Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the effect on UK exporters of recently imposed Russian restrictions on the sale of food and cleaning products; and if he will make a statement.

In 2014, following restrictions imposed by Russia, total food, feed and drink exports to Russia totalled £93.7million, a 29.3 per cent drop compared to 2013.

Exports to Russia in these sectors accounted for around one per cent of the UK’s total global exports in these sectors, which amounted to £18.8 billion in 2014. We estimate that the total number of exports to Russia in these sectors had fallen by £39 million.

The ban on cleaning products was announced on 25 August 2015. It is too early to see any impact on UK exporters, but we will continue to monitor the situation.