Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures

Debate between Baroness Jones of Whitchurch and Lord Frost

Thursday 4th September 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (Lab)]

My Lords, as I have said, the discussions are only just beginning, and we will set out more details, including with respect to our other trade obligations. I assure the noble Lord that we will do everything we can to remove a lot of the red tape that was introduced, quite unnecessarily, when we left the European Union.

[Lord Frost (Con)]

My Lords, on 27 August, the responsible Minister, Nick Thomas-Symonds, said that any disputes under the SPS agreement

“go to international arbitration, not the European Court of Justice”.

However, the Commission’s negotiating mandate, agreed in July, says that the SPS agreement is based on EU law and

“should ensure uniform interpretation and application”

of EU law, and that

“the Court of Justice of the European Union is the ultimate authority for all questions of European Union law”.

Can the Minister explain how those two statements can be reconciled?

[Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (Lab)]

My Lords, I have not seen that piece of advice. I assure noble Lords that, as those discussions continue, we will continue to keep Parliament updated, no doubt in your Lordships’ Chamber as well as through our standing parliamentary committees.