Thank you for contacting me about the Free Trade Agreement between the UK and the US.

The Secretary of State for International Trade and Development recently announced that the Government will be publicly launching free trade agreement negotiations with the US. These negotiations continue over a period of a few weeks and will be carried out by video conference, ensuring that talks can progress during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

More trade is essential if the UK is to overcome the unprecedented economic challenge posed by Covid-19 and new trade agreements are an important part of the long-term economic recovery. A US trade deal should lead to an increase in trade and benefit every region and nation of the UK. Any future trade agreements must work for UK farmers, businesses, and consumers, and uphold food safety, animal welfare standards and environmental protection. Quality, safety and performance will continue to be paramount.

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