:00:12. > :00:17.Good morning and welcome to BBC Parliament's live coverage of the
:00:18. > :00:21.House of Commons. MPs and peers. The day with a minute's silence to
:00:22. > :00:24.honour the people who are killed into yesterday's terror attack in
:00:25. > :00:30.Westminster which left people dead Westminster which left people dead
:00:31. > :00:34.and people injured. Theresa May will make a statement of the house at
:00:35. > :00:37.half past ten later. MPs will then return to their planned later in the
:00:38. > :00:43.day. David Lidington will announce the forthcoming business in the
:00:44. > :00:48.chamber and take questions from MPs. That is followed by two debates put
:00:49. > :00:54.forward by backbench MPs, one on equitable life policyholders and the
:00:55. > :00:58.other on social mobility. Do join me for a round-up of the day in both
:00:59. > :01:03.Houses of Parliament at 11 o'clock tonight. In a few moments, you'll
:01:04. > :01:09.have questions to the international trade secretary Liam Fox. First we
:01:10. > :01:10.will join MPs for the and science. That's back for the minute's
:01:11. > :01:35.silence. Colleagues, in respectful memory for
:01:36. > :01:41.those who lost their lives in yesterday's attack, and of all the
:01:42. > :03:05.casualties of that attack, we shall now observe a minute's silence.
:03:06. > :03:20.Thank you, colleagues. Order, order. Questions to the Secretary of State
:03:21. > :03:31.for International Trade. Bob Blackman. Question number one, Mr
:03:32. > :03:34.Speaker. As we begin... Liam Fox. As we begin our questions today, I
:03:35. > :03:38.think it is appropriate that we we commit ourselves to the values that
:03:39. > :03:45.this Parliament represents. Those who carry out such wicked and brave
:03:46. > :03:52.actions as we saw it yesterday, do not speak for our country. We must
:03:53. > :03:57.make sure that it is goodness, and tolerance that prevails in our
:03:58. > :04:04.country. In answer to question number one, Israel and Britain have
:04:05. > :04:10.a strong trading relationship. We will continue to liaise closely in
:04:11. > :04:14.sectors such as medical research and development. The life science
:04:15. > :04:19.development in terms of international trade currently help
:04:20. > :04:25.countries looking to export to Israel through to manufacturing
:04:26. > :04:30.medicines and medical devices. Can I join with you and my right
:04:31. > :04:34.honourable friend in expressing sincere condolences for the victims
:04:35. > :04:40.of the terrible atrocity yesterday and in particular to the family of
:04:41. > :04:45.PC Keith Palmer who died so that we can carry out our democratic duties.
:04:46. > :04:54.I think my right honourable friend for his answer. Is the Israel...
:04:55. > :05:00.Israel economy is responsible for many drugs consumed in this country
:05:01. > :05:04.every year and has recently launched the facility where people are
:05:05. > :05:10.encouraged to develop. Can my right honourable friend set out what
:05:11. > :05:11.further plans he has to make sure that we benefit from the
:05:12. > :05:19.pharmaceutical industry and its rail? The UK and Israel have an
:05:20. > :05:22.important trading relationship. We will continue to support life
:05:23. > :05:33.sciences companies investing in the UK and those seeking to import from
:05:34. > :05:36.the UK. This is many size of companies, we support all stages,
:05:37. > :05:39.facilitating development, researching or setting up commercial
:05:40. > :05:46.operations, such as manufacturing to export from the UK. I too would like
:05:47. > :05:50.to express my condolences to the families of all those who died here.
