Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent assessment he has made of the role of Commonwealth trade agreements in increasing the UK’s export growth rate in the services sector.

UK exports in services to Commonwealth countries rose in current prices from £36.4 billion in 2019 to £58.1 billion in the 12 months to September 2024 and represents 61.5% of UK exports to Commonwealth countries in the latest period.

The UK increases services exports and removes barriers to services trade through many of our trade agreements covering 35 Commonwealth countries. For example, the UK’s accession to CPTPP provided UK and Malaysian firms and professionals with certainty when looking to deliver services in their respective territories.