Continuity Trade Agreements: Parliamentary Scrutiny

Debate between Baroness Kennedy of Shaws and Lord Grimstone of Boscobel

Wednesday 18th November 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws (Lab) [V]]

I am afraid it is in fact Lady Kennedy of The Shaws—there was a mistake in the listing. It is clear from many of our debates that the House does not want trade to be elevated above human rights. The noble Lord, Lord Alton, put his finger on the particular problems regarding China. The Government give the right rhetorical support on this, but it is difficult to have confidence when the Minister is on record as saying that

“everything in China gets associated with politics, but we have to look through politics to help get successful business with China”,

and that:

“The fact that Xi is prepared to give such strong authoritarian guidance within the context of a market economy is great for companies like mine


I am afraid that this does not give a lot of assurance to those of us who are concerned about the horrors taking place in China.

[Lord Grimstone of Boscobel (Con)]

My Lords, the noble Baroness refers to comments that I made in my previous life, when I was chairing a major business in China for the United Kingdom. It is important to realise the context within which those comments were made but, as I have said previously at this Dispatch Box, I have no patience with authoritarian regimes and I am completely in agreement with the Government’s policy in relation to China.