Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what assessment he made of the implications for his policies of the labour chapter of the proposed UK-Australia and UK-New Zealand trade agreements and compliance in collective bargaining under the terms of the principles of the International Labour Organisation.

At the start of negotiations, the Government was clear that free trade agreements with Australia and New Zealand would not come at the expense of workers’ rights in the UK. These agreements uphold this commitment to maintain the UK’s high level of workers’ rights and affirm our obligations under the International Labour Organization (ILO), including those related to collective bargaining.

The UK has ratified all eight of the Fundamental Conventions, and we continue to encourage our partners to do the same.