Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, if he will give hon. Members access to the draft text of the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations.

The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations are yet to reach a stage where there are stable and complete draft texts. As such, it is too early for these texts to be shared. However, a final draft agreement will be subject to ratification by each Member State of the EU, as well as the EU itself. As part of this process Parliament will receive the complete draft text of the agreement in good time and have an opportunity to scrutinise it through debates in both Houses.

In addition, the Government will continue to keep Parliament up to date throughout the TTIP negotiations. The agreement has been debated in both Houses and been subject to a Committee inquiry in the House of Lords and reviewed by the European Scrutiny Committee of the House of Commons. My noble Friend, Lord Livingston of Parkhead will continue to write to the European Scrutiny Committee chairs of both Houses and the chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on EU-US Trade and Investment after each negotiating round to update them, and the Government can arrange for further detailed briefings to interested Hon Members.