Oral Answers to Questions

David Rutley Excerpts

Thursday 3rd November 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Alan Mak (Havant) (Con)]

5. What steps his Department is taking to help businesses take advantage of future trading opportunities abroad.

[David Rutley (Macclesfield) (Con)]

7. What steps his Department is taking to help businesses take advantage of future trading opportunities abroad.

[Michelle Donelan (Chippenham) (Con)]

9. What steps his Department is taking to help businesses take advantage of future trading opportunities abroad.

--- Later in debate ---

[Greg Hands]

I certainly will. My hon. Friend and I had a productive conversation just last week following his successful visit to Hong Kong. The Under-Secretary of State for International Trade, my hon. Friend the Member for Wyre Forest (Mark Garnier) was also in Hong Kong last month, and we are absolutely committed to using our networks and our professionals overseas to boost both trade and investment.

[David Rutley]

Given the strong contribution made by the life sciences sector to UK exports—AstraZeneca’s site in Macclesfield made a huge contribution to the company’s £5 billion-worth of exports in 2015—will my right hon. Friend tell the House what steps he is taking to work with the sector to ensure that medicines that are researched, developed and manufactured in the UK continue to have ease of access to European markets and global growth markets once the UK leaves the EU?