Live International Trade Questions House of Commons

Good morning and welcome to BBC Parliament's live coverage of the

House of Commons. MPs and peers. The day with a minute's silence to

honour the people who are killed into yesterday's terror attack in

Westminster which left people dead Westminster which left people dead

and people injured. Theresa May will make a statement of the house at

half past ten later. MPs will then return to their planned later in the

day. David Lidington will announce the forthcoming business in the

chamber and take questions from MPs. That is followed by two debates put

forward by backbench MPs, one on equitable life policyholders and the

other on social mobility. Do join me for a round-up of the day in both

Houses of Parliament at 11 o'clock tonight. In a few moments, you'll

have questions to the international trade secretary Liam Fox. First we

will join MPs for the and science. That's back for the minute's

silence. Colleagues, in respectful memory for

those who lost their lives in yesterday's attack, and of all the

casualties of that attack, we shall now observe a minute's silence.

Thank you, colleagues. Order, order. Questions to the Secretary of State

for International Trade. Bob Blackman. Question number one, Mr

Speaker. As we begin... Liam Fox. As we begin our questions today, I

think it is appropriate that we we commit ourselves to the values that

this Parliament represents. Those who carry out such wicked and brave

actions as we saw it yesterday, do not speak for our country. We must

make sure that it is goodness, and tolerance that prevails in our

country. In answer to question number one, Israel and Britain have

a strong trading relationship. We will continue to liaise closely in

sectors such as medical research and development. The life science

development in terms of international trade currently help

countries looking to export to Israel through to manufacturing

medicines and medical devices. Can I join with you and my right

honourable friend in expressing sincere condolences for the victims

of the terrible atrocity yesterday and in particular to the family of

PC Keith Palmer who died so that we can carry out our democratic duties.

I think my right honourable friend for his answer. Is the Israel...

Israel economy is responsible for many drugs consumed in this country

every year and has recently launched the facility where people are

encouraged to develop. Can my right honourable friend set out what

further plans he has to make sure that we benefit from the

pharmaceutical industry and its rail? The UK and Israel have an

important trading relationship. We will continue to support life

sciences companies investing in the UK and those seeking to import from

the UK. This is many size of companies, we support all stages,

facilitating development, researching or setting up commercial

operations, such as manufacturing to export from the UK. I too would like

to express my condolences to the families of all those who died here.

