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The Secretary of State was asked—
Israel: Trade Co-operation
I welcome the right hon. Member for Torfaen (Nick Thomas-Symonds) to his place. It is a pleasure to be working with him, and I look forward to discussing some of the many exciting things that will be going on in the Department for International Trade in the months ahead.
As my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool South (Scott Benton) is aware, on Monday the Prime Minister announced plans to enhance our trade and investment relationship with Israel. Last week, I held productive talks with the Israeli ambassador on the matter, and I look forward to strengthening that important trading relationship.
As the Prime Minister rightly said on Monday, our close co-operation with Israel on security, science and technology benefits not only our two respective nations, but the entire world. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the new strategic agreement signed between the UK and Israel will further enhance those ties over the next decade, and will she update the House on when we can expect the consultation period for the new bilateral free trade deal to begin?
The strategic agreement signed with Israel is the starting post for a series of activities that will deepen our trading relationship. We will be opening a public consultation on our enhanced bilateral free trade agreement in January, and we look forward to hearing the views of businesses and stakeholders across the UK on their priorities for that deal. We will also be hosting a joint innovation summit with our Israeli friends in March next year, in order to support new technology ideas.
Is the Secretary of State aware of the huge dynamic in Israeli universities? Will she make every effort, including with resources, to encourage partnerships between UK and Israeli universities, in terms of research, development and innovation?
As I said, we will be hosting a joint innovation summit in March with our Israeli friends in those areas of research and development, as mentioned by the hon. Gentleman. How we can work together between our universities is very much on our list of priorities, and I am also working closely with the Secretary of State for Education to ensure that we link in the international relationships that we want to grow with Israel.
Free Trade Agreements
For the first time in 50 years, we are an independent trading nation, able to strike deals around the world. We have already secured trade deals with 70 countries, plus the EU, covering trade worth £766 billion last year, and we are just getting started. We have secured an agreement-in-principle with Australia and New Zealand, and we continue to work on a deal with the US. We are preparing for negotiations with India, Canada, and Mexico, and we have also launched a public consultation on a deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council. As we have heard from the Secretary of State, we are due to begin work early next year on an enhanced and improved free trade agreement with Israel.
Warner’s Distillery, based in the village of Harrington in the Kettering constituency is the largest independent craft-based gin distillery in the country, and it is seeking to export even more of its wonderful product. Is it not the case that businesses that export are more profitable, productive and resilient, and is it not exciting for businesses such as Warner’s Distillery, and other businesses in Kettering, that more free trade agreements are coming down the track?
I completely agree with my hon. Friend. Across north Northamptonshire, businesses such as Warner’s Distillery are exporting some £1.5 billion of goods around the world, as measured in 2019. I am confident that the trade deals we are signing globally will benefit more businesses just like Warner’s, to create opportunities and support jobs in my hon. Friend’s corner of the country, and beyond.
The Minister will know that the ratio between damage from Brexit and the trade deals is substantial. Indeed, in terms of pounds, there is £490 of Brexit damage for a £1 gain from the New Zealand deal, £2 gain from Australia, £8 gain from the comprehensive and progressive agreement for trans-Pacific partnership, and £20 gain from America, if that comes together. If all that happens, it comes to about £31. Where will the Minister find the £459 of Brexit damage that the trade deals cannot make up?
We are working for every corner of our United Kingdom, backing British businesses. We are supporting Scottish jobs as much as those in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, at a time when the SNP wants to cut itself off from its largest market, the British internal market. The truth is that the SNP is anti-trade. Not only does it want to cut itself off from the United Kingdom, but it does not back any trade deal with anyone.
The point and purpose of trade deals—I hope the Minister will agree—is that they are not static, and the forecasts are just an indication of what will come; they will be able to grow and develop. Can the Minister reassure the House that the comprehensive and progressive agreement for trans-Pacific partnership offers an opportunity for the UK to expand its businesses and its exports across the country?
My hon. Friend is of course right; the TPP offers a great opportunity to access a fast-growing part of the world as part of our Indo-Pacific tilt, as detailed in our integrated review. The opportunity to engage with this part of the world, where there is a growing middle class and increased demand for our products, goods and services, is one that we should seize.
Free trade negotiations with the US are vital to lifting Donald Trump’s tariffs on British steel and aluminium exports, which in turn are crucial to protecting jobs and businesses in communities across our country. Given that the US has already agreed to lift tariffs on many EU steel products, if we are to get a level playing field for our firms and our workers, might it not be time for Lord Frost to be given a little help to stop bungling discussions with the EU so that this vital US-UK trade deal can be sorted?
We will always stand up for the British national interest, and that includes with the European Union. We will make sure that our United Kingdom remains strong and can trade with the world. The truth is that America’s unjustified tariffs on UK steel, aluminium and derivatives are unfair and unnecessary as those imports do not harm US national security, so we will continue to make representations to back British businesses.
The Secretary of State announced a refreshed export strategy—Made in Britain, Sold to the World—on 17 November during International Trade Week. This business-centred 12-point plan is designed to transform our support for exporters, encourage them to sell to the world and accelerate our race to £1 trillion-worth of exports per year.
I welcome that new strategy. The port of King’s Lynn handles half a million tonnes of exports of barley and other high-quality agricultural products as well as imports, and it has just had one of its busiest years. Does my hon. Friend agree that the investment that Associated British Ports is making in new facilities to support the growing demand for timber from the construction sector and other supply chains is a vote of confidence in Norfolk and will help our economy to bounce back?
I welcome ABP’s investment in King’s Lynn and was glad to hear of the new Vancouver timber terminal, which I understand will open on Monday, representing £1.4 million of investment. With 95% of the UK’s trade facilitated by the maritime sector, our ports are integral to UK trade and to the success of our Made in Britain, Sold to the World strategy.
I am sure that the Minister, like me, has been incredibly impressed by the small and medium-sized businesses that are looking to export to new markets. What support is available for a business such as N’Genius, which is based in my Warrington South constituency and has patented a new high-strength stainless steel that can revolutionise engineering and construction? How can this Government help it export that UK innovation to the rest of the world?
Our new export strategy is a 12-point plan focused on tackling the barriers to trade faced by SMEs. We are opening markets and supporting companies through the export support service, which provides a single point of entry to DIT support for SMEs. This new service will direct businesses to services such as those provided by UK Export Finance, the UK Export Academy and our pilot UK trade show programme. I am happy to connect N’Genius to one of our international trade advisers for further assistance.
Growing British exports has a key role in our levelling-up agenda. I am particularly proud of some world-class textile, engineering, sheet metal fabricators and food and drink businesses in my Yorkshire constituency. What more can the Minister and his Department do to support my world-class Yorkshire businesses to export to the world?
Our export strategy will ensure that those companies in Yorkshire will be supported through all stages of their exporting journey, whether through the UK Export Academy, the advice of our global network of international trade experts, or the financial support or export credit provided by UK Export Finance. In my recent visit to Leeds, I met our excellent team of international trade advisers there. Again, I am more than happy to put them in contact with my hon. Friend to provide additional support.
Exports from Northern Ireland to Ireland were €2.8 billion in the first nine months of this year, up 60% on the same period in 2020. Does the Minister agree that while Brexit has been an export disaster for GB, it has certainly been a boon for exports from Northern Ireland?
The President of the Board of Trade, the Secretary of State for International Trade, my right hon. Friend the Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Anne-Marie Trevelyan) took the Board of Trade to a meeting in Ireland. I am sure that that issue was discussed. If the hon. Gentleman would like to know more details of what we are doing to support mutual trade, I am more than happy to have a discussion with him.
When negotiating free trade agreements, the Government must promote and protect the interests of industries across the UK. What steps are the Government taking to protect the interests of Scottish agriculture in future negotiations?
The Department for International Trade is always looking to protect our own industries and sectors, including the agricultural sector, while ensuring that they are able to exploit new markets. In terms of beef and lamb, our teams are working hard to ensure that the new markets we are opening up will be available to Scottish farmers. Again, if the hon. Lady would like to know more about the support we are able to offer, I am very happy to facilitate that discussion.
I thank the Minister for his responses, but bearing in mind the fears of our farmers and farmers’ unions following the New Zealand deal, will he outline what steps have been taken with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs at the Northern Ireland Assembly to promote our British produce exports to global markets affected by the New Zealand deal?
My understanding is that there are regular and frequent conversations between the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and DAERA. I am more than happy to ensure that the hon. Gentleman gets details of those discussions if he has any specific concerns he wishes to have addressed.
Labour Shortages: Exports and Imports
As the global economy has rebounded from the pandemic, we have seen pressures placed on supply chains across sectors and across the world. It is this Government who have taken quick and decisive action across the United Kingdom to ease those pressures where immediate interventions have been required. The Minister is redefining “quick and decisive”. An Aviva study indicates that more than seven out of 10 businesses are worried about skills shortages and 25% of businesses said their biggest risk is the uncertainty caused by Brexit. The temporary visa scheme for poultry workers has now closed and only nine people applied to join the Government scheme designed to boost the number of fuel tanker drivers, out of an intended 300. Given the failure of those schemes, why will the Government not consider devolving immigration powers, which could deliver the stronger labour market they profess to want but in reality are actively frustrating?
I am afraid that SNP Members have not woken up to the reality of the opportunities that we now have to trade around the world as part of being an independent trading nation. The hon. Gentleman refers to tanker drivers. Some 5,000 visas have been made available for HGV drivers for a three-month period to provide short-term relief. We have gone further. The long-term sustainable solution is to support and develop our domestic workforce, and to improve the pay and conditions in the sector. That is why the Government are working to correct the structural problems in the haulage industry. We are increasing testing availability by 50,000 a year. We are streamlining the process for efficiency and we are committing £17 million in free skills boot camps for HGV drivers.
