Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what steps he is taking to ensure that the terms of the UK's new partnership with the EU after March 2019 enable the UK to reach new free trade agreements with non-EU countries; and if he will make a statement.

Leaving the EU offers us an opportunity to forge a new role for ourselves in the world: to negotiate our own trade agreements and to be a positive and powerful force for free trade.

As part of our preparations for exiting the EU the Government is consulting a wide range of stakeholders on future trade agreements. The Government is currently analysing responses to its Trade White Paper, and will return to Parliament with proposals in the coming months.

The UK intends to pursue new trade negotiations with others during an implementation period, though we would not bring into effect any new arrangements with third countries that were not consistent with the terms of our agreement on an implementation period with the EU.