Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions he has had with representatives of the 53 countries with which Britain holds free trade agreements (FTAs) through its membership of the EU on the timetable for replacing those agreements with bilateral FTAs.

The Prime Minister has been clear, we are not going to provide a running commentary on every twist and turn of these negotiations. We recognise the need for a smooth transition as the UK leaves the EU which minimises disruption to our trading relationships. Ministers and officials in the Department for International Trade are working closely with counterparts across a wide range of markets in order to promote the UK as a great place to do business and with which to trade. We are taking advantage of all the opportunities available to us to ensure that Britain becomes the global leader in free trade once we leave the EU.