Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have held with EU officials regarding the UK joining the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention.

We are always looking at ways to reduce barriers to trade - within our clear red lines - because having a smooth trading relationship with European partners is essential to driving growth at home.

This is one of the options we are open to looking at to reduce barriers, and it’s right and responsible that we are looking at it to determine what is in the UK’s national interest. But we do not currently have any plans to join PEM.