Oral Answers to Questions

Stuart Anderson Excerpts

Thursday 23rd January 2020 Commons Chamber

[Anthony Browne (South Cambridgeshire) (Con)]

1. What steps her Department is taking to promote global free trade.

[Stuart Anderson (Wolverhampton South West) (Con)]

10. What steps her Department is taking to promote global free trade.

[The Secretary of State for International Trade (Elizabeth Truss)]

As we leave the European Union, we have a huge opportunity to be a liberalising force for trade in the world. We aim to secure agreements with countries accounting for 80% of UK trade within three years of leaving the EU, and as we take up our independent seat at the World Trade Organisation we will be a champion of global free trade.

[Elizabeth Truss]

We remain absolutely committed to upholding our high environmental, food safety and animal welfare standards post Brexit. As my hon. Friend points out, there are huge opportunities for farmers for trade—for example, getting lamb into the US market. The US is the second biggest importer of lamb by value in the world. Currently, UK lamb cannot get into the US market, and that is a huge opportunity for our farmers.

[Stuart Anderson]

I thank the Secretary of State for that answer. I am keen to know whether these steps will make a visible difference to the businesses in Wolverhampton that trade globally.