Question

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the potential risks in the United Kingdom to (1) public health, (2) public finances, and (3) small businesses, from the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP); and whether they are considering any opt-outs from TTIP for any sectors likely to be damaged by the agreement.

The Prime Minister, the European Commission and the US government have all confirmed that the EU-US Free Trade Agreement will pose no threat to the provision of key UK public services, such as NHS healthcare, and EU countries will be free to decide how they run their public health systems. The agreement could, however, benefit the UK economy by up to £10 billion a year in the long run, and should therefore benefit the public finances as well as businesses and workers. Small businesses in particular will benefit from removing unnecessary barriers to trade.