:05:51. > :05:54.I wish the very best for those who are injured. One of the notable
:05:55. > :06:00.things about Israel's relationship with the EEC were on trade is that
:06:01. > :06:05.they are within Horizon 2020, has the secretary of the considered that
:06:06. > :06:10.after Brexit we should stay in Horizon 2020 and the European
:06:11. > :06:14.medicine agency? The latter decision is something that will be part of
:06:15. > :06:19.our negotiation, but in terms of our trading negotiation, we made very
:06:20. > :06:24.clear that our intention was to roll over the trading agreements full
:06:25. > :06:28.that the EU has with the third countries that exist. That includes
:06:29. > :06:32.Israel on the basis of current negotiations. Mr Speaker, will be
:06:33. > :06:37.secretary asked a dentist discussions with the Israeli
:06:38. > :06:41.Government on trade conveyed to them the sympathy and solidarity of the
:06:42. > :06:49.south with Israel? They have so often suffered the same terrorist
:06:50. > :06:53.attack as we did yesterday. What we have in common with all terrorist
:06:54. > :06:57.attacks is that such acts of savagery against the innocent can
:06:58. > :07:09.never be justified or excused by creed or by politics. I will also
:07:10. > :07:12.concur with the condolences sent to the police officer and those
:07:13. > :07:19.suffering in this tragedy. In the London Borough of sudden, bears a
:07:20. > :07:25.lot of work done with Israel. Can you make sure that the post grads at
:07:26. > :07:28.the Cancer research Institute will be able to carry on working in those
:07:29. > :07:34.projects, because many of them come from the new, for many years to
:07:35. > :07:40.come? -- come from the EU. That is why we want early resolution on the
:07:41. > :07:43.status of EU citizens. In terms of those collaborating with our
:07:44. > :07:46.research institutes, they do so on the basis of the quality of that
:07:47. > :07:55.research and I am sure that that will continue. With permission, I
:07:56. > :07:58.will answer questions three and four together. The World Trade
:07:59. > :08:05.Organisation agreement on trade facilitation entered into force on
:08:06. > :08:09.the 22nd of every 2017. Once two thirds of WTO members had accepted
:08:10. > :08:15.the agreement. This is a significant event. This could add ?70 billion to
:08:16. > :08:21.the global economy and we expect the benefit to the UK of up to ?1
:08:22. > :08:23.billion. We should say for the benefit of the house because there
:08:24. > :08:31.was a quizzical air, but question two was withdrawn. That is the
:08:32. > :08:38.situation, I can see the honourable gentleman is in his place, but the
:08:39. > :08:45.question was withdrawn. We obviously don't want to fall back on WTO
:08:46. > :08:49.rules, but if we did, can you tell the house what happened to airlines,
:08:50. > :08:55.digital data flows and services if we had to do that? There is a
:08:56. > :08:58.difference between some of the agreements mentioned which are
:08:59. > :09:04.bilateral agreements and the WTO tariffs which largely apply to
:09:05. > :09:06.goods. We hope that we would get a full and comprehensive agreement
:09:07. > :09:09.with our European Union partners across all the sectors he mentions
:09:10. > :09:16.so that we will see no interruption to the business as we have seen
:09:17. > :09:22.today. Coming into force last month, the WTO trade facilitation agreement
:09:23. > :09:25.brings about great reforms like reducing the fees on import and
:09:26. > :09:30.export and quickening clearance procedures. What impact does the
:09:31. > :09:38.Secretary of State consider these reforms will have on UK businesses
:09:39. > :09:41.who are importing and exporting? UK exporters in particular will benefit
:09:42. > :09:49.from the customs reforms being introduced and implementing will
:09:50. > :09:54.improve trading environment for businesses engaging in international
:09:55. > :10:00.trade making it easier and cheaper for UK businesses to export their
:10:01. > :10:08.goods across the globe. Sentiment of our party with the injured and
:10:09. > :10:13.murdered yesterday, our thoughts and prayer with... Are with them. Can
:10:14. > :10:22.the Minister determine how we can enhance further building capacity in
:10:23. > :10:29.this area and as he believe that we can carry on post-Brits trade
:10:30. > :10:33.negotiations? As most European union members are higher than the bar set
:10:34. > :10:42.by the TFA, that will not have a huge benefit, impacts. Exporting to
:10:43. > :10:48.market such as sub Saharan Africa, that is where the benefit is likely
:10:49. > :10:58.to be felt. Lambs and sheep farmers, who will see tariffs in forced, make
:10:59. > :11:01.sure that if we do urge trade with New Zealand, we won't be flooded
:11:02. > :11:04.with New Zealand lamb. Money at the point where we will be having these
:11:05. > :11:10.discussions, we will be wanting to make sure the there is a balance
:11:11. > :11:16.between UK producer interests and UK consumer interests. Wheels are want
:11:17. > :11:21.to make sure that we are entering into a global, liberal trading
:11:22. > :11:26.agreement that aids everybody. This agreement is potentially of great
:11:27. > :11:30.advantage to the least developed countries in which we have put a
:11:31. > :11:37.very considerable investment. Will he continue to drive forward that
