Catalogue description Records of the Department for International Trade

The Department for International Trade (DIT) was created on 13 July 2016 as a consequence of the UK's vote to leave the European Union. It was created as a specialised body with significant new trade negotiating capacity. It is overseen by the Secretary of State for International Trade.

The department took on the responsibilities of UK Trade and Investment (UKTI), which was merged into the new department, along with the relevant trade functions of the former Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS), and it also became responsible for UK Export Finance.

The new department was given overall responsibility for promoting UK trade across the world, and to develop, coordinate and deliver a new trade and investment policy for the UK, including preparing for and then negotiating Free Trade Agreements and market access deals with non-EU countries.

In February 2023, DIT merged with parts of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to form the Department for Business and Trade (DBT).