Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Trade Agreements: Environmental Protections

Thursday 7 March 2024 · 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 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Government are committed to pursuing environmental provisions in their trade agreements.
  • Many of the agreements have included environmental provisions for the first time.
  • The Australia trade deal is noted as the first time Australia has committed to the Paris agreement in a trade agreement.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Daniel Zeichner Lab Cambridge
Business & Trade Environment
Context

The MP is concerned about ensuring that future trade deals include environmental safeguards.

Question

What steps she is taking to ensure future trade agreements include environmental protections?

Answer from Greg Hands

The Government are committed to pursuing environmental provisions in our trade agreements and to using our multilateral trade policy, diplomatic efforts and trade promotion activity, all of which support our green objectives.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Specific steps being taken were not detailed, only a commitment was provided without concrete actions or mechanisms.

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Q2 Daniel Zeichner Lab Cambridge
Brexit Environment
Context

The MP is questioning whether existing trade agreements have improved or degraded environmental standards and what lessons can be learned for future negotiations.

Question

Will the Minister tell the House whether the deals secured so far have improved or degraded our environment? What lessons have been learned for negotiating future deals?

Answer from Greg Hands

The hon. Gentleman raises an interesting point. Many of the agreements have actually, for the first time, included environmental provisions. If I recall correctly, he did not like the Australia trade deal, but it is the first time Australia has committed in a trade agreement to the Paris agreement and so on. When it comes to the impact of our trading policy over the last 14 years, he will also find, for example, that 86% of UK imports of palm oil—a key interest for environmentalists—are certified as sustainable, up from 16% in 2010. Again, we are seeing real results of UK trade policy moving in a much more environmentally friendly direction.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The impact analysis was not provided; instead, the answer focused on past achievements and commitments without addressing whether these deals have improved or degraded the environment.

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