Asked by: Stephen McPartland (Conservative - Stevenage)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans he has to ensure businesses have increased access to international procurement markets after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Hollingbery
We have taken measures to safeguard the UK’s ability to continue to participate in the WTO Government Procurement Agreement. This means that British businesses will be able to continue to bid for government contracts worth an estimated £1.3 trillion annually in a range of sectors on substantially the same terms as they do now.
The Government is also seeking continuity of existing EU trade agreements. Many of these agreements contain public procurement obligations that we will retain, including the recently signed agreements with Switzerland, Israel, Chile, the Andean Community and the Caribbean countries. This will provide guaranteed access for UK suppliers to public procurement opportunities in our global trade partners.
As we pursue our independent trade policy after EU exit, we will seek ambitious and comprehensive Free Trade Agreements, including opportunities to increase access for UK suppliers to international procurement markets.