At one point during the pandemic, nearly 80 World Trade Organization (WTO) members imposed more than a hundred new restrictions and trade barriers. This is on top of the protectionist policies we've seen implemented in various major economies in recent years. The direction of travel is worrying, and it's why, as a Government, we have prioritised both a response to the initial crisis through, for example, initiatives to increase the supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) and vaccines, and maintaining supply chains for our exports, but also through redoubling our efforts to build the trade architecture that will assist ours and others' economic recovery. 