Written questions by Gilbert.

What steps his Department is taking to ensure that illegal settlements in the West Bank are covered by UK sanctions.

The UK government has a clear position that Israeli settlements in Palestine are illegal under international law. The UK has sanctioned individuals, illegal settler outposts and organisations supporting violence against Palestinian communities in the West Bank, as well as Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir, and Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich, in their personal capacity for inciting violence towards Palestinians. Goods originating from illegal Israeli settlements are not entitled to tariff and trade preferences.

With reference to Written Statement UIN HCWS1171 on Upgraded Free Trade Agreement with the Republic of Korea: negotiation update, what impact the deal will have on the a) salmon and b) whisky industry.

The upgraded FTA secures several provisions to reduce administrative burden and costs for UK businesses. It streamlines clearance processes for the release of perishable goods like Salmon and ensures Scottish salmon raised from imported seedstock qualify for tariff-free access to the Republic of Korea, commitments welcomed by the Scottish salmon industry. The FTA also locks in our Geographical Indication protection for Scotch Whisky, preventing the sale of fake Whisky in Republic of Korea. New rules of origin provisions will make it easier to export via distribution hubs without being charged tariffs, a key facilitation welcomed by the industry.

What steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of fraudulent companies registered with Companies House.

In October 2023, the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 was enacted with the primary purpose of bearing down on the fraudulent use of corporate structures in the UK. The process of implementing that legislation is underway but strengthened powers have already enabled the registrar of companies to intervene against 100,400 companies – equivalent to 2% of the register. This is further helped by expanded data sharing powers to collaborate with Law Enforcement partners to tackle strategic threats. Furthermore, this year Companies House is implementing mandatory Identity Verification to prevent false or hijacked identities being used.

What assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of lifting tariffs on non-folding Chinese e-bikes on British manufacturers.

On 6 February the government extended the anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures on Chinese e-bikes but only for folding e-bikes. The independent Trade Remedies Authority assessed the annual impact of removing the measures on non-folding Chinese e-bikes, as can be found in their Final Recommendation to the Secretary of State. The Trade Remedy Authority’s assessment was considered by the Secretary of State as part of his decision.

What assessment he has made of the potential impact of tariffs applied by the US Government on (a) jobs and (b) exports in (i) Edinburgh North and Leith constituency and (ii) Scotland.

We know that this will be a concerning time for businesses in Scotland; in 2024, 12.3% of goods exported from Scotland were to the US. That is why the government has been focused on negotiating an economic deal with the US and we remain committed to these discussions.The government is resolute in our support for industry across the whole of the UK, and ministers and officials will continue to engage with businesses to understand the impact of these tariffs.

What estimate his Department has made of the number of employees who will benefit from the increase in national minimum wage rates in Edinburgh North and Leith constituency.

Approximately 200,000 employees in Scotland are expected to benefit from a direct pay rise due to the increases in the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage in April 2025, according to the Government’s Impact Assessment. Constituency-level estimates are not available due to greater data reliability issues arising from low survey response rates.