Committees

Government support for UK exporters

Inquiry

The Department for International Trade (DIT) is a new department established in 2016 following the EU exit referendum, to be “at the heart of the Government’s independent trade policy following EU exit”.

In 2019 the UK exported goods and services worth £698.6bn. Overall, the UK is the 6th largest exporter in the world, behind China, the United States, Germany, Japan and France, but is the second-largest  exporter in the world of services.  

The NAO report on the Department, Government support for UK exporters, published 15 July 2020, which examines government’s progress and performance in supporting UK exports, finds DIT has made a good start in developing a strategy and the operating arrangements it needs to support export growth, and the UK Export Finance agency has expanded its offer of export finance to support UK businesses while remaining within the financial limits and controls it is set by HM Treasury.

However, both DIT and UKEF face significant challenges and will need to work together to strengthen their approach to ensure that they achieve value for money over time.  

It is not clear that DIT is focusing its efforts and resources in the regions and sectors where there are the greatest opportunities to support UK businesses, or that DIT’s work is well linked to the Government’s export strategy “ambition” to raise exports as a proportion of GDP from 30% to 35% 

The Committee will question senior officials from the Department for International Trade and UK Export Finance. If you have evidence on the issues raised above please submit it here by Thursday 3 September.  

Reports, special reports and government responses

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Twenty-First Report - Government support for UK exporters
Inquiry Government support for UK exporters
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Report
Response to this report
Treasury minutes: Government response to the Committee of Public Accounts on the Twenty-first report from Session 2019-21
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Government Response

Oral evidence transcripts

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14 September 2020
Inquiry Government support for UK exporters
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Oral Evidence

Written evidence

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Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television (PACT) (GSE0001)
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Mr Filippo Pollara (Senior Public Affairs Advisor at Federation of Small Businesses) (GSE0002)
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Other publications

Government Responses
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1 published
Correspondence
Committees exchange letters with government departments and others, often to request information or follow up on recommendations.
2 published

Contact us

  • Email: pubaccom@parliament.uk
  • Phone: 020 7219 5776 (general enquiries) | 020 7219 8480 (media enquiries)
  • Address: Public Accounts Committee, House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA