Oral Answers to Questions

David Evennett Excerpts

Thursday 19th November 2020 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

I am committed to having a positive relationship with the European Union. I speak to my counterpart, Valdis Dombrovskis, about issues concerning global trade. Of course, we want with every part of the world good trade deals that uphold our standards and facilitate increased trade in areas such as services, data and digital, but the important principle is that we cannot do that at the expense of the UK’s sovereignty. Those are the negotiations that are currently being conducted by Lord Frost.

[Sir David Evennett (Bexleyheath and Crayford) (Con) [V]]

I welcome all the work that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is doing for post-Brexit Britain. What assessment has she and her Department made of the advantages of our United Kingdom for exporters and inward investment in the devolved Administrations?

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Trade (Graham Stuart)]

What an excellent question. It is the reach, power and financial heft of this United Kingdom that has allowed us to be the only top 10 global exporter to increase exports last year and allowed us to attract more foreign direct investment than any other country in Europe. Shorn of the UK’s assets, businesses—and, more importantly, workers—in places like Scotland would be impoverished as a result. We seek to ensure that we use every part of the power of this United Kingdom to support jobs and investment in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom.