argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: Foreign Trade
Iain Aitken Stewart (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend has rightly mentioned that many of the UK’s exports are very high value and specialised and that many of the supplies go to the United States military. Does he have an opinion at this stage whether the product exemption or the country exemption route offers the best hope for gaining an advantage for the United Kingdom?
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: International Affairs
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend asks a very good question, but it is difficult to answer until we can explore in greater detail with the US authorities exactly what the details will mean. In any case, whichever routes are the best to gain exemptions for the United Kingdom and the European Union are the ones that we want to follow.
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: Foreign Trade
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Lady asks a good question. As I said, the EU intends to impose countermeasures under article 8 of the World Trade Organisation safeguards agreement, because it believes that section 232 itself is a safeguard. The EU is therefore entitled to respond to that. Let me say, though, that this constant upping of the ante regarding what may happen and what countermeasures may be taken is not a sensible way for us to approach global trade. If she is suggesting that it would be wise for everyone to keep the temperature down, I entirely agree—100%.
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: Foreign Trade
Michael Mark Prisk (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the Secretary of State’s statement in terms of its content and its tone. Free trade is about being free to trade within the agreed rules; it is not about a free-for-all. May I strongly encourage him to reiterate that message both to the United States and to China?
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: International Affairs
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): I take every opportunity to do so. It is worth remembering that we have in the United States a number of those who very strongly agree with us, not least inside the American business lobby, many of whom may be harmed as a result of the measures that may be undertaken. We also have very strong and vocal allies in the US Congress, and I very much welcome them making their voices known in recent days.
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: Foreign Trade
Adam Afriyie (Conservative, Centre-right): It seems to me that tariffs and protectionism fundamentally undermine the industries that they seek to protect. Can the Secretary of State confirm that it remains the British Government’s position that we are committed to world-wide free trade? Will he be seeking in some way to gain a bilateral opt-out from these tariffs as soon as we are able to do so?
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: Foreign Trade
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): As I have said, we will work alongside the European Union because we have a duty of sincere co-operation for as long as we are members. I have often taken the view that it is strange that people should want us to obey the rules when we want them and not when we do not want them. We have a legal duty as EU members to fulfil this. We intend to do so, and we will work with our EU partners accordingly. As a country—this has been true under Governments of both colours—we have believed in free trade. We have been a global champion of free trade. Let us remember that free trade is the means by which we have taken 1 billion people out of abject poverty in a generation, and we as a country should be very proud that we have been in the lead in that.
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: Foreign Trade
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): As the right hon. Gentleman knows, we are unable to conduct an independent trade policy for as long as we are members of his beloved European Union. We have a trade working group with the United States. We are looking at short-term liberalisation. We are looking at the areas that we might look at in a future free trade agreement. We are looking at co-operation in the WTO when we leave. As he sits and looks, for some reason, very smug, he would do well to remember his comments from yesterday, which were as mean-spirited as they were wrong in substance.
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: Foreign Trade
Crispin Jeremy Rupert Blunt (Conservative, Centre-right): I congratulate my right hon. Friend on his answer to the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Sir Vince Cable) My right hon. Friend says that when he goes to the United States, he will meet members of Congress. Will he continue to build the case with our Republican friends in Congress for the open, liberal trading system that we all support—on both sides of this House—to make sure that this can be delivered once we are out of the European Union?
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: Foreign Trade
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): I would just correct my hon. Friend a little. We are not just talking to Republican members of Congress; there are very strong Democrat elements that are also in favour, and have long been in favour, of free trade. It is very important that in this country, in the United States and elsewhere, we work with like-minded people who believe in genuinely open, liberal global trade to achieve the ends that we have in common.
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: International Affairs
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): As I made clear, the EU will impose countermeasures because it believes that what we are witnessing is a safeguard. We believe that that is not justified by the section 232 case on national security. We will, alongside the EU, take whatever measures are required to ensure that that is dealt with.
