issues. Many important outcomes were achieved at UNCCD COP16, including over $12 billion announced to support UNCCD issues over the next decade, and the launch of the Riyadh Global Drought Resilience Partnership to scale support for vulnerable countries. There is further to go, including reaching an agreed global approach on drought resilience, that drives ambition, progress and delivery.
The UK is committed to supporting vulnerable countries to build resilience and scale action on drought, desertification, water security, and land degradation. Our £11.6 billion International Climate Finance commitment includes £1.5 billion for adaptation in 2025 - a tripling from 2019 levels. This includes an initial investment in the Resilience and Adaptation Fund, which will help hundreds of thousands of vulnerable families across the world secure better access to food, water and productive land.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, pursuant to the Answer of 3 December 2024 to Question 16151 on Energy: Supply Chains, whether his Department is taking steps to include (a) trade unions and (b) civil society in the solar taskforce.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Solar Taskforce is working towards the publication of the Solar Roadmap in Spring 2025. This will outline the actions required to develop supply chains that are resilient, sustainable, innovative, and free from forced labour.
Solar Energy UK, the solar industry trade association that co-chairs the Taskforce, is leading the industry response on this matter by developing and launching the Solar Stewardship Initiative, in partnership with Solar Power Europe.
As part of this work, members of the Taskforce are engaging with relevant civil society groups and trade unions.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, with refence to the oral contribution of 6 November 2024 by the Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security, Official Report column 70WH, how the solar stewardship initiative will support the delivery of the solar roadmap.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Solar Roadmap will set out the Government’s solar deployment ambitions as part of its mission to achieve Clean Power by 2030. It will outline the actions required to develop resilient, sustainable, innovative, and free from forced labour supply chains.
The UK’s main solar industry trade association – Solar Energy UK, who co-chair the Solar Taskforce - is leading the industry’s response on this matter by developing and launching the Solar Stewardship Initiative (SSI), in partnership with Solar Power Europe. Members of the SSI have committed to applying its traceability standards and audits, while encouraging its adoption throughout their supply chain.
Asked by: Sarah Champion (Labour - Rotherham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the BBC Eye Investigation televised on 2 December 2024, what recent discussions he has had with (a) Tesco, (b) Waitrose, (c) Asda and (b) Morrisons on product labelling.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is responsible for general product labelling on food products and the Department for Business and Trade works closely with them on this issue.
The Government has high standards regarding the information provided on food labels so that consumers can have confidence in the food they buy. No company in the UK should have forced labour in its supply chain. The Government expects businesses to respect human rights and the environment throughout their supply chain in line with the OECD Guidelines for Responsible Business Conduct, the UN Guiding Principles, and the Modern Slavery Act 2015.
I have written to the supermarkets concerned to request a full account of the allegations raised in the BBC Panorama documentary and the steps they are taking to investigate.