Question to the Department for International Trade:

What steps she is taking to facilitate trade with Saudi Arabia.

Total exports to Saudi Arabia from the United Kingdom last year were up £1.0bn from 2018 and we want this growth to continue. My Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade recently engaged with her counterpart to remove trade barriers during this difficult period, and we continue to identify ways of opening up more opportunities in the country to businesses in the United Kingdom.

My Hon. Friend for Thirsk and Malton will also be aware that we are carefully considering the implications of the Court of Appeal Judgement for export licence decision-making and are working to enable the re-taking of decisions on the correct legal basis, which I understand is a process which will have a bearing on businesses in his constituency.