Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which Government Ministers have been provided with overnight accommodation within the UK's embassies or consulates in (a) Japan and (b) South Korea in each calendar year from 2017 to 2022; and in each case, in which city was that accommodation provided, and for how many nights.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Year | Japan | Republic of Korea |
2017 | Tokyo Secretary of State for International Trade - 2 nights Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs - 2 nights Minister of State for Digital - 2 nights Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy - 2 nights | * |
2018 | Tokyo Minister of State for Trade and Export Promotion - 3 nights | * |
2019 | Tokyo Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs - 2 nights Secretary of State for Health and Social Care - 2 nights Chancellor of the Exchequer - 2 nights Secretary of State for International Trade- 2 nights Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office - 2 nights Chancellor of the Exchequer - 2 nights | Seoul Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office - 1 night |
2020 | Tokyo Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development - 1 night Secretary of State for International Trade - 3 nights Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and President for COP 26 - 2 nights | Nil |
2021 | Tokyo Minister for Asia and the Middle East - 2 nights Secretary of State for Defence - 1 night | Nil |
2022 | Nil | Seoul Minister for Asia and the Middle East - 2 nights Minister for Investment - 1 night Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs - 1 night |
* Official UK residence underwent renovation and refurbishment
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what was the cost to the public purse of (a) payments to Hinduja Global Solutions Ltd. for the operation of her Department’s Export Support Service and (b) other costs associated with (i) the preparation of material for its knowledge bank, (ii) the promotion of the service to businesses and (iii) other work connected to the (A) establishment and (B) operation of the service between 1 April 2021 and 30 September 2022.
Answered by Marcus Fysh
The Export Support Service helpline was launched in October 2021. The preparation of material for its knowledge bank was carried out by DIT, and Hinduja Global Solutions Ltd (HGS UK) uploaded it to their system. The cost was included within the initial implementation period, with the total cost of implementation being £145,666. The total cost associated with the operation of the service in between October 2021 and 30 September 2022 was £1,002,158.
DIT delivered a single marketing campaign to promote the Export Support Service helpline and Digital Enquiry Service. Paid marketing activity ran from October 5th 2021 until March 31st 2022, and the total cost is £925,327.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions she has had with the Devolved administrations about any potential plans she has to increase trade with the European Union.
Answered by Andrew Griffith - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Department for International Trade (DIT) is delivering prosperity through trade and investment, to all parts of the UK. We have established teams in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, to bring DIT’s support closer to businesses in the nations and to strengthen our partnership working with the Devolved Administrations.
When implementing DIT’s Export Strategy, launched in October 2021, we work alongside the devolved governments’ own trade promotion plans and strategies. We support businesses across the UK to export to the European Union and beyond, through our new Export Support Service (ESS) including our one-to-many digital services offer and Export Academy, supported by our overseas trade advisers based across Europe.
Asked by: Lyn Brown (Labour - West Ham)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the recommendations set out in the UN report entitled Towards torture-free trade: examining the feasibility, scope and parameters for possible common international standards, published on 30 May 2022.
Answered by Vicky Ford
The UK is committed to preventing and controlling the trade in goods that could be used for capital punishment or torture, and is a member of the Global Alliance for Torture-Free Trade.
Regulation (EU) 2019/125 of 16 January 2019, concerning trade in certain goods which could be used for capital punishment, torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment ("the Torture Regulation") includes prohibitions on the export, import, transit, brokering, training, and promotion/advertising of specified goods, which have no practical use other than for the purpose of capital punishment, or torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. The Torture Regulation has been retained in UK law following the exit from the EU.
The UK considers it is important at this time to remain flexible as to the nature of any future common international standards, at least until their potential scope and content become clearer. We welcome the UN report and will consider it with interest and encourage the UN to continue their work on this.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of St Albans (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the report by the National Farmers Union Growing our agri-food exports to 2030 and beyond, published on 27 April, what plans they have (1) to expand the GREAT campaign in relation to agricultural products, and (2) to make the campaign more accessible to potential users in the agricultural sector.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The GREAT Food and Drink campaign supports food and drink exports via marketing and promotional activity targeted to consumers and trade audiences in four key priority markets: China, Japan, the United Arab Emirates and the United States. It promotes the breadth, quality and innovation of the UK’s food and drink production and champions our unique culinary offer to help shift perceptions and support exports.
