Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Penny Mordaunt and Andrew Jones

Wednesday 4th July 2018 Commons Chamber

[Andrew Jones (Harrogate and Knaresborough) (Con)]

1. What steps her Department is taking to promote trading opportunities to encourage development in east Africa.

[The Secretary of State for International Development (Penny Mordaunt)]

The UK supports regional trade and development by improving infrastructure and cutting red tape through our flagship programme TradeMark East Africa, which has helped to reduce import times at the Mombasa port by 50%. We will also support the region by ensuring that there is continuity in market access arrangements post-EU exit.

[Andrew Jones]

In the past decade more than 1 billion people have been lifted out of poverty, largely thanks to free trade. Owing to my commercial experience, I have seen for myself the quality of the produce from the agricultural sector in east Africa, and I am not surprised that it has found a strong export market. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the best and most sustainable way out of poverty is through trade?

[Penny Mordaunt]

I agree wholeheartedly. The greatest progress that has been made towards the first global goal has resulted from the liberalisation of world trade. We want to move more nations from aid to trade, because that is where their future lies.