Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Encouraging Exports

Thursday 29 January 2026 · 6 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 4 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial discussions involve addressing visa issues and improving business mobility for exporters.
  • Government considers revisiting a cross-party approach for high-risk investment areas like UK Export Finance underwriting.
  • Support for exporters includes R&D initiatives combined with trade and business strategies to enhance export success.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Jayne Kirkham Labour (Co-op) Truro and Falmouth
Immigration Business & Trade
Context

Following a meeting with Watson-Marlow, an organization in her constituency, Jayne Kirkham raised concerns about the difficulties faced by businesses post-Brexit.

Question

Many businesses I have spoken to are frustrated about the difficulty of moving people, goods and equipment to Europe. Fugro and Pendennis yachts have experienced issues securing visas for staff on short-term offshore projects. What steps can the Minister take with colleagues at the Home Office to ensure some barriers are reduced?

Answer from Chris Bryant (Minister of State, Department for Business and Trade)

We need to do better on addressing issues with visas and business mobility that the Home Office and the Department are discussing with our European allies. We also need to get to a place where we have mutual recognition of professional qualifications so that people can transact their business more effectively.

Partly answered

How: Under Discussion

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Q2 Mark Pritchard Con The Wrekin
Business & Trade
Context

Mark Pritchard, a former trade envoy to Georgia and Armenia, highlights the current lack of cross-party representation in trade envoys.

Question

Can I suggest that the Government revisit the strength of having a cross-party approach? On UK Export Finance in high-risk investment areas, such as rebuilding Syria by getting jobs and investment into that country quickly, can I ask that UK Export Finance underwrites with insurance those high-risk investments?

Answer from Chris Bryant (Minister of State, Department for Business and Trade)

We need to do better on addressing issues with visas and business mobility that the Home Office and the Department are discussing with our European allies. On UK Export Finance in high-risk investment areas such as Syria, I have had discussions about how we can roll that out.

Partly answered

How: Discussions Ongoing

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Q3 Julie Minns Lab Carlisle
Business & Trade
Context

Julie Minns visited the Clark Door company in her Carlisle constituency and is seeking support to ensure their continued export success.

Question

Last week I visited the brilliant family-run Clark Door company. What support can the Government give to exporters such as Clark Door so that their pioneering research and development ensures their continued export success?

Answer from Chris Bryant (Minister of State, Department for Business and Trade)

We are doing well on UK exports up to £929 billion. I am happy to consider ensuring that UK Research and Innovation provides R&D support combined with trade and business strategies to drive exports forward.

Partly answered

How: Discussions Ongoing

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Q4 Lincoln Jopp Con Spelthorne
Defence Business & Trade
Context

Lincoln Jopp is concerned about the delay in the Government's defence investment plan which affects the export business.

Question

The defence investment plan was promised but it is still not there. When will the Government get their act together and stop dithering over the defence investment plan so that we can fuel our export economy?

Answer from Chris Bryant (Minister of State, Department for Business and Trade)

Defence is an important part of both our industrial strategy and our export strategy. We are running a series of export campaigns which relate to defence expenditure. I will ensure that the hon. Gentleman gets an answer from the Ministry of Defence.

How: Will Provide Update

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Q5 Gareth Davies Con Grantham and Bourne
Business & Trade
Context

Gareth Davies welcomed the Government's announcement of the transatlantic taskforce for markets of the future, but has not received much detail since.

Question

Since its announcement last September, we have not had a great deal of detail on it from the Government. Will the Minister provide an update on the status of the taskforce and what he hopes it will achieve for our exporters?

Answer from Chris Bryant (Minister of State, Department for Business and Trade)

I will certainly write to the shadow Minister about that. Electronic commerce generally is one thing we need to address at the World Trade Organisation ministerial conference in Cameroon at the end of March. We would like to make permanent a moratorium on tax in relation to electronic commerce.

How: Will Provide Update

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Q6 Gareth Davies Con Bristol North West
Business & Trade
Context

In June, DBT Ministers were asked about the Government’s strategy on digital payment technology and were promised that it would be part of the industrial strategy. However, it was missing from the strategy.

Question

Why has the government's programme failed to recognise the impact of digital payment technology on British exporters? We were promised a strategy as part of the industrial strategy last June, but it is missing. Can he explain why?

Answer from Chris Bryant (Under-Secretary of State for Business and Trade)

I met the main providers in this area only a couple of weeks ago. I will write to the hon. Member with some more detail. Some of these issues are difficult to land because of the international co-operation needed, but we are talking about not just goods and services but ensuring a digital element in our trade deals, as that is where a lot of our economic future lies.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Providing specific detail on the taskforce or strategy for digital payment technology

How: Some Of These Issues Are Difficult To Land Because Of The International Co-Operation Needed

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