:11:38. > :11:41.particular agenda? Yes. We have invested a large amount of money in
:11:42. > :11:47.supporting the agreement itself. Ensuring it is able to be introduced
:11:48. > :11:50.in as beneficial way, in as many countries and as quickly as
:11:51. > :11:54.possible. As my right honourable friend says, this will have the
:11:55. > :11:57.greatest benefit in some of the poorest countries in the world,
:11:58. > :12:01.which is why the United Kingdom, under both governments in both
:12:02. > :12:09.parties, have been so supportive of it. Thank you Mr Speaker, for well
:12:10. > :12:13.over a century, the UK has never had security of food supply. The result
:12:14. > :12:20.which relied on imports. What then will WTO tariffs of up to 40% do for
:12:21. > :12:23.the price of Ford -- food for hard-working families that are
:12:24. > :12:28.already being squeezed by Government policies. The gentleman raises an
:12:29. > :12:33.important point. Where we do have genuinely free trade, it benefits
:12:34. > :12:39.consumers. And where we can have in open global trading environments, it
:12:40. > :12:41.is likely to make the incomes of those particularly on low incomes go
:12:42. > :12:42.further and we should welcome an open trading environment which I
:12:43. > :12:57.hope he will. With your permission, Mr Speaker, I
:12:58. > :13:04.will answer questions five and nine together. The Department for
:13:05. > :13:14.International Trade provides support for UK businesses in the UK and in
:13:15. > :13:17.109 marks overseas. We give UK companies access to millions of
:13:18. > :13:24.pounds worth of potential business through the digital services offered
:13:25. > :13:31.on the great dot gov website. Does he agree with many that taking
:13:32. > :13:36.companies who make British goods on trade delegations is an excellent
:13:37. > :13:43.way of ensuring that companies made the most of our opportunities as we
:13:44. > :13:52.lead leave the European Union? Trade delegations give an opportunity for
:13:53. > :13:55.small businesses to be put in front of buyers and the department of
:13:56. > :14:03.international trade runs 1,000 trade delegations every year. I have been
:14:04. > :14:06.on a number and my colleagues have. They are very successful in
:14:07. > :14:10.developing opportunities. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Can my
:14:11. > :14:13.honourable friend tell the House what steps he's taking to help first
:14:14. > :14:18.time entrepreneurs become first time successful exporters? Well, the
:14:19. > :14:22.website is a tremendous opportunity where entrepreneurs, who are in
:14:23. > :14:33.tech-savvy can take advantage of the opportunities we provide to the
:14:34. > :14:44.access of global E marketplaces as well as the advice we can provide
:14:45. > :14:49.through the website for this type of business. This is of course
:14:50. > :15:01.supported... Thank you. Can I ask the minister, can I ask what advice
:15:02. > :15:07.and what the Government is doing to help small businesses in this
:15:08. > :15:10.respect? Well t department of international trade has throughout
:15:11. > :15:15.the UK and particularly in English regions, we have a network of
:15:16. > :15:18.international advisers who are available. They can be contacted
:15:19. > :15:23.through the local chambers of commerce and they are there to hand
:15:24. > :15:26.hold individual companies where they need help.
:15:27. > :15:32.Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. Can I ask the minister whether he's
:15:33. > :15:38.looking at the differences within the English regions at the levels of
:15:39. > :15:44.trade? I would suggest that possibly that is one of the reasons why
:15:45. > :15:52.outside of London a lot of people in the English regions voted to leave
:15:53. > :15:57.because they didn't feel they were getting the benefits. What he's
:15:58. > :16:01.going to do to help those areas improve their trading links? We look
:16:02. > :16:08.at foreign investment through trading links. This is why we see
:16:09. > :16:15.areas such as Sunderland who have benefitted well over the Nissan
:16:16. > :16:24.stuff. On the point of trade, she is right, the UK needs to trade more
:16:25. > :16:28.with the rest of the world. We are 11% of businesses who could trade
:16:29. > :16:34.are trading. This is one of the prime concerns and objectives of the
:16:35. > :16:44.be department of international trade is to promote trade to the whole of
:16:45. > :16:48.the UK, in order to make sure that we do... Thank you. What steps are
:16:49. > :16:55.my Right Honourable friend's department taking to enhance trade
:16:56. > :17:09.with India and the UK? My Right Honourable friend has met with
:17:10. > :17:12.India. We are having talks on an on-going basis to facilitate
:17:13. > :17:18.opportunities there. I will be visiting India with my Right
:17:19. > :17:23.Honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in order to explore
:17:24. > :20:30.more opportunities with financial services. Mr Speaker, the
:20:31. > :20:37.What contingency plans of the Government doing to make sure that
:20:38. > :20:45.their remaining competitive? Is right to raise this point. It is
:20:46. > :20:49.absolutely the intention that the UK can achieve a tariff free access to
:20:50. > :20:55.the single market and indeed a customs access to the single market.
