Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Free Trade Agreement: Australia

Thursday 14 January 2021 · 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 2 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Third round of talks with Australia scheduled for next month
  • Minister to speak to counterpart Dan Tehan next week
  • Deal with Australia seen as important step towards CPTPP

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Aaron Bell
Business & Trade
Context

The MP is seeking updates on the progress of a free trade agreement between the UK and Australia.

Question

What progress she has made on securing a free trade agreement with Australia. We are about to go into the third round of talks next month, and I will be speaking to my counterpart, Dan Tehan, next week in advance of that.

Answer from Elizabeth Truss

We have made good progress, and we are about to go into the third round of talks with Australia next month. I will be speaking to my counterpart, Dan Tehan, next week in advance of that, and we will be fighting to cut tariffs on vital British goods such as ceramics, which face a 5% tariff into Australia.

Answered
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Q2 Aaron Bell
Business & Trade
Context

The MP thanks the minister for continuity trade agreements for Newcastle-under-Lyme exporters such as Doulton Water Filters, and seeks to understand how an agreement with Australia would facilitate accession to the CPTPP.

Question

I thank my right hon. Friend for her answer and for everything that she and her team, and her negotiators, did last year to get continuity trade agreements for Newcastle-under-Lyme exporters such as Doulton Water Filters, which I met shortly before Christmas. For all our exporters, will my right hon. Friend set out how an agreement with Australia would also facilitate our accession to the CPTPP, which is one of the most vibrant markets in the world and would give us even more opportunities in the future?

Answer from Elizabeth Truss

A deal with Australia will be another important step towards CPTPP, where we will be negotiating a market access schedule with Australia. It is a high-standards, rules-based agreement covering £9 trillion of GDP and, importantly, it removes tariffs on 95% of goods. It has a strong data and digital chapter and it will mean more opportunities for exporters in Newcastle-under-Lyme.

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