Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Free Trade Agreements

Thursday 10 June 2021 · 4 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 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • We have signed trade deals covering 67 countries and the European Union
  • The Trade and Agriculture Commission will scrutinise the Australia trade deal
  • British farmers with high animal welfare standards will not be undermined by the deal

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Tonia Antoniazzi Lab Gower
Business & Trade
Context

The MP asked about the progress made on negotiating new free trade agreements.

Question

What recent progress has been made on negotiating new free trade agreements?

Answer from Elizabeth Truss

We have signed trade deals covering 67 countries and the European Union, we are making good progress with like-minded friends and allies such as New Zealand and Australia, and we will shortly launch negotiations to join the trans-Pacific partnership, worth £9 trillion of GDP.

Answered
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Q2 Tonia Antoniazzi Lab Gower
Brexit Business & Trade Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The MP inquired about the Trade and Agriculture Commission's power to scrutinise the Australia deal.

Question

Will the commission have the power to tell Parliament whether her Australia deal benefits Welsh farmers, or is she breaking a promise made only seven months ago?

Answer from Elizabeth Truss

The Trade and Agriculture Commission will be up and running to fully scrutinise the Australia trade deal. It will look at whether FTAs are consistent with the maintenance of UK levels of statutory protection for animal or plant life, animal welfare, and the environment.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The power to tell Parliament directly was not confirmed

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Q3 Emily Thornberry Lab Islington South and Finsbury
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The MP questioned the Secretary of State's commitment to high animal welfare standards.

Question

Does she still stand by her principle that practices banned in the UK for animal welfare reasons should not be allowed elsewhere, and does this apply to her proposed deal with Australia?

Answer from Elizabeth Truss

I have always been clear that we will not allow our farmers, with their high animal welfare standards, to be undermined by unfair competition from elsewhere. However, Australian beef and lamb is already able to come into the United Kingdom under current import rules.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The principle was restated but without a commitment to action or policy change

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Q4 Emily Thornberry Lab Islington South and Finsbury
Business & Trade
Context

The MP provided an example of mulesing, a practice illegal in the UK but common in Australia, asking about its impact on tariffs under proposed trade deals.

Question

Under her proposed deal with Australia, will tariffs be reduced on meat produced on farms that use the practice of mulesing?

Answer from Elizabeth Truss

We are still in negotiations about the final stage of the deal. I can assure you that British farmers with high animal welfare standards will not be undermined, and she should know World Trade Organisation rules prevent discrimination on production methods.

Not addressed: The question was directly avoided by changing to WTO rules instead

How: Changing Subject

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