Adam Jogee

The Department for Business and Trade works across Sub-Saharan Africa offering direct support to UK businesses looking to expand their business in the region. DBT focuses on markets, sectors, and deals where the UK has a competitive edge. The nine new Trade Envoys for Africa, recently announced by the Government, will seek to develop high level relationships with key decision makers to help further increase trade and investment. In addition, the UK is also actively expanding trade with Africa through nine trade agreements, including with 15 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Department for Business and Trade network work with local stakeholders to promote investment opportunities in the region to investors wishing to set up in the area. We work with clients to understand their requirements and to reduce barriers which inform the client’s decision to locate in the region.

The funding of a Key Account Management programme is a strategic initiative designed to support FDI by strengthening relationships with existing foreign investors in the Midlands regions. It directs FDI support to businesses playing a crucial role in regional economies, helping foster a conducive environment for businesses to thrive, expand and nurture relationships with investors.

Statistics show trade between the UK's four nations was worth around £129 billion in 2019, and is particularly important to the economies of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. As part of meeting our Plan for Change, the Government wants to work to ensure growth across the country, raising living standards for working people across the UK. The Government has also launched IntertradeUK to advise on opportunities to promote and boost trade across the UK.

None of our partner governments in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have requested a collective UK-SADC FTA. There are two customs unions within the SADC grouping, which our existing agreements aim to align with.

Our UK-Southern African Customs Union and Mozambique Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) is with Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa, and our UK-Eastern and Southern African EPA is with Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and Zimbabwe. The remaining SADC countries (Angola, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo , Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia) are not currently covered by our FTAs, but there are provisions available should they wish to join These remaining countries are eligible for duty-free quota-free access to the UK (on nearly all goods) through our Developing Countries Trading Scheme.

As Royal Mail is an independent business, the government does not have a role in its operational decisions including its responsiveness to enquiries from Members of Parliament.

Ministers and officials have discussions with Royal Mail on a regular basis in its capacity as the universal service provider.

In November, I met with Royal Mail’s CEO, Emma Gilthorpe, and stressed the importance of a reliable postal service.

Reinvigorating the UK’s relationship with our European partners is a priority for this Government.

The Prime Minister met with his Greek counterpart in December, when both underlined the importance of the bilateral relationship, and agreed that there were opportunities to deliver further trade and investment for both countries. HM Trade Commissioner for Europe’s visit to Athens in October 2024 also served to strengthen engagement with industry stakeholders.

My officials continue to work to identify opportunities for UK businesses and address barriers to trade with Greece.

Reinvigorating the UK’s relationship with our European partners is a top priority for this Government.

Germany is already the UK’s largest trading partner within the EU. Last summer, we launched negotiations for a bilateral treaty that will aim to strengthen bilateral cooperation on economic growth, and in a range of sectors including energy, defence and technology. Negotiations will resume after the forthcoming elections in Germany.

Reinvigorating the UK’s relationship with our European partners is a top priority for this Government.

My officials regularly engage with counterparts in the French Government to identify opportunities to increase bilateral trade and investment, including the annual dialogue between DBT and France’s DG Entreprises, which last took place in November 2024. The Secretary of State met his counterpart at the G20 Trade Ministerial Meeting in October, to discuss improving bilateral trade flows and collaboration. My honourable friend, the Minister for Services, Small Business and Exports will also be travelling to France to support UK exporters later this month.

Reinvigorating the UK’s relationship with our European partners is a top priority for this Government.

As the Prime Minister has made clear, we are committed to building an ever stronger relationship with Ireland. The UK-Ireland Summit in March offers the opportunity to take forward key areas of mutual cooperation with Ireland, including increasing bilateral trade and investment in areas such as renewables, infrastructure and supporting small business. This will build on the meeting with Irish business leaders the Prime Minister and Taoiseach held in Dublin on 7 September, and my own visit to Dublin for bilateral talks with my counterpart and to speak at the British Irish Chamber of Commerce Annual Conference in October.

