Food Production Standards Trade Deals 2020-10-15
2020-10-15
TAGS
Response quality
Questions & Answers
Q1
Direct Answer
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Context
The question follows the government's ongoing negotiations and commitments to maintaining high environmental protection, animal welfare, and food standards. It centres on how these standards will be upheld in international trade agreements.
What steps he is taking with the Secretary of State for International Trade to maintain British food production standards in future trade deals.
Our manifesto was clear that, in all our trade negotiations, we will not compromise on our high environmental protection, animal welfare and food standards. We have retained in law our existing standards of protection, and we have laid before the House our negotiating objectives, stating that we will uphold them.
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Assessment & feedback
Response accuracy
Q2
Partial Answer
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Context
The question arises from the government's previous decision to reject a proposal by their own Back Benchers for stronger protection of British food production standards. This aligns with manifesto promises made in December.
I thank the Secretary of State for his response, but in that case, why did the Government reject the pleas of their own Back Benchers only two days ago to protect our food standards, in line with the manifesto promises they made in December?
The answer is simple: we have all the powers that we need in law to deliver our manifesto commitment already. As I said earlier, we will use a range of tools, including tariff policy, to prevent our farmers from being undermined by lower standards of animal welfare in other countries, and the sanitary and phytosanitary chapter of trade agreements. We do not need new powers to be able to deliver on our manifesto commitment.
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Assessment & feedback
The specific rejection of Back Benchers' pleas is not addressed directly; instead, emphasis is placed on the existing legal framework and tools for maintaining standards.
Response accuracy