Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has made of the effect of World Trade Organisation rules on (a) reaching a new customs agreement, (b) making the UK an associate member of the customs union and (c) the UK remaining a signatory to some elements of the customs union, as set out by the Prime Minister in her speech at Lancaster House on 17 January 2017.

The Prime Minister has set out our intention to negotiate a new customs agreement with the EU. We have an open mind about the form of that agreement, but it is in both the UK and EU's interest to see tariff-free trade continue and for that cross-border trade to be as frictionless as possible. We will ensure that any future arrangements are fully compliant with our international commitments and obligations.