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: Foreign Trade
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): We touched on that earlier. We will do that by replicating the trade remedies measures that exist. To do it, however, we have to set up a Trade Remedies Authority under the Trade Bill that is currently going through the House. I hope that the Opposition parties will look again at their rather inexplicable decision to vote against the setting up of a Trade Remedies Authority.
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: Foreign Trade
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): We hope that we can persuade the United States of an EU exemption so that we do not need to go down this particular route. I hope that sense will prevail. The hon. Gentleman is quite right to raise the 2002 issue. At that point, there was a great deal of activity where an alliance between the free trade elements in Congress and the business community in the United States came together to change the mind of the Administration at that time. I hope that such a combination would be successful this time.
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: International Affairs
Paul Masterton (Conservative, Centre-right): As we have heard, President Trump’s announcement has caused widespread concern within America itself. What steps will the Government be taking to exert pressure on President Trump not only from the outside, as part of the EU, but from the inside, in terms of the American political and trading establishments?
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: Foreign Trade
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): As I have said, there is a great deal of opinion inside Congress, within both parties, that this is a mistaken route to take. In recent days, I have had discussions with, for example, Paul Ryan on this very subject. We should be trying to mobilise all the allies we can. I mentioned earlier the co-operation from the hon. Member for Brent North (Barry Gardiner). It is very important that we deal with this not just politically and through business, in that there is a role for the trade unions to play in talking to their opposite numbers in the United States where industries that are users of steel could potentially be damaged should the price of that steel rise as a result of tariffs. We can take a multi-layered approach to dealing with this issue, and we have a duty to use every one of the levers that we have.
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: Foreign Trade
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): As I have said, the EU can take counter measures on the basis that it believes that this is a safeguard. It could also make a safeguard of its own if it felt that a surge of displaced steel product was damaging our own market. I remind the hon. Gentleman that this is not just a dispute between the United States and the EU but involves all the countries in the world who are steel producers. The WTO is much bigger than the EU, and we will not be leaving the WTO as we are a founder member.
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: Energy
Simon Richard Clarke (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the Secretary of State for referencing Skinningrove in his answer to the hon. Member for Redcar (Anna Turley), because, as he rightly says, there would be a serious threat to that plant as it produces very high-grade steel. Will he commit to all the necessary support for Skinningrove, especially given that the core products produced there for Caterpillar, an American firm, are not produced in the US market, and therefore pose no threat to US jobs?
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: Foreign Trade
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes an important point. The exports from Skinningrove to Caterpillar make up about 25% of the site’s output and he is right to say that US producers have poor capability in regard to this product. The application of tariffs is therefore likely to result in a rise in input costs, which would be to no one’s economic benefit.
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: Foreign Trade
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): That date, 23 March, is not quite the deadline that it might appear. My initial discussions with the US Department of Commerce and the Office of the United States Trade Representative have made it clear that the period of exemption will continue some way beyond the initial introduction. Clearly, if there are going to be exemptions for the EU or the UK, we would want to see them introduced as early as possible. We will continue to push for exemption on the basis that I have set out today.
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: Foreign Trade
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): I do not require a babysitter from the EU on my visit to Washington. We are in continuous contact with Commissioner Malmström and her team, because this is an issue that affects us all. It would affect us whether we were in the European Union or not, however, because these actions are being taken not just against the EU but against all steel producers globally, all of whom will be equally affected.
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: International Affairs
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): As I have said, the whole aim of policy at present in the UK, the European Union and beyond is to try to temper these proposals and to get exemptions so that we do not feel any of the impetus that might lead to an escalation of the current position.
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: Foreign Trade
Olukemi Olufunto Badenoch (Conservative, Centre-right): As tariffs go, 25% is particularly high and could lead to all sorts of unforeseen consequences. Is there any evidence that there will be trade diversion to the UK as a result of the US imposition of 25% tariffs?
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: Foreign Trade
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): It is quite difficult to know in advance where there might be diversion. Again I make the point that our aim is not to deal with the consequences but to prevent the imposition of the proposed tariffs in the first place.
