Oral Answers to Questions

Steve Double Excerpts

Thursday 18th June 2020 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

We have a huge opportunity to achieve our environmental objectives in many of the free trade agreements we are negotiating. For example, with New Zealand, which is a leader in this area, we will be looking for very advanced environmental clauses, and of course we will seek those in negotiations with Japan. But the hon. Gentleman should understand that there are a number of routes through which we are pursuing our objectives, namely our leadership of the COP26 summit, and it is right that that process should be the primary focus of where we achieve our climate change objectives.

[Steve Double (St Austell and Newquay) (Con)]

What assessment she has made of the potential effect of future free trade agreements on the economy in Cornwall.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Trade (Mr Ranil Jayawardena) [V]]

I know that my hon. Friend is a great champion of business in his constituency, including the dairy industry. I can assure him that every region and nation will benefit from our trade deals, and that includes every industry from farming to FinTech to boot. In the south-west, exports of dairy amounted to more than £46.7 million last year and these businesses stand to benefit even further from the removal of US tariffs.

[Steve Double]

I am delighted to see my hon. Friend in his ministerial position.

Whether it is our excellent butter, cheese and cream, our amazing beef and lamb, our stunning fish and seafood, or our beer, wine and gin, Cornish food and drink are among the highest quality and most sought after in the world. The Minister will be aware that food producers are concerned that our high standards will be undermined in trade deals, so what reassurance can he provide to Cornish food producers that their interests will be protected, and what opportunities does he see for export?

[Mr Speaker]

We go back to the Minister, who looks as though he is a fan of James Bond—“Dr No” no less.