Oral Answers to Questions

Robert Courts Excerpts

Thursday 9th February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mrs Sheryll Murray (South East Cornwall) (Con)]

7. What recent discussions he has had with the Government of New Zealand on future bilateral trade and investment.

[Robert Courts (Witney) (Con)]

9. What recent discussions he has had with the Government of New Zealand on future bilateral trade and investment.

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

I launched a trade policy dialogue with the New Zealand Trade Minister last October to consider how we can strengthen our economic ties. Last month, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister met the Prime Minister of New Zealand and agreed that preparatory work should be undertaken on the potential for an ambitious new free trade agreement between the UK and New Zealand, once the UK leaves the European Union.

[Dr Fox]

I very much agree. The UK exported over £1.2 billion-worth of goods to New Zealand last year, and opportunities for our rural businesses and farmers will be a very important part of our work as we take forward the dialogue with New Zealand, which I intend to visit over the summer months.

[Robert Courts]

This year the British New Zealand Business Association, which exists to develop trade between our two countries, reaches its centenary. As someone who has worked in New Zealand, I have first-hand experience of the warmth that exists between our two countries. Does my right hon. Friend agree that there is hope for, and that we look forward to, a great increase in trade between our countries in the years ahead?

[Dr Fox]

I certainly hope that will be possible, given the freedom that we will have outside the European Union to negotiate such a free trade agreement. It is not just our two countries that will benefit; all countries around the globe will benefit from the new global Britain and our attitude towards global free trade, with all the benefits it brings, especially to the world’s poor.