Liam Fox said that 60 countries had not agreed to “roll over” EU terms to a British trade deal

The government has admitted that it has yet to secure the agreement of dozens of countries to roll over preferential trade access for British companies after Brexit.

It came as the car industry bosses pressed the prime minister for clarity on post-Brexit arrangements in a meeting at Downing Street.

Liam Fox, the international trade secretary, said that his department had not yet reached agreement with about 60 countries, from South Korea to Switzerland, whose markets British exporters can reach on terms guaranteed through European Union trade deals.

Dr Fox and other senior figures had suggested previously that these countries’ EU trade agreements could be “rolled over” seamlessly to apply to the UK. However, under questioning from MPs on the the international trade committee yesterday, he