Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Luke Hall and Liam Fox

Thursday 8th September 2016 Commons Chamber

[Dr Fox]

The programme of prime ministerial trade envoys set up by the previous Prime Minister has been extremely successful and has delivered notable results given the resources initially allocated to it. The Department and No. 10 are looking at how we can improve on the success of that programme, which will depend upon the distribution of DIT’s staff overseas. I hope to make an announcement about that programme in the near future.

[Luke Hall (Thornbury and Yate) (Con)]

5. What recent discussions he has had to promote trade with the USA.

[The Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade (Dr Liam Fox)]

I travelled to the US in July and had extremely productive meetings with the US trade representatives, senior White House officials, and business leaders. My message was that Britain remains open for business and that we place continued importance on the commercial relationship between the UK and the US, our largest single trading partner.

[Luke Hall]

I welcome the Secretary of State to his place and thank him for that answer. What particular opportunities does he think will open up for people in the west country?

[Dr Fox]

The US is the south-west’s third-largest export market with £1.59 billion-worth of goods exported in the year to March 2016, including everything from aerospace, as mentioned by the hon. Member for Bristol West (Thangam Debbonaire), to cider and cheese. We want to expand those opportunities. I have already announced that we will open three new trade offices in the US in Minneapolis, Raleigh-Durham and San Diego. We need to look at where there are markets and not simply operate on a geographical basis.