Mark Garnier, the Minister for International Trade, reassured parliamentarians on Thursday about the continued importance of the Israel-UK trade relationship, vowing that the science and technological relationship would be strengthened following Brexit.
Mr Garnier declared: “We have a strong research and development relationship with Israel, and that will continue”. He then added that “we have established a UK-Israel Tech Hub, which creates partnerships between British companies and world class Israeli innovators”.
He continued: “we also have a thriving science and innovation relationship, for example the UK-Israel Science Council whose core mandate is to improve science collaboration between the UK and Israel”. This was in response to a question put forward by Graham Evans MP (Weaver Vale) who enquired about the steps being taken to ensure that the UK retains its research and development relationship with Israel.
In addition, Minister for International Trade Greg Hands further emphasised the importance of the UK-Israel relationship by hinting that a trade agreement between Israel and the UK was on the horizon.
Hands asserted that “whilst it would be wrong to set out unilateral positions at this stage, the UK will want to continue our strong trade and investment relationship with Israel”. This was in response to a question put forward by Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP (the Cotswolds) who queried about what strides were being taken by the department in order to secure a trade agreement with Israel following Brexit, which will also entail a British exit from the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
