Whilst an EU member state we have strongly supported EU-Mercosur trade negotiations. It is essential to maintain momentum with these discussions and we hope to see political agreement as soon as possible.<\/p>
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In March 2018, my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade co-chaired the tenth UK-Brazil Joint Economic and Trade Committee with the Brazilian Minister for Industry, Foreign Trade and Services, Marcos Jorge de Lima. The Ministers reiterated their commitment to facilitating increased trade, creating opportunities and enhancing bilateral economic relations.<\/p>
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Furthermore, the Secretary of State met with his Argentinian counterparts while at the G20 Trade and Investment Ministerial Meeting in September 2018.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4016", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir George Hollingbery"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Meon Valley"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "George Hollingbery"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-04T17:43:17.327Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "202"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Trade"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Trade"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-29", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Mercosur"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent discussions he has held with his counterparts in Mercosur on future trade agreements with those countries after the UK leaves the EU.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/308", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Coventry South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Jim Cunningham"} ], "uin" : "197326"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1015382", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Trade"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1015382/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
My Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade has spoken on numerous occasions to the United States Trade Representative, and there have been five meetings of the UK-US Trade and Investment Working Group to date. We have been very clear that the UK will have an independent trade policy, when we leave the EU and that we will be able to negotiate, sign and ratify new Free Trade Agreements with countries around the world, including with the US, after we leave the EU on 29 March.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4016", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir George Hollingbery"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Meon Valley"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "George Hollingbery"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-12-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-12-03T16:41:09.35Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "202"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Trade"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Trade"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Trade Agreements: USA"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart on the viability of a UK-US trade agreement after the UK leaves the EU.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/308", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Coventry South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Jim Cunningham"} ], "uin" : "196088"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1008470", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Trade"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1008470/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department for International Trade is talking to a number of countries on a variety of future trading options, exploring the best ways of progressing our trade and investment relationships, which could include new Free Trade Agreements (FTAs).<\/p>
<\/p>
The Prime Minister has been clear that after we leave the European Union, we will establish an independent trade policy. Upon leaving the EU, the UK will be able to negotiate, sign and ratify FTAs with rest of world partners.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4016", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir George Hollingbery"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Meon Valley"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "George Hollingbery"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-11-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "previousAnswerVersion" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1008470/answer/previousversion/86451", "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4016", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir George Hollingbery"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Meon Valley"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "George Hollingbery"} } , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-11-22T12:08:24.887Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "202"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "International Trade"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "International Trade"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2018-11-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Trade Agreements"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions he has had with the governments of non-EU countries on (a) the draft withdrawal agreement for the UK leaving the EU and (b) the effect of that draft agreement on future trading relationships between the UK and such countries since that draft agreement was agreed by Cabinet.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/308", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Jim Cunningham"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Coventry South"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mr Jim Cunningham"} ], "uin" : "192097"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/911106", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Trade"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/911106/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The number of staff working for the Department for International Trade (DIT) and UK Export Finance (UKEF) is set out below.<\/p>
The totals shown include all people engaged in DIT business activities. This includes employees, contractors and those on loan from other government departments or seconded from organisations external to the Civil Service.<\/p>
DIT & UKEF calculate and report their workforce at the end of each month. As the totals for May 2018 are not yet available, comparative figures for end of April are being shown between (i) 2017 and (ii) 2018.<\/p>
<\/p>