Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Department for International Trade

Oral Answers to Questions

Clive Efford Excerpts
Thursday 7th February 2019

(5 years, 1 month ago)

Commons Chamber
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Liam Fox Portrait Dr Fox
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Our working group with the United States on future trade has met a number of times. There is broad agreement that we should have a free trade agreement with the United States. That would open up huge possibilities for the United Kingdom. There has been a lot of talk in the news this week about the ceramics industry; it would benefit from a free trade agreement with the United States, not least by the removal of the 27% tariffs that it currently faces for UK exports.

Clive Efford Portrait Clive Efford (Eltham) (Lab)
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May I congratulate the Secretary of State on signing a trade agreement with the Faroe Islands? Those must have been tough negotiations. Is he seeking an extension to article 50 to complete the negotiations on the 40 trade deals he promised us he would sign?

Liam Fox Portrait Dr Fox
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The hon. Gentleman mocks the agreement with the Faroe Islands; how typical that is of the Labour party when so many jobs in the fishing and fish processing industry are dependent upon it. He may want to know that when I go to Switzerland on Monday I will be signing the largest of the EU agreements of all. [Interruption.]