The problem that the Minister has is that the shortage of HGV drivers in the UK is happening now. It is already causing huge disruption and we are all anxious to ensure that the situation does not get worse in the run-up to Christmas. Will the Minister tell us how many of the 5,000 temporary worker visas that the Government made available to overseas lorry drivers in September have been allocated?
We are not going to provide a running commentary on numbers, but what I can tell the hon. Gentleman is that this is not a problem faced only by the United Kingdom. He is so keen always to talk about our friends across the channel, so he will know that France has a shortage of 40,000 drivers, Germany has a shortage of 60,000 drivers, and Poland has a shortage of 120,000 drivers.
I find it extraordinary that the Minister was unable to tell us how many visas have been allocated to overseas HGV drivers. We were told in October that it was just 20; I wonder what the figure is now. The reality is that the Wine and Spirit Trade Association warns of “delivery chaos”, of
“major delays on wine and spirit delivery times”
up to five times longer than last year and increases in freight costs—no doubt that will not affect parties in Downing Street. Does he want to be responsible for cancelling Christmas celebrations elsewhere, because if not, he needs to give a much better answer than the one he just gave?
Perhaps the hon. Gentleman has not realised that this is not Transport questions, but International Trade questions—I am sure that his new shadow ministerial colleagues will raise questions with Transport Ministers in due course. We continue to see businesses thriving, including in the wine and spirit industry, as my hon. Friend the Member for Kettering (Mr Hollobone) pointed out.
Eight out of 10 businesses in Scotland say that they need to recruit staff, yet three quarters are reporting skills shortages. Businesses cannot export what they can neither make nor supply, yet the Government’s already tired 12-point plan, which has been mentioned this morning, has nothing to cover workforce shortages or dealing with them. Will the Minister explain why?
Again, this is International Trade questions, but I am happy to provide an answer on behalf of the Government. We are putting significant resources into training people up to develop our domestic workforce. My understanding is that many people are very keen to find a new job potentially in a new industry. This Government will help them to do that.
Clearly, the Government are keen to duck all these issues relating to trade. The Federation of Small Businesses reported to a Committee in this Parliament that a fifth of its members have ceased trading with the UK’s biggest export market—the EU—either temporarily or permanently due to bureaucracy or costs, yet the 12-point plan contains nothing to deal with that issue. The Government’s priorities are clearly elsewhere. Tory cronies are queuing up for a Christmas come early to get contracts and big donors are fairly leaping into the Lords. Why are backbone businesses being short-changed and served only a thin gruel?
I know that the hon. Gentleman’s Twitter followers will be happy with that statement. The truth is that we have secured trade deals with 70 countries around the world, and the EU. The EU deal is the best deal that it has ever secured with anyone. A zero-tariff, zero-quota deal has been done with no one bar the United Kingdom, and we look forward to trading with not only them, but new markets, as I have outlined.
Trade Deals: Animal Welfare and Environmental Standards
Oh, that question is for me as well—thank you, Mr Speaker. I am delighted with the interest from Opposition Members in trade matters.
Her Majesty’s Government share the British public’s high regard for animal welfare and environmental standards. We have agreed ground-breaking animal welfare provisions with Australia and New Zealand, including stand-alone chapters reflecting the importance of animal welfare in those agreements. We have secured ambitious environmental chapters that preserve our right to regulate to meet net zero, affirm our shared commitment to the Paris agreement and will help us to co-operate on a range of environmental issues.
My residents in Twickenham are deeply concerned about both the ethics and the quality of the food that they eat, and they have written to me in their hundreds about protecting standards in future trade deals. They also want to protect British farmers, yet farmers across the country, from Cumbria to Shropshire to Cornwall, are being let down by trade deals that threaten to undercut them. If the Minister truly backs British farming and high food standards, why will he not give a cast-iron guarantee to protect them in future trade deals?
I am sorry that the hon. Lady has clearly not been at previous Trade questions. Britain has secured agreement in principle on free trade agreements with Australia and New Zealand, following deals with the European economic area and Japan that will maintain Britain’s high levels of environmental protection and facilitate trade in goods and services for those farmers.
Foreign Investment: South Yorkshire
We are dedicated to facilitating international investment into all regions of the UK, including South Yorkshire, where we work with stakeholders across the region to identify and promote opportunities with high potential, including—my hon. Friend will be pleased to hear—one in Doncaster, focused on the rail sector.
I have spoken to national and international companies about investment in Doncaster, mainly at two sites: DN7 at Thorne and GatewayEast around Doncaster Sheffield airport. I even personally managed to secure a visit to Doncaster from Apple’s UK representative; it was fantastic for him to come up. What steps has the Department taken to encourage international companies to invest in Doncaster?
We have invested heavily and are building close relationships with the Mayor and the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority to support investment into the region. Details of capital investment projects such as GatewayEast will soon be added to the investment atlas that was published as part of the global investment summit.
Investment in South Yorkshire is important, but even more important is investment in northern Lincolnshire. Could the Minister give an assurance that he will work closely with me and with businesses in northern Lincolnshire, particularly to develop the renewable energy sector, in which we have great expertise?
I think my hon. Friend was campaigning for a rail line last time we spoke about the area.
My hon. Friend will be pleased to know that we will continue to give his area access to the export support scheme, the export champions, the Export Academy and our vast network of international trade advisers.
Trade Deals: Environmental Standards
I refer the hon. Members to the reply that I gave a few moments ago.
The Minister claims that environmental protection is a priority in trade negotiations, but that simply does not resonate with the Department’s actions. In the Government’s desperation for a trade deal with Australia, they agreed to water down limited reference to climate change. Australia’s current commitments are consistent with 4° of global warming, far off the international 1.5° target. How is that at all consistent with the Government’s moral commitment to fight the climate emergency?
I am pleased to reassure the hon. Lady that the environment chapter will break new ground for the United Kingdom. Our agreement in principle includes real commitments to work together more closely on a whole host of areas. The truth is that we are leading the world in the area; we were the first country in the world to legislate for net zero, and we will continue in our endeavours to protect our environment for our children and grandchildren.
We cannot claim to have reached genuine net zero as a country, or even to have a plan to do so, until we take into account the impact of our imports on global carbon emissions. Will the Department for International Trade therefore agree to consider the evidence gathered by the Environmental Audit Committee in its inquiry into carbon border taxes? Better still, will the Department initiate an inquiry of its own?
Her Majesty’s Government welcome input from all parliamentary Committees of this House and will always look closely at all recommendations made, but I would highlight examples of how we are actually delivering on the agenda. We are working with countries such as Brazil and others to support how we reduce the impact of agriculture on the environment, through building new dialogues with agricultural producers and consumers through COP26 and beyond. We aim to support those collaborative actions and ultimately to reduce the impact of agriculture on carbon-rich ecosystems such as rainforests. This is an important area and we will continue to work very hard on it.
The UK-Australia agreement in principle marked the first time that Australia had ever agreed to a specific reference to the Paris agreement in a free trade agreement. Does my hon. Friend agree that trade is an effective way of encouraging other countries to bring their environmental protection standards up to the high levels of our own?
I commend my hon. Friend for his research. He is absolutely right: this is an important part of our wider diplomacy. Economic diplomacy is crucial to making sure that we spread British values around the world, including protections for the environment. As economies develop, they will of course want to seek the technologies that we have in this country to decarbonise and improve the quality of life for their people, too.
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I am also grateful to the Secretary of State for her welcome. I look forward to our debates on the crucial importance of trade to our national economy and, indeed, to promoting our values around the world.
The objective of the New Zealand-led international agreement on climate change, trade and sustainability is to break down global barriers to trade in green goods and services and eliminate the subsidies that are propping up fossil fuel producers. The Secretary of State announced last week that the UK would not be taking part in this crucial initiative. Can the Minister explain why?
I, too, welcome the right hon. Gentleman to his place. He is right—the United Kingdom is not currently considering joining the negotiations on that agreement—but we will continue to work with partners to establish how such plurilateral initiatives can help to support discussions at the World Trade Organisation. We will also continue to work closely with our partners on wider trade and environment matters, both through bilateral dialogue and through multilateral forums. That is how we believe we can secure the best results for not only the British people but the world.
The Government have not made an inch of progress on green trade in any of the bilateral trade agreements signed since 2019, so why should we put faith in that now? The Board of Trade itself has said:
“There are two main ways that trade can accelerate the green transition: liberalising green trade; and reducing market distortions”.
Does the Minister accept that that is exactly what the New Zealand agreement does, and if so, does he not think that now is the time to show global leadership and not to stay on the sidelines?
We are absolutely committed to ensuring that the environment receives the full attention of Her Majesty’s Government, but we will also seek to end other environmentally wasteful practices that arise from other state actors, such as the subsidising of the illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing sectors that exist in some countries, and we will press for the successful conclusion of the fisheries subsidies negotiation. That demonstrates that we are working across a number of areas, not just the one to which the right hon. Gentleman has referred.
Trade with the EU
Between 2019 and 2021, the value of exports from Scotland decreased by 24%. In England the figure was 12%, in Wales it was 24%, and in the north of Ireland it was 15%. This follows a period of steady decline since 2018. It is economic vandalism. There is hardly a sector in the country that does not attribute at least some of the blame for its difficulties to Brexit. What agreement that removes all tariff and non-tariff barriers do the Government plan to make with another country that can account for 48% of all UK trade?
