Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the UK's priorities are for the completion of the single market. [133003]

Mr Lidington, Minister of State, Foreign & Commonwealth Office: The UK, along with likeminded member states, is taking a lead to drive forward work on deepening the single market. This includes pushing for completion of the single market in digital, services and energy. For example, we are supporting the proposals on the digital single market in the Commission's recent Single Market Act II, but are also looking to go beyond them where we can.

This also means improving the operation of the single market by reducing the regulatory budget. We have secured agreement that there will be an assumption that micro businesses will be exempt from EU regulations and, most recently, the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has, along with 12 member states’ Ministers, proposed a 10 point plan to deliver smarter regulation in the EU.

The Government is firmly committed to expanding opportunities for UK businesses through free trade agreements. Such an agreement is now in place with South Korea, negotiations are ongoing with Canada, the Philippines and other countries, and just last month the EU agreed a negotiating mandate for discussions with Japan.

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