Asked by: David Amess (Conservative - Southend West)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps her Department is taking to establish equivalent trading agreements between Maldives and the UK as exist with similar Commonwealth countries.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
British agreements with similar Commonwealth countries were ‘rolled over’ from previous European Union (EU) agreements. My Hon. Friend will know that the Maldives did not have a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the EU.
HM Government has not been able to negotiate trade deals with our friends around the world for almost fifty years. Now that we have control of our independent trade policy, the Department for International Trade is actively pursuing agreements with our trading partners, under an ambitious programme of work – including with the United States, Australia and New Zealand – as well as seeking accession to the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
The United Kingdom and the Maldives already have a strong bilateral relationship. Trade in goods and services was worth £201m in 2019. In that context, we are working with the Maldivian Government to explore ways to increase trade and investment across a range of sectors of mutual interest, including food and drink, defence, education, fitness and health, and in environmental science and sustainable development.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent discussions the Government has had with the US administration on a potential trade deal after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Hollingbery
The UK is committed to negotiating an ambitious free trade agreement with the United States as soon as we have left the European Union. The President and Prime Minister have made clear on a number of occasions, including during the recent State Visit, their shared commitment to an ambitious, wide-ranging free trade deal that reflects the strength of our bilateral relationship.
The Department for International Trade will commence the sixth Trade and Investment Working Group with officials from United States Trade Representative in early-July. This will continue to lay the groundwork for a future potential FTA.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made towards a post-Brexit trade deal between the UK and the United States.
Answered by Viscount Younger of Leckie - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The UK is committed to negotiating an ambitious free trade agreement with the United States as soon as we have left the European Union.
The President and Prime Minister have made clear on a number of occasions their shared commitment to an ambitious, wide-ranging free trade deal that reflects the strength of our bilateral relationship. We welcome the publication by the US Administration of their negotiating objectives for a free trade agreement with the UK as well as the President’s positive public comments during the recent state visit.
Although we cannot enter into negotiations with the US until we leave the EU, there is still much that we can do to lay the groundwork for an ambitious deal. This includes:
Completing our domestic UK processes so that we are ready to start negotiations;
Continuing our conversations with the Office of the US Trade Representative to prepare for live negotiations. These conversations are well advanced, including through the UK/US Trade and Investment Working Group, which has now met five times since it was established in July 2017. The most recent Working Group in November 2018 involved over 100 officials on each side.
In parallel, work has taken place between our governments to ensure continuity of trade with the US, notably the UK-US Mutual Recognition Agreement, the UK-US ‘Open Skies’ Air Services Arrangement, and Wine and Spirits Agreements signed in recent months.
Asked by: Lord Taylor of Warwick (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to reach a free trade agreement with the United States after Brexit; and what impact they estimate a no-deal Brexit would have on trade relations with the United States.
Answered by Baroness Fairhead
The United States is already our largest trading partner outside the European Union. The UK and US have a close relationship in terms of our trade, financial, cultural and investment links. After leaving the EU in March 2019 we will be able to pursue an ambitious Free Trade Agreement with the US.
In July 2017 my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade launched the UK-US Trade and Investment Working Group which has since met on five occasions. As well as looking at delivering commercial continuity for UK and US businesses, workers and consumers post-EU exit, this group is laying the groundwork for an ambitious UK-US free Trade Agreement.
Our priority is to ensure there is no disruption to our global trading relationships as we leave the EU. The government will continue to prepare for all eventualities with our trading partners, including the US.
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what progress he has made on securing trade deals with third countries after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Hollingbery
We continue to seek continuity of our existing free trade agreements as we leave the European Union. The Withdrawal Agreement states that during the implementation period, the UK is to be treated as a Member State for the purposes of international agreements, and this includes trade agreements.
The Government is also preparing for an ambitious programme of trade negotiations and enhanced market access, including potentially opening a series of formal negotiations for new free trade agreements with the United States, Australia and New Zealand; and scoping possible UK accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). We have completed 14-week long public consultations on each of these three potential future trade agreement negotiations and on the UK’s possible accession to the CPTPP.
The Trade Bill will provide continuity by enabling the preservation of the UK’s current trade and investment relationships, while creating the necessary legal powers to ensure we are ready to operate independently when we exit the EU.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, on what dates the UK-US trade and investment working group has met.
Answered by George Hollingbery
The United Kingdom cannot sign or negotiate trade agreements whilst still a member of the European Union, which we are until 29 March 2019.
