Category: Parliament

Question for Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
UIN 196278, tabled on 1 September 2023

Question
Elizabeth Truss
Conservative

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 12 June 2023 to Question 187964 on Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Taiwan, if she will identify which minister represented her Department for each meeting it held with representatives of the Taiwan Government in (a) 2018, (b) 2019, (c) 2020, (d) 2021, (e) 2022 and (f) 2023; and if she will identify the (i) job title and (ii) grade of the most senior official who represented her Department when a minister was not present for each meeting it held with representatives of the Taiwan Government in (A) 2018, (B) 2019, (C) 2020, (D) 2021, (E) 2022 and (F) 2023.

Answer
Mark Spencer
Conservative

Answered on
11 September 2023

The Department had regular official level meetings with representatives of the Taiwanese administration during this period, both in the UK and through the British Office in Taipei, in line with our longstanding policy on Taiwan.

 

Question for Department for Culture, Media and Sport
UIN 196280, tabled on 1 September 2023

Question
Elizabeth Truss
Conservative

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 14 June 2023 to Question 187962 on Department for Culture, Media and Sport: Taiwan, if she will identify which minister represented her Department for each meeting it held with representatives of the Taiwan Government in (a) 2018, (b) 2019, (c) 2020, (d) 2021, (e) 2022 and (f) 2023; and if she will identify the (i) job title and (ii) grade of the most senior official who represented her Department when a minister was not present for each meeting it held with representatives of the Taiwan Government in (A) 2018, (B) 2019, (C) 2020, (D) 2021, (E) 2022 and (F) 2023.

Answer
Sir John Whittingdale
Conservative

Answered on
11 September 2023

From 2018 to 2022 there has been no Ministerial led discussions with representatives of the Taiwan administration.

The Department did have official level meetings with representatives of the Taiwanese administration during this period, in line with our longstanding policy on Taiwan.

 

Question for Department for Transport
UIN 196277, tabled on 1 September 2023

Question
Elizabeth Truss
Conservative

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 13 June 2023 to Question 187965 on Department for Transport: Taiwan, if he will identify which minister represented his Department for each meeting it held with representatives of the Taiwan Government in (a) 2018, (b) 2019, (c) 2020, (d) 2021, (e) 2022 and (f) 2023 ; and if he will identify the (i) job title and (ii) grade of the most senior official who represented his Department when a minister was not present for each meeting it held with representatives of the Taiwan Government in (A) 2018, (B) 2019, (C) 2020, (D) 2021, (E) 2022 and (F) 2023.

Answer
Jesse Norman
Conservative

Answered on
11 September 2023

Between 2018 and 2023, DfT Ministers have met with representatives of Taiwan once. In 2020, Baroness Vere of Norbiton met with the Taipei Representative to the UK to discuss transport matters.

The Department also had regular official level meetings with representatives of the Taiwanese administration during this period, both in the UK and through the British Office in Taipei, in line with our longstanding policy on Taiwan.

 

Question for Department for Business and Trade
UIN 190854, tabled on 22 June 2023

Question
Elizabeth Truss
Conservative

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 21 June 2023 to Question 187961 on The Department of Business and Trade: Taiwan, if she will identify which minister represented her Department for each meeting it held with representatives of the Taiwan Government in (a) 2018, (b) 2019, (c) 2020, (d) 2021 and (e) 2022; and if she will identify the (i) job title and (ii) grade of the most senior official who represented her Department when a minister was not present for each meeting it held with representatives of the Taiwan Government in (A) 2018, (B) 2019, (C) 2020, (D) 2021 and (E) 2022.

Answer
Nigel Huddleston
Conservative

Answered on
10 July 2023

From 2018 to 2022 the annual UK-Taiwan Trade Talks were co-hosted by the Minister of State for Trade Policy. These were Sir George Hollingbery (2018), the Rt Hon Sir Conor Burns (2019), the Rt Hon Greg Hands (2020 and 2022), and the Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt (2021).

The Second Permanent Secretary met with representatives of the Taiwanese Administration in 2022.

 

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
UIN 191057, tabled on 26 June 2023

Question
Jim Shannon
Democratic Unionist Party

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking to respond to Chinese military exercises off Taiwan.

Answer
Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Conservative

Answered on
3 July 2023

The UK’s longstanding policy on Taiwan has not changed. We consider the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue, without the threat or use of force or coercion. We do not support any unilateral attempts to change the status quo and have underscored the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait alongside partners in previous G7 Foreign and Development Ministers’ and Leaders’ communiques.

 

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
UIN 190783, tabled on 22 June 2023

Question
Elizabeth Truss
Conservative

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether his Department has had discussions with representatives of the Government of Taiwan in each of the last five years.

Answer
Anne-Marie Trevelyan
Conservative

Answered on
30 June 2023

The UK has no diplomatic relations with Taiwan but a strong, unofficial relationship, based on deep and growing ties in a wide range of areas, underpinned by shared democratic values. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has had discussions with representatives of the Taiwan administration in years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Question for Ministry of Defence
UIN 190815, tabled on 22 June 2023

Question
Elizabeth Truss
Conservative

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether his Department has had discussions with representatives of the Government of Taiwan in each of the last five years.

Answer
James Heappey
Conservative

Answered on
29 June 2023

The UK has no diplomatic relations with Taiwan but a strong, unofficial relationship, based on deep and growing ties in a wide range of areas, underpinned by shared democratic values.

The Ministry of Defence has had no discussions with representatives of the Taiwan administration in the last five years.

 

Question for Department for Business and Trade
UIN 187961, tabled on 6 June 2023

Question
Elizabeth Truss
Conservative

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether her Department has had discussions with representatives of the Government of Taiwan in each of the last five years.

Answer
Nigel Huddleston
Conservative

Answered on
21 June 2023

The UK has no diplomatic relations with Taiwan but a strong, unofficial relationship, based on deep and growing ties in a wide range of areas, underpinned by shared democratic values.

The Department for Business and Trade has had discussions with representatives of the Taiwan administration in 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

 

Question for Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
UIN 187966, tabled on 6 June 2023

Question
Elizabeth Truss
Conservative

To ask the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, whether her Department has had discussions with representatives of the Government of Taiwan in each of the last five years.

Answer
George Freeman
Conservative

Answered on
20 June 2023

The UK has no diplomatic relations with Taiwan but a strong, unofficial relationship, based on deep and growing ties in a wide range of areas, underpinned by shared democratic values.

The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology was newly created on 7 February 2023, and the Department has since had discussions with representatives of the Taiwan administration.

Question for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
UIN HL8225, tabled on 5 June 2023

Question
Lord Rogan
Ulster Unionist Party

To ask His Majesty’s Government what official support, if any, was provided to former Prime Minister Liz Truss in relation to her recent visit to Taiwan.

Answer
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Conservative

Answered on
19 June 2023

His Majesty’s Government does not get involved in the independent travel decisions of parliamentarians who are not a member of the government. As is standard practice, the FCDO provided a short background note setting out HMG’s position on Taiwan and facilitated logistical contact between the former Prime Minister’s accompanying protection team and the Taiwanese authorities. No official support was provided on the visit programme.