Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if she will take steps to negotiate a reduction in the high tariffs on British-made tableware imported to the USA for use in hotels and restaurants.

We know how important the US market is for the UK ceramics industry, and we will make the case for the reduction of these tariffs when an opportunity arises. This will most likely need to be in the form of free trade agreement negotiations, given World Trade Organisation restrictions. The UK is ready to progress negotiations on a UK-US Free Trade Agreement when the US is ready to do so.

In our continued engagement with the sector and when these negotiations proceed, we will factor in the tableware industry’s interests into our strategies and approach.

In the meantime, we continue to make it easier to sell iconic British tableware in other overseas markets. Thanks to our recently signed UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement and UK-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, British tableware exporters will benefit from the removal of 5% tariffs on their products when exporting to Australia and New Zealand.