Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: The Written Ministerial Statement of 7th July 2020 explained and set out details of the revised methodology developed to comply with the Court of Appeal’s judgment of 20th June 2019 and applied to re-take the decisions remitted by the Court of Appeal on the correct legal basis. HM Government have no plans to publish the assessments to which the Noble Lord refers. Such assessments use all...
Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: The Written Ministerial Statement of 7th July 2020 set out the steps that HM Government has taken to comply with the judgment of the Court of Appeal of 20th June 2019 regarding licences for military exports to Saudi Arabia for possible use in the conflict in Yemen. To address the Court of Appeal’s judgment, we have developed a revised methodology in respect of all allegations which it is...
Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: The United Kingdom does not recognise the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including settlements, as part of Israel. For this reason, goods imported from the settlements are not entitled to benefit from trade preferences under the United Kingdom-Israel Trade and Partnership Agreement. We will maintain this approach. HM Government has maintained a dialogue with Israel and we will continue...
Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: There are no extant licences granted for Colombia that may be used for such surveillance. For context, all export licence applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis against the Consolidated EU and National Arms Export Licensing Criteria (the ‘Consolidated Criteria’). In reaching a decision, the Department for International Trade (DIT) receives advice from a number of Departments...
Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: As the noble Lord will be aware, HM Government does not comment on leaked documents. However, as set out by my Rt. Hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 13 July, we have set out comprehensive guidance on the movement of goods between Great Britain and the EU after the end of the transition period. This Border Operating Model provides clarity and certainty to the border...
Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: The Written Ministerial Statement of 7th July 2020 explained and set out details of the revised methodology developed to comply with the Court of Appeal’s judgment of 20th June 2019 and applied to re-take the decisions remitted by the Court of Appeal on the correct legal basis. HM Government have no plans to publish the assessments to which the Noble Lord refers. Such assessments use all...
Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: My Lords, protecting human rights and maintaining environmental standards will always be at the front of our minds when negotiating trade agreements. We have a strong history of safeguarding rights and promoting our values globally. Although our approach to negotiations will vary between partners, it will always allow Her Majesty’s Government to have open discussions on these matters and...
Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: My Lords, the report to which the noble Lord referred actually complimented my department for the way that it has interacted with the IAC. Before we commence negotiations, we make available a full pack of information, including an economic assessment and the results of our consultations. At the end of each negotiation, we have committed to follow the criteria and to make sure that the IAC has...
Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: My Lords, the right reverend Prelate makes an excellent point. The UK is committed to working with international partners and businesses to tackle modern slavery in global supply chains. It is vital that increased trade is not based on the exploitation and abuse of workers.
Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: My Lords, we are clear that more trade does not have to come at the expense of our rights and responsibilities. Political freedom and the rule of law are vital underpinnings for both prosperity and stability; we will continue to encourage all states to uphold international rights and obligations during our conduct of trade negotiations.
Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: My Lords, the noble Baroness makes a very good point. Not just for ourselves but for the generations coming after us, we all rightly attach huge importance to these matters. We will make sure that they are taken fully into account in our negotiations.
Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: My Lords, the noble Lord makes a good point. We work closely with our colleagues in other departments to ensure that those matters are fully taken into account. My belief is that the new changes to the machinery of government will make our voice even more effective in these matters at the country level.
Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: My Lords, the series of trade agreements in effect at the moment—to which we were bound by our membership of the EU—are being rolled over into various continuity agreements. I can confirm that all those continuity agreements will contain within them the appropriate provisions in relation to human rights and environmental standards.
Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: My Lords, our manifesto was clear that in all our trade negotiations we will seek to maintain our high environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards. We have recently announced the setting-up of the Trade and Agriculture Commission to ensure that the strongest possible range of views is made available to us in our policymaking. There is always a trade-off between getting on with...
Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: My Lords, I am a huge champion of transparency and open dialogue in these matters. I believe that we will come to better decisions with such transparency and I welcome the work that the IAC is doing to bring these matters, in due course, before the House.
Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: My Lords, the noble Baroness makes an important point. The UK is a world leader in human rights policy. We were the first country to produce a national action plan for the implementation of UN guiding principles on business and human rights, and we are clear that more trade does not have to come at the expense of our rights and responsibilities.
Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: The Department for International Trade has announced on Friday 10 July further details of the new Trade and Agriculture Commission which has been set up to act as an advisory board to my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade. The Commission will be chaired by Tim Smith, former director of FSA, and will have a fixed term of six months to consider trade policies that...
Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: HM Government is clear that trade does not have to come at the expense of our values. Our focus at the current time is negotiating Free Trade Agreements with the United States of America, Japan, Australia and New Zealand; alongside considering accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). We do not currently have plans to negotiate a free...
Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: My Lords, the short answer to that Question is no. The Government were required by the court judgment to retake their licensing decisions; they have now done so in a way that reflects the judgment. The Government take their export responsibilities seriously and assess all export licences in accordance with strict licensing criteria. We will not issue any export licences where to do so would...
Lord Grimstone of Boscobel: First of all, I utterly condemn the reprehensible killing of Mr Khashoggi. The UK and Saudi Arabia have a long-standing bilateral relationship based on a number of pillars, including trade, defence, security, energy and shared concern about regional issues. Saudi Arabia is a major political and economic power in the Middle East, and its position as home to the cities of Makkah and Medina give...