Speeches by Kyle.

“I would frame it as we want to fully explore our potential as an economy and country outside the European Union, while strengthening our relationship and fully exploring the potential that exists with the European Union. I do not believe that we have touched the sides on either of those. I will just say to you, Mr Mayn…”

“We have already unlocked over 30 market access barriers that were there as a result of the terrible Brexit deal that was struck. That is worth over £11 billion. That is not the end of the road or the sum of our ambitions as a Government. We want to go much further. As you know, we are negotiating on a range of differen…”

“It is a good question. My Department is leading alongside DSIT. When it comes to who is ultimately responsible, I would say that at the moment DSIT is taking the lead on the tech prosperity deal. It was DSIT that negotiated the deal and played the leadership role in it. If that changes, we will inform you. The tech pro…”

“I am not waiting for Ambassador Greer to be here; I met Ambassador Greer in Washington on the second day I was in this job, so I did not waste any time in getting stuck into these issues. The relationship between our two departments and our two offices, as I said, is iterative. I pay tribute also to Varun at No. 10, an…”

“I honestly don’t know. The conversations we are having are extremely functional and very purposeful, so when I read that, it is not reflective of the relationship that we have.”

“Yes, I will look very closely—I think you would have assumed that I am already looking very closely, and my Department is in touch with Aston Martin and other manufacturers on this precise issue. On the second part of your question, I am asked a lot in the media about our expectations of what the next round of negotiat…”

“The headline deal itself is very clearly a win for British manufacturers. I’m afraid I do not accept the idea that it is not. It not only presents opportunities but includes protections, particularly for the British automotive industry, with over 40,000 jobs protected from that deal. Some areas of implementation are st…”

“I have seen the work that the chambers have done abroad. I have obviously been doing a lot of travel, including, when I was in DSIT, on the west coast of America and also in Singapore, where I saw their work. DBT’s work there is outstanding, as is the work of the local chambers. As I said, I am very pragmatic about the…”

“It is a risk, but it is a risk that I am aware of and that I will not allow to happen in practice. We are looking very closely at where we focus more resource. In certain parts of the world, we are increasing our footprint when it comes to trade, because they are priorities for us and we see the opportunity for exploit…”

“They are big numbers. DBT cannot stand aside when the Government are making sure that efficiencies are brought in right across the piece. We have priorities as a Government, and the question earlier about whether we are aligning to the industrial strategy across the Government also applies to us as a Department.”

“We have to have more focus. I do not buy into the idea that numbers always equate directly to outcomes.”

“Go ahead!”

“I would love to have a whole session on this. I know that the Chair wants to move on, but I would love to come back and have a conversation about this specific issue, because there are lots of structural things we can do. We have lots of funds and we have lots of targeted support. Schools are doing more work on this th…”

“We are not a delivery partner in the skills White Paper, but our voice was heard very loud and clear throughout the development of it. As I said, our job at moments like this in Government is to make sure that the needs of business are heard loud and clear. With the creation of Skills England and the way that other par…”

“I am doing everything I can, and this Government is, to make sure that your high hopes become a reality.”

“I would be foolish to use any word like that, when you look at the instability and the challenges that we have in all of these relationships at the moment. All I can say is that we are engaged fulsomely, and our views are heard loudly and clearly. Not only are we looking at the issues in singular terms, but we are simu…”

“We strengthened our current steel safeguards earlier this year, so we have not been resting on our laurels over it, and of course we have launched a call for evidence on steel trade measures. I am looking very carefully at that. I have spoken to Maroš Šefčovič about it directly. Nick Thomas-Symonds, who leads on the EU…”

“I am certainly aiming for that.”

“Oh, soon. That expression that you used—”

“We are looking intensively at this at the moment, and we have been for some time. We are working flat out on the steel strategy. Chris McDonald is doing a great job on it. The steel sector has a true advocate with real, deep experience on its side in Government. I am blessed with an extraordinarily talented ministerial…”