Liam Byrne MP: written questions
107 published records · newest first.
Written questions
Export ControlsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 18 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14592More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, on how many occasions the Export Controls Joint Unit has initiated a Change in Circumstances Review assessment since January 2020; and what the destination country was in each case.
Answer: The Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) has in place an established process for responding at pace to changing conditions in a country where the UK has previously granted export licences, and where those licences remain extant.The FCDO advises DBT on the sit...
Answered 21 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordIsrael: International Humanitarian LawForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 18 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14591More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when his Department’s International Humanitarian Law Compliance Assessment Process Cell made its most recent assessment of Israel’s compliance with International Humanitarian
Answer: We continue to keep Israel's compliance with International Humanitarian Law (IHL) in Gaza under review through a regular assessments process. Our judgment on Israel's IHL compliance remains as set out in the Foreign Secretary's statement to Parliament on ...
Answered 21 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordExport Controls: Annual ReportsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 15 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14447More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when he plans to publish the UK Strategic Export Controls Annual Report 2023.
Answer: The UK Strategic Export Controls Annual Report 2023 is due to be published by the end of this year. It will be laid before Parliament and made available on Gov.uk at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/united-kingdom-strategic-export-controls-annua...
Answered 20 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordExport ControlsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14018More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what his export controls policy priorities are.
Answer: The Government’s export controls regime protects global security by restricting who has access to sensitive technologies and capabilities, ensuring UK exports do not contribute to WMD proliferation, a destabilising accumulation of conventional weapons, or...
Answered 2 Dec 2024
Original Parliament recordOffice of Trade Sanctions ImplementationDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14014More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what (a) training and (b) support his Department plans to provide to businesses in respect of the new Office for Trade Sanctions Implementation.
Answer: The Office for Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) will support businesses to meet their obligations under the UK’s trade sanctions regime through issuing guidance and engaging with a range of sectors and businesses.OTSI has already undertaken a major p...
Answered 18 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordOffice of Trade Sanctions ImplementationDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14013More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what (a) country and sector policy specialist, (b) legal, (c) administrative, (d) compliance, (e) enforcement, (f) industry engagement, (g) budgetary and (h) other resources he has allocated to the Off
Answer: The Office for Trade Sanctions Implementation (OTSI) has recruited people with a wide range of professional experience from across government and the private sector to fulfil OTSI’s responsibilities of policy, licensing and enforcement of certain trade sa...
Answered 18 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordOffice of Trade Sanctions Implementation: Annual ReportsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14012More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether the Office for Trade Sanctions will publish an annual report.
Answer: The Office for Trade Sanctions Implementation intends to publish an annual review covering an overview of its activities across the year, following the model set by similar units such as the Office for Financial Sanctions located in HM Treasury and the Ex...
Answered 18 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordSanctionsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 13 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 14011More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the Government’s sanctions policy priorities are; and whether his Department plans to publish an updated strategy.
Answer: The UK uses sanctions to deter and disrupt malign behaviour and demonstrate our defence of fundamental principles, including democracy, human rights and the rule of law.I recently convened Ministers from across government to deepen our cooperation on sanc...
Answered 21 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordSanctionsForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 12 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13739More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, how the Government assesses the (a) effectiveness and (b) impact of sanctions policies.
Answer: UK sanctions are designed and targeted to deter and disrupt malign behaviour, and to demonstrate our defence of fundamental principles, including democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The FCDO conducts reviews of the effectiveness and impact of our...
Answered 18 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordExport Controls and Sanctions: Departmental CoordinationForeign, Commonwealth and Development OfficeTabled 12 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13738More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure effective cross-government working on (a) sanctions and (b) export controls (i) policy, (ii) implementation and (iii) enforcement between (A
Answer: In October, I convened the first Small Ministerial Group on sanctions, which launched a cross-Government review to examine whether we have the right powers, approach, capacity and resourcing on policy, implementation and enforcement, with an urgent focus ...
Answered 18 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordCompanies: RegistrationDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 12 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13737More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what his policy is on companies moving their registration overseas when they have been found in breach of export licence conditions and the Government has imposed a requirement that they return the exp
Answer: The registration of a business is generally a matter for its owners. However, if they are UK legal or natural persons active in the Maritime Anti-Piracy sector, they are still subject to UK Export Licensing legislation. The only requirement under existing...
Answered 18 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordMNG Maritime: Export ControlsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 12 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13736More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, on how many occasions and for what reasons MNG Maritime was granted extensions to the deadline to return to the UK the weapons stored in the Vessel Based Armouries it operated following his Department’
Answer: In the event that a licence for a Vessel Based Armoury (VBA) is revoked, it is the responsibility of the Private Maritime Security Companies which make use of the affected VBA to arrange transfers of controlled goods to alternative, and appropriately lice...
Answered 18 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordShipping: WeaponsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 11 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13416More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps his Department has taken to ensure that the weapons stored in Vessel Based Armouries operated by MNG Maritime were returned to the UK following his Department’s revocation in July 2023 of si
Answer: Private Maritime Security Companies impacted by the revocation of MNG Maritime’s Licences were given a month to begin the process of relocating their controlled goods, including submitting licence applications to store those controlled goods on another ap...