Goods exports between Scotland and the European Union were up 4% in quarter 2 compared with the same period last year. We are getting growth back after a period of dealing with the pandemic and other shocks to the global economy, and I ask the hon. Gentleman and his colleagues to start focusing on those opportunities. I have had discussions this week with representatives of pretty much every other political party—I have talked to parliamentarians, metro Mayors, local enterprise partnerships and all sorts of bodies around the country in preparing for the further negotiations that we will have in the forthcoming weeks—but I have not heard a peep from his party.
If the members of the Minister’s party had not cold-shouldered the positive and constructive suggestions made by the Scottish Government immediately after the referendum—if they had even bothered to open and read the document—we might not be in the mess that we are in now.
This month, our figure has improved slightly from an all-time low, which is nothing to celebrate. Exports of food and drink from the United Kingdom to Europe have halved. The Food and Drink Federation has described that as a “disaster” and said that there have been only tiny gains in other markets. There was never going to be a Brexit that would be good for British businesses, but why do the Government not finally come clean and admit that their botched handling of Brexit has made the position even worse?
I ask the hon. Gentleman: what possible good could come from plugging every part of the UK economy back into the global economy, including the trading powerhouses of the future in emerging parts of the world? What possible good could come from championing a free trade policy globally that would end trade distortions and lift millions of people out of poverty? What good could come of that? I urge his party to get focused on those opportunities and to work with us and enable us to work with the businesses in his constituency to seize those opportunities. The country has decided that that is the future for the United Kingdom. I do wish that he would get on board.
Is it not interesting that my right hon. Friend highlights the recent increase in exports to the European Union, in stark contrast to the doom and gloom that we heard from our opponents, who are saying that there will be a catastrophe and collapse in trade? Will she focus on the countries in central and eastern Europe and the Three Seas initiative—some of the fastest-growing countries on our continent—and build strong bilateral trade agreements with countries such as Poland and others?
I thank my hon. Friend for highlighting the opportunities that exist there. Clearly, we had good news recently on exports, but we also had fantastic news about inward investment and he is right to be optimistic. I think that our businesses are going to thrive in this new environment. There are some challenges that we have to address, but they are being addressed and we can see from the numbers that this is paying off.
New Zealand Trade Agreement
This deal brings new opportunities to agricultural producers, making it easier to trade with New Zealand. It is a gateway to joining the comprehensive and progressive agreement for trans-Pacific partnership—the CPTPP—a high-standard free trade agreement involving 11 Pacific nations. This will create new export opportunities for British farmers to those markets.
I draw the House’s attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. I have to say to the Minister that her confidence is not shared by hill farmers and crofters, or by the National Farmers Union and the National Farmers Union of Scotland. If the Government are confident in their assessment of the opportunities and threats from this agreement, will they commission an economic and environmental impact assessment, independent of Government, to show that they are correct?
As the right hon. Gentleman knows, this will be independently scrutinised, and there is obviously the Trade and Agriculture Commission as well. We have ensured that any reports are produced in good time for all the relevant Select Committees of this House to scrutinise them. There are tremendous opportunities. I also work closely with my counterparts in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to ensure that we are dealing with the genuine concerns of that sector, and we will continue to do so as the negotiations and deals progress.
Obviously the concerns of farmers and crofters will have to be addressed as the final agreement comes into place, but does my right hon. Friend agree that counter-seasonality offers a huge opportunity for British farmers to enter into agreements with farmers in New Zealand, so that markets across the world can be supplied all year round?
There are certainly opportunities through that to grow the market further still. I also think that we have to dispel some myths. It is not the case that the market is going to be flooded with New Zealand lamb. New Zealand already has tariff-free access through its WTO quota, of which it uses only half, so it is not the case that those things are going to come to pass. There are some massive opportunities and it is those opportunities that we need to focus on.
Exports: Financial Services
With colleagues in the Treasury, we are committed to championing export opportunities for our world-class financial services sector. We have done this through targeted export campaigns supporting specific UK financial services, as well as through signing ambitious free trade agreements that are reducing market access barriers and opening new doors for great British businesses to sell their services worldwide.
Financial services are so important to our economy, providing high-paid jobs and earning a substantial amount of revenue. We have done really well on our trade deals and it is vital that financial services are an important factor when we secure them. Will the Minister assure me that that is first and foremost in the Government’s mind?
We share my hon. Friend’s ambition to ensure that the UK remains a global hub for services and digital trade, which is why we are striking a series of advanced, high-standard FTAs with leading nations around the world. We have already made progress: our FTA with Japan provides greater benefits for financial services than the EU-Japan FTA, and includes provisions to ban unjustified data localisation and to support regulatory co-operation. Our recently signed FTA with Australia also includes an ambitious financial services chapter that will enable businesses to build on the £800 million-worth of financial services exported to Australia in 2020. So, Mr Speaker, the answer is yes.
Financial services account for more than 10% of our total tax take and are responsible for more than 1 million jobs throughout the country. Financial services are important not only to my constituents in Kensington but to Scotland, including Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Glasgow, and to Newcastle, Leeds, Bristol and Chelmsford. Does my hon. Friend agree that financial services need to be priorities in all future trade agreements to secure best market access?
We are absolutely committed to prioritising British financial services in FTAs. I am sure that my hon. Friend, as the Government’s trade envoy to Iceland and Norway—a role that she fulfils with her usual vigour—will be pleased to see our commitment in practice in the UK’s recently signed FTA with Norway, Iceland and Lichtenstein, which benefits financial services.
Office for National Statistics data shows that services trade with the European Union is down 28%—the Minister neglected to mention that in his long response. So could he say where we are in terms of negotiations with the EU on equivalence for our financial sector?
It is an ongoing independent investigation by the Trade Remedies Authority. Although the authority indicated last month what it is minded to do, it would not be appropriate for me to try to pre-empt the outcome of the investigation.
It has now been more than eight months since the European Commission imposed anti-dumping duties on aluminium extrusions from China. Will the Minister tell us why, by comparison, our Trade Remedies Authority has been so slow to act on this issue? Will she assure us that the authority will take into account the risk of Chinese imports being diverted into the UK after the EU decision?
I am afraid that, as I alluded to, I cannot comment on the investigation or its potential outcome. The TRA is carrying out its work methodically and thoroughly. I encourage the hon. Lady to ensure that the businesses in her constituency that have an interest in the issue make representations to the TRA. I am sure she is encouraging them to do so, and that evidence is critical in ensuring that we get the right outcome. I will undertake to keep her up to date as things progress.
Last week my Board of Trade published our “Digital Trade” report, which demonstrates how we can boost exports, turbocharge economic growth for the whole UK and create high-paying jobs across all four of our family of nations using digital tools. Because geography is now history, digital tools ensure that services can be delivered from anywhere.
We export more than £200 billion of digitally delivered services. With investment and the right planning, I want to make sure the UK improves on its already pretty impressive second place in global digital trade to get to the top of that chart. I have negotiated a world-first set of digital trade principles with our G7 partners and will be continuing to deliver these through our trade deals in the months ahead.
Boneham & Turner in Ashfield has been around for more than 100 years and, post Brexit, it is thriving, like many other businesses in Ashfield. Its boss, Charlie Boneham, tells me that the US is a big part of its business. Will my right hon. Friend please advise me on where we are with a possible trade deal with the US?
The US is currently reviewing progress on all the free trade agreement negotiations under the previous Administration. We welcome the opportunity to feed into that review. We have always been clear that a good deal is better than a quick deal, and we are here when the US is ready to continue those discussions.
A deal with the US will benefit not just manufacturers like Boneham & Turner in my hon. Friend’s constituency but the other 30,000 small and medium-sized enterprises that also export goods to the US by removing tariffs, simplifying customs procedures and therefore making it easier to export. We already have £200 billion of bilateral trade with the US, and we continue to encourage those businesses that want to do more to come to the export support service, which the Under-Secretary of State for International Trade, my hon. Friend the Member for Finchley and Golders Green (Mike Freer), discussed earlier, to ensure they have all the tools they need to maximise their trade with the USA.
The emergence of the omicron variant surely underlines that, if we are to protect our citizens from covid, we need to help to accelerate vaccination programmes in developing countries. With Norway the latest country to agree that, in these exceptional circumstances, a temporary waiver on patent rules to help boost vaccine production is needed, why is the Secretary of State so intent on blocking any progress on such a deal?
We have been world leading throughout the pandemic in our negotiations with AstraZeneca on ensuring that vaccines are produced at cost. When I was Secretary of State for International Development, I made sure we invested in COVAX so that we led the way and brought other countries forward to ensure that as much vaccine as can be made gets to those who need it the most. Countries are continuing to work with the smallest and most vulnerable developing countries so they get the vaccines they need. We continue to have discussions on a waiver to the World Trade Organisation agreement on trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights, although those discussions were postponed this week due to the complexity of omicron and movement. We will pick up those discussions in the new year.
I thank my hon. Friend for what he is doing to improve digital skills in his constituency. In 2019, 40% of service exports to New Zealand were delivered digitally. Under the New Zealand deal, service exporters, particularly those in his constituency and region, will benefit from more opportunities to deliver services through digital trade. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, in her topical statement, referred to the Department’s focus on digital trade, which is vital for the future.
We engage with officials from the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Government all the time, and we look forward to continuing that.
