Policy paper

Interministerial Group for Trade Communiqué: 29 November 2023

Updated 3 January 2024

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The Interministerial Group (Trade) met 29 November 2023 via video conference. The meeting was chaired by the Minister of State for Trade Policy and Minister for London, the Rt Hon Greg Hands MP.

The other attending ministers were:

  • from the Scottish Government: Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade, Richard Lochhead MSP
  • from the Welsh Government: Minister for the Economy, Vaughan Gething MS
  • from the UK government: Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Wales, Fay Jones MP
  • from the UK government: Minister of State at the Northern Ireland Office, Steve Baker MP.

In the absence of ministers the Northern Ireland Executive and the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland were represented at official level.

Ministers discussed the ongoing negotiations and ministerial engagements with bilateral and multilateral trading partners.

Minister Hands, with support from relevant Chief and Deputy Chief Negotiators, led discussions of the ongoing trade policy work in relation to:

  • the UK’s preparations for the upcoming 13th Ministerial Conference (MC13)
  • the UK-India free trade agreement (FTA)
  • the UK’s US State trade memorandum of understanding programme
  • the UK’s delivery of trade initiatives outlined in the Atlantic Declaration

Ministers agreed to reconvene quarterly.

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