Commons Sense

Hansard-based summaries and metrics

Free Trade Agreements Small and Medium-sized Enterprises 2021-01-14

2021-01-14

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Questions & Answers

Q1 Direct Answer
Rob Butler
▸ Context
The MP is concerned about the specific measures to support small and medium-sized enterprises in his constituency benefitting from future free trade agreements.
What steps has her Department taken to help ensure that SMEs in Buckinghamshire can benefit from future free trade agreements?
Greg Hands
The Government have included, and will continue to seek to include, specific SME chapters in all our free trade agreements to ensure that SMEs are provided with the information necessary to make informed commercial decisions and seize the great new opportunities provided by these agreements.
▸ Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2 Direct Answer
Paul Howell
▸ Context
The MP is concerned about the import duties affecting Kromek, a company manufacturing high-radiation detector materials, which would benefit from reduced tariffs.
Can the Minister continue to support companies like Kromek in Sedgefield with a free trade agreement for the USA that removes import duties and supports high-value jobs?
Greg Hands
The US and the UK have a shared ambition to improve trade for our SME-focused economies, reducing or eliminating tariffs, including a wide-reaching SME chapter. Provisions on reimported goods will benefit around 32,000 UK SMEs already exporting to the US.
▸ Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q3 Direct Answer
Rob Butler
▸ Context
The MP is interested in securing opportunities for small businesses in his constituency through free trade agreements with the Asia-Pacific region.
Can my right hon. Friend tell the House how he intends to go further and secure opportunities in the Asia-Pacific region, which would benefit SMEs in Aylesbury?
Greg Hands
We are seeking an SME chapter in all our future free trade agreements. In Asia-Pacific, we aim to include such chapters, as seen in our agreement with Japan, and will also consider including them in deals with Australia, New Zealand and the CPTPP.
▸ Assessment & feedback
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