Meat and dairy continue to be central to the GREAT campaign’s food and drink promotion in international markets. The campaign works with meat and dairy producers across the UK and will continue to ensure that the best of UK food and drink features prominently in international promotion, working closely with the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board. The Government continues to invest in building UK export capability, including the expansion of the agri-food and drink attaché network and formation of the Export Council. In addition, the Government has invested in a range of schemes to help the sector grow their exports such as the Department for International Trade’s Export Academy, the Internationalisation Fund, support from our vast overseas network, UK Export Finance, an international events programme, online services, Export Champions and the Export Support Service.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - North West Durham)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps her Department is taking to promote exports of British (a) beer, (b) lamb, (c) dairy products and (d) beef.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
The Department for International Trade (DIT) offers a compelling programme of trade promotion activity that encourages our beer, lamb, dairy, and beef exporters to unlock international opportunities. This includes support to exhibit at global food and drink trade events through the UK Tradeshow Programme for eligible businesses. We organise business networking and sampling events, matching international buyers and sellers, enabling buyers to experience our fantastic produce and ensure more British produce is sold overseas.
Our beer, lamb, dairy, and beef exporters are also supported through DIT’s wider services including the Export Support Service, the digital GREAT.gov.uk platform, the Export Academy, UK Export Finance, and our network of domestic and overseas trade advisers.
Asked by: Kieran Mullan (Conservative - Crewe and Nantwich)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking through the GREAT campaign to promote the UK overseas.
Answered by Michael Ellis
The GREAT campaign promotes the best of the UK worldwide and has been used in over 145 countries to drive employment, growth and influence. GREAT delivers via five primary campaigns:
Overall UK Perceptions, led by the Cabinet Office and delivered with the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (GREAT Challenge Fund). This campaign uses our soft power assets to grow UK influence and promote UK values by positioning the UK as a place of opportunity. It promotes UK culture, the UK’s science and sustainability credentials, creativity and design, LGBTQ+ rights and much more. It also supports events including the Queen’s Jubilee, the Commonwealth Games and Unboxed.
Tourism, delivered by VisitBritain. This campaign attracts international visitors to the UK, helping to support 3.2 million jobs and grow the UK’s position as one of the most visited countries on earth.
Trade and Investment, delivered by the Department for International Trade. This campaign drives investment and export promotion. It also promotes UK food and drink such as Welsh lamb, Scotch whisky, Northern Irish gin, and Scottish salmon through the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
Study, delivered by the British Council. The Study UK campaign promotes UK universities to the world and encourages international students to study in the UK.
Live/work, this campaign attracts the best and brightest in science, research and technology to live and work in the UK. It supports the UK government's ambition to secure the UK’s status as a science and tech superpower by 2030 including the Government commitment to increase R&D expenditure to 2.4% of GDP by 2027.
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 17 January 2022 to Question 100400, on Trade Promotion: Food, how many of the more than 100 overseas staff in her Department are assigned specifically to promote food and drink exports; and how many UK based staff in her Department are assigned specifically to promote food and drink exports; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
Food and drink exporters are supported by the full breadth of DIT’s trade policy work and export services, as well as officials based across the UK who provide specialist support to businesses in the agriculture, food and drink sector. The specific number of officials will continually evolve, in response to the demands from different parts of the industry and in different overseas markets.
The 100 staff overseas, either on a full or part time basis, who are specifically supporting businesses in the agriculture, food, and drink sector, are part of DIT’s wider presence overseas and will be joined by eight new additional specialist agriculture attachés.
Asked by: Emily Thornberry (Labour - Islington South and Finsbury)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether Healthcare UK has provided export-promotion or business services to (a) Randox, (b) Seek Group and (c) PepTCell Ltd since January 2019.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 18 November to Question UIN: 74914.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, on what date she was made aware of the £900 million in loans and guarantees made by UK Export Finance to the Mozambique LNG project.
Answered by Mike Freer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Justice)
In line with the requirements of the OECD Common Approaches, the fact that UK Export Finance was considering support for the project was published on its website in August 2019. Following that consideration, my predecessor collectively consulted with ministerial colleagues before UK Export Finance support was made available.
More broadly, I would observe that in December 2020, the Prime Minister announced at the Climate Ambition Summit that the UK will end new direct support for the fossil fuel energy sector overseas. The Prime Minister announced that the UK Government will no longer provide any new direct financial or promotional support for the fossil fuel energy sector overseas, other than in exceptional circumstances, and align its support to enable clean energy exports. This policy shift applies to any new official development assistance, investment, export credit and trade promotion activity overseas. Following consultation, this new policy came into effect from 31 March 2021.