Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if she will ensure future trade deals with (a) New Zealand and (b) Australia include protections on women's rights.

Trade is a powerful force for opening up opportunities. The Department for International Trade is seeking to work with our trading partners to increase women’s ability to fully access the benefits of these agreements.

The inclusion of Women’s Economic Empowerment provisions in trade agreements features in the Government’s manifesto as part of our broader agenda for ‘free and fair trade’ as well as in our public negotiation objectives for the Australia and New Zealand agreements, published on 17^th June. We have discussed these objectives with Australia and New Zealand in our negotiating rounds to date.