Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Export Opportunities: International Markets

Thursday 16 June 2022 · 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 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The export strategy and export support service have cross-Whitehall support.
  • The "Made in the UK, Sold to the World" campaign aims to reach more than 67 million consumers and business leaders in 24 key markets.
  • Neale Hanvey highlighted the importance of seaport connectivity and infrastructure for exporting goods quickly, especially for accessing the European market.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Neale Hanvey
Business & Trade
Context

Discussions on measures to support companies in exploiting export opportunities.

Question

What recent discussions she has had with Cabinet colleagues on measures to support companies to exploit export opportunities in international markets?

Answer from Mike Freer

Our export strategy and export support service have cross-Whitehall support. The “Made in the UK, Sold to the World” campaign will help to reach more than 67 million consumers, buyers and business leaders in 24 key markets. Our nine trade commissioner regions, our 40 Prime Minister's trade envoys and our international market advisers are all helping businesses to exploit major market openings through our free trade agreements.

Answered
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Q2 Neale Hanvey
Scotland Energy Business & Trade
Context

In light of recent price hikes on fuel and ambitious net zero targets, the importance of seaport connectivity and infrastructure is highlighted to support businesses aiming to access the European market.

Question

Given recent price hikes on fuel and ambitious net zero targets, the importance of seaport connectivity and infrastructure for exporting goods quickly is discussed. With hundreds of thousands of jobs relying on accessing the European market, does he agree that a direct ferry link between Scotland and mainland Europe should be re-established?

Answer from Mike Freer

The hon. Gentleman is passionate about seeing ferry services restored from Scottish ports to mainland Europe, and he is absolutely right. Although it is very much a devolved issue, I am more than happy to encourage the Scottish Government to pursue it. It is a genuine issue because the ability to build additional routes into the UK for freight builds resilience into the market and helps us to alleviate pressure points, particularly in moments of disruption across the straits.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer avoids committing to a specific plan or timeline for establishing a direct ferry link between Scotland and mainland Europe.

How: Although It Is Very Much A Devolved Issue

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