Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Australia Trade Agreement: Buckinghamshire

Thursday 10 June 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

  • The potential benefits of a free trade agreement with Australia include opportunities for businesses in Buckinghamshire, part of the 2600 exporting firms in the south-east region.
  • Businesses in Buckinghamshire will benefit from reduced tariffs on goods such as cars, food and drink, and machinery.
  • The Minister highlighted the government's export strategy aimed at supporting SMEs in taking advantage of new trade opportunities post-Brexit.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Rob Butler
Business & Trade
Context

The question pertains to the opportunities and potential benefits a free trade agreement with Australia might bring specifically to businesses in Buckinghamshire.

Question

What assessment she has made of the potential benefits of a free trade agreement with Australia for Buckinghamshire?

Answer from Greg Hands

There will be opportunities for businesses across Buckinghamshire as part of the 2,600 businesses in the south-east that were already exporting goods to Australia last year. They are set to benefit from action on tariffs in areas such as cars, food and drink, and machinery, and there will be benefits in services, including digital, data and innovation provisions that will future-proof the FTA for businesses in Buckinghamshire and across the United Kingdom.

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Q2 Rob Butler
Business & Trade
Context

The question focuses on the support available for microbusinesses in Buckinghamshire that wish to export to Australia, acknowledging the county's high density of microbusinesses.

Question

Many happy returns, Mr Speaker. I thank the Minister for his answer. Buckinghamshire has more microbusinesses than any other county in the country, so now that we are a free sovereign trading nation once again, what help can my right hon. Friend give to those very small businesses that want to export to Australia but might not yet have the expertise and experience to do so?

Answer from Greg Hands

I am well aware of the situation in Buckinghamshire; my father set up a microbusiness in Buckinghamshire 40-odd years ago. I can tell my hon. Friend that our refreshed export strategy will raise the exporting culture of the UK, taking advantage of our new independent trade policy by providing SMEs and micro-businesses across Buckinghamshire with new opportunities to build their exporting capability in both goods and services, to enhance support, to strengthen one-to-many digital services and to improve access to finance.

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