The Department for Business and Trade is supporting UK firms to access opportunities in Jamaica across a variety of sectors, including critical infrastructure. In November 2024, the UK hosted Senator Aubyn Hill, the Jamaican Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, to discuss opportunities for deeper commercial collaboration following the first UK-Jamaica trade mission in September 2024. Later this month, the UK will meet Jamaica for the Trade and Development Council under the CARIFORUM-UK Economic Partnership Agreement to discuss further opportunities to grow trade.

We are resetting the relationship with our European friends – including Malta – to strengthen ties, secure a broad-based security pact and tackle barriers to trade. We are working with the EU and bilaterally with Member States to identify areas to strengthen cooperation for mutual benefit, such as the economy, energy, security and resilience. We will also hold regular UK-EU Summits at leader level to review progress, starting in the first half of this year.

Trade Envoys are appointed on their ability, relevant skills and experience. This can be based on market and or UK sector knowledge including previous government-to-government experience plus their commitment to support the Government’s trade and investment objectives and priorities when overseas.

The Department for Business and Trade is supporting UK businesses to access opportunities to grow trade with Trinidad and Tobago, including in areas such as critical infrastructure. In October 2024, UK Export Finance signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Finance in Trinidad and Tobago. This provides an avenue of financial support for projects in healthcare infrastructure and airport development, among other areas. And, later this month, the UK will meet Trinidad and Tobago for the Trade and Development Council under the CARIFORUM-UK Economic Partnership Agreement to discuss further opportunities to grow our trading relationship.

The United Kingdom is committed to our strong trading relationship with Norway. The Prime Minister signed a Joint Declaration with Norway on our strategic partnership in December 2024. This declaration reaffirms our commitment to working together and using existing structures under the UK-EEA/EFTA Free Trade Agreement to identify further opportunities to increase the volume and value of our trade.

The Secretary of State for Business and Trade recently met with his Norwegian counterpart, and officials held the third UK-EEA/EFTA Joint Committee trade meeting in December 2024 where they discussed how we can remove barriers and grow our trading relationship.

Indonesia is an emerging economic powerhouse where UK companies see significant opportunities, particularly in renewable energy, infrastructure, education and health. In November 2024 the Prime Minister and President Prabowo of Indonesia agreed to work towards a new Indonesia-UK Economic Growth Partnership to drive increased trade and investment.

The UK will also support Indonesia to deliver the reforms needed to join the OECD, which should address business environment issues to further increase trade and investment opportunities.

We continue to discuss with Japan how to improve our bilateral trade, including through implementation and utilisation of the UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA). For example, last year we secured Geographical Indication status protection for 76 additional British food and drink products in Japan.

At the G20 Summit last November, the UK and Japan Prime Ministers also announced a new ministerial level Economic 2+2 dialogue to advance bilateral trade and discuss geopolitical issues which are vital to economic growth in both countries.

The Department for Business and Trade, and UK Export Finance, has officials throughout our Embassy network in Africa to support businesses where there are commercial opportunities. Additionally, the Developing Countries Trading Scheme, which entered into force in June 2023, makes it simpler and more beneficial for African countries (including Tanzania and Malawi) to export goods to the UK. The UK-Southern African Customs Union and Mozambique (SACUM) and UK-Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) are development-focused free trade agreements that underpin UK goods trade with Botswana, Namibia (SACUM) and Zimbabwe (ESA).

The Department for Business and Trade, and UK Export Finance, has officials throughout our Embassy network in Africa to support businesses where there are commercial opportunities. Additionally, the Developing Countries Trading Scheme, which entered into force in June 2023, makes it simpler and more beneficial for African countries (including Tanzania and Malawi) to export goods to the UK. The UK-Southern African Customs Union and Mozambique (SACUM) and UK-Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) are development-focused free trade agreements that underpin UK goods trade with Botswana, Namibia (SACUM) and Zimbabwe (ESA).

The Department for Business and Trade, and UK Export Finance, has officials throughout our Embassy network in Africa to support businesses where there are commercial opportunities. Additionally, the Developing Countries Trading Scheme, which entered into force in June 2023, makes it simpler and more beneficial for African countries (including Tanzania and Malawi) to export goods to the UK. The UK-Southern African Customs Union and Mozambique (SACUM) and UK-Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) are development-focused free trade agreements that underpin UK goods trade with Botswana, Namibia (SACUM) and Zimbabwe (ESA).

