Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the Answer of 20 January 2020 to Question 3175 on UK-Africa Investment Summit: Wales, what discussion he had with the Board of Trade on ensuring that Wales’ interests are represented in longer term engagement with Africa.

Discussions at the UK Board of Trade on the UK-Africa Investment Summit and its opportunities for UK businesses involved my predecessor. As a quarterly meeting, the Board has not met since I became Secretary of State. My predecessor joined Prime Minister May’s 2018 Africa visit, alongside two Welsh businesses.

I will ensure that the views and interests of Wales are voiced at future meetings as the UK Board of Trade works to promote trade and post-Brexit trade opportunities across the whole of the UK.

Boosting the opportunities available for Welsh businesses is a key priority for my team who work closely with the Department for International Trade to ensure Wales is represented in all trade talks and negotiation, not just the UK Board of Trade.

The UK-Africa Investment Summit will create new lasting partnerships that will deliver more investment and jobs. This will benefit people and businesses in Africa and across the whole of the UK, including Wales, promoted through UK-wide activity.