Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what steps he plans to take to ensure that Parliament has meaningful powers to (a) scrutinise trade negotiations as they progress and (b) (i) debate and (ii) vote on trade treaties ahead of ratification.

The Government is committed to supporting parliamentary scrutiny of the UK’s trade agreements, balancing the need for robust scrutiny with the need to ensure we can negotiate effectively in the UK’s best interests.

Free trade agreements are subject to parliamentary scrutiny under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010, prior to ratification.

The Department for Business and Trade is currently considering wider scrutiny arrangements for trade agreements, to ensure they are fit for purpose.