Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether (a) the Trade Partnership Council and (b) any of its 16 sub-committees have met to date.

Further to the answer given to PQ138410 on 20 January, there have been no meetings of the Trade Partnership Council to date. It has however agreed by committee procedure, the extension of the provisional application of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

From 1 March Lord Frost, as Cabinet Office minister, is the UK co-chair of the Partnership Council as of 1 March 2021, and is accountable for its overall operation. Departments will lead on the Trade and Cooperation Specialised Committees in their areas.