Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Free Trade Agreement: Australia

Thursday 8 October 2020 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Jacob Young asked about the progress in securing a free trade agreement with Australia.
  • The Minister stated that the UK is working closely with Australia to secure a gold standard free trade agreement.
  • The Minister assured that Redcar and Cleveland, including the steel and chemical industry, will be prioritized in future trade talks with Australia.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Jacob Young
Business & Trade
Context

No specific background event or incident is mentioned.

Question

What progress has been made in securing a free trade agreement with Australia?

Answer from Elizabeth Truss

Australia is a key and proud ally of the United Kingdom, a country with shared beliefs in democracy and free trade. We are working closely at pace with our Australian friends to secure a deal that will benefit both countries, and we will reach a gold standard agreement to lead the world in free trade.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not provide specific details about the progress made or any concrete steps taken towards securing a free trade agreement with Australia.

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Q2 Jacob Young
Brexit Business & Trade
Context

Teesside has a long history of exporting to Australia, including the Sydney Harbour Bridge project.

Question

Can she assure me that as we leave the EU, Redcar and Cleveland, particularly the steel and chemical industry, will be at the forefront of her mind in future trade talks?

Answer from Elizabeth Truss

Redcar and Cleveland are a key priority as we negotiate the Australia deal. There are 13,000 small and medium-sized enterprises in the United Kingdom that already export to Australia, and I see lots of opportunities for them to benefit from our close trading relationship, including in the areas of steel and chemicals, food and drink and digital and data.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer does not provide specific assurances or commitments regarding Redcar and Cleveland's industries being prioritised in future trade talks with Australia.

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How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)