Thursday Volume 692 15 April 2021 No. 201 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 15 April 2021 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2021 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 461 15 APRIL 2021 462 Bill Esterson (Sefton Central) (Lab) [V]: I am afraid House of Commons the 5,000 workers at Liberty Steel will not have been reassured by the Minister’s answer. The collapse of Greensill Capital has created serious problems at Liberty Thursday 15 April 2021 Steel and is one of many reasons why the entire British steel industry now urgently needs leadership, stability The House met at half-past Nine o’clock and support from the Government. Can we get some clarity? Retaining the import tariffs is a political decision. Will the Minister play his part today by guaranteeing PRAYERS that the Government will retain the vital safeguard tariffs that Britain currently has in place against cheap steel imports for the full financial year ahead—no ifs, [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] no buts and no maybes? Virtual participation in proceedings commenced (Orders, 4 June and 30 December 2020). Mr Jayawardena: I do love the authenticity with [NB [V] denotes a Member participating virtually.] which the hon. Gentleman asked his question; of course, if it were a political decision, he would be calling for it to be independent. It is an independent decision. The Trade Remedies Authority has teeth and will act accordingly. Oral Answers to Questions Just like this Government, our Trade Remedies Authority is going to defend the British national industry, back British jobs and support people throughout our United Kingdom. INTERNATIONAL TRADE UK Exports to the US: Tariffs The Secretary of State was asked— Mr Alistair Carmichael (Orkney and Shetland) (LD): Steel Import Tariffs What recent discussions she has had with her US counterpart on not re-imposing tariffs on UK exports Marion Fellows (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP): to the US. [914100] What recent assessment her Department has made of the effect of steel import tariffs on the UK steel industry. The Secretary of State for International Trade (Elizabeth [914099] Truss): I am delighted that the United States responded to our de-escalation of retaliatory tariffs in January and The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for has removed the 25% tariff on Scotch whisky and other International Trade (Mr Ranil Jayawardena): First, may products. This is fantastic news for the 50,000 people I associate myself with the tributes on Monday led by whose jobs rely on the industry. I am working with you, Mr Speaker, and the Prime Minister on the death Ambassador Tai to get a long-term resolution to the of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, and the Airbus-Boeing dispute. Humble Address of the House of Commons to Her Majesty? Mr Carmichael: The Scotch whisky industry is of We are committed to defending British industry and economic importance to a large number of the most jobs and will not hesitate to take firm action where economically fragile communities in the highlands and necessary, which is why we have safeguard measures in islands, so I genuinely wish the Secretary of State very place. We know there are concerns that Chinese steel is well in her endeavours to get the removal of tariffs receiving state subsidies that distort trade, so, working made permanent. Is the situation that the Prime Minister with our allies, we will challenge China and other has created in Northern Ireland helping or hindering countries to play by the rules. the engagement with the Biden Administration? Marion Fellows [V]: Motherwell in my constituency Elizabeth Truss: We are extremely committed to the was once the heart of steel production in Scotland and Good Friday agreement and have had frequent discussions the rest of the UK, but consecutive UK Governments with the Biden Administration. I am having very positive have overseen the decline of steel jobs in Scotland from discussions with my counterpart Katherine Tai about thousands to just over 100. Will the UK Government resolving the Airbus-Boeing dispute—which has been provide certainty for steelworkers today,support domestic going on for 16 years—to the benefit of the Scotch production, protect those remaining jobs and retain the whisky industry, other industries throughout the UK tariffs on steel imports? and industries such as aerospace, in which we need Airbus to be able to compete. Mr Jayawardena: When the Trade Remedies Authority is set up, it will conclude its investigation, which it Angus Brendan MacNeil (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) would be wrong to pre-empt. We are of course working [V]: Madainn mhath, Mr Speaker. for every corner of our United Kingdom, backing The digital-service-tax threats from the USA show British businesses and supporting Scottish jobs as much that the Biden Administration value their special as we are supporting those in England, Wales and relationship with big tech more than the one with the Northern Ireland—at a time when the Scottish National UK. The threat to the tax sovereignty of the UK and a party wants to cut itself off from its largest market: the number of other countries indicates that there is not British internal market. really a relationship of equals. Is not the prospect of a 463 Oral Answers 15 APRIL 2021 Oral Answers 464 trade deal with the USA pretty dead? In any case, the Mr Jayawardena: Mr Speaker, there are only so many 0.2% of GDP that such a deal was going to recover was times that I can say the same thing in a different way, only a fraction of the damage done by Brexit. Has the but we have transitioned 19 of the EU’s measures and Secretary of State accepted that fact yet? we have adopted systems in Britain for trade remedies based on international best practice to ensure that there Elizabeth Truss: We are urging the United States to is independence in this area. I say to the hon. Lady, as I desist from any more tit-for-tat tariffs disputes, including have said already to her Scottish nationalist colleague, in respect of a digital services tax. We think that the that the biggest market for Scotland is of course the best way to resolve the issue is through the process that British internal market, from which she is determined the Chancellor is leading at the OECD. We are in to tear Scotland. further discussions with the United States not just to Unfair Trading Practices end the Airbus tariff dispute but to work with the United States at the G7 to challenge unfair practices in Duncan Baker (North Norfolk) (Con): What steps the global trading system by countries such as China. she is taking to tackle the use of (a) trade-distorting subsidies and (b) other unfair trading practices. [914102] UK Steel Producers: Level Trading Field The Secretary of State for International Trade (Elizabeth Stephen Kinnock (Aberavon) (Lab): What steps she is Truss): It is completely wrong that other countries are taking with Cabinet colleagues to help ensure a level applying unfair practices to undermine fantastic British trading field for UK steel producers while the EU and products. I am working with the new director of the US maintain import controls on steel goods. [914101] World Trade Organisation, Dr Ngozi, to ensure that other countries play by the global rules of free trade. Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) Duncan Baker [V]: The wool trade started in Norfolk (Ind): What steps her Department is taking to help in medieval times, many, many years ago, and we have ensure a level trading field for UK steel producers while always been an outward-looking area to the world, but the EU and US maintain import controls on steel for trade to be free, it must also be fair. Can my right goods. [914146] hon. Friend tell me what steps she is taking to protect vital industries to ensure that they are not undercut by The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for those unscrupulous countries that engage in unfair trading International Trade (Mr Ranil Jayawardena): The practices? Government back the British steel industry, as we have heard already this morning, and the unjustified US Elizabeth Truss: We are establishing the new Trade tariffs on steel, aluminium and derivatives imports from Remedies Authority—which, of course, the Opposition Britain are completely unfair and wholly unnecessary. voted against—in the Trade Bill, which will ensure that Our rebalancing measures in response to the US section all countries follow the WTO rules. It will look at the 232 on additional tariffs show that we will defend the evidence and be unafraid to recommend countervailing British national interest and the rules-based system. duties on exports when other countries do not play by the rules, so Chinese products, such as steel and ceramics, Stephen Kinnock [V]: Our steelworkers make the best that receive unfair state subsidies that will distort trade steel that money can buy but, thanks to the indifference and damage British business will be tackled. of successive Conservative Governments since 2010, they are constantly being made to compete with one Jobs in Yorkshire hand tied behind their back. They are already dealing Jason McCartney (Colne Valley) (Con): What recent with the highest industrial energy prices in Europe and estimate she has made of the number of jobs in Yorkshire a Government procurement policy that fails the patriotism that are delivered by international trade. [914104] test, and now they face the possibility that, in June, steel safeguards that guard against import surges will be The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for removed.