G20 Summit Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

G20 Summit

Richard Ottaway Excerpts
Monday 25th June 2012

(12 years, 6 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Richard Ottaway Portrait Richard Ottaway (Croydon South) (Con)
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May I welcome the Prime Minister’s attack on protectionism and support for free trade, particularly the US-EU trade agreement timetable? Does he agree that these are the two largest trading blocs in the world, and together will create an enormous bloc that will have a profound effect on growth and trade across the world?

Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton Portrait The Prime Minister
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My hon. Friend is entirely right to raise this issue—it is half the world’s GDP. There are a huge number of difficulties in getting these talks properly under way; there will be concerns about farm subsidies and about hidden protectionism on both sides. But the pressure from European member states on the European Commission—and, indeed, from the Commission itself—and, I believe, from business in the US on the American President, is to get a deal done, because in the end, it would be very good for all of us.