Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to evaluate the effectiveness of trade missions dedicated to British agriculture.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
This Government is supporting British food and farming’s untapped global potential through new trade agreements, including with India, and progressing negotiations with the EU on an SPS Agreement to make agrifood trade with our biggest market cheaper and easier.
In 2025 our global network of agri-food attachés resolved further export barriers which industry estimate are worth over £125 million. Recent successes include securing market access for dairy to Egypt, worth £35 million per year, and pork exports to Mexico, worth £3.8 million per year.
Dedicated trade missions support this work, helping farmers and growers get British produce into new markets overseas and unlocking export barriers.
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what recent discussions she has had with representatives of the drinks industry about the potential impact of spirits taxation on pub profitability.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Alcohol duty is charged at the point of production or importation of drinks, and is therefore not generally paid directly by pubs.
Further, the United Kingdon has an international obligation under WTO rules to treat imported and domestic products fairly. A duty-based tax incentive that applied only to domestic spirits producers is likely to be inconsistent with these legal obligations.
To support spirits producers, the Government has:
Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel
Asked by: Kevin Hollinrake (Conservative - Thirsk and Malton)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether she has considered introducing tax incentives for pubs that promote UK spirits producers.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Alcohol duty is charged at the point of production or importation of drinks, and is therefore not generally paid directly by pubs.
Further, the United Kingdon has an international obligation under WTO rules to treat imported and domestic products fairly. A duty-based tax incentive that applied only to domestic spirits producers is likely to be inconsistent with these legal obligations.
To support spirits producers, the Government has:
Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of organisations in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery.
Details of ministerial and permanent secretary meetings with external organisations on departmental business are published on a quarterly basis and are available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmt-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel
Asked by: Joshua Reynolds (Liberal Democrat - Maidenhead)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department is taking to promote recognition of UK professional IT qualifications, including CITP status, in trade negotiations with international partners.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Provisions on the recognition of professional qualifications (RPQ) are an important part of the services chapters in the UK’s international trade agreements, including within the UK-Switzerland RPQ Agreement and our Free Trade Agreements with Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Australia, New Zealand and India.
DBT works closely with our overseas partners to promote the UK’s world-leading professional qualifications. Under our international arrangements DBT has committed to encourage our independent occupational regulators and professional membership bodies, including the British Computer Society, to consider pursuing RPQ agreements with international partners. DBT supports these bodies to do so.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he is taking to help increase trade between the UK and India.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK has signed a landmark trade deal with India which it is estimated will boost the UK’s GDP by £4.8bn and increase bilateral trade by £25.5bn each year, supporting the Government’s Plan for Change.
We are working to bring the deal into force as quickly as possible.
We are helping businesses to prepare to seize the opportunities from the agreement, including through bespoke guidance and trade promotion sessions. The Prime Minister recently led a major trade delegation to India to drive trade, investment, and growth across the UK.
Asked by: Callum Anderson (Labour - Buckingham and Bletchley)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether his Department has identified priority sectors for future trade co-operation with India.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK-India Trade Deal will open up new opportunities across a wide range of sectors, including in the high-growth sectors outlined in the Industrial Strategy.
As part of his recent visit to India, the Prime Minister brought over 100 businesses to India to unlock further growth in the mutually agreed priority sectors of construction, infrastructure and clean energy, advanced manufacturing, defence, education, sport, culture, financial and professional business services, science, technology and innovation, consumer goods and food. The Department will continue to support opportunities for trade and investment across these sectors as we integrate the work of the Industrial Strategy with our Trade Strategy.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following their announcement to increase defence spending, what steps they are taking to ensure that diplomatic solutions remain at the forefront of their approach to international relations.
Answered by Baroness Chapman of Darlington - Minister of State (Development)
His Majesty's Government is responding to a period of profound change, with conflicts overseas undermining security and prosperity at home. This Government will continue using diplomatic solutions in a multidisciplinary approach to achieve our interests. We are reinforcing our relationships. The Prime Minister hosted European leaders to deliver on European security. The Foreign Secretary is driving collective efforts on Ukraine, Gaza, and Sudan with the G7. This Government is developing deeper relations around the globe, reopening negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement with India, signing a UK-South Africa Growth Plan and new Strategic Partnerships with Indonesia and Nigeria. As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, we remain committed to upholding the international system, supported by the UK's network of diplomats. We are investing in a College of Diplomacy, ensuring the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office remains ready for the future.
Asked by: Rupert Lowe (Independent - Great Yarmouth)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many staff in their Departmental work outside of the UK; where these staff work; and what the cost is of salaries for these staff.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
a) Total number of HM Treasury employees working overseas as at 30th October 2024.
51
b) Where these staff work.
c) Annual salary cost to HM Treasury for these staff
£506,989
Asked by: Maria Eagle (Labour - Liverpool Garston)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what overseas events UK Defence and Security Exports has supported in each year since 2019.
Answered by Alan Mak
2019 (22 overseas events)
2020 (5 overseas events attended others cancelled due to Covid-19 Pandemic)
2021 (6 overseas events attended, others cancelled due to Covid-19 Pandemic and Hurricane in USA)
2022 (9 overseas events supported, others cancelled for Covid-19 and Ukraine-related issues)
2023 (12 overseas events)
2024 (16 events planned, 4 delivered to date)
Asked by: Alistair Strathern (Labour - Hitchin)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to her Department’s publication entitled DBT ministers’ overseas travel: July to September 2023, published on 15 December 2023, how much of the (a) £5,711.94 spent on the visit of the Minister of State for Business and Trade to India from 1 July to 4 July 2023 and (b) £6,123.51 spent on his visit to Oman from 12 September to 15 September 2023 was spent on air travel.
Answered by Greg Hands
a) Of the £5,711.94, £5.463.14 was spent on air travel to India between 1 July 2023 and 4 July 2023.
b) Of the £6,123.5, £6,123.5 was spent on air travel to Oman between 12 September 2023 and 15 September 2023.