Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions (a) she and (b) other Ministers in her Department have had with their Turkish counterparts on facilitating the departure from that country of the RAF aircraft containing personal protective equipment that arrived in the UK on 22 April 2020; and if she will make a statement.
My Rt Hon Friend the Secretary of State and the Ministerial team have regular ongoing discussions with the Turkish Government on a variety of issues. Most recently, the Secretary of State held a discussion with her counterpart in Turkey, Ruhsar Pekcan, Minister of Trade, on COVID-19, personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies and our ongoing bilateral trade relationship. The Government wishes to place on record its thanks for the support received by the Turkish Government in securing vital PPE equipment for the NHS.