Answered 15 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordShipping: WeaponsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 11 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13415More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make it his policy that vessel based armouries export licence applications should include an undertaking to return the licensed (a) goods and (b) items to the UK if an approved licence is (i
Answer: Licences issued to Private Maritime Security Companies for the movement of arms (including for storage on vessel based armouries) already include provision in the terms and conditions for the controlled goods to either be returned to the UK via a Standard...
Answered 15 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordShipping: WeaponsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 11 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13414More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make it his policy that vessel based armouries export licence applications should include an assessment of available alternative licensed storage facilities in the event that a licence is (a
Answer: The Open General Trade Control Licence, which UK Private Maritime Security Companies (PMSCs) require for Maritime Anti-Piracy (MAP) operations, once granted, is open-ended for as long as the PMSC remains active in the MAP sector and is abiding by the term...
Answered 18 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordShipping: WeaponsDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 11 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13413More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to review the export control licensing process for vessel based armouries.
Answer: As with all export licences, the Department for Business and Trade keeps the licensing of the Maritime Anti-Piracy Sector under continual review.
Answered 18 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordForeign Investment in UK: National SecurityCabinet OfficeTabled 8 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13189More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the written statement of 18 April 2024 on Economic Security, HCWS415, when he plans to consult on updates to (a) the mandatory areas and (b) how these are defined under the National Security an
Answer: The previous government published a Call for Evidence in November 2023 and a response in April 2024. The Call for Evidence sought feedback from a wide range of stakeholders on the scope of the regime, the notification process and government guidance and c...
Answered 14 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordInflation: USADepartment for Business and TradeTabled 8 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13177More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the US Inflation Reduction Act on UK businesses.
Answer: We have engaged with UK businesses across a range of sectors to understand their concerns about the potential impact of the US Inflation Reduction Act on UK industry. We have also engaged with the US on UK industry views across multiple channels on this i...
Answered 18 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordUK Trade with EUCabinet OfficeTabled 8 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13176More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of the EU Economic Security Strategy on UK businesses.
Answer: The Government continues to follow the EU’s Economic Security Strategy closely and engages regularly with the EU on these matters, including through the relevant committees under Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Answered 13 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordImports: National SecurityDepartment for Business and TradeTabled 8 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13175More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment his Department has made of the impact of US Executive Order 14105, entitled Executive Order on Addressing United States Investments in Certain National Security Technologies and Product
Answer: The Department for Business and Trade continues to engage closely with the US Government on potential national security risks posed by Outward Direct Investment. It will have an extra territorial impact, which may impact some UK businesses. The Department...
Answered 13 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordOverseas Investment: USADepartment for Business and TradeTabled 8 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13167More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to section 1.3 2. of the UK-US Atlantic Declaration, what discussions his Department has had with US counterparts on the coordination of UK and US outbound investment controls.
Answer: The United Kingdom and United States have a shared objective in preventing our companies’ capital and expertise from fuelling technological advances that will enhance the military and intelligence capabilities of countries of concern. The Department for B...
Answered 13 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordOverseas Investment: USADepartment for Business and TradeTabled 8 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 13166More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to section 1.3 2. of the UK-US Atlantic Declaration, what progress his Department has made on engaging with (a) business and (b) financial stakeholders to develop an evidence base to (i)
Answer: The Department for Business and Trade is engaging with businesses and financial stakeholders to better understand the potential national security risk posed by outward direct investment in sensitive sectors. In May, the Cabinet Office issued public guidan...
Answered 14 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordTrade Agreements: USADepartment for Business and TradeTabled 6 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12921More
Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to Section 1.3 2. of the UK-US Atlantic Declaration, what progress he has made on (a) enabling the UK and US export controls toolkits to work in a complementary way, (b) implementing exp
Answer: We are committed to ensuring our export controls develop to address risks to national security and international peace and security posed by emerging technologies, while supporting UK exporters in strategically important sectors. Building on the commitmen...
Answered 12 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordTrade agreements: USACabinet OfficeTabled 6 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12920More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the policy paper entitled The Atlantic Declaration, updated on 21 June 2023, who is the lead (a) minister and (b) official for (i) a shared workplan on critical and emerging technologies, (ii)
Answer: The Cabinet Office’s National Security Secretariat is responsible for the overall implementation of the Atlantic Declaration. It operates under the leadership of the National Security Advisor, and Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economi...
Answered 12 Nov 2024
Original Parliament recordTrade agreements: USACabinet OfficeTabled 6 Nov 2024AnsweredUIN 12919More
Question: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the policy paper entitled The Atlantic Declaration, updated on 21 June 2023, what progress he has made on (a) a shared workplan on critical and emerging technologies, (b) collaborative Research
Answer: The UK has worked closely with the U.S. to implement commitments across all five pillars of the Atlantic Declaration, which was announced in June 2023. Key achievements include participation in the inaugural Quantum Development Group, launching the inaugu...
Answered 12 Nov 2024
Original Parliament record
Published records only — not a full account of an MP’s work. How we work →