Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his Department’s priorities are for the next phase of negotiations on a food and drink agreement and carbon market linkage with the EU, as referenced in HCWS1114 on 1 December 2025; and what impact he expects these to have on UK consumers and businesses.

We are currently negotiating a Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement and an agreement to link our Emissions Trading Schemes (ETS) and will not give a running commentary on the talks. The SPS agreement will cut costs and red tape for British producers and retailers, reducing consumer prices and increasing choice. ETS linking is expected to facilitate a cheaper path to net zero, reducing long-term costs for businesses. Combined, these measures are set to add nearly £9 billion a year to the UK economy by 2040.