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: Foreign Trade
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman makes an even better point than he thinks he has—[Interruption.] Or, in his case, possibly not. In recent years, we have seen a worrying trend among G20 countries to impose protectionist measures. In 2010, we saw about 300 non-tariff barriers to trade being operated by the G20. By 2015, that figure had risen to around 1,200, so there has been a gradual move away from the concept of global free trade and a temptation for countries to impose non-tariff barriers. In addition to making the economic case, we should remember that those countries that have benefited from free trade should not be pulling up the drawbridge behind them and denying those benefits to developing countries.
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: International Affairs
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): That is a discussion that we are having constantly with China. It says that it is taking measures to reduce it, but as I have said, there are 28 recommendations outstanding, and only time will tell whether we are witnessing the correct action or merely the rhetoric.
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: International Affairs
Rebecca Faye Clark (Pow) (Conservative, Centre-right): Close co-operation between the UK and the US is vital to international peace. One route to petitioning the US for exemptions to the proposed tariffs would be to demonstrate the strong link with national security. How confident is my right hon. Friend that we can make a strong case on those grounds?
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: International Affairs
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): Of course we have a strong national security linkage through our relationship in the Security Council and through being nuclear powers in the world, but it is always worth reminding our US colleagues who was alongside them in Iraq and Afghanistan and in many of the other conflicts that the United States has been involved in. The United Kingdom has never been found wanting as a loyal and steadfast partner in our bilateral security and in global security more generally.
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: Foreign Trade
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): We have had, as I said earlier, a wide range of contacts in a wide range of areas. The International Trade Commission was ultimately the vehicle that sorted out the Bombardier case, so there are still in the United States those elements of an independent, free trading policy that we can rely on, on occasions when they are needed. It was not just the politics ultimately, hard though we tried for Bombardier, but the American mechanism itself—the ITC—that has a lot to be commended for.
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: International Affairs
Kevin John Foster (Conservative, Centre-right): Today it is steel and aluminium. Tomorrow it could easily be the photonics industry, which Torbay businesses that sell to the United States are part of. On Commonwealth Day, will the Secretary of State reassure me that we are also talking with our allies within the Commonwealth about what we can do to defeat a policy that will be as negative for the United States and for them as it will be for us?
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: Foreign Trade
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): I said in an earlier answer that the people who have the most to lose if we move away from a global concept of free trade are the world’s poorest. If we genuinely want people to be able to trade their way out of poverty, they can only do it in a genuinely free trading environment, and the more non-tariff barriers that advanced countries put up, the less chance they have of doing so. It is in everybody’s interests to pursue a global free trade policy. This country has always shown the way on that, and this Government will continue to show the way.
United States Tariffs: Steel and Aluminium — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: Foreign Trade
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): We can end on a note of perfect harmonisation, because there is no doubt that the more we can dismantle of the common external tariff that the EU currently has to the benefit of developing countries, the better. At last we have found a note of consensus.
Protection of Civilians in Afrin — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: International Affairs
Crispin Jeremy Rupert Blunt (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my right hon. Friend for his statement, during which he said, "The Turkish Government have assured the Foreign and Commonwealth Office that they are working to prevent civilian casualties." I take that to be diplomatic code for "We don’t believe you," and that is supported by all the evidence coming out about the way in which the Turks are conducting this operation. The wretched truth is that our Kurdish allies in the war against the enemies of civilisation are being brutally treated by a NATO ally. Is there anything else we can do about it?
Protection of Civilians in Afrin — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): The UK has consistently raised the need to protect civilians and to de-escalate the operation. I repeat: the Turkish Government have assured the Foreign and Commonwealth Office that they are working to prevent civilian casualties. We believe the Turkish Government, and we will hold them to their statement.