I wish the very best for those who are injured. One of the notable

things about Israel's relationship with the EEC were on trade is that

they are within Horizon 2020, has the secretary of the considered that

after Brexit we should stay in Horizon 2020 and the European

medicine agency? The latter decision is something that will be part of

our negotiation, but in terms of our trading negotiation, we made very

clear that our intention was to roll over the trading agreements full

that the EU has with the third countries that exist. That includes

Israel on the basis of current negotiations. Mr Speaker, will be

secretary asked a dentist discussions with the Israeli

Government on trade conveyed to them the sympathy and solidarity of the

south with Israel? They have so often suffered the same terrorist

attack as we did yesterday. What we have in common with all terrorist

attacks is that such acts of savagery against the innocent can

never be justified or excused by creed or by politics. I will also

concur with the condolences sent to the police officer and those

suffering in this tragedy. In the London Borough of sudden, bears a

lot of work done with Israel. Can you make sure that the post grads at

the Cancer research Institute will be able to carry on working in those

projects, because many of them come from the new, for many years to

come? -- come from the EU. That is why we want early resolution on the

status of EU citizens. In terms of those collaborating with our

research institutes, they do so on the basis of the quality of that

research and I am sure that that will continue. With permission, I

will answer questions three and four together. The World Trade

Organisation agreement on trade facilitation entered into force on

the 22nd of every 2017. Once two thirds of WTO members had accepted

the agreement. This is a significant event. This could add ?70 billion to

the global economy and we expect the benefit to the UK of up to ?1

billion. We should say for the benefit of the house because there

was a quizzical air, but question two was withdrawn. That is the

situation, I can see the honourable gentleman is in his place, but the

question was withdrawn. We obviously don't want to fall back on WTO

rules, but if we did, can you tell the house what happened to airlines,

digital data flows and services if we had to do that? There is a

difference between some of the agreements mentioned which are

bilateral agreements and the WTO tariffs which largely apply to

goods. We hope that we would get a full and comprehensive agreement

with our European Union partners across all the sectors he mentions

so that we will see no interruption to the business as we have seen

today. Coming into force last month, the WTO trade facilitation agreement

brings about great reforms like reducing the fees on import and

export and quickening clearance procedures. What impact does the

Secretary of State consider these reforms will have on UK businesses

who are importing and exporting? UK exporters in particular will benefit

from the customs reforms being introduced and implementing will

improve trading environment for businesses engaging in international

trade making it easier and cheaper for UK businesses to export their

goods across the globe. Sentiment of our party with the injured and

murdered yesterday, our thoughts and prayer with... Are with them. Can

the Minister determine how we can enhance further building capacity in

this area and as he believe that we can carry on post-Brits trade

negotiations? As most European union members are higher than the bar set

by the TFA, that will not have a huge benefit, impacts. Exporting to

market such as sub Saharan Africa, that is where the benefit is likely

to be felt. Lambs and sheep farmers, who will see tariffs in forced, make

sure that if we do urge trade with New Zealand, we won't be flooded

with New Zealand lamb. Money at the point where we will be having these

discussions, we will be wanting to make sure the there is a balance

between UK producer interests and UK consumer interests. Wheels are want

to make sure that we are entering into a global, liberal trading

agreement that aids everybody. This agreement is potentially of great

advantage to the least developed countries in which we have put a

very considerable investment. Will he continue to drive forward that

particular agenda? Yes. We have invested a large amount of money in

supporting the agreement itself. Ensuring it is able to be introduced

in as beneficial way, in as many countries and as quickly as

possible. As my right honourable friend says, this will have the

greatest benefit in some of the poorest countries in the world,

which is why the United Kingdom, under both governments in both

parties, have been so supportive of it. Thank you Mr Speaker, for well

over a century, the UK has never had security of food supply. The result

which relied on imports. What then will WTO tariffs of up to 40% do for

the price of Ford -- food for hard-working families that are

already being squeezed by Government policies. The gentleman raises an

important point. Where we do have genuinely free trade, it benefits

consumers. And where we can have in open global trading environments, it

is likely to make the incomes of those particularly on low incomes go

further and we should welcome an open trading environment which I

hope he will. With your permission, Mr Speaker, I

will answer questions five and nine together. The Department for

International Trade provides support for UK businesses in the UK and in

109 marks overseas. We give UK companies access to millions of

pounds worth of potential business through the digital services offered

on the great dot gov website. Does he agree with many that taking

companies who make British goods on trade delegations is an excellent

way of ensuring that companies made the most of our opportunities as we

lead leave the European Union? Trade delegations give an opportunity for

small businesses to be put in front of buyers and the department of

international trade runs 1,000 trade delegations every year. I have been

on a number and my colleagues have. They are very successful in

developing opportunities. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Can my

honourable friend tell the House what steps he's taking to help first

time entrepreneurs become first time successful exporters? Well, the

website is a tremendous opportunity where entrepreneurs, who are in

tech-savvy can take advantage of the opportunities we provide to the

access of global E marketplaces as well as the advice we can provide

through the website for this type of business. This is of course

supported... Thank you. Can I ask the minister, can I ask what advice

and what the Government is doing to help small businesses in this

respect? Well t department of international trade has throughout

the UK and particularly in English regions, we have a network of

international advisers who are available. They can be contacted

through the local chambers of commerce and they are there to hand

hold individual companies where they need help.

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. Can I ask the minister whether he's

looking at the differences within the English regions at the levels of

trade? I would suggest that possibly that is one of the reasons why

outside of London a lot of people in the English regions voted to leave

because they didn't feel they were getting the benefits. What he's

going to do to help those areas improve their trading links? We look

at foreign investment through trading links. This is why we see

areas such as Sunderland who have benefitted well over the Nissan

stuff. On the point of trade, she is right, the UK needs to trade more

with the rest of the world. We are 11% of businesses who could trade

are trading. This is one of the prime concerns and objectives of the

be department of international trade is to promote trade to the whole of

the UK, in order to make sure that we do... Thank you. What steps are

my Right Honourable friend's department taking to enhance trade

with India and the UK? My Right Honourable friend has met with

India. We are having talks on an on-going basis to facilitate

opportunities there. I will be visiting India with my Right

Honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in order to explore

more opportunities with financial services. Mr Speaker, the

What contingency plans of the Government doing to make sure that

their remaining competitive? Is right to raise this point. It is

absolutely the intention that the UK can achieve a tariff free access to

the single market and indeed a customs access to the single market.

That not only benefit the UK car manufacturers, 1.9 million cars, the

European manufacturers who export to the UK. It is absolutely our

intention that tariff free customers... Thank you very much.

Many breach the rules by getting past the barriers. What can we do to

make sure that those countries are persuaded against that practice?

