Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Future Trade Deals: Workers’ Rights

Thursday 15 July 2021 · 3 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The UK Government has committed to protecting world-leading labour standards in future trade deals.
  • The agreement with Colombia was originally negotiated by the EU, and the UK provided continuity for businesses post-Brexit.
  • The Government will use the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership as a model for future trade deals to ensure labour and workers' rights are protected.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Mark Hendrick Labour (Co-op) Preston
Employment Business & Trade
Context

The question arises from concerns over the impact of upcoming trade agreements on worker rights.

Question

What recent steps have been taken to ensure that the rights of workers are protected in future trade deals?

Answer from Ranil Jayawardena

While the detail of free trade agreements is necessarily sensitive, we have committed in our public mandates to protecting our world-leading labour standards. For example, in our agreement in principle with Australia, a commitment was made to a chapter on labour that will lock in high domestic protections for our workers.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Steps taken for countries with poor track records on labor rights were not addressed specifically.

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Q2 Kate Osborne Lab Jarrow and Gateshead East
Business & Trade
Context

Colombia is the deadliest place for trade unionists, with 22 murders of union activists recorded in the past year alone.

Question

Does the Minister regret the agreement of a trade deal with Colombia that has poor protection and enforcement of workers' rights?

Answer from Ranil Jayawardena

The hon. Lady will know that that was originally a deal negotiated by the EU. We provided continuity to businesses in this country and in Colombia to make sure that on our exit from the European Union, businesses could continue to trade. The truth is that some of the most vulnerable people will be affected by some of the knee-jerk policies suggested by the Labour party. In all our trade deals, we will uphold Britain's high standards for businesses, workers and consumers, and we will continue to meet our obligations under the International Labour Organisation.

Not addressed: The specific regret over Colombia's trade deal was not addressed.

How: Criticised Labour Party, Changed Subject

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Q3 Mark Hendrick Labour (Co-op) Preston
Employment Business & Trade
Context

More than half of the countries where the government is negotiating trade deals have poor track records on labour rights.

Question

What pressure or influence will the Government bring to bear when negotiating a deal with those countries whose labour standards and rights are extremely poor, so that the trade can benefit UK workers and the workers of our trading partners too?

Answer from Ranil Jayawardena

Again, the question seems to have been asked and answered already. The comprehensive and progressive agreement for trans-Pacific partnership has a comprehensive labour and workers' rights chapter, and I would have thought that the people of Preston would welcome the fact that the CPTPP offers Britain access to two thirds of the world's middle classes by 2030.

Not addressed: The specific pressure or influence for countries with poor labor standards was not addressed.

How: Changed Subject

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