Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment her Department has made of the effectiveness of free trade agreements in improving gender equality in global supply chains.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The Government is committed to advancing women’s economic empowerment in the UK and around the world. We are using our free trade agreements to break down barriers and create new opportunities for women as business owners, entrepreneurs, and workers. We have already secured dedicated Chapters to this effect with Japan, Australia and New Zealand. Through our market access work, the Department for Business and Trade is supporting British businesses to build more diverse and resilient supply chains which will be crucial in tackling challenges both today and in the future.
Asked by: Richard Thomson (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will make an assessment of the potential impact of the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill on provisions in the UK–Japan free trade agreement on the obligations arising from International Labour Organisation membership.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Shadow Minister without Portfolio
The UK signed the UK–Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) on 23 October 2020. The Government is committed to upholding labour commitments in the CEPA.
We are committed to enhancing labour standards globally, for example by leading the way in negotiating the ILO Violence and Harassment Convention. We were the third country in Europe to ratify the convention in March 2022.
We are confident that the Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill is compatible with our international obligations. Many member states of the ILO have minimum service levels covering a range of key services.
Asked by: Priti Patel (Conservative - Witham)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent steps she has taken to include the mutual recognition of pharmaceutical products in trade agreement negotiations.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport
The UK has secured a number of Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) on Good Manufacturing Practices for pharmaceutical products in recent years. They comprise standalone MRAs with the US, Australia and New Zealand, with similar commitments contained in our Free Trade Agreements with Japan, Switzerland, Israel and Canada. New Free Trade Agreement negotiations are ongoing with Israel and Canada.
Asked by: Ruth Cadbury (Labour - Brentford and Isleworth)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how often her Department plans to conduct ex-post evaluations of the implementation of new free trade agreements.
Answered by Greg Hands
The government has committed to publishing evaluations of each of the UK-Japan, UK-Australia and UK-New Zealand agreements, within 5 years of each agreement’s entry into force.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 9 January 2023 to Question 112041 on Trade Agreements: Japan, if he will publish details of the 15 working groups, committees and dialogues provided for.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Department for International Trade has already published details from a number of working groups, committees and dialogues established by the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement. We endeavour to publish minutes where possible and, once completed and agreed with Japan, they are uploaded to the following site: www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-japan-cepa-documents. For the UK-Japan Financial regulatory forum further details can also be found on gov.uk: www.gov.uk/government/publications/inaugural-uk-japan-financial-regulatory-forum.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 14 December 2022 to Question 104087 on Trade Agreements: Japan, on which dates the UK-Japan Committee on Trade and Sustainable Development has met since the UK-Japan Trade and Cooperation Agreement came into effect.
Answered by Greg Hands
The UK-Japan Committee on Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) has so far been convened twice. It was held first on the 13th October 2021 and secondly, on the 1st December 2022.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 14 December 2022 to Question 104087 on Trade Agreements: Japan, whether the Joint Dialogue with Civil Society established under Article 16.16 of the UK-Japan Trade and Cooperation Agreement has met since the agreement came into effect.
Answered by Greg Hands
The first UK-Japan Joint Dialogue with Civil Society is scheduled for 6th February 2023.
The Department for International Trade is working with the Government’s Trade and Sustainable Development (TSD) Domestic Advisory Group to prepare for the Dialogue and ensure that civil society participants covering all areas of TSD are represented.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether the UK-Japan Working Group on Cooperation in the Field of Agriculture has met since the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement came into effect.
Answered by Greg Hands
UK and Japan officials continue to be in close contact to identify any issues and ensure the smooth implementation of the agreement.
Since the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement came into effect, 13 out of the total 15 working groups, committees or dialogues provided for have been held. A Joint Customs Cooperation Committee (established by the UK-Japan Agreement on Co-operation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters) is separately scheduled to meet in 2023.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether the UK-Japan Committee on Rules of Origin and Customs-Related Matters has met since the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement came into effect.
Answered by Greg Hands
UK and Japan officials continue to be in close contact to identify any issues and ensure the smooth implementation of the agreement.
Since the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement came into effect, 13 out of the total 15 working groups, committees or dialogues provided for have been held. A Joint Customs Cooperation Committee (established by the UK-Japan Agreement on Co-operation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters) is separately scheduled to meet in 2023.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to Article 23.4 of the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, whether the UK and Japan have established any ad hoc technical working groups under the Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade.
Answered by Greg Hands
Under the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, the UK and Japan may establish, if necessary, ad hoc technical working groups under certain specialised committees.
To date, the UK and Japan have not established ad hoc technical working groups under the Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, the Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade, the Committee on Regulatory Cooperation or established an Animal Welfare Technical Working Group under the Joint Committee.