Freeports will be national hubs for trade and investment. They will regenerate communities, attract new businesses, and create jobs and opportunities across our country. As they move towards implementation, my Department is working closely with each freeport, including London Gateway, to help pull new investment in and to support exporters to seize the advantages that freeports will bring them.
China remains, of course, an important trading partner for Britain, but we have no plans to negotiate a trade deal with China. We will build trade only where it supports British businesses and jobs. We will seek to reduce barriers to accessing the Chinese market, but I can assure the hon. Lady that our approach to China will always be rooted in British values and British interests. We want a positive and constructive relationship with China, but I can assure her that we will not sacrifice our values in doing this.
I thank my hon. Friend for highlighting that trade in itself is a force for good in the world, as well as having environmental chapters in trade deals. One example of that is our free trade agreement with New Zealand, which will include the most comprehensive environmental list of goods with liberalised tariffs in a free trade agreement to date. He is right to point to the technology being developed in the UK, which can provide solutions for nations around the world, whether they are developed or developing nations, to meet net zero.
The Secretary of State has a long history of being a supporter of the creative industries and I know that, like me, she will be concerned about the possibility of Channel 4 being lost to Leeds if it is taken over by a global player and taken away—I hope she is concerned about that. We have the BBC in Salford and Channel 4 in Leeds, so does she agree that levelling up would be deeply damaged if we were to lose Channel 4 from Leeds?
I thank the hon. Gentleman for raising this important issue. The points he makes are well understood. We often talk about the BBC and soft power, influence and all it brings, but Channel 4 has also done some incredible things, particularly in the disability space, during the Paralympic games in 2012 and since. His points have been well made. This is a matter for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, but I am sure those in that Department will have heard him.
I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his consistent interest in this area, and I value the conversations we have had on this matter. In the four quarters to Q2 this year, we have had £2.6 billion-worth of trade with Pakistan, and I am pleased to confirm to him that we already offer Pakistan the enhanced framework in the generalised scheme of preferences, which ensures that it has more generous access to the British market than others do today. He will also know, and the House will want to be aware, that between July and September this year we ran a consultation on our proposed new developing countries trading scheme. This is a statement of our intent: the British Government want to take a more ambitious, more generous, more pro-growth approach to trading with developing nations. Our new scheme will mean more opportunities and less bureaucracy—
I thank the Secretary of State for the support that she has given in the past to the development of tidal stream renewable energy generation. Now that we have the very welcome ring-fenced pot for tidal stream energy, will she charge her Department with the development of a strategy to ensure that we can export that expertise as we move towards commercialisation?
The right hon. Gentleman will be as pleased as I am to see that the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Treasury were able to find a way to make sure that the contract for difference, now published, will be able to provide that ring-fenced support for tidal stream. As he knows, I visited earlier in the year to see the work for myself and to talk to those who have been developing this technology. As part of the work that the Department for International Trade will be doing on green trade across the world, we want to ensure that, as that potentially becomes commercially viable, such firms are absolutely at the forefront of the package of tools that other countries will also be able to use to help them to decarbonise their energy sectors. We will work very closely with those firms. The Under-Secretary of State for International Trade, my hon. Friend the Member for Finchley and Golders Green, who is overseeing the export service, will make sure that they are included and supported as they think about where those markets might be.
Will the Secretary of State update the House on trade discussions with India? She will know that any reduction in the punitive tariffs that apply to Scotch whisky would be an enormous boost for the industry.
I commend my right hon. Friend for his endeavours in making sure that Scotch whisky can be enjoyed by more people more reasonably all around the world. Britain wants a deal that slashes barriers to doing business and trading with India’s £2 trillion economy and its 1.4 billion-strong population, and Scotch whisky is at the top of our agenda.
I could never have thought that I was about to be called, Madam Deputy Speaker.
In a few weeks’ time, the United Kingdom will start to apply import controls to goods coming from the European Union. Last year, when the European Union started to apply its controls, a large number of small and medium-sized exporters, particularly in the Scottish food and drink industry, felt that they were simply left to sink or swim. What assurances can the Government give that small import businesses in Scotland will not be hung out to dry next year in the way that small exporters in Scotland were left hung out to dry last year?
I encourage the hon. Gentleman, if he has not already done so, to put businesses in his constituency in touch with our Department. The export support service runs alongside the trader support service—indeed they are joined up organisations—and we are there to provide bespoke support to businesses, to help them work through some of the challenges with new paperwork and so forth, and to give them the information they need to make business planning decisions. I encourage him to put those businesses in touch with us directly, and we will support them.
Alongside Blackpool tower and the pleasure beach, Blackpool rock is just one of the things that makes my constituency world famous. Exports of our most famous edible product, produced locally, are growing year on year. Will the Minister meet me to discuss how we can boost these exports around the world?
I am more than happy to ensure that my hon. Friend is put in contact with our export support scheme, our international trade advisers, our export champions, and our Export Academy to ensure that the world-famous rock continues to be sold across the world.
Let us try again, Madam Deputy Speaker.
Exports from Ireland to GB soared in the first six months of 2021 after Brexit, as imports sent in the opposite direction declined. I wonder whether the Minister can come to the Dispatch Box and advise the House on this matter. With a post-Brexit imbalance in trade, with Irish imports up 20% in the first six months of 2021 and GB exports to Ireland down by more than £2.5 billion, do they not recognise that, for GB—not Northern Ireland—Brexit is a trade disaster?
From figures that I mentioned earlier, the hon. Member will know that the situation is improving for Scottish businesses. He will also know that the bulk of the disruption and slowdown has been because of the pandemic. We are now coming out of that, and we would love to have a constructive dialogue with his party and its Members of Parliament to ensure that businesses in their constituencies are getting the right support to seize the opportunities that are now opening up. If we provide the right support for businesses, this should be an exciting time when they will be able to thrive. I encourage the Scottish National party to come to terms with the fact that we have left the EU, and that we are determined to make a success of this and to plug the economy of every part of the UK back into the global economy. The sooner that SNP Members come to terms with that and start pulling in the right direction, the better off their constituents will be.
Big landmark trade agreements such as those with Japan, New Zealand and Australia make the headlines, but the excellent work that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is doing to remove trade barriers around the world also creates big new opportunities for businesses in my constituency of Dudley South. What progress is being made on the work to remove the trade barriers that restrict the flow of British goods and services?
Every year, we break down barriers across the world, and this year there has been a 20% increase in the number of barriers that we have broken down, benefiting businesses across the whole of our United Kingdom—in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We look forward to continuing this work to generate more jobs for people across our country in the years ahead.
COP26 was an important step towards meeting our international climate commitments, but that must be carried through into all aspects of Government policy. What steps are the Government taking to ensure that the environmental impact of trade, through both imports and exports, is mitigated as far as possible?
UK leadership through COP26 has been world respected and renowned. The Department for International Trade is now able to continue the extraordinary leadership shown by my right hon. Friend the Member for Reading West (Alok Sharma) as COP26 President to ensure that the technologies that the UK is developing, has developed and will continue to develop will be at the forefront of all matters environmental in order to help every part of the world meet its decarbonisation challenge.
What discussions have taken place with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the Home Office to place Afghan refugees in work in places such as Mash Direct and Willowbrook Foods in my constituency of Strangford, and across the agrifood sector in Northern Ireland, which is in need of migrant workers to fill the vacancies that presently exist?
I would be happy to get those Departments to give the hon. Gentleman some further details. Every Department across Government, including the Department for Education, is focused on ensuring that people who are coming here to restart their lives in safety are given every opportunity, and that their skills can be utilised. We are also thinking about how we can help those who are still left in country. I undertake that the FCDO will write to the hon. Gentleman.
As the co-chair of the all-party parliamentary group for Fairtrade, I have been heartened by how many British people have been looking to support Fairtrade products, including bananas, coffee and chocolate, and to support Fairtrade producers and farmers around the world. Will the Minister continue to put fair trade at the heart of new trade deals so that we can continue to support these Fairtrade producers and farmers around the world?
As the Minister for Trade Policy, my right hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth North (Penny Mordaunt), mentioned earlier, now that we are a sovereign independent nation and can make trade deals in our own right, we want to ensure that we use trade for good and that the UK brings that leadership. Next year, we will be working closely with our African colleagues in particular to think about how we can boost trading relations and the support that we can provide to encourage the value chain to sit with those developing countries, which have the opportunity to grow their trade balance and ensure that they see the benefits of trade too.
I wonder what the Minister makes of the report in the Financial Times that far less than a trade deal, America will lift its steel tariffs if the UK violates article 16. Does she welcome America keeping control?
That story might be true in terms of how some people in the United States feel, but it is a false narrative. These are two entirely separate issues. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will be discussing the issue of steel and other matters next week with her opposite numbers in the United States, but we not do ourselves any favours if we perpetuate these false narratives. They are entirely separate issues. I again encourage the hon. Gentleman and his party to start talking about what the UK has done to protect peace on the island of Ireland, and our reasonable request to the EU. He might also like to talk to his American friends about what the EU has done to disrupt that, including triggering article 16 on the most sensitive of goods—vaccines. We have acted in good faith. We will do more to tell America that we have acted in good faith and are determined to be pragmatic, and Lord Frost is going to do that. The hon. Gentleman has to separate false narratives from how some in the US feel.


