Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, what his Department's main policy priority is for 2017; and if he will make a statement.

BEIS is at the heart of the Government’s ambition to create a stronger, fairer Britain – and a country that is more outward-looking than ever before.

BEIS has a critical role driving forward the changes that will build an economy that works for everyone. To deliver this ambitious agenda, our focus in 2017 will be: delivering a modern industrial strategy to enable all parts of the country to succeed– supporting and shaping a highly-skilled, competitive economy that benefits people throughout the UK. We will also be playing our role in a smooth and orderly exit from the European Union that works for the UK and for the EU, striving to be ambitious in the negotiations, securing the best possible access for businesses to trade with and operate in the European market.