Nontariff barriers are an incredibly disruptive thing to free trade and

it is something that we take very seriously. We look at our own system

of trade remedies, but of course everything has been done through the

European Union. We do need obviously to start engaging in that. To a

certain extent, we... The WTO overrules are not something that we

fall back on, but the of all international trade. Woolly bear in

mind that a UK fair trade policy will produce by 4.8%? -- will he. It

is a huge benefit for developing nations. For consumers, the

opportunity to have market choice and therefore price choice is

something which can be incredibly helpful to the economy. They publish

the excellent technician report yesterday which says that digital

company investment is 50% higher than any other European country. Has

he made an analysis on how WTO rules will affect the tech industry going

forward? The public of international trade makes an analysis on how WTO

rules affect every sector of the economy. He is absolutely right to

highlight the technology sector is something to lean on. You and I have

been in this house for 20 years, and I can say that after yesterday's

attack, I don't think I've ever felt more proud and more grateful to be

speaking in this chamber. What assessment have you made to the BTO

remedies with back -- WTO. He spoke of a balance of interests between UK

producers and UK consumers. If this is to be a balance, how many

specialist staff has he recruited to deploy successful anti-dumping

measures and to protect steel and ceramic producers? We will bring

forward an proposals on this in due course. We will be looking to adopt

a rules -based process by which we will deal with this. As I say, we

will give me has more information in due course. The Department of

International trade has three tasks promoting UK exports promoting UK

economy that serves the country. Maximising wealth creation,

including overseas injections. With your permission, I would like just

to acknowledge so Martin Donnelly who leads our department after 36

years in the civil service. The great and distinguished civil

servant who will be much missed by my department and more widely. Thank

you to that. Last weekend, we learn that his department seem to be

working on a 10-year transitional on the WTO trade deal. Can the

Secretary of State confirm this is the case? The Scottish Government

have been consulted or are being consulted to represent the interests

of all the nations in the UK. The Department is not working on a

secret agreement with anybody, including European Union. What he's

referring to is press reports about the smooth transition at the point

where the United Kingdom leaves the European Union. There has been

considerable investment in the offshore wind investment. With

article 50 being triggered next Wednesday, can he make sure that we

attract global investment so that local businesses are well placed

with contracts at home and overseas? Department for International Trade

works with and will continue to work with key UK suppliers, foreign

governments and offshore wind developers. The UK is building a

competitive and innovative supply chain. Now that the Secretary of

State has revealed the trade deal in the Queen's speech, will he released

a white paper to set out clearly what marketing wants to liberalise,

what he will do for future trade agreements to protect and enhance

liberal trade principles, sustained human rights, intellectual property

rights, food standards and the to nationalise particular standards. If

he develops and informed can..., consultative that he is holding

clear dialogue is backed by a clear plan. The honourable gentleman

raises a very important point. Should the Government intends to

introduce legislation on this issue, in the Queen's speech, then clearly

we would want to have a console to -- consuls at if process. It is

important that we do that in a very collegiate way because as he says,

that is the way to maintain and maximise it. The aerospace sector is

of great importance in Derbyshire. What steps is the taking to maximise

this around the world? Our aim is to keep the UK in a leading aerospace

and space nation. We will continue to work with the industry with the

aerospace growth programme. The UK video games sector is one of our

great success stories. I was in Cambridge on Friday, the trade body

have told them that maintaining data flows in Europe is essential. Can

the Secretary of State tell us what progress is being made on this with

the European Union? The honourable member is absolutely right to

celebrate the activities of this creative industry sector. At the

moment, we haven't entered into any specific talks. Once discussions --

what discussions has done a caddie had about trade opportunities? --

what discussions have you had about trade opportunities? We had

discussions with Commonwealth trade ministers which gave as an

opportunity to look at how we can maximise trade. Also to look at the

differences between a trading systems to ensure that we move to

greater consistency in the rules that we apply so that in future we

are able to get even greater benefit for all of those wealth in a

beneficial system growing faster than the economy. When will be

Government notify other contracting parties in the European economic

area of agreement of its intention to withdraw from the EEA? Mr

Speaker, as we withdraw from the European Union, we will be having

continue discussions with our partners about how we intend the

process to be notified. What are the considerations are ministers giving

to the issue of product stamps? The product standards issue is obviously

one that it's very important. When a relates to the European Union, my

honourable friend will be aware that the great repeal bill will be across

a great deal of that. In the great repeal bill, it will be discussing

standards. What influence can my friend bring to showcase great

British beer in embassies around the world? We give great priority to all

great British exports and let me today give a personal commitment to

my honourable friend that I will give an unusually strong, personal

interest to the request that he makes on the register trips that I

intend to take in the coming months. My constituent lives in the economy.

Can the Secretary of State reassure her that he understands the

difficulties that Brexit is likely to pose for this very globally

focused industry and what action is he going to take to prevent these

issues occurring? One of the Robben is we have faced in recent times is

that while we have been forward leaning on issues, it has prevented

us from taking forward some of the measures of liberalisation that

would affect help both this country and others. As believe the European

Union, we would want to see what advantage is the you... United

Kingdom can have so that e-commerce can flourish. Question