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Addressing a workshop organized by the Ministry of Shipping under the Sagarmala programme on ‘Accelerating Sagarmala Implementation – Engaging with States’, Mr. Kant said that the Sagarmala programme is a game-changer.
The main objective of the workshop was to enhance the engagement among the shipping ministry, other line ministries and various maritime states of India.
Citing examples, Mr. Kant said success stories emerged from China, Korea, Japan and Singapore where the ports have led the country’s growth strategy.
He added that there is a need for conglomeration of all the stakeholders for proper execution and have an export focused strategy.
For India to increase its current growth rate of 7.6 per cent, it’s essential to penetrate the global markets, which only ports can drive. He pointed out that land is not a challenge and all what is required is optimum utilization of available resources.
For Indian goods to be at par with global markets, the logistics costs need to be reduced which will be possible if ports become manufacturing hubs, he added. He also reiterated the potential of cruise tourism in India and appealed to all coastal states to work towards promoting the same.

domain: news


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Retailer Dick Smith Electronics has recalled a nine-inch portable DVD player, pictured below, after the device’s batteries were found represent “… a potential fire hazard.” The recall notice says the batteries, Lithium Ion affairs, will only reheat “in rare cases”. But that’s surely one case too many given that devices of this …
How many double ententres can you get into one headline?
Re: Ha ha
As many as will fit?
Who Burns Dacks?
No joke - it nearly killed a child
A young child was badly burned when one of these blew up in her face.
See here: http://www.theage.com.au/national/exploding-dvd-player-leaves-threeyearold-with-severe-burns-20120801-23ec1.html
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Will video continue its upward momentum? Will virtual reality grow in popularity? What will the next 5 to 10 years look like for advertisers who want to make the most positive ROI? How important is post-install tracking? These were just a few of the topics discussed by leading mobile marketing experts at GMIC TLV.
The latest Global Mobile Internet Conference gathered many of the top minds in mobile for meetings, lectures, and discussions on 2017 trends. One of the most enlightening panels was “Mobile Marketing: Video Killed the Textual Star” with moderator Northern Star Innovation Founder and Senior Consultant, Eli Itin, and speakers: Webpals CEO Inbal Lavi, Matomy’s VP of Mobile Strategy Noam Neumann, Taptica’s SVP Client Success Rivi Block, AppsFlyer’s VP Client Services Ziv Peled, and Outbrain’s Managing Director Eytan Galai (pictured left to right below). The panel revealed where the advertising industry is now and where it’s heading.
The Mobile Marketing Forecast for 2017
The discussion began with a few stats on video’s popularity in 2016, most notably: Video ads have the highest CTR (click-through rate) at 1.84%, and in 2016, video ad revenue surpassed desktop with $5.6 billion in revenue. When asked if they believe this trend will continue, all panelists agreed that video will remain popular, with a greater emphasis on native, silent, and interactive videos which will have the biggest impact this year. “Marketers need to create more interesting and engaging ads, a more native experience,” WebPals’ Inbal Lavi commented.
The social-mobile combination will only continue to grow, and less intrusive, “user-friendly” formats are most successful. This can be seen with the resurgence of silent videos making a comeback on Facebook. Users can easily scroll through a page, engage with an autoplay video without sound, and enjoy the content and experience. On the flipside, more interactive formats like playable ads have also proven to be effective at engaging users, especially in games.
Five years ago, so little of mobile activity was measured, and today as we live in a mobile-first world, measurement is more important than ever. “We have to understand if these video ads are being watched. By tracking them, you can understand which ad is more effective over another,” said Taptica’s Rivi Block.
“We’ve seen a shift in advertisers. They’ve become smarter when it comes to tracking, measuring more complex things, not just video impressions, but 1 second, 5 second, 10 second impressions. And we’ve seen that advertisers want more raw data.” AppsFlyer’s Ziv Peled
But Outbrain’s Eytan Galai believes we need to watch out for over-targeting. Just because a person loves cars doesn’t mean you can’t reach them on other sites, through other apps, and based on additional interests.
What’s clear is that as measurement is key to understanding the success of video campaigns, and advertisers are beginning to see how important it is to focus on post-install KPIs and engagement.
Will VR Win Over Users?
“Virtual reality is every advertiser’s dream. It’s the equivalent to having your users test your product, and giving them the actual experience of what your product can do,” said Matomy’s Noam Neumann. But does that mean we should expect to see more from VR?
“Virtual reality is every advertiser’s dream.” – Matomy’s VP of Mobile Strategy Noam Neumann
According to Neumann, it’s still too soon to know whether VR will be huge or crash and fail. “The technology is already there. The capabilities are above and beyond. But video still offers a more natural experience. It’s on the user’s phone. It’s everywhere.”
“It’s not the tech. It’s the adoption.” Outbrain’s Eytan Galai added.
The Future of Mobile Marketing
Will mobile video still exist? While some panelists were unsure if there would be huge advances in technology or brand-new platforms and formats, all agreed that the customer will lead the way. “The entire ecosystem is about the consumer, giving them more value, a better experience,” said AppsFlyer’s Ziv Peled. And customized content is the means to achieving that. Whether that will be in ads shown in autonomous Ubers, we’ll have to see.
“It could be holograms, VR, video – it all depends where the customers will be,” said Matomy’s Noam Neumann.


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As part of the Epic vs. Apple trial that began today in California, numerous documents were made public as part of the evidence registry. One of these pertained to just how much money Epic Games is making from Fortnite, and surprising no one, it is a heck of a lot. According to The Verge, Fortnite made $9 billion in revenue in 2018 and 2019.
We don't know how much profit the game made, however. Overall, Epic as a company had a profit of $5.5 billion in 2018 and 2019.
An Excel file obtained by The Washington Post reveals that, between January 2017 and October 2020, the overwhelming majority of Epic's payments made to Microsoft and Sony related to Fortnite, the report said. A smaller percentage came from Rocket League, which Epic owns, and other Epic games.
Over that time period, Epic paid $237,175,521 to Apple. For comparison, Epic said it paid $245,992,576 to Microsoft and $451,405,240 to Sony in 2020 alone. This information was released by Epic to demonstrate that iOS is in fact not the biggest platform for Fortnite--not at all.
If Epic is paying hundreds of millions of dollars to platform-holders in commissions, that means Fortnite is making factors more in revenue. It is understood that Epic pays the 30% store fees on PlayStation and Xbox, so the total amount of money Epic makes from Fortnite is truly massive.
Epic believes that Apple is acting as a monopoly and is abusing its power because developers want the exposure of being on such a big store, so they don't have a choice but to agree to the 30% cut. The counter to this is that the iPhone is a general-use platform versus the console that is more specialized and has fewer users overall.
Another document obtained by The Washington Post shows that the Fortnite World Cup was not a big-time moneymaker. Epic said in the document that it "overestimated" how much money its 2019 event might make by $154 million. Emails from the court files showed Epic's employees talking about working with Apple to have the company become a sponsor for the Fortnite World Cup. The Epic employees said this could "give us some leverage with Apple."
The Epic vs. Apple trial is going on now and will take place Monday-Thursday every day for the next three weeks before the judge makes a decision. You can listen along to the case live online, and we'll report back with key details as they are announced.
The case got off to a chaotic start, as the beginning of the trial was flooded with the online audience screaming "free Fortnite."
Related Forum: Gaming Discussion


