Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Wendy Morton and Mark Garnier

Thursday 15th December 2016 Commons Chamber

[Sir Edward Leigh (Gainsborough) (Con)]

8. What steps his Department is taking to support businesses in establishing future trading opportunities abroad.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Trade (Mark Garnier)]

The Department is working across the UK, as well as in both current and future export markets overseas, to help British businesses. We are helping them to export their goods and services, identify new export opportunities and win those export sales. We are doing this digitally, through the GREAT.gov.uk website, and in person, through our network of international trade advisers across the UK and through our overseas staff in 109 countries.

[Wendy Morton]

Businesses in my constituency do not always have the resources to explore export markets but are keen to maximise opportunities. What is the Department going to do to help those businesses, so that they can find more opportunities abroad?

[Mark Garnier]

May I refer my hon. Friend, who is a champion of businesses in her constituency, to the GREAT.gov.uk website? Although it has been going for only one month, 174,000 users have visited it, more than 6,000 users have already made use of our selling online overseas services and nearly 1,000 businesses have created a profile on our “Find a buyer” service. This was highlighted to all hon. Members when the Department sent out our MPs’ toolkit, so that all MPs can help their constituents to find new markets and raise their eyes to the horizon.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Wendy Morton and Mark Garnier

Thursday 8th September 2016 Commons Chamber

[Wendy Morton (Aldridge-Brownhills) (Con)]

6. What recent discussions he has had to promote trade with other Commonwealth countries.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Trade (Mark Garnier)]

This Department has many valued interactions with Commonwealth partners in support of our aim for the UK to be a global leader in free trade. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State recently visited India and will co-chair a bilateral trade dialogue there in November. He also recently met the Australian Trade Minister. In addition, several ministerial visits are planned to Commonwealth markets, and the UK will co-host the Commonwealth Trade Ministers meeting next year.

[Wendy Morton]

I welcome the Minister’s response. What priority is being placed on negotiating trade deals with Commonwealth countries?

[Mark Garnier]

As my hon. Friend will have heard from an earlier question, the Commonwealth is made up of a very diverse set of economies, so there will not be one, single trade negotiation. We are already enjoying excellent trade relationships with our 52 Commonwealth partners and we are committed to strengthening those further. One example of this is that the UK is co-hosting with Malta the inaugural Commonwealth Trade Ministers meeting in London in March 2017, which will be an excellent opportunity to promote greater trade and investment within the Commonwealth.