Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Free Trade Agreements: Scrutiny

Thursday 3 November 2022 · 5 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Government have put in place enhanced scrutiny arrangements for free trade agreements, including publishing extensive information prior to negotiations and updates during negotiations.
  • Eight new agri-food attachs will help unlock opportunities in growth markets and have been recruited to start work soon.
  • The Government will not sign any deals that are not in the UK's interests, and trading partners are concerned about climate challenges as well.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Virginia Crosbie
Brexit Democracy & Elections Business & Trade
Context

The question arises from the need to ensure that Parliament has adequate opportunity to scrutinise proposed free trade agreements.

Question

What steps is she taking to ensure that the House of Commons has adequate opportunity to scrutinise proposed free trade agreements? The Government have put in place enhanced scrutiny arrangements, including extensive information prior to negotiations and updates during negotiations. There will be debate on the Australia-New Zealand trade agreement soon.

Answer from Nigel Huddleston

The Government have put in place enhanced scrutiny arrangements for free trade agreements, including publishing extensive information prior to negotiations and updates during negotiations. The House will debate the Australia-New Zealand trade agreement soon.

Answered
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Q2 Virginia Crosbie
Agriculture & Rural Affairs
Context

The question pertains to the progress made in appointing agricultural counsellors and attachés to help farmers benefit from trade agreements.

Question

Will the Minister update the House on the progress of appointing agricultural counsellors and attachés? She celebrated Back British Farming Day, and it is important that there are people on the ground who know the market and can help get the most out of agreements.

Answer from Nigel Huddleston

The eight new agri-food attachés will help unlock opportunities in growth markets. All have been recruited and will start work soon.

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Q3 Nia Griffith Lab Llanelli
Brexit Democracy & Elections Business & Trade
Context

Business organisations, trade unions, consumer groups, and the trade committees in both Houses have called for greater parliamentary scrutiny of trade deals.

Question

Will the Minister now commit to meaningful parliamentary scrutiny of trade negotiations? The current Government have done deals with no chance for Parliament to have a real say. With a new team in place, there should be commitment to scrutiny from initial negotiating mandate through to voting on ratification.

Answer from Nigel Huddleston

The process outlined by the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 is rigorous, including oral ministerial statements at negotiation launches, negotiating round updates, extensive information on deals when agreement in principle is reached, Select Committee sessions, MP briefings, Trade and Agriculture Commission reports, section 42 reports ahead of CRaG deadlines, six months of scrutiny time.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Commitment to meaningful parliamentary scrutiny from the beginning to ratification

How: Disagreeing With The Characterisation

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Q4 Drew Hendry SNP
Climate Brexit
Context

Cabinet Office emails showed that climate asks were dropped from UK-Australia agreements, despite Australia's history of coal pollution. India has no detailed plan to cut emissions.

Question

Does the Minister commit to legally binding demands on climate change in the UK-India discussions? The UK has included no realistically enforceable measure for climate change in past deals. There are reports that there will be no more than warm words on climate change from India.

Answer from Nigel Huddleston

We will not sign any deals that are not in the UK's interests, and we have friends and trading partners who are concerned about climate challenges as well.

Not addressed: Legally binding demands on climate change in UK-India discussions

How: Disagreeing With Characterisation

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Q5 Drew Hendry SNP
Climate
Context

The UK has rolled over EU agreements and signed deals with Australia and New Zealand, but they have no realistically enforceable measure for climate change.

Question

Why is real action on the climate emergency ignored in every deal? The UK has included no realistically enforceable measure to plug climate gaps, despite pointing them out from the start. There are reports that there will be no more than warm words on climate change.

Answer from Nigel Huddleston

The hon. Member mentions every deal and it would be nice if Opposition Members supported the Government. Trading partners are concerned about climate challenges as well.

Not addressed: Ignoring real action on climate change in trade agreements

How: Disagreeing With Characterisation

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