Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Lee Anderson and Anne-Marie Trevelyan

Thursday 2nd December 2021 Commons Chamber

[Lee Anderson (Ashfield) (Con)]

T1. If she will make a statement on her departmental responsibilities.

[The Secretary of State for International Trade (Anne-Marie Trevelyan)]

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.

[Lee Anderson]

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?