Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has made of the economic consequences for the North East of leaving the Customs Union after the UK leaves the EU.

The Government are committed to getting the best possible deal for the United Kingdom - a deal that works for all parts of the UK, including the North East.

By leaving the Customs Union and establishing a new and ambitious customs arrangement with the EU, we will be able to forge new trade relationships with our partners around the world, which we believe will boost the economies of regions like the North East.

We are undertaking a wide range of analysis and preparatory work that will contribute to our exit negotiations with the EU, to define our future partnership with the EU, and to inform our understanding of how EU exit will affect the UK’s domestic policies and frameworks.

However, ministers have a specific responsibility, which Parliament has endorsed, not to release information that could expose our negotiating position.