Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential benefits to British businesses of the £1 billion increase in support on offer from UK Export Finance for British firms exporting to Iraq.

Over the last three years, UK Export Finance (UKEF) has provided more than £1 billion in support for UK companies delivering critical infrastructure projects in Iraq, including power stations, and water and waste water treatment projects. There is significant interest in UKEF support for UK companies’ contracts in Iraq and the additional £1 billion in capacity will enable UK companies to participate in further priority projects that can promote nation-building efforts in Iraq. UKEF is working with the Government of Iraq to identify projects that can use its support with initial priorities including power, water and sanitation, and other infrastructure-related sectors.