Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 28 November 2017 to Question 115414, what steps he plans to take to increase growth in exports of goods and services beyond the level forecast by the Office for Budget Responsibility; and if he will make a statement.

The Department for International Trade is pursuing a number of initiatives aimed at boosting UK goods and services exports. It already has a network of 177 posts across 108 countries both inside and outside the EU, and provides firms with practical and financial assistance to help them succeed when exporting or expanding globally.

Additionally, on 1 December the Government announced its Export Strategy Review, to consider how the UK can encourage and support British businesses to take advantage of the huge potential to grow exports.

The UK is also promoting the services of UK Export Finance (UKEF), including having launched a new product recently to help SMEs have access to financial support for their supply chains.