PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Trade Agreements (10 January 2019)

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many free trade agreements to which the UK is a party through its EU membership will be rolled over in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal on 30 March 2019; and which countries those agreements will be with.

Asked by:
Kirsty Blackman (Scottish National Party)

In the event of a ‘no deal’, the Government will seek to bring into force bilateral agreements from exit day (29 March 2019) or as soon as possible thereafter.

Ministers and officials are engaging regularly with partner countries to complete this work and are making good progress. For example, the Swiss Federal Council have approved the text of a UK-Swiss Free Trade Agreement that replicates the effects of the existing EU-Swiss arrangements as far as possible.

However, when we reach agreement will depend on the progress of these ongoing discussions. The Government will inform Parliament and the public when agreements are signed.

Answered by:
Sir George Hollingbery (Conservative)
15 January 2019