Key Facts

• Amendment 17 limits any extension beyond the initial five-year period to a maximum of ten years.
• Amendments 20, 21, 22, and 23 reduce timelines from five years to three years for certain provisions.
• The UK-Japan trade agreement is facing a deadline of six weeks due to Japanese Parliament requirements.
• There are concerns about a lack of progress in negotiating a UK-Turkey continuity trade agreement.
• Japan and Turkey prioritize EU trade relations over UK deals, adding complexity to negotiations.
• South Koreans want to start fresh talks in about 18 months.
• The previous Trade Bill was developed around the time George Osborne left as Chancellor.
• The current Minister is expected to reassure the Committee that all agreements will be completed on time.
• Labour Members tabled amendments 16 and 17 to help the Minister demonstrate his ability to complete trade agreements.
• The previous deal was to reduce the sunset clause from five years to three years.
• South Korea has agreed a continuity deal with a new deal to be negotiated in 18 months.
• The power in question is needed to make technical changes that ensure trade agreements remain operable.
• Discussions with Andorra and San Marino are largely dependent on the UK-EU relationship as these countries are in a customs union with the EU.
• Turkey's trading relationship with the UK is worth £19bn, and progress is being made towards reaching a UK-Turkey trade deal by the end of the transition period.
• New clause 18 requires a Minister to make a statement before laying draft statutory instruments under section 2(1).
• The statement must address whether the proposed regulations would modify equalities legislation.
• Ministers are required to explain the effects of any modifications and provide reasons if no statement is made.
• A Minister of the Crown must not make regulations to implement an international trade agreement without approval.
• Approval is required from the House of Commons, House of Lords, Senedd Cymru (Welsh Parliament), Scottish Parliament, and Northern Ireland Assembly.
• Liberty provided an example of how trade agreements could weaken protections under the Equality Act.
• Concerns exist that trade agreements might erode previous rights on equalities granted by Parliament.
• New clause 18 requires a ministerial statement before regulations modifying the provisions of the Equality Act are laid.
• New clause 22 mandates parliamentary consent from the Welsh Assembly, Scottish Parliament, and Northern Ireland Assembly for any trade agreement.
• Clause 2(6)(a) permits modification of retained direct principal EU legislation or primary legislation that is retained EU law.
• The five-year period can be extended by another five years, allowing modifications for up to ten years.
• The white fish industry is suggested to be ten times more important to the Scottish economy than to the UK as a whole.
• A Government amendment to require publication of statements on equalities legislation was tabled in 2017-19.
• The UK has signed 20 continuity agreements with 48 countries.
• None of the signed agreements have impacted equalities or required amendments.
• The white fish sector is ten times as important to the Scottish economy compared to its importance in the UK overall.
• The affirmative procedure is required for any statutory instruments made under the power in the clause.
• The Government has provided certainty to business and consumers through their continuity programme.