Contributions
1,787 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDCovid-19: International Language SchoolsOn behalf, I am sure, of everyone in the House this evening, I congratulate my hon. Friend the Member for Eastbourne (Caroline Ansell) on delivering such a powerful and passionate…01 Jul 2020HANSARDCovid-19: International Language SchoolsMy hon. Friend makes suitable points, although in an Adjournment debate I think two bites of the cherry is a little greedy. His points are none the less well made. English…01 Jul 2020HANSARDCovid-19: International Language SchoolsMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. The sector provides a major direct benefit and a huge enabling benefit in various ways. As my hon. Friend the Member for Eastbourne said, ELT…01 Jul 2020HANSARDCovid-19: International Language SchoolsAs a trade Minister, I am hesitant to veer off into a Home Office area of responsibility. It is always important to remember, as a member of the Government, that you are like a…01 Jul 2020HANSARDFree Trade Agreements: Effect on Blyth ValleyMy team is developing a new export strategy, which will align DIT support for exporting businesses, such as the ones my hon. Friend mentions, with our FTA and market access work.…18 Jun 2020HANSARDFree Trade Agreements: Benefits for All Parts of the UKWhen the UK left the EU, we had successfully signed trade continuity agreements with 48 countries, accounting for £110 billion of UK trade in 2018. Now we are seeking new trade…18 Jun 2020HANSARDFree Trade Agreements: Benefits for All Parts of the UKThe Humber ports contribute so much to the UK economy, providing a critical trade route into Europe and beyond. Like my hon. Friend, I am proud that the Humber is one of the…18 Jun 2020HANSARDFree Trade Agreements: Benefits for All Parts of the UKAs I have said, I cannot comment on individual free port bids, but as I am someone who was born and brought up in Carlisle, my hon. Friend can certainly expect support and…18 Jun 2020HANSARDPromoting UK Agriculture ExportsMy hon. Friend is right to raise that important issue. My Department is working closely with DEFRA, BEIS and Her Majesty’s Treasury to understand the market and investment trends…18 Jun 2020HANSARDSupport for Small Businesses and the Self-EmployedI know that the hon. Gentleman will welcome the unprecedented support for businesses and workers, including small businesses and the self-employed, that this Conservative…18 Jun 2020HANSARDSupport for Small Businesses and the Self-EmployedThe hon. Gentleman is absolutely right about the importance of SMEs. They need Government support to enter international markets, and that is why the DIT exists. We are not…18 Jun 2020HANSARDFree Trade Agreements: UK Car ManufacturersThe automotive industry will see more change in the next 10 years than it is seen in the past 100. That is why we are investing so heavily in research and development to ensure…18 Jun 2020HANSARDUK Tech SectorI know that my hon. Friend is, like me, proud that the UK tech sector is the dominant and most successful in Europe. With 79 unicorns and counting, last year the sector attracted…18 Jun 2020HANSARDUK Tech SectorMy hon. Friend is right: companies such as Cambridge-based C2-Ai, which last week won the CogX award for covid-19 health innovation, are leading the way in the UK’s cutting-edge…18 Jun 2020HANSARDFree Trade Agreements: Effect on Blyth ValleyIn 2018, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear exported goods worth £496 million to the US, £130 million to Japan, £24 million to New Zealand and £216 million to Australia. Against a…18 Jun 2020HANSARDFree Trade Agreements: UK Car ManufacturersMy hon. Friend and the SMMT are both right. Turkey—as well as Japan—is important, not least to Ford. We prize our trading relationship with Turkey and recognise how important…18 Jun 2020HANSARDPromoting UK Agriculture ExportsOur food and drink sector is vital to our economy. In 2019, exports increased by nearly 5% to £23.7 billion. We want to see that success continue and will shortly be launching a…18 Jun 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Trade BarriersThe hon. Lady is right to highlight the negative impact of trade barriers. OECD analysis shows that cutting tariffs and addressing unnecessary costs associated with non-tariff…12 May 2020HANSARDAfrica: Trade NegotiationsMy hon. Friend is absolutely right: it is a win-win situation for the UK economy and those developing countries in Africa, and it is so important that we work together. To those…12 May 2020HANSARDCovid-19: Trade BarriersI entirely agree with the sentiments expressed by the hon. Lady; she is absolutely right. Pre-covid, over the past decade, perhaps since the financial crash, there has been an…12 May 2020