Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Thangam Debbonaire and Liam Fox

Thursday 11th July 2019 Commons Chamber

[Dr Fox]

My hon. Friend makes an important point, but an article 24 agreement would cover tariffs and quantitative restrictions; it would not cover services, standards and regulations. An agreement covering those latter elements would have to be negotiated separately and would probably take longer to strike. In the meantime, the UK would be subject to the full array of existing third-country checks and controls carried out as standard by the EU. In other words, even if we both did agree an article 24 continuation, it would not cover access to the single market—it would not be trading as usual.

[Thangam Debbonaire (Bristol West) (Lab)]

Further to the question from the hon. Member for North Ayrshire and Arran (Patricia Gibson), is it not time that the Department for International Trade undertook a thorough review of all 29 or 30 countries identified as countries of concern for human rights by the Government’s own Foreign Office?

[Dr Fox]

We do, and we act in line with the consolidated criteria of the EU. We look at all those elements. In fact, the Court of Appeal was clear that the Government were rigorous and robust in doing so.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Thangam Debbonaire and Liam Fox

Thursday 29th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Dr Fox]

To get more people around the world to understand that high-quality British produce is a world beater.

[Thangam Debbonaire (Bristol West) (Lab)]

2. If he will hold discussions with the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and representatives of the creative industries on trade in that sector with EU countries after the UK leaves the EU. [R]

Export Licensing: High Court Judgment

Debate between Thangam Debbonaire and Liam Fox

Monday 10th July 2017 Commons Chamber

[Dr Fox]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. Protection of our allies and working with our allies is extremely important, but it is also important that our allies themselves understand that we will rigorously apply the criteria that we have set out and on which we are parties to an international agreement. Getting the balance right between those things is exactly what the Government have sought and are set to achieve.

[Thangam Debbonaire (Bristol West) (Lab)]

Will the Secretary of State please enlighten us about why he does not take more notice of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s reports on countries of concern for human rights and repression?