The Department for Business and Trade, and UK Export Finance, has officials throughout our Embassy network in Africa to support businesses where there are commercial opportunities. Additionally, the Developing Countries Trading Scheme, which entered into force in June 2023, makes it simpler and more beneficial for African countries (including Tanzania and Malawi) to export goods to the UK. The UK-Southern African Customs Union and Mozambique (SACUM) and UK-Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) are development-focused free trade agreements that underpin UK goods trade with Botswana, Namibia (SACUM) and Zimbabwe (ESA).

The Department for Business and Trade, and UK Export Finance, has officials throughout our Embassy network in Africa to support businesses where there are commercial opportunities. Additionally, the Developing Countries Trading Scheme, which entered into force in June 2023, makes it simpler and more beneficial for African countries (including Tanzania and Malawi) to export goods to the UK. The UK-Southern African Customs Union and Mozambique (SACUM) and UK-Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) are development-focused free trade agreements that underpin UK goods trade with Botswana, Namibia (SACUM) and Zimbabwe (ESA).

The House will be notified of any Trade Envoy appointments in due course.

I refer my Hon. Friend to my response to Question 6963 on 5 November 2024: https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-10-04/6963

Economic growth is the first mission of this government and Free Trade Agreements have an important role to play in achieving that, alongside other levers of trade policy.

The Department for Business and Trade deeply values the views of civil society and the representatives of workers. We seek their input, alongside the input of business and the public, through the public consultations that have been conducted before each negotiation begins, and in continuous engagement with ministers and officials throughout the lifecycle of a negotiation.

The input we receive feeds into our negotiating objectives, to ensure we strike agreements that deliver growth for the public.

The Government is committed to supporting parliamentary scrutiny of the UK’s trade agreements, balancing the need for robust scrutiny with the need to ensure we can negotiate effectively in the UK’s best interests.

The Department for Business and Trade is currently considering scrutiny arrangements for trade agreements, to ensure they are fit for purpose.

The UK will continue to work internationally to strengthen workers’ rights and enhance labour standards globally. The Government will protect our labour standards in new trade agreements.

The UK has chapters on labour in FTAs with Australia and New Zealand, and within CPTPP, and labour provisions as part of trade and sustainable development chapters in a range of other agreements.

We intend to publish the Trade Strategy in the Spring.

The Trade Strategy will focus on the ways that trade is changing and how the UK can take a forward-facing approach to drive economic growth. It will be consistent with the Government’s Industrial Strategy and Small Business Plan.

The UK Government continually assesses the implementation of free trade agreements in order to maximise their benefit for business and support economic growth. We exploit opportunities to protect and secure further access to these markets, and will align our implementation approach with the upcoming Trade Strategy that will consider how to use every lever available to drive growth, including FTAs.

DBT is committed to driving long-term, inclusive and secure economic growth in all parts of the country, and engagement with Mayors, businesses and communities in all regions, including the West Midlands, is therefore a priority.

DBT officials are in regular contact with Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce colleagues, helping to support their local businesses. The Ministerial team's plans for engagement, including regional and local visits, are revisited regularly.

Eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties currently benefit from 75 per cent business rates relief, up to a cash cap of £110,000 per business for 2024-25. The small business multiplier is frozen at 49.9p for 2024/25.

The government identified that the current business rates system disincentivises investment, creates uncertainty and places an undue burden on our high streets. In England, the government will replace the business rates system, so we can raise the same revenue but in a fairer way.

The British Business Bank supports SMEs to grow by improving their access to finance, through the Growth Guarantee Scheme which offers a 70% government guarantee on loans.

We will establish Skills England which will have a new partnership with employers at its heart and will reform the apprenticeship levy, a key ask of hospitality businesses.

We as a government will work to remove unnecessary barriers to trade with the EU.

UK businesses can access DBT’s export support services via Great.gov.uk. This comprises a digital self-serve offer and our wider network of support, including Export Champions, the Export Academy, our International Markets network, and UK Export Finance. Alongside this, our international trade advisers use their extensive experience of exporting and knowledge of the needs of SMEs in their sectors and regions to provide one-to-one tailored support to businesses across the UK. The Department are exploring options to improve our export support offer to UK businesses.