Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if she will publish statements made by the Government related to the proposed TRIPS Waiver at the World Trade Organisation TRIPS Council Meeting on 4 February 2021.

The UK has engaged regularly in debates at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) TRIPS Council and other international institutions to promote affordable and equitable global access to COVID-19 vaccines, including in developing countries. We respect the informal format of WTO discussions and do not publish proceedings from those meetings. However, at the informal TRIPS Council on 4 February 2021, the UK sought to further understand the parameters of the proposed waiver and asked for clarifications from the waiver’s proponents. This remains consistent with the Government’s approach to encourage evidence-based discussions between WTO Members to find solutions to present issues within the multilateral intellectual property framework.