Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

G7 Advocacy for Free and Fair Trade

Thursday 15 July 2021 · 7 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 4 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • At the May Trade Ministers' meeting, the UK committed to a global trading system with open markets and agreed to work together to reform it for fairness and openness.
  • The UK and the US agreed to collaborate on tackling unfair market practices, such as subsidies by state-owned enterprises in industries like steel and aerospace.
  • The UK is working with G7 Trade Ministers to address the issue of forced labour in supply chains and is committed to preventing, identifying, and eliminating such practices.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Henry Smith Con
Business & Trade
Context

Not specified in question.

Question

What recent progress has been made with G7 counterparts on advocating for free and fair trade throughout the world?

Answer from Elizabeth Truss

At the May Trade Ministers' meeting, we committed to a global trading system with open markets that are not undermined by unfair trade. We agreed to work together to reform the global trading system to be free and fair for all.

Answered
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Q2 Tom Randall
Business & Trade
Context

Not specified in question.

Question

Does the Secretary of State agree that the international community needs to get tough on China and improve the reputation of global trading?

Answer from Elizabeth Truss

My hon. Friend is right that we need to tackle unfair market practices, such as subsidies by state-owned enterprises in industries such as steel and aerospace. On Tuesday, I met my US counterpart, Katherine Tai, and we agreed to work together on this issue.

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Q3 Nusrat Ghani Con Sussex Weald
Foreign Affairs
Context

Not specified in question.

Question

Can the Secretary of State provide an update on conversations with G7 leaders regarding forced labour, specifically whether she will congratulate the US Senate for passing a law banning imports from Xinjiang due to slave labour?

Answer from Elizabeth Truss

I agree with my hon. Friend that forced labour is an abhorrent practice. We have already taken action in the UK to ensure that there is no forced labour in our supply chains and G7 Trade Ministers are committed to tackling this issue. We are working on best practice to prevent, identify and eliminate forced labour in global supply chains ahead of the G7 October trade ministerial.

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Q4 Henry Smith Con
Economy Business & Trade
Context

Not specified in question.

Question

Does the Secretary of State agree that a free and fair trading system will help countries, including the UK, to build back better from the covid-19 pandemic as part of a strong economic recovery?

Answer from Elizabeth Truss

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. There has been a worrying rise in protectionism in recent years and I am proud that the UK is leading the way in liberalising trade, striking new free trade deals to bring more jobs and growth as we seek to build back better after covid. At the same time, we are defending UK industry against unfair practices.

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Q5 Emily Thornberry Lab Islington South and Finsbury
Employment Business & Trade
Context

Not specified in question.

Question

Will the Secretary of State name a country with which the UK has a trade deal where she has taken any action to enforce workers' rights?

Answer from Elizabeth Truss

We are extremely committed to making sure not only that we stand up for high standards across the globe, that our workers here in the United Kingdom are protected and that we do not diminish our workers' rights, but that we work together with other countries to do that. I point to the comprehensive and progressive agreement for trans-Pacific partnership, which has a very strong labour chapter, for example insisting on minimum wages and the recognition of trade union rights.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not name a specific country or action taken.

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Q6 Emily Thornberry Lab Islington South and Finsbury
Employment Business & Trade
Context

Not specified in question.

Question

Will the Secretary of State take a lesson from the Biden Administration, stop turning a blind eye to the abuse of workers' rights by our own trade partners and start taking action against them instead?

Answer from Elizabeth Truss

I am very proud of the role that the United Kingdom has played in setting very high labour standards and looking for them in the trade agreements that we are working on. That is part of our discussions with the CPTPP countries. I have also been talking to leading figures in the US about how we can ensure strong labour rights in future US agreements.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not commit to specific actions or learning from the US.

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Q7 Geraint Davies Lab
Climate Brexit Business & Trade
Context

Not specified in question.

Question

Will the Secretary of State ensure that with the G7, at COP26 and with Katherine Tai we pursue the carbon border tax being developed in the EU so that trade can help to save the planet, not destroy it?

Answer from Elizabeth Truss

The hon. Gentleman makes an important point about carbon leakage. We need to make sure that when we work to achieve our net zero target, we are not simply exporting carbon production elsewhere. That is why I am working with G7 partners on the issue of carbon leakage, but I think it is important that the solution is multilateral and embedded in the world trading system rather than unilateral from each individual country.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not commit to pursuing a carbon border tax specifically.

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