Asked by: Joe Morris (Labour - Hexham)
Question to the Leader of the House:
To ask the Leader of the House, whether he has made an assessment of the potential merits of improving parliamentary scrutiny procedures for international trade agreements.
Answered by Alan Campbell - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Effective parliamentary scrutiny of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) is vital. The Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 (CRaG) gives Parