Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if the Government will publish its statements made on the proposed TRIPS Waiver during the open-ended negotiations on (a) 30 June and (b) 6 July 2021.

The UK has engaged regularly in debates at the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Council and other international institutions to promote affordable and equitable global access to COVID-19 vaccines for all. The Government respects the informal format of WTO discussions and does not publish proceedings from those meetings. However, at the informal TRIPS Council on 30 June and 6 July, the UK sought to further understand the parameters of the proposed waiver and the European Union proposal by asking for clarifications. 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.