Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps she is taking to increase the level of trade with Commonwealth countries.

The UK already has trade deals with 33 Commonwealth members. 18 members also benefit from preferential access to the UK’s newly launched Developing Countries Trading Scheme, one of the world’s most generous trade preferential schemes.

Our membership of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) includes Brunei and Malaysia and are negotiating a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India. We recently announced future FTA negotiations with the Maldives.

Commonwealth Trade Minister’s met in June to set direction for commonwealth trade and investment where the UK secured important commitments aimed at boosting digital trade and investment facilitation.