Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Ranil Jayawardena and Liam Fox

Thursday 9th February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Dr Fox]

That is a message I will be taking with me when I make a visit to Nigeria in the not-too-distant future.

[Mr Ranil Jayawardena (North East Hampshire) (Con)]

3. What steps his Department is taking to support trade and investment in the space exploration sector.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Ranil Jayawardena and Liam Fox

Thursday 8th September 2016 Commons Chamber

[Dr Fox]

It is nice to see that the Lib Dems are looking forward to repeating their election success at the next election. I always think it is nice for politicians to cover all their options. We do not intend to create a standing army of bureaucrats that would be expensive to the taxpayer. We are looking to see how most effectively we can create the skills and the cadre of negotiators we will require.

[Mr Ranil Jayawardena (North East Hampshire) (Con)]

I welcome the President of the Board of Trade and his Ministers to their place. May I follow up on the previous question by saying that those in the private sector surely have a lot of experience and insight to offer in particular markets? Will he assure the House that the private sector will be consulted and its skills harnessed and welcomed by the Government?

[Dr Fox]

That is correct, but I would say to counterbalance that that we also have a great deal of expertise inside Whitehall Departments, and it seems to me it would not necessarily be a good use of taxpayers’ money to contract out all these functions when we have the ability to get that knowledge into the negotiations from inside the Departments we already have. I think that a judicious mix between the two would be the appropriate way forward.