Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether her Department plans to publish an assessment of the impact of the Memorandum of understanding on cooperation and trade relations between South Carolina and the UK on the economy.

This Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) seeks to bolster an already strong trading relationship, with South Carolina importing £1.4bn of UK goods in 2021. It lays the foundation for closer collaboration in priority sectors such as life sciences and automotives.

The MoU provides a framework to boost trade and investment, including by sharing expertise, organising trade missions, and addressing market access barriers. The Government will monitor activities and outcomes of the MoU through a bilateral working group, and plans to publish an update following the first meeting of this group.