Asked by: Alec Shelbrooke (Conservative - Elmet and Rothwell)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions she (a) has had and (b) plans to have with international trading partners on the use of avian influenza vaccinations.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The vaccination of poultry and captive birds against avian influenza, excluding those in licensed zoos in England, is not currently permitted.
While avian influenza vaccination is unlikely to be a viable option for the 2023/24 high risk season, Defra has established a cross Government and industry task force to explore potential for use of vaccination as a preventive measure for avian influenza. Further information can be found at Bird flu (avian influenza) vaccination task force - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
The Secretary of State and her officials, including the UK Chief Veterinary Officer, regularly engage with trading partners and international fora like the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) on a range of animal health issues, including vaccination policies.
Any future decisions on avian influenza control measures, including the use of vaccination, will be based upon the latest scientific, ornithological, and veterinary advice. Should UK avian influenza vaccination policy change in future, Defra will work to secure the buy-in of trading partners to ensure UK trade in poultry is not negatively affected.
Asked by: Jonathan Reynolds (Labour (Co-op) - Stalybridge and Hyde)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether it is her Department's policy to support the renewal of the WTO e-commerce moratorium beyond 2024.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
My Department supports the renewal of the WTO e-commerce moratorium. We are working with WTO Members and interested stakeholders to deliver this outcome at the 13th WTO Ministerial Conference. The moratorium underpins global digital trade and provides certainty that electronic transmissions will not be subject to customs duties. My Department is clear that we support a permanent prohibition of such duties, as outlined in our Digital Trade Objectives and the G7 Digital Trade Principles developed under the 2021 UK Presidency.
My Department is also committed to agreeing rules against customs duties on electronic transmissions in the UK’s bilateral trade agreements.
Asked by: Bill Wiggin (Conservative - North Herefordshire)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether the Government plans to seek the ability to be to able to ban food imports on animal welfare grounds under World Trade Organization terms.
Answered by Mark Spencer - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We remain firmly committed to upholding our world-leading animal welfare standards as an independent trading nation.
The UK will not compromise its high standards of animal welfare in any trade partnerships or agreements. In accordance with existing World Trade Organisation rules, we retain the ability to regulate for the protection and improvement of animal welfare.
Asked by: Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru - Ceredigion)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to help ensure that (a) stakeholders and (b) the public are able to feed into (i) the UK’s position and (ii) responses to amendments submitted by other countries on the World Health Organisation’s Pandemic Preparedness Treaty.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
From the beginning of negotiations on the pandemic instrument, the UK has engaged with academics, civil society organisations, trade associations and other non-state actors to aid policy development in specific areas. Additionally, the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) and the World Health Organisation have encouraged and facilitated non-state actor participation, informal consultations and formal public hearings, and have considered formal written submissions. Non-state actors, as nominated by Member States, can contribute to open INB sessions on the instrument. The UK will continue to engage with stakeholders throughout the negotiating process.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to assist the steel industry with increased trade and energy costs.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
Global economic conditions continue to be challenging for the steel industry. We are working with the sector to support its transition to a competitive, decarbonised future.
In February we announced the British Industry Supercharger – a package of decisive measures that will bring energy costs for energy intensive industries, including steel, in line with those charged across the world’s major economies.
These measures build on extensive support provided by the Government since 2013 including the Energy Bill Relief Scheme which ran until March 2023 and the Energy Bills Discount Scheme which we will continue until 31 March 2024.
The Government has also legislated for the full suite of tools permitted under the World Trade Organisation to tackle injury caused by unfair trading practices and unexpected import surges. Our actions include extending Steel Safeguard measures until June 2024 and transitioning a number of steel specific anti-dumping measures on steel goods.
Asked by: David Warburton (Independent - Somerton and Frome)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he plans to hold discussions with relevant stakeholders on the development of a World Health Organisation pandemic treaty.
Answered by Andrew Mitchell - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) (Minister for Development)
The UK supports a new legally-binding instrument as part of a cooperative and comprehensive approach to pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. Non-state actors are an important part of the solution to strengthening the global health architecture and protecting countries from health threats. The UK continues to engage with a broad range of stakeholders on the instrument and its negotiation process, including academics, civil society, trade associations and other non-state actors.
Asked by: Rupa Huq (Labour - Ealing Central and Acton)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of introducing a human rights and environmental due diligence law to increase protection for (a) environmental and (b) workers' rights.
Answered by Kevin Hollinrake - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government both encourages and supports the mostly voluntary, business-led, approach to due diligence; as set out in international frameworks such as the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Guidelines on Multinational Enterprises. Additionally, the Environment Act has introduced world-leading due diligence legislation, in order to tackle illegal deforestation in UK supply chains.
Asked by: Tulip Siddiq (Labour - Hampstead and Kilburn)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment she has made of the adequacy of funding available for smaller companies to exhibit their trade overseas; and whether she has made an assessment of how that support compares to that offered by other countries in the World Trade Organisation.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Since launching on 30 November 2021, the UK Tradeshow Programme has had 419 applications seeking support to exhibit at (258), or attend (161*), trade shows overseas.
The programme is currently running as a 16-month feasibility study, ending on 31 March 2023, and research to evaluate the programme is ongoing.
As outlined in our 2021 Export Strategy “Made in the UK, sold to the World”, the Department is committed to improving exporting opportunities for businesses and monitoring our performance in this area to ensure continuous improvement.
*Pursuant to my replies to the hon. Member for Torfaen on 9 February 2023, UIN 126730 and 126731, which stated 164 attendee applications had been received, three applications have since been resolved as incomplete.
Asked by: Viscount Waverley (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have a mechanism to identify specific inbound goods for inspection prior to those goods reaching the UK.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
A risk-based, intelligence-led approach is taken at the Border to tackle the highest and most significant risks before arrival. This approach includes risk-based pre- and post-clearance checks, regular monitoring of supply chains to identify any potentially illicit trade in cooperation with international partners and providing education to traders on their responsibilities.
Entry summary declarations (also known as an ENS) submitted by carriers, are used to identify risks on goods before they arrive. They are part of the international standard for safety and security set up by the World Customs Organisation in their SAFE Framework.
Where the Goods Vehicle Movement System (GVMS) is used for inbound goods with pre-lodged customs declarations, goods requiring checks are identified before they disembark. In other circumstances where customs declarations have been pre-lodged goods may be identified for checks provisionally.
Imports of all goods which are regulated for sanitary or phytosanitary purposes must be pre-notified via the Imports of Animals, Products, Food and Feed System or an equivalent system for plants and plant products. This information is used to target risk-based checks of these imports, to safeguard UK biosecurity.
Asked by: Bernard Jenkin (Conservative - Harwich and North Essex)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many officials from his Department have attended courses on international trade with the World Trade Organisation in each year since 2016; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Nigel Huddleston - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)
Most trade-related training in the Department for International Trade is organised by a central team, and the team has not arranged for any individuals or teams to attend courses at the World Trade Organisation (WTO). We have no records of anyone independently attending WTO courses.