Select committee: Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee
Recommendation 13
8th Report - Export led growth: Trade with the Asia-Pacific region
Published 29 Jun 2025
Addressed to Department for Business and Trade
Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee Export led growth All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
We agree with Douglas Alexander that the Government’s trade-focused resource must be matched to the potential of the export opportunities around the world. The Government must, therefore, invest properly in trade resources that are tailored to the needs of each significant Asian market. In order to match resources to the potential of the export opportunities the Government must undertake an analysis of DBT’s overseas based staff and compare this with the projected market growth in each market. The Department must then ensure resources are suitably realigned to meet strategic priorities and fully exploit the potential of growing markets. (Recommendation, Paragraph 66) 36
From: Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee, 8th Report - Export led growth: Trade with the Asia-Pacific region (HC 1048), 29 June 2025
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 19 September 2025 (deadline 29 August 2025).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government's response sets out how it is using existing trade dialogues, agreements and the Trade Strategy in the Asia-Pacific region, agreeing with the first recommendation while giving qualified answers on others, including digital agreements and defence funding.
- On trade dialogues, the government "agrees" they are "an important and powerful tool", and says that "where appropriate" it works with businesses to influence partner governments in the region.
- On DEPA, it will explore accession "if it is in our national interest", but is "not in a position to confirm that we will seek accession at this point".
- On the Global Combat Air Programme, it remains "committed" to delivery. On longer-term funding, it recognises "the importance of stable funding" but says resourcing must also match "capability requirements and use cases".
- On AUKUS, it "remains supportive" of Japan's participation in Pillar Two activities, but says new participants must be "agreed trilaterally" and the UK cannot decide alone.