Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what the total level of earnings was of UK businesses from Government Procurement Agreements (GPA) in each of the last five years; and what the total level of earnings by foreign companies from such GPAs was in that period.

The GPA mutually opens procurement markets, providing opportunities worth around £1.3 trillion globally each year. There is no consistent data on the total value of procurement contracts won by UK businesses or foreign companies across all GPA members. The Trade Bill Impact Assessment gives the value of direct contract awards to UK businesses within the EU which are covered by the GPA. This averaged £609 million per year (across 2014 and 2015). The GPA also provides protection for UK subsidiaries set up in GPA Parties by ensuring they cannot be discriminated against on the basis of foreign affiliation.