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<p><em>The European Commission conducts trade negotiations – including the </em>Transatlantic
Trade and Investment Partnership<em> (TTIP) – on behalf of the EU and, where appropriate,
Member States. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills does not therefore
incur the direct costs of the TTIP negotiating rounds. </em></p><p> </p><p>It is rare
that travel undertaken by Ministers and officials relates solely to TTIP, but will
usually encompass other issues. Officials within the Transatlantic and International
Unit in my Department have the lead policy responsibility for TTIP as well as certain
other international matters. The total travel expenditure by these officials in 2014/15
was £25,081, in 2015/16 £14,269.</p><p> </p><p>The cost to the Department of any travel
undertaken in relation to TTIP is greatly offset by the economic prize that an ambitious
agreement offers. Independent analysis shows that a comprehensive TTIP agreement could
give an annual boost to the UK economy of as much as £10 billion each year.</p><p><strong>
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