Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Free Trade Agreement: Australia

Thursday 25 February 2021 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The UK and Australia held the third round of negotiations for a free trade agreement between 23 November and 4 December.
  • Discussions reached an early milestone of exchanging initial tariff offers.
  • The fourth round of negotiations began in the week of the question.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Neil Parish Con
Business & Trade
Context

No specific background provided, but the question pertains to progress on negotiating a free trade agreement with Australia.

Question

What progress she is making on securing a free trade agreement with Australia?

Answer from Greg Hands

The UK and Australia held the third round of negotiations for a free trade agreement between 23 November and 4 December. Discussions reached an early milestone of exchanging initial tariff offers, showing the momentum behind the negotiations. The fourth round of negotiations began this week and is live as we speak.

Answered
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Q2 Neil Parish Con
Business & Trade Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The Trade and Agriculture Commission is expected to publish a report next week which will likely address standards for imported food. The question relates to how these standards might be incorporated into the ongoing negotiations with Australia.

Question

The Trade and Agriculture Commission report will be out next week. How does the Department see incorporating that in the deal with the Australians to make sure that we can maintain these high standards of imported food that meet our standards when we are doing a deal with Australia?

Answer from Greg Hands

I thank the Chairman of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee for that question. I know he takes a very keen interest and we also await with equal interest the publication of the report next week. It would not be proper to prejudge what may or may not be in the report, but it is clear that we are doing everything possible to support our food and drink exports. Returning to the question of Australia, we actually have a food and drink surplus with Australia. We are looking to get more market access and to promote more agricultural exports to Australia, which I know will come with great welcome from him and the EFRA Committee.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific incorporation of the Trade and Agriculture Commission report into the deal was not addressed in detail.

How: It Would Not Be Proper To Prejudge What May Or May Not Be In The Report

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