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Posted on November 15, 2022 at 5:55 PM
Whoosh Confirms Hacking Incident, Following Theft Of 7.2 Million User Records
Russian scooter-sharing service Whoosh has announced that it was recently the victim of a data breach. The platform’s network was infiltrated, resulting in the sale of a database containing the details of more than 7 million customers on the dark net.
Whoosh is currently the top urban mobility service platform in Russia. It covers more than 40 cities and has roughly 75,000 scooters.
The Database Is Being Sold On The Dark Net
A hacker started selling the hacked data on the dark net on Friday. According to details from the database, it contains promotion codes that holders can use to access Whoosh’s services for free. It also contains payment card data and partial user identification data.
Whoosh announced the hacking incident earlier this month through statements on Russian media. “The leak did not affect sensitive user data, such as account access, transaction information, or travel details,” according to a Whoosh spokesperson.
However, it claimed that its cybersecurity and IT experts were able to successfully mitigate the attack. However, in the latest development, Whoosh admitted that hackers were able to steal some data.
Whoosh is working with law enforcement and cybersecurity experts to investigate the breach and secure their systems. They are also contacting affected customers and offering them free credit monitoring and identity protection services.
This breach is yet another reminder of the importance of cybersecurity. Companies must take steps to protect their customers’ data or face severe consequences.
Data breaches via third parties have been a regular occurrence this year. But Whoosh stated that its security procedures do not allow the possibility of any third-party access to the full payment data of users.
The Data Is To Be Sold For $21,000
The data also has information on partial payment cards for a subset of 1.9 million users. The seller of the data on the dark net also claimed that it contained about 3 million promo codes, which people can use to rent scooters for free.
The data seller also informed users on the darknet that the database will be sold to only five buyers for .21490980 Bitcoins each (about $4,200). The seller has not sold the data to anyone yet, according to the SatoshiDisk platform utilized for the transaction.
In another sale of the data on Telegram, the hackers claimed that the hacking incident occurred during a cyber attack on Whoosh earlier this month.
Russian Companies Increasingly Getting Exposed
There is no indication that the attack on Whoosh has any link to the war in Ukraine. But Russian organizations are increasingly becoming targets this year. So, it won’t be a surprise if the attack on Whoosh is also related to the war, considering that no ransom was demanded.
In September this year, Group-IB published a report which claimed to observe more than 140 database sales stolen from breached Russian firms this summer alone. The report also claimed that more than 300 million records have been exposed during the period.
One of the most notable incidences was the breach of Russian food delivery giant Yandex Food. The attack resulted in several collateral data exposures.
Among users affected include serving agents of Russia’s military, security services, and other top Russian government agencies. On several occasions, they ordered food at their workplace using their official email addresses.
The Yandex breach includes a large number of phone numbers, user emails, orders made on the platform, as well as addresses of the users that made the orders. Investigations into the matter revealed some leads to the cause of the incident.
However, the food delivery app was highly criticized for how it handled the hacking incident. This led to the involvement of Russian regulator Roskomnadzor, who launched a case against it.
In the breach, over 58,000 people were exposed. In response to the attack, the regulator said Yandex restricted access to an online map where the names and addresses of Yandex.Uda customers were exposed. The regulator slammed Yandex with a fine of 100,000 roubles ($1,020).
This data breach on Whoosh is a serious matter. Whoosh says it is taking the necessary steps to secure its systems and protect its customers, but it is a reminder that companies and individuals must all be vigilant when it comes to cybersecurity. They must take steps to protect their data, as well as the data of those who do business with them.


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Dutch company revolutionizes pineapple purchases with self-service slicer
Netherlands-based Dutch Food Technology has developed a machine that supermarkets' customers can use to slice a pineapple of their choice and take it home in a plastic tub.
Sales manager Michel van Keeken told www.freshfruitportal.com the idea for the machine, named Piñabar, came about four years ago when the company was approached by a retailer that asked if they could develop such technology.
"We started developing it and we have improved it over time," he said.
"The first prototype wasn't that pretty or attractive for the clients, and it took 20 seconds to cut the pineapple in the machine, however the current version in more compact, more beautiful, and takes 10 seconds to cut the fruit."
The representative said the first machine could only do cylindrical cuts of the pineapple, but now the fruit can also be cut into pizza-like slices, providing the consumer with fresh, ready to eat fruit.
Since the product was launched in 2012, van Keeken said supermarkets have reported a significant uptick in pineapple sales.
In Spain, Dutch Food Technology carried out a study with major supermarket chain Carrefour throughout 2015 and found that pineapple sales increased 85%. It is estimated that with promotions alongside the machine, pineapple sales could increase by up to six-fold.
"They had 10,000 sales more, in just one store, thanks to the machine," van Keeken said, adding an additional 10 Piñabar machines had been ordered by the supermarket this year.
Another study was carried out in a store of German supermarket chain Edeka, and weekly average sales of around 80 pineapples shot up to 400.
He also explained that with the machine supermarkets were able to offer an experience to customers, in which they selected their own fruit and place it in the Piñabar themselves.
Edeka has an exclusivity agreement with Dutch Food Technology to use the machine in Germany, and a similar deal was recently made with U.S. pineapple company Chestnut Hill Farms, which will sell fruit along with the machine to its clients.
"I think this model is very interesting for them as growers since the machine will undoubtedly help them to sell more pineapples. It will be beneficial for them, for their clients, and for us," van Keeken said.
The first machine arrived in the U.S. in October, and four more are expected to arrive in December.
"We expect that next year there will be an explosion in our sales. We believe that this is a really revolutionary machine, that has already demonstrated excellent results," he said.
The Piñabar is currently in use in Spain's Carrefour, the Netherlands' Albert Heijn and Jumbo, Finland's K-citymarket and Australia's Favco.


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Movie makers, actors, comic book authors, and writers all rallied around the video game industry Friday, urging the Supreme Court to uphold the unconstitutionality of a California law that would ban the sale of violent video games to minors.
"The case California makes against video games is one familiar to the comic book industry, which was nearly destroyed by government attempts at regulation in the 1950s," said Charles Brownstein, executive director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, after filing a "friend of the court" brief with the Supreme Court Friday.
"Then, as now, moral crusaders claimed that popular new media containing depictions of violence were detrimental to our youth," he added. "Then, as now, pseudo-science was used to back such claims. Those claims weren’t true in the 1950s, and they aren’t true now."


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Pearline Soap Factory cleans up on sales
A recent uptick in all-cash buyers helped the new Pearline Soap Factory condominium sell out after nearly two years on the market, the developer told The Real Deal.
All eight units, including one commercial unit, at the boutique Tribeca project are sold and closed, according to Gerard Longo, a principal at Atlantic Walk, the developer of the Pearline and its neighbor, the Fairchild. The last Pearline unit, a penthouse, closed on New Year’s Eve for $5.9 million, or $1,685 per square foot, he said.
Due in part to its small size, Pearline is one of the first new developments to announce a sell-out in the wake of 2008’s financial crisis. Because of strict presale requirements from Fannie Mae, small projects have a considerable advantage in the current climate.
Pearline, a new construction building on the site of the old Pearline Soap Factory at 414 Washington Street at Laight Street, went on the market about 20 months ago, Longo said. When Lehman Brothers collapsed in September of 2008, it had sold three units, he said, and sales virtually stopped amid the maelstrom that ensued.
“It was a struggle on those last units,” he said. “We had about eight months where the switch was turned off.”
That was especially true because many of Pearline’s units were priced between $4 and $6 million — the hardest-hit segment of the market.
“That market completely disappeared,” he said.
More recently, buyers started “coming off the fence,” he said. While jumbo mortgages are still scarce, all-cash deals started to emerge from two sources: international purchasers and the finance industry, which seems to be reemerging in anticipation of bonuses.
Of the last four buyers at Pearline, only one needed financing, and that was only a 50 percent mortgage, Longo said. He added that three of those buyers were in finance industry, noting that Goldman Sachs’ new building at 200 West Street is only a few blocks away. Goldman posted record profits in 2009 and has announced that its employees will receive a payout averaging about a half-million dollars for the year, despite cutbacks to the bonus pool.
Units at Pearline were significantly discounted from when they first hit the market. The last penthouse sold at a discount of 25.8 percent from the original asking price of $7.95 million, according to Streeteasy.com. Unit #6A, which closed in October, sold for $4.1 million, a 24 percent slide from its original asking price of $6.75 million.
The price per square foot in the building ended up averaging between $1,400 and $1,500, Longo said. When the project first went on the market, he hoped to sell the units for an average of $1,600 per square foot.
The final pricing “wasn’t what we set out to do,” he said. “But under the circumstances, it’s not a bad result. So many projects are upside down or underwater, I think we fared pretty well.”
Longo said he believes the project’s large units helped it succeed. Each of the apartments in the boutique development are floor-through and approximately 3,000 square feet. The original plans called for 15 units, each around 1,500 square feet, but Longo noticed a need for larger apartments in the area.
“In Tribeca the market was calling for larger units to accommodate families,” he said. “We made the decision that 3,000-square-foot, floor-through units would be the best way to go. That’s one of the things that helped us to be successful.”
The Fairchild is around 50 percent sold, Longo said.