In July 2017 my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade launched the UK-US Trade and Investment Working Group which has since met on five occasions on the following dates: 24-25 July 2017, 13-14 November 2017, 21-22 March 2018, 10-11 July 2018 and 2-7 November 2018.
The working group’s aim is to provide commercial continuity for US and UK businesses, workers, and consumers as the UK leaves the EU and explore ways to strengthen trade and investment ties ahead of the exit. The group is also laying the groundwork to ensure that both sides are well prepared to open trade negotiations after the UK leaves the EU in 2019.
Our 14-week long public consultations on potential future trade agreements with the United States, Australia and New Zealand and on the UK’s potential accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) closed on 26 October.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what his timetable is for agreeing a trade deal with the US.
Answered by George Hollingbery
The United Kingdom cannot sign or negotiate trade agreements whilst still a member of the European Union, which we are until 29 March 2019.
In July 2017 my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade launched the UK-US Trade and Investment Working Group which has since met on five occasions on the following dates: 24-25 July 2017, 13-14 November 2017, 21-22 March 2018, 10-11 July 2018 and 2-7 November 2018.
The working group’s aim is to provide commercial continuity for US and UK businesses, workers, and consumers as the UK leaves the EU and explore ways to strengthen trade and investment ties ahead of the exit. The group is also laying the groundwork to ensure that both sides are well prepared to open trade negotiations after the UK leaves the EU in 2019.
Our 14-week long public consultations on potential future trade agreements with the United States, Australia and New Zealand and on the UK’s potential accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) closed on 26 October.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what progress he has made on securing a trade agreement with the US.
Answered by George Hollingbery
The United Kingdom cannot sign or negotiate trade agreements whilst still a member of the European Union, which we are until 29 March 2019.
In July 2017 my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade launched the UK-US Trade and Investment Working Group which has since met on five occasions on the following dates: 24-25 July 2017, 13-14 November 2017, 21-22 March 2018, 10-11 July 2018 and 2-7 November 2018.
The working group’s aim is to provide commercial continuity for US and UK businesses, workers, and consumers as the UK leaves the EU and explore ways to strengthen trade and investment ties ahead of the exit. The group is also laying the groundwork to ensure that both sides are well prepared to open trade negotiations after the UK leaves the EU in 2019.
Our 14-week long public consultations on potential future trade agreements with the United States, Australia and New Zealand and on the UK’s potential accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) closed on 26 October.
Asked by: Jonathan Edwards (Independent - Carmarthen East and Dinefwr)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether he has plans to include in future trade deals provisions in relation to currency manipulation.
Answered by George Hollingbery
The Government is working with countries across the world to explore the best ways to develop our current trade and investment relationships and ensure that the United Kingdom becomes a global leader in free trade once we leave the European Union.
We are exploring all options in the design of future trade agreements and are committed to an inclusive and transparent trade policy. As part of this commitment, we launched public consultations on possible future trade agreements with the United States, Australia and New Zealand, and on the UK potentially seeking accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). These consultations are open for 14 weeks and will close at 23:59 on 26 October 2018.
We are not yet in a position therefore to comment on specific proposals, such as possible provisions covering currency manipulation.
Asked by: Lord Jones of Cheltenham (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made on new trade deals with (1) Brazil, (2) Russia, (3) India, (4) China, and (5) the United States; how many visits to those countries have been made since 23 June 2016 by ministers and officials of the Department for International Trade; and at what total cost.
Answered by Baroness Fairhead
The UK cannot negotiate new trade agreements whilst we are still Members of the European Union.
However, the government has established working groups with a range of key trade partners, including the United States, China and India, to explore the best ways of progressing our trade and investment relationships. Individual announcements on the progress of working groups will continue to be made on Gov.uk.
We are also using other instruments, such as Joint Trade Reviews and Joint Economic and Trade Committees (JETCOs) with countries including China, India and Brazil, to continue to deepen our respective trading relationships. We have already held JETCOs with India and Brazil this year, and will hold one with China later in the summer.
Department for International Trade (DIT) Ministers have visited Brazil, India, China and the USA on 34 occasions since 23 June 2016. No DIT Ministers have visited Russia since this date. Details of expenditure for DIT Ministerial travel overseas is published on Gov.uk on a quarterly basis. All Ministerial journeys adhere to Cabinet Office rules on international travel and are published as part of the Department’s ministerial transparency returns (the most recent can be found at www.gov.uk/government/publications/dit-ministers-meetings-hospitality-gifts-and-overseas-travel-january-to-march-2018).
The total number of DIT officials that have visited the countries listed is not recorded centrally.