Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the likely impact on the UK's ability to strike free trade agreements with Japan and Singapore, of the recent free trade agreements the EU has agreed with those countries.

As we leave the EU, we are seeking continuity in our current trade arrangements in order to avoid any disruption and to provide certainty for businesses and individuals.

The UK has long-supported progress towards the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement and EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), as one of their strongest advocates.

The Prime Minister has agreed with Prime Minister Abe of Japan that we will work quickly to establish a new economic partnership between Japan and the UK based on the final terms of the EPA, and has agreed with Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee that, when ratified, the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement would be a good baseline for future bilateral trade relations. The Department for International Trade is continuing discussions with both Japan and Singapore through our Trade and Investment Working Groups to ensure continuity and certainty of these trade agreements and to develop new ambitious bilateral economic relationships once the UK has exited the EU.

Whilst we remain a member of the EU, discussions we have about trade are limited by our obligations under the Common Commercial Policy and our duty of sincere co-operation.