Protection of Civilians in Afrin — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Gentleman started with a brief description of the horrors of this conflict, and in that he is absolutely right. The greater horror is that we have seen in recent times the shredding of the international norms on which we have tried to work for the best part of 70 years since 1945. If the UN Security Council cannot prevent conflict or bring it to an end, if we have moved away from the norm on the use of chemical weapons and that norm is not adhered to by parties on the UN Security Council and if we have seen the tactics of siege and hunger come back into modern warfare, then we risk losing everything that the international order put together after the horrors of the second world war was designed to prevent. Almost every conflict we now come across in the middle east has echoes of that. Unless we find a way to restore that international order, we will be debating this issue longer and it will give rise to the question what on earth states can do in response that does not go back to the old ways of dealing with conflict, which was a case of, "My stick has to be bigger than yours," in order to prevent something. We all thought we had moved away from that, but maybe not In answer to the hon. Gentleman’s three questions, we will continue to talk to our NATO partner about its need for security and how this operation may be assisting it, and about the distinction it is drawing between humanitarian casualties and the need to protect civilians, and those from whom it seeks to protect its population In answer to the hon. Gentleman’s second question about diplomatic efforts, we are doing everything we can to support Staffan de Mistura. There have been some efforts recently. The Sochi and Astana process has come to an end, which means that the Geneva process is now the best bet for the political resolution On aid, £2.46 billion is the largest support that the United Kingdom has ever given to protect refugees in a conflict situation. There will be no shortage of support for those who need it, but the best way to help them is to bring the conflict to an end.
Protection of Civilians in Afrin — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): Several have come about recently. The Syrian negotiation committee, which reformed after meetings in Riyadh, now represents Syrian opposition and has Kurdish representatives, in order to present a united front at the Geneva talks. The failure of a secondary process—the Astana process—means, as I said earlier, that there can be more concentration on Geneva. I understand that the special envoy, Staffan de Mistura, is working on a series of boxes so that people can talk about different things and gradually come back together. Most importantly, we continue, through UN efforts and resolutions, to demand humanitarian access and an end to conflict in conflicted areas. Attention should not be moved from the damage done and horrific circumstances in eastern Ghouta, and we call on all parties with a hand in that to desist from it. We also recognise that the seeds of Daesh have not been extinguished and, if any sense of that is lost, the conflict with them will re-arise as well.
Protection of Civilians in Afrin — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): We have been consistent in our calls for the situation to be de-escalated from the very beginning. Turkey is a NATO partner that relies on its partners for help and security. However, within recognising its territorial concerns and its concerns about its own security, we do indeed call for an end to the operations.
Protection of Civilians in Afrin — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: International Affairs
Robert Alexander Stewart (Conservative, Centre-right): This is an appalling and vindictive vendetta by Turkish forces against our strongest allies on the ground in the battle against Daesh and AQ. Is there absolutely no chance of a UN-brokered ceasefire so that perhaps we can put in peacekeeping forces to protect civilian people?
Protection of Civilians in Afrin — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. and gallant Friend speaks with great knowledge about the issues. Of course, UN Security Council resolution 2401 is already in effect, which calls for a 30-day ceasefire across Syria to allow for humanitarian aid and medical evacuations. However, as I said to the Scottish National party spokesperson, the hon. Member for Dundee West (Chris Law), if calls for ceasefires—including even those in UN resolutions—are not based on practicalities on the ground, they are just disregarded, the impact being that international norms lose all effect. Of course, there should be an opportunity for the situation to be brought to an end so that there can be humanitarian access and the political negotiations that the UN Secretary-General has spoken about can encompass all the various conflicts in Syria, which is the only thing that will bring matters to an end.
Protection of Civilians in Afrin — House of Commons, 2018-03-12
Topic: International Affairs
Alistair James Hendrie Burt (Conservative, Centre-right): The hon. Lady will be aware, as we all are, of the recent press reports and the Sky News coverage over the weekend. I can give her the absolute assurance that the United Kingdom Government, through their repeated representations, are seeking to have the conflict de-escalated. We have been very clear in our contact with our NATO partner and ally so that this part of the conflict can come to an end as swiftly as possible.