:20:56. > :20:59.That not only benefit the UK car manufacturers, 1.9 million cars, the
:21:00. > :21:05.European manufacturers who export to the UK. It is absolutely our
:21:06. > :21:16.intention that tariff free customers... Thank you very much.
:21:17. > :21:22.Many breach the rules by getting past the barriers. What can we do to
:21:23. > :21:30.make sure that those countries are persuaded against that practice?
:21:31. > :21:33.Nontariff barriers are an incredibly disruptive thing to free trade and
:21:34. > :21:37.it is something that we take very seriously. We look at our own system
:21:38. > :21:41.of trade remedies, but of course everything has been done through the
:21:42. > :21:49.European Union. We do need obviously to start engaging in that. To a
:21:50. > :21:56.certain extent, we... The WTO overrules are not something that we
:21:57. > :22:06.fall back on, but the of all international trade. Woolly bear in
:22:07. > :22:18.mind that a UK fair trade policy will produce by 4.8%? -- will he. It
:22:19. > :22:22.is a huge benefit for developing nations. For consumers, the
:22:23. > :22:25.opportunity to have market choice and therefore price choice is
:22:26. > :22:34.something which can be incredibly helpful to the economy. They publish
:22:35. > :22:39.the excellent technician report yesterday which says that digital
:22:40. > :22:46.company investment is 50% higher than any other European country. Has
:22:47. > :22:52.he made an analysis on how WTO rules will affect the tech industry going
:22:53. > :22:58.forward? The public of international trade makes an analysis on how WTO
:22:59. > :23:03.rules affect every sector of the economy. He is absolutely right to
:23:04. > :23:09.highlight the technology sector is something to lean on. You and I have
:23:10. > :23:14.been in this house for 20 years, and I can say that after yesterday's
:23:15. > :23:19.attack, I don't think I've ever felt more proud and more grateful to be
:23:20. > :23:31.speaking in this chamber. What assessment have you made to the BTO
:23:32. > :23:35.remedies with back -- WTO. He spoke of a balance of interests between UK
:23:36. > :23:40.producers and UK consumers. If this is to be a balance, how many
:23:41. > :23:47.specialist staff has he recruited to deploy successful anti-dumping
:23:48. > :23:52.measures and to protect steel and ceramic producers? We will bring
:23:53. > :23:58.forward an proposals on this in due course. We will be looking to adopt
:23:59. > :24:02.a rules -based process by which we will deal with this. As I say, we
:24:03. > :24:13.will give me has more information in due course. The Department of
:24:14. > :24:16.International trade has three tasks promoting UK exports promoting UK
:24:17. > :24:25.economy that serves the country. Maximising wealth creation,
:24:26. > :24:31.including overseas injections. With your permission, I would like just
:24:32. > :24:38.to acknowledge so Martin Donnelly who leads our department after 36
:24:39. > :24:41.years in the civil service. The great and distinguished civil
:24:42. > :24:48.servant who will be much missed by my department and more widely. Thank
:24:49. > :24:59.you to that. Last weekend, we learn that his department seem to be
:25:00. > :25:03.working on a 10-year transitional on the WTO trade deal. Can the
:25:04. > :25:07.Secretary of State confirm this is the case? The Scottish Government
:25:08. > :25:09.have been consulted or are being consulted to represent the interests
:25:10. > :25:13.of all the nations in the UK. The Department is not working on a
:25:14. > :25:23.secret agreement with anybody, including European Union. What he's
:25:24. > :25:27.referring to is press reports about the smooth transition at the point
:25:28. > :25:33.where the United Kingdom leaves the European Union. There has been
:25:34. > :25:43.considerable investment in the offshore wind investment. With
:25:44. > :25:47.article 50 being triggered next Wednesday, can he make sure that we
:25:48. > :25:53.attract global investment so that local businesses are well placed
:25:54. > :25:55.with contracts at home and overseas? Department for International Trade
:25:56. > :26:01.works with and will continue to work with key UK suppliers, foreign
:26:02. > :26:05.governments and offshore wind developers. The UK is building a
:26:06. > :26:18.competitive and innovative supply chain. Now that the Secretary of
:26:19. > :26:25.State has revealed the trade deal in the Queen's speech, will he released
:26:26. > :26:30.a white paper to set out clearly what marketing wants to liberalise,
:26:31. > :26:34.what he will do for future trade agreements to protect and enhance
:26:35. > :26:42.liberal trade principles, sustained human rights, intellectual property
:26:43. > :26:50.rights, food standards and the to nationalise particular standards. If
:26:51. > :26:55.he develops and informed can..., consultative that he is holding
:26:56. > :26:58.clear dialogue is backed by a clear plan. The honourable gentleman
:26:59. > :27:03.raises a very important point. Should the Government intends to
:27:04. > :27:11.introduce legislation on this issue, in the Queen's speech, then clearly
:27:12. > :27:15.we would want to have a console to -- consuls at if process. It is
:27:16. > :27:19.important that we do that in a very collegiate way because as he says,
:27:20. > :27:24.that is the way to maintain and maximise it. The aerospace sector is
:27:25. > :27:31.of great importance in Derbyshire. What steps is the taking to maximise
:27:32. > :27:36.this around the world? Our aim is to keep the UK in a leading aerospace
:27:37. > :27:44.and space nation. We will continue to work with the industry with the
:27:45. > :27:48.aerospace growth programme. The UK video games sector is one of our
:27:49. > :27:53.great success stories. I was in Cambridge on Friday, the trade body
:27:54. > :27:56.have told them that maintaining data flows in Europe is essential. Can
:27:57. > :28:03.the Secretary of State tell us what progress is being made on this with
:28:04. > :28:06.the European Union? The honourable member is absolutely right to
:28:07. > :28:12.celebrate the activities of this creative industry sector. At the
:28:13. > :28:19.moment, we haven't entered into any specific talks. Once discussions --
:28:20. > :28:26.what discussions has done a caddie had about trade opportunities? --
:28:27. > :28:31.what discussions have you had about trade opportunities? We had
:28:32. > :28:35.discussions with Commonwealth trade ministers which gave as an
:28:36. > :28:38.opportunity to look at how we can maximise trade. Also to look at the
:28:39. > :28:44.differences between a trading systems to ensure that we move to
:28:45. > :28:49.greater consistency in the rules that we apply so that in future we
:28:50. > :28:58.are able to get even greater benefit for all of those wealth in a
:28:59. > :29:04.beneficial system growing faster than the economy. When will be
:29:05. > :29:08.Government notify other contracting parties in the European economic
:29:09. > :29:14.area of agreement of its intention to withdraw from the EEA? Mr
:29:15. > :29:18.Speaker, as we withdraw from the European Union, we will be having
:29:19. > :29:24.continue discussions with our partners about how we intend the
:29:25. > :29:30.process to be notified. What are the considerations are ministers giving
:29:31. > :29:38.to the issue of product stamps? The product standards issue is obviously
:29:39. > :29:41.one that it's very important. When a relates to the European Union, my
:29:42. > :29:45.honourable friend will be aware that the great repeal bill will be across
:29:46. > :29:54.a great deal of that. In the great repeal bill, it will be discussing
:29:55. > :29:59.standards. What influence can my friend bring to showcase great
:30:00. > :30:09.British beer in embassies around the world? We give great priority to all
:30:10. > :30:14.great British exports and let me today give a personal commitment to
:30:15. > :30:20.my honourable friend that I will give an unusually strong, personal
:30:21. > :30:25.interest to the request that he makes on the register trips that I
:30:26. > :30:35.intend to take in the coming months. My constituent lives in the economy.
:30:36. > :30:38.Can the Secretary of State reassure her that he understands the
:30:39. > :30:42.difficulties that Brexit is likely to pose for this very globally
:30:43. > :30:47.focused industry and what action is he going to take to prevent these
:30:48. > :30:53.issues occurring? One of the Robben is we have faced in recent times is
:30:54. > :30:59.that while we have been forward leaning on issues, it has prevented
:31:00. > :31:02.us from taking forward some of the measures of liberalisation that
:31:03. > :31:05.would affect help both this country and others. As believe the European
:31:06. > :31:20.Union, we would want to see what advantage is the you... United
:31:21. > :31:21.Kingdom can have so that e-commerce can flourish. Question