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SALT LAKE CITY — Federal regulators slapped Utah-based companies that promote family films with a hefty fine for making telephone calls to more than 99 million numbers on the national do not call list and other violations.
A U.S. District Court order prevents Feature Films for Families Inc., Corporations for Character L.C., Family Films of Utah Inc., from engaging in deceptive and abusive telemarketing practices, the U.S. Department of Justice said Monday. The courts imposed a $45.4 million fine but suspended all but $487,735 based on the companies' inability to pay the entire amount.
“Unwanted telemarketing calls invade the privacy of American consumers,” Chad A. Readler, acting assistant attorney general of the Justice Department’s Civil Division said in a statement.
The Department of Justice filed a civil complaint against the companies and its owner, Forrest S. Baker III, alleging widespread violations of the Federal Trade Commission and telemarketing rules in various campaigns to sell DVDs and movie tickets and solicit charitable contributions.
After an eight-day trial in May 2016, a jury found the companies had committed more than 117 million knowing violations of the Telemarketing Sales Rule, including 99 million calls to phone numbers on the do not call registry, and more than 4 million additional calls in which they made misleading statements to induce DVD sales.
The verdict was the first-ever in an action to enforce the Telemarketing Sales Rule and do not call registry rules.
The stipulated final order permanently stops the companies from making misrepresentations or omissions in the marketing entertainment products, services or recordings.
According to the justice department complaint, the companies conducted a nationwide telephone campaign under the name Kids First, in which they offered to send two complimentary DVDs and requested feedback on whether the movies should be included on a list of recommended films. However, the telemarketers did not disclose that those who agreed to participate would later receive calls pitching DVDs produced by the companies.5 comments on this story
The telemarketers allegedly told consumers that “all of the proceeds of this fundraiser will help us finish up creating this recommended viewing list to help parents and grandparents, like us, with a list we can trust," the Department of Justice alleged.
In fact, the organization responsible for the Kids First recommended viewing list — the Coalition for Quality Children’s Media — did not receive all the proceeds. The complaint alleges that the three companies received at least 93 percent of the DVD sales.


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WHY FOREIGN FIRMS MUST CONSIDER SOURCING FROM INDIA
Reasons Why Foreign Firms Must Consider Sourcing From India:
Consumer demands are increasing rapidly worldwide. Meanwhile, disruption in the international supply chain following the US-China trade war has highlighted the need for stability and
suitable alternatives for sourcing to secure coherent business operations. Many foreign firms are now eyeing India due to several competitive advantages. In fact, global sourcing
companies in India are attracting favorable Government support that is helping to achieve sustainable growth.
In fact, as per recent records, the American E-commerce Giant has decided to invest around USD 6 billion to improve its infrastructure in India. Also, another American Company
in the Solar energy sector has announced an investment of USD 645.7 million in India. All these statistics indicate that sourcing India is being considered a favorable investment by
foreign enterprises across the world.
India provides several competitive advantages that help reduce overall production cost and ensure better ROI to foreign companies willing to relocate or establish their manufacturing
unit in the country.
Let’s understand why
Low Cost & High Benefits
One of the biggest strengths of India is its cost-effectiveness. Low-cost skilled labor, affordable land, and utility costs help global sourcing companies in India cut down on the
production cost significantly. Furthermore, India has emerged as the cheapest producer of solar energy. As a result, the cost of electricity is considerably lower than in other
nations. Foreign firms are therefore turning towards India as their favorable sourcing destination to secure higher returns on investments.
Availability Of Raw Material And Ancillary Industries
India also stands in an advantageous position due to its huge resource of raw materials. Cotton, silk, jute, and metals like aluminum, copper, bauxite are readily available in India.
In fact, India is the world’s 8th largest producer of aluminum and possesses the 5th largest bauxite reserves worldwide. Also, India contributes around 3.5 to 4 % of the total
production of copper in the world. This makes raw material sourcing from India favorable to foreign companies
Along with raw material sourcing from India, foreign companies are also attracted due to a large number of ancillary industries. The ancillary industries also help boost the
production of bigger firms in the Indian market. It contributes around 2.3% to the total GDP. In fact, growth in the auto-ancillary industries is helping India emerge as the global
hub for automobile component sourcing.
Availability of Skilled Workforce
India has a massive pool of human resources. In fact, 1 in every 5 Indians in the labor force are skilled, making India 129th among 162 countries as per
the Human Development Report (HDR) 2020. Also, the cost of labor in India is lower than in other competing nations.
Strategically Positioned Shipping Ports For Shipments To Europe And South East Asian Countries
The geographic advantage of India proves extremely beneficial for foreign firms. India is connected to the other major countries in the world through various modes. The country has a
long coastline of 7500km. There are 13 major seaports and 10 international airports connecting India to almost all continents and around 55 countries.
This strong support of infrastructure facilitates improvement in the manufacturing and service industries. Foreign organization can easily export their products manufactured in India
across the globe and secure stability in supply chain management. Also, the strategic geographic positioning can facilitate easy raw material sourcing from India.
Government Benefits In Exports
The Indian Government also extends several benefits in exports. In recent years the Government has undertaken liberalization of several Indian trade laws and policies to promote
exports and foreign investment in the country. In fact, under the MEIS scheme, the Indian Government offers an incentive of 2-5% of the Free-On-Board value of exports irrespective of
the annual turnover. Also, under the SEIS scheme, an incentive of 3 to 7% of the net earning is offered to the service exporter.
Due to all these policies, the volume of India’s exports has grown significantly. In fact, as per statistics, in FY 2020-2021, India’s exports stood at USD 291.80 billion and rose
22.63% year-over-year to USD 33.79 billion in September 2021.
Advancements In Technology In Terms Of Logistics And Supply Chain
In India, the logistic sector has been undergoing a gradual transformation in terms of technology for the last few years. However, the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic severely tested
the supply chain’s resilience in India. Consequently, there is accelerated adoption of technological advancement in the logistics and distribution channels of the country.
As per reports, India’s logistic industry is expected to grow at a CGAR of 10 % to USD 215 billion by 2022. Also, the market value of 3rd party logistics in India is expected to reach
a valuation of $6 billion in the year 2025. The overall focus is towards establishing complete visibility in the consignment, real-time tracking of shipments, route optimization, and
more. Such developments in the logistics and supply chain make India a favorable destination for sourcing.
India has also become a highly competitive ground for investors due to all such advantageous aspects. Hence, foreign companies must adequately plan out their India market entry
strategies and identify the best investment channels to reduce risks and ensure profitable returns down the line. Hence, entrepreneurs must avail themselves of the help of top
business consultants in India like Tecnova. These business consultants will provide end to end support in business integration, sourcing India, and vendor development support like:
Expansion and growth advisory
Reducing resource and time of deployment
Effective leveraging of supply base cost-competitiveness
Assistance in the supplier selection process, and more.
In recent years there has been an unprecedented development in Indian industrial sectors. Furthermore, with increased liberalization in the business laws across different industrial
sectors, the country has emerged as a lucrative destination for foreign investment and sourcing. Big shot foreign firms are now shifting their production unit in the country due to
the cost-effectiveness and growing ease of doing business. However, this has also paved the way for high competition.


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GM considers resuming paid Facebook ads
McClatchy-TribunePublished: Thursday, July 05, 2012
General Motors is discussing the prospect of reauthorizing paid Facebook advertising, the automaker confirmed Tuesday.
GM abruptly abandoned Facebook ads this spring in a highly public blow to the social network days before it went public in May. The automaker maintained its free brand pages on the site but said its $10 million Facebook ad budget wasn't delivering an adequate financial return.
But now the Detroit-based automaker is considering Facebook advertising again, a GM spokesman confirmed in an email after several news reports, including the Wall Street Journal.
Chevrolet Vice President of Global Marketing Chris Perry, who was involved in the previous discussions over GM's Facebook advertising, recently told the Detroit Free Press that GM had been seeking creative flexibility on the social network's advertising platform.
"We talked to them about a couple of things, we offered up some ideas, we said bring us your ideas," Perry said. "We said, 'We'll be your guinea pig. We have the dollars to invest in this program.' " But GM ultimately determined "the paid advertising just doesn't seem to pencil for us," Perry said.
Other automakers - like Ford, which trumpeted its faith in Facebook advertising after GM's exodus - continued to advertise on the site.
GM has maintained an active presence on Facebook with dedicated pages for all of its brands and promotions like Chevrolet's "Stay Clutch," a Facebook contest offering millennials a chance to win stick-shift driving lessons at Major League Baseball's All-Star Game.
GM, which spends about 25% to 30% of its advertising budget on social, digital and Web marketing, has about 8 million "likes" on its Facebook pages.
"We certainly don't want to walk way from 900 million consumers, and we haven't walked away," Perry said. "We're a big proponent of Facebook."


