Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps her Department is taking to increase trade and inward investment with Commonwealth partners.
Answered by Graham Stuart
The UK is working with Commonwealth partners to deliver the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) ambition of boosting intra-Commonwealth trade to beyond $2 trillion by 2030.
In October 2019 my Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade chaired the sixth Commonwealth Trade Ministers Meeting, which reaffirmed the Commonwealth’s support for free trade and discussed the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda for Trade and Investment.
We will continue to increase cooperation ahead of the next CHOGM in June 2020.
Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps he is taking to support international trade and investment in the electric vehicle sector.
Answered by Graham Stuart
In line with the Industrial Strategy Future of Mobility Grand Challenge, the Department for International Trade works hard to identify prospective buyers and investors in order to secure next-generation automotive exports, FDI, and a strong zero-emission vehicle supply chain. We work through our diplomatic posts overseas to promote our innovative R&D ecosystem and communicate the substantial government funding available for electric vehicle R&D. The government’s aim of being at the forefront of the development and manufacturing of the next generation of electric vehicles was recently bolstered by JLR’s announced investment in UK electric vehicles.
Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
What recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the potential effect on UK international trade of improving the Reading to Gatwick Airport road corridor.
Answered by George Hollingbery
The Department for International Trade makes the case for high-quality infrastructure across all parts of the UK to ensure our ambition of becoming a truly global trading nation as we leave the EU can be achieved.
Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the potential benefits for future UK trade of improved integration between road and rail infrastructure.
Answered by George Hollingbery
The Government’s recently published Transport Investment Strategy aims to make Britain a more attractive place to trade and invest through a series of long term investment programmes, which seek to improve the capacity and connectivity of Britain’s transport infrastructure. In April 2018 the Government published its Port Connectivity Study, which made a series of recommendations for improving road and rail links to our ports, and through the Clean Growth Strategy we are examining cost-effective options to shift more freight from road to rail.
Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps his Department is taking to increase trade and investment relationships with Sri Lanka.
Answered by Mark Garnier
The Department for International Trade (DIT) has a team in Sri Lanka which focuses on significant opportunities. DIT works with Sri Lankan counterparts and the wider business community to identify emerging opportunities that will continue to increase bilateral trade and investment between the UK and Sri Lanka.
This financial year, DIT has already supported British companies in securing multi-million pound projects in the advanced engineering and financial and professional services sectors.
UK Export Finance, the UK’s export credit agency, has capacity to support UK trade with Sri Lanka and welcomes new applications for support.
Asked by: Ranil Jayawardena (Conservative - North East Hampshire)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Qatar on future trade and investment between the UK and Qatar.
Answered by Liam Fox
I most recently visited Qatar on 5th October, where I met the Prime Minister and members of his cabinet to discuss Trade and Investment between the UK and Qatar. These discussions included follow-up to my meeting with the Finance Minister in June and also the Qatar-UK Business and Investment Forum in Birmingham earlier this year where Qatar pledged £5bn of investment into the UK over the next 5 years.