Trade Agreements US, Canada and New Zealand 2021-06-10
2021-06-10
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP is inquiring about the progress of free trade negotiations with key international partners post-Brexit.
What progress has been made on negotiating free trade agreements with the US, Canada and New Zealand?
We are making significant progress with our free trade agreement negotiations. We have just launched a consultation on the new, improved trade agreement with Canada, we are in the final stages of our FTA with New Zealand, and we are in the midst of resolving the Airbus-Boeing dispute with the US.
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Assessment & feedback
The answer provided general progress updates but did not specify exact timelines or detailed commitments for each country mentioned.
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP is questioning the differential market access between EU and New Zealand post-Brexit, highlighting concerns about the fairness of this arrangement.
Does my right hon. Friend think it is right that the EU should have greater access to the UK market than our friends in New Zealand?
Next week we have the New Zealand Trade Minister, Damien O'Connor, coming to the UK, and we are working on a gold-standard agreement that will give us more access to Pacific markets at the same time as further deepening our economic relationship with a long-standing and trusted partner.
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Assessment & feedback
The answer provided future plans but did not address whether current market access is justified or not.
Response accuracy
Q3
Partial Answer
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Context
The MP is questioning the lack of progress on a Swiss-style SPS agreement, which could address several key issues including trade disputes and farming protection.
Happy birthday from Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Mr Speaker. The point of trade deals is economic growth, but as the Secretary of State well knows, the trade deals with the US, Canada and New Zealand will make up only about 4% of the Brexit damage. However, signing a Swiss-style sanitary and phytosanitary agreement could achieve greater economic growth, would not threaten farming as the Australian trade deal does, would sort out the Northern Ireland protocol sausage situation and would prevent the Prime Minister from getting spoken to like a naughty schoolboy by the President of the United States. Given those four advantages, has she considered lifting her pen and signing a Swiss-style SPS agreement to make things a whole lot better on a number of fronts?
My colleague Lord Frost is clear that we need to see pragmatism from the EU to resolve this issue. The hon. Gentleman does not seem to acknowledge that the parts of the world where we are striking deals, whether Asia-Pacific with the comprehensive and progressive agreement for trans-Pacific partnership or countries such as India and those in the Gulf, are the fast-growing parts of the world. He is living in a static past; we are living in a dynamic future.
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Assessment & feedback
The answer shifted focus to other trade deals without addressing whether consideration was being given to an SPS agreement.
Shifting Focus
Comparing With Other Deals
Response accuracy