Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether the Minister of State for Trade Policy was officially representing the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office when she attended the Indo-Pacific Security Dialogue convened by the Hoover Institution and Annenberg Foundation Trust in California from 5 to 7 December 2021; and whether she was supported at that event by (a) officials and (b) briefing from that Department.

The Minister for Trade Policy attended the Indo-Pacific Security Dialogue as a UK Government representative at the request of the British Embassy Washington. The event was added to the Minister’s existing programme on her visit to a number of US States to advance UK-US interests. She was supported during the visit by UK Government officials.