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Written question asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench) on Wednesday, 17 July 2024, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 31 July 2024. It was answered by Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (Labour) on Tuesday, 30 July 2024 on behalf of the Department for Business and Trade.

Trade: Forced Labour

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have made any assessment of (1) the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act of 2021 from the United States, or (2) the European Union’s proposed ban on goods made by slave labour, in shaping their trade policies, especially with regard to ethics, diversification and resilience.

Answer

This Government is clear that no company in the UK should have forced labour in its supply chain. The Department for Business and Trade will work with international partners to understand the impact of measures to combat forced labour.

There are a wide range of priorities the Department need to consider within our trade strategy. The Department's trade strategy will be growth-based, and aligned with its industrial strategy, as well as wider foreign-policy and economic security objectives.

It is important that the Department take a strategic approach to trade policy development that considers how its economic objectives can be achieved through the use of trade levers while being aligned with its values and our geo-strategic positioning.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL4
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Ethics Forced labour Trade
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk