To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Free Trade: Africa
Monday 7th November 2016

Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if she will make an assessment of the potential merits of launching a second phase of the Africa Free Trade initiative after the UK has left the EU.

Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm

More trade is essential in order to promote economic growth and reduce poverty. Promoting trade in Africa offers tremendous opportunities, both to African and British businesses. Now and after leaving the EU, the UK will continue the work started by the African Free Trade initiative to support trade in Africa by providing assistance to improve infrastructure, cut red tape and harmonise regulations, and increase businesses’ capacity to export.


Written Question
Free Trade: Africa
Monday 7th November 2016

Asked by: Grant Shapps (Conservative - Welwyn Hatfield)

Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what her policy is on the development of an African Union Continental Free Trade Area.

Answered by Lord Wharton of Yarm

The UK is firmly supportive of the aims of the Continental Free Trade Area. The creation of a single continental market for goods and services, the expansion of intra-African trade, and enhanced competitiveness of industry will all help to boost economic growth, reduce poverty and strengthen UK trade and investment opportunities.

The timetable for establishing the CFTA is ambitious and we would encourage the AU and African countries not to lose sight of the need to strengthen implementation of existing agreements, especially on trade facilitation.



Speech in General Committees - Wed 04 Nov 2015
Poverty Eradication and sustainable development

"It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Turner. I strongly welcome today’s debate, which is an opportunity to reflect on the outcome of the two major international events this year that my right hon. Friend has described. Together with the UN financing for development conference held in …..."
Grant Shapps - View Speech

View all Grant Shapps (Con - Welwyn Hatfield) contributions to the debate on: Poverty Eradication and sustainable development

Speech in General Committees - Wed 04 Nov 2015
Poverty Eradication and sustainable development

"The big difference with the original millennium goals was that they referred to developing countries. The global goals apply to us all, as the hon. Lady’s question implies.

We are absolutely determined to learn lessons from the original millennium goals. A huge amount of work has gone into this. When …..."

Grant Shapps - View Speech

View all Grant Shapps (Con - Welwyn Hatfield) contributions to the debate on: Poverty Eradication and sustainable development

Speech in General Committees - Wed 04 Nov 2015
Poverty Eradication and sustainable development

"I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. As he knows, I am always very keen to engage with the devolved Administrations. He and I have had many conversations, particularly about the excellent partnership between Malawi and Scotland, which has been so important to the UK’s development role in that …..."
Grant Shapps - View Speech

View all Grant Shapps (Con - Welwyn Hatfield) contributions to the debate on: Poverty Eradication and sustainable development

Speech in General Committees - Wed 04 Nov 2015
Poverty Eradication and sustainable development

"I thank again my right hon. Friend the Member for Ashford for bringing this matter to the Committee for debate. It is an important issue with many wide-ranging consequences, as we heard from the hon. Member for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, stretching to many areas that are not immediately …..."
Grant Shapps - View Speech

View all Grant Shapps (Con - Welwyn Hatfield) contributions to the debate on: Poverty Eradication and sustainable development

Speech in General Committees - Wed 04 Nov 2015
Poverty Eradication and sustainable development

"Although this goes beyond the subject of the global goals, it is none the less important to consider whether Germany’s opening of the doors to a million people will then encourage a further million people to make that journey, thereby putting people’s lives at risk, and whether it is therefore …..."
Grant Shapps - View Speech

View all Grant Shapps (Con - Welwyn Hatfield) contributions to the debate on: Poverty Eradication and sustainable development

Speech in General Committees - Wed 04 Nov 2015
Poverty Eradication and sustainable development

"I absolutely agree. What the hon. Lady describes is, of course, the golden thread, which is about ensuring money is spent wisely and for the broadest possible spread of the population. Transparency enables people to see that their institutions are serving the broad mass of people rather than the elites, …..."
Grant Shapps - View Speech

View all Grant Shapps (Con - Welwyn Hatfield) contributions to the debate on: Poverty Eradication and sustainable development

Speech in General Committees - Wed 04 Nov 2015
Poverty Eradication and sustainable development

"I absolutely agree. That is one of my greatest frustrations, and I would go further: just putting up a sign saying, “A gift of the British people through UK aid,” is not enough. I was driving back from taking my son to football the other week. We live in Hertfordshire, …..."
Grant Shapps - View Speech

View all Grant Shapps (Con - Welwyn Hatfield) contributions to the debate on: Poverty Eradication and sustainable development

Speech in Commons Chamber - Wed 28 Oct 2015
Oral Answers to Questions

"This summer, in my capacity as a joint Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister, I visited Tower Street prison, Jamaica, where we have negotiated a prison build and transfer arrangement to return foreign national offenders, as reported by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister...."
Grant Shapps - View Speech

View all Grant Shapps (Con - Welwyn Hatfield) contributions to the debate on: Oral Answers to Questions