Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make it his policy to seek closer trade relations between the Northern Ireland agri-food market and the US.

It already is our policy. Through negotiations on the Economic Prosperity Deal (EPD), the UK enjoys preferential trading terms with the US, supporting thousands of jobs and protecting key industries across the UK, including in Northern Ireland.

As of 1 January 2026, UK farmers can, for the first time, benefit from an exclusive 13,000 tonne quota for beef export to the US. In April, President Trump announced the removal of tariffs on UK whisky, exports to the US are worth around £1bn each year.

Discussions on the EPD are ongoing, and we continue to engage with Northern Ireland counterparts to ensure the deal delivers for Northern Ireland business.