Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if she will publish the terms of reference of the review of trade impacts modelling with an external panel chaired by Professor Tony Venables announced on 1 July 2020; and if she will make a statement.

The?Modelling Review Expert Panel (MREP)?will support the development of the Department for International Trade’s (DIT) modelling capability by making sure that decisions related to the modelling of trade policies meet our mandate and objectives – and are informed by the best possible academic perspective.

The terms of reference specify the following objectives:

1. To determine what modelling capability will best support DIT’s trade policy objectives;
2. To explore what economic impacts from trade should and can be feasibly captured in a trade modelling framework; and
3. To evaluate whether DIT’s current modelling capability sufficiently meets DIT’s needs and to identify where alternative or complimentary approaches may be required.

The MREP will serve solely as an external advisory panel and will not have authority or oversight on DIT research or policy. The MREP will not be asked to actively model a live agreement.