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Thierry Voisin and CSO to hold boat auction in Nice
by Malcolm MacLean
10 yachts will be on the block, headed by a Maiora 31 and including a very pretty 25m Royal Huisman sailing yacht. Viewing is in the Port of Nice from 10am to 6pm on Friday, October 23rd and 10am to noon on Saturday, October 24th. The auction itself will be held at 15 Rue Dante, Nice from 2:30pm on Saturday October 24th.
For more information and to view online brochures head to www.nice-encheres.com.


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The new 2013 Ferrari F12 Berlinetta made its world public debut at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show in March. The new Italian stallion will now be making its North American debut at the Pebble Beach’s Concours d’Elegance this weekend.
Click here for more news on the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta.
“With many of our most valued clients and avid fans joining for the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, this is the ideal moment for the North American premiere of the new F12berlinetta,” says Marco Mattiacci, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ferrari North America.
Makes sense for Ferrari – but I wish they would start attending American auto show like the New York Auto Show, LA Auto Show and the Detroit Auto Show.
Refresher: Weighing in at just 3,335 pounds, the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta is powered by a 6.3 liter V12 engine making a whopping 730-hp with a maximum torque of 509 lb-ft. The engine is mated to the F1 dual-clutch transmission, which allows the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta to go from 0 to 62 mph in 3.1 seconds, 0 to 124 mph in 8.5 seconds.
– By: Omar Rana


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Ralph Lauren, Estée Lauder, Jimmy Choo, and more are donating to help find a cure.
With all that's happening in the world it's easy to forget that October marks Breast Cancer Awareness month. But the most common cancer amongst American women deserves attention and brands like Jimmy Choo, Estée Lauder, and Ralph Lauren (which is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its Pink Pony Campaign) are rising up to help find a cure. Not only are they raising awareness and funds, but they're de-stigmatizing the disease through pink stilettos and sparkly jewelry. What's not to love? Think pink, support the cause, and shop their limited-edition products ahead.


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“We have had feedback from line managers at the dealership level that using psychometric testing has reduced staff turnover and the staff that have been chosen are reaching higher customer satisfaction levels.”
Just the mention of psychometrics suggests being strapped up to some sort of machine ready for a brain examination.
Beaumont acknowledged that some staff and prospective employees can be anxious about the prospect of going through an assessment, which is why communication is important.
“It is really important to communicate with staff or candidates to help them understand why you’re doing it,” she said.
“We’ve found that if you explain properly there is less resistance.”
Dealer groups can use a validation study with their existing employees to see if current staff are suited to the group’s values. If they’re not, the group can then move to introduce further training or changes where necessary.
“Dealers can give us a profile of what they want their employees to look like in terms of personality and customer service skills and we can see if they measure up to that,” said Beaumont.
Assessing the showroom experience with mystery shopping
Dealers have been increasing the frequency of mystery shops they use to assess staff, according to Sargeant: “We have seen an increase in the number of dealer groups that are coming to us to analyse and improve the way their staff are following the process.
“People are becoming more critical of customer service within the sales process.”
Mystery shoppers are on the lookout for the process dealer staff follow, but also the experience the customer is given.
Video mystery shopping is still the most popular choice for dealer groups, according to Sargeant, with pin-hole cameras recording the entire experience for managers to get a realistic customer perspective. Managers can review video mystery shops through an online reporting suite.
Dealer staff are known for being able to spot a mystery shopper, but Douglas Stafford also recruits ‘real’ customers for mystery shops to avoid savvy employees figuring them out. Mystery shoppers can shadow a real customer visit posing as a friend of family member and then record the interaction from the sidelines.
However, mystery shopping has also expanded to online areas, with staff measured on their response to emails and lead enquiries through a dealer group’s website.
“Even if people are planning to visit a car dealership, many will submit an online enquiry before they visit,” said Sargeant.
“The process generally starts online and that’s why it is imperative that companies have the tools and resources to manage those enquiries and deal with them effectively.”


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Skittles honored Oakland Raiders running back Marshawn Lynch with custom-made Skittles packs.
This is huge for Beast Mode considering Skittles have been a part of his football regiment since high school.
“Mama, we did it!” Lynch excitedly said in the announcement video, “This is huge, bruh. My face is on this pack of Skittles.”
Skittles has teamed up with its number one NFL super fan, Marshawn Lynch, to debut a new, limited-edition pack… Introducing: Marshawn’s Pack! Visit www.MarshawnsPack.com for more information.
Lynch is the first athlete ever to appear on the brand’s packs. The candy announced the special Marshawn Lynch edition Tuesday, his pack is a shareable size featuring his face and signature.
Congrats to the five-time Pro Bowler, I’m sure this has been a sweet-filled day for you.


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How This Startup Hopes to Improve Virtual Reality Video Delivery
As more and more companies invest in virtual reality, the cloud, and video media, tech startup Pixvana hopes its cloud-based production and delivery platform becomes the Flash of virtual reality and augmented reality.
With billions of dollars being poured into VR and augmented reality platforms by companies such as Microsoft (MSFT), Facebook (FB), Sony, HTC, Intel, and Nvidia (NVDA), and millions of dollars being invested in computer-generated and 360-degree video content, digital media is rapidly growing.
Pixvana founder and CEO Forest Key, who helped launch Flash and Silverlight web-based video technologies, believes a huge platform shift is coming.
“In the next five years virtual reality and augmented reality will become a dominant form of media delivery and consumption for entertainment, training, communication, and other experiential applications such as therapy, virtual travel, and other forms of ‘spectating’ from afar that will touch everything from politics to art,” Key says.
And yet when he began researching this new medium, he discovered no company was developing software that will help deliver high quality 360-degree video content through the cloud.
“Pixvana is a set of platform capabilities that will work with clouds such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and others to deliver great VR video experiences on major VR and AR headsets such as Valve’s Steam VR platform with HTC Vive, Oculus VR, Google Cardboard, Samsung Gear VR, and those that we expect Apple, Amazon, and Google are also building,” Key says.
With more companies exploring 360-degree video content, including Hollywood studios such as Lionsgate (LGF) and startups like Baobab Studios, Key says it’s important that this video content looks as good as it can. This also holds true for companies launching new virtual reality platforms like Sony, Facebook, HTC, and Samsung, as well as Microsoft’s HoloLens augmented reality headset.
“The industry is going to deliver these VR headsets and they are going to be great,” Key says. “The real question is will the software/content be as marvelous as we think it has the potential to be, and that’s where VC capital is flowing (into software and content).”
Key says Pixvana does not see a distinction between live and pre-recorded video, which are both important markets for the company. This opens up additional livestreaming opportunities for companies like NextVR, IM360, and LiveLike VR, which have been exploring how VR can enhance viewer experiences for everything from sporting events to the MTV Video Music Awards.
“We would be an enhancement/partner to anyone that is currently focused on camera systems for livestreaming,” Key says.
The Seattle-based company received its initial $6 million investment led by Madrona Venture Group with participation from Paul Allen’s Vulcan Capital, as well as angel investors.
Key says this seed round will be used to expand the company’s engineering team and get its first products ready for market.
“We have quite a bit of core technology and systems working in the lab—this is our ‘get Version 1 to market’ funding,” Key says.
Key has assembled a team of executives from the technology and entertainment industries, including chief product officer Bill Hensler from Apple (AMZN) and Adobe (ADBE), as well as CTO and creative director Scott Squires from Industrial Light and Magic, and vice president of product management Sean Safreed from Red Giant.
For more on the future of virtual reality, watch this Fortune video:


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Destination dealer: George White
Don’t stand back, because the blue touch-paper will be lit on George White’s annual Explosive Sale on Saturday 30 October. And if you’re after a bargain, this year’s is all set to blow your mind.
There are some seriously hot clothing offers to grab, like a Frank Thomas FTL232 jacket which was £199.99 but will be offered in the sale for just £29.99.
What about a Suomi Vandal helmet? Before, it would’ve cost you £249.99, now you can pick one up at any George White store for just £49.99.
And a pair of Berik GPX boots on Friday will cost £119.99, but when the Explosive Sale bursts into life on Saturday morning, they’ll be available for just £19.99.
But the Explosive Sale isn’t confined to George White’s clothing sizzlers - there are some big-bang bargains on used bikes, too, like a 2009 Kawasaki VN1700 Voyager on a 59 plate, which is being offered at around £2000 off list price at just £9995.
And on a vast range of new bikes, there’s an even more explosive George White offer - the NEW 5-4-3-2-1 deal will get you five years 0% finance, four years warranty, three years free servicing, a two-year subscription to MCN and one year’s worth of free tyres!
Get in early for hottest deals
The Explosive Sale opens at EVERY George White store at 9am on Saturday 30 October and will run until mid-January 2011, but make sure you’re there early to nab one of those red-hot deals, because they’re sure to be snapped up quickly.
Although the Explosive Sale will be going off in each George White branch, the dealership will keep you fizzing at the Swindon HQ on the Saturday with Carl Fogarty making a special appearance around 12noon to sign autographs and pose for pictures.
There’ll be a free hog roast, chestnuts, toffee apples and, of course, the famous George White fireworks themselves, which will explode into life around 5pm.