Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he has made an assessment of (a) trends in the level of (i) trade facilitation, (ii) economic cooperation and (iii) market access within the Commonwealth and (b) the potential merits of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council in promoting trade.

The Commonwealth includes some of the UK’s biggest trading partners including Canada, and South Africa. Trade values have increased steadily in current prices from £105.6bn in 2014 to £170.2bn (12 months to end September 2024) through economic cooperation initiatives with Commonwealth members, such as Free Trade Agreements, negotiations with India, and trade facilitation work such as the Digital Economy Agreement with Singapore updating rules affecting exporters of goods and services.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office leads on Commonwealth engagement including with the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council who are preparing for the Commonwealth Trade and Investment Summit in London, April 2025.