Oral Answers to Questions

James Murray Excerpts

Thursday 18th June 2020 Commons Chamber

[Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab)]

What progress she has made on negotiations for a free trade agreement with the US.

[James Murray (Ealing North) (Lab/Co-op)]

What progress she has made on negotiations for a free trade agreement with the US.

[The Secretary of State for International Trade (Elizabeth Truss)]

We have just commenced round 2 of trade negotiations with the United States. Talks so far have been positive and constructive, but I am absolutely clear that we will only sign up for a deal that benefits all parts of the UK and all sectors of the UK.

[Elizabeth Truss]

Let me be absolutely clear that we have not set a timetable for completion of the negotiations with the United States, because we are concentrating on getting a good deal rather than meeting any particular negotiation timetable. I am afraid that the hon. Lady is absolutely wrong with respect to the EU, because we have been clear that we are not aligned with EU regulations. We have our own independent regulatory regime and we are negotiating with all our trading partners, whether it is the US, Australia, New Zealand or Japan, on that basis.

[James Murray [V]]

The Government have repeatedly promised this House and the British public that they are committed to non-regression on food standards. However, there is great concern over a number of practices in the US that are currently banned in the UK, such as the widespread use of antibiotics to increase growth in animals. As the Government approach their negotiations on a trade deal with the US, does the Secretary of State accept that it is time to put that commitment to non-regression on food standards into law?

[Elizabeth Truss]

I could not have been more clear: these food standards are already in British law as part of the EU withdrawal agreement, and we are not negotiating those as part of our negotiations with the United States or any other trade partner.