Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, when the Government expects to complete processes and exchange diplomatic notes with Australia so that a commencement date can be set for the UK - Australia Free Trade Agreement.

Our ground-breaking free trade agreement (FTA) with Australia is our first ‘from scratch’ since we left the EU, and is set to benefit every nation and region of the UK. We are working hard to bring the FTA into force at the earliest opportunity so businesses and consumers can reap the benefits.

The Trade (Australia and New Zealand) Act received Royal Assent on 23 March and we are working to lay the remaining statutory instruments required to implement the agreement, and to complete the remaining procedural steps, as soon as possible. We expect to be able to bring the agreement into force this spring.