Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what steps the Government has taken since 23 June 2016 to promote trade and diplomatic connections between the UK and other Commonwealth countries.

We are committed to strengthening our trade and diplomatic relationships with Commonwealth members, with whom we already enjoy important trading partnerships. In March we announced that we would co-host with Malta the inaugural Commonwealth Trade Ministers meeting early next year, which will be organised by the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC). The UK will also host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in early 2018, which will be a further opportunity to promote greater trade and investment within the Commonwealth.