Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment she has made of the potential effect of the proposed future UK-Australia trade deal on the (a) UK's and (b) EU's ability to agree a veterinary agreement on sanitary and phytosanitary rules on movements of animals and food products.
The UK-Australia deal protects the rights and freedom of both countries to regulate to uphold standards. Both the UK and Australia agree the importance of independent sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) regimes.
The agreement allows the UK to cooperate with both Australia and the EU on avoiding unnecessary SPS barriers to trade in agri-food goods without constraining the UK’s right to regulate in these areas.
The UK’s sovereignty will be fully respected as an independent trading nation.