Nigel Huddleston: This spend was in relation to travel by the Deputy Director in the Sponsorship and World Events team, who was requested to accompany Minister Adams in support of the Osaka 2025 Expo. This was a last-minute business class booking to Tokyo and had extremely limited availability. The department does not ordinarily book travel in this way.
Nigel Huddleston: The spend relates to costs for participating in the Three Counties Defence and Security Expo in October 2021. The costs include the provision of power, lighting, audio/visual facilities, a small meeting room and the stand construction.
Nigel Huddleston: This was hospitality spend on lunch on 27 May 2022 for a visiting Indian Government Delegation. The delegation were visiting London as part of the UK-India Trade Negotiation discussions and a Department for International Trade-hosted Round Table event. 7 Indian Government officials were hosted by 3 UK Government officials. There was no alcohol purchased during the lunch.
Nigel Huddleston: The total spend by the Department for International Trade on purchasing goods and services with a value of less than £500 on a government procurement card was £148,099.63 in 2021.
Nigel Huddleston: Europe remains a vital export destination for British businesses, exporting £344.6 billion in the year to June 2022, up 16% in current prices on the previous year. My department has around 300 trade experts across Europe, charged with resolving market access barriers, encouraging investment and promoting UK exports. Our refreshed Export Strategy launched last November to help businesses at...
Nigel Huddleston: All IT equipment issued by the department is encrypted. Any mobile device reported as lost is immediately deactivated and the contents remotely deleted. The user account on any laptop reported as lost is also immediately locked. Further investigation of lost devices is carried out where appropriate, including reporting the matter to the police. We are not aware of any data loss or compromise...
Nigel Huddleston: I would like to clarify that there is no formal inquiry underway, contrary to press reports. The Government has reviewed the reports about UK components being recovered from Russian military equipment. It is likely that some Russian military equipment contains sub-components, some of which are dual-use and are not controlled, obtained from a range of countries, including the UK. The UK,...
Nigel Huddleston: The total value of gifts (given) over the last three years, by recipient country, is not held centrally by the Department for International Trade (DIT). The department fulfils the requirement to publish transparency data in line with the Government’s transparency agenda and this can be found at DIT ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings on GOV.UK.
Nigel Huddleston: The number of diplomatic gifts that have been given in each of the last three years, by recipient countries is not held centrally by the Department for International Trade (DIT). The department fulfils the requirement to publish transparency data in line with the Government’s transparency agenda and this can be found at DIT ministerial gifts, hospitality, travel and meetings on GOV.UK.
Nigel Huddleston: It is vital that increased trade is not based on the exploitation and abuse of workers. The Modern Slavery Act 2015 requires businesses with a turnover of £36m or more to publish modern slavery statements annually to report on the steps they are taking to ensure modern slavery is not taking place in their operations and supply chains. Additionally, the Procurement Bill includes provisions to...
Nigel Huddleston: The Department's energy usage and CO2 emissions are published in our Annual Report and Accounts. Please see https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/department-for-in ternational-trade-annual-report-and-accounts (page 84) for the latest published figures. Crown Commercial Service (CCS) operates a centralised energy procurement strategy for central government and is responsible for...
Nigel Huddleston: A) Yes, there has been an increase to the departmental expenditure limit spending in the Indo-Pacific region since 16 March 2021. B) The Department for International Trade has not incurred any annually managed expenditure spending in the Indo-Pacific region since 16 March 2021. The publication of the Integrated Review in March 2021 affirmed the UK’s increased focus and long-term...
Nigel Huddleston: The Department for International Trade (DIT) and UK Export Finance (UKEF) have had the following secondments since 2016, when DIT was formed: DIT:KPMG – less than 5 secondees, February 2021 to January 2022 UKEF:Deloitte – less than 5 secondees, February 2022 to March 2022Deloitte – less than 5 secondees, December 2022 to March 2023 There have not been secondments from the other firms.
Nigel Huddleston: The Secretary of State has just returned from India, where she met her counterpart in the Government of India to discuss the free trade agreement, including goods, services, and investment. She also had the opportunity to meet Indian and UK businesses, who made clear the mutual benefits a forward-facing deal could bring to both nations. Round six is currently underway, and at its conclusion...
Nigel Huddleston: The Department for International Trade is absolutely committed to increasing trade opportunities for the UK financial services sector. Through our network of in-market sector specialists located in Europe, India, Singapore and beyond, the Department is identifying and removing market access barriers and supporting companies to export their services to the world. Working with organisations...
Nigel Huddleston: I thank my right hon. Friend for raising that sector, which is hugely important to the UK economy and a major export generator. Our export strategy, which we published last year, outlines the Government support available for British exporters, including the financial services sector. The strategy updates the Department’s support for services firms and helps to give businesses and financial...
Nigel Huddleston: The hon. Gentleman makes an important point and, of course, that is exactly what we are doing. The Government are very aware of the issues and, with the support of the whole House, have taken robust action on sanctions against Russia, and will continue to do so.
Nigel Huddleston: The UK-Australia free trade agreement is expected to unlock more than £10 billion pounds of additional bilateral trade. We are working at pace to implement it, so that businesses can benefit from it as soon as possible. The Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Bill is making its passage through Parliament. It passed Report and Third Reading on Monday, and was introduced into the House of Lords...
Nigel Huddleston: I would like to correct the hon. Gentleman. We are progressing at pace, and we are having conversations with the devolved Administrations—indeed, I had conversations with Ministers from Wales and Scotland recently. Overall, enthusiasm for the deals is considerable right across the UK. Let us not forget that they will boost the economy, to the tune of £2.3 billion for the Australia deal and...
Nigel Huddleston: The hon. Gentleman will be aware that discussions with the CPTPP are ongoing, and we are confident that we will strike a mutually beneficial and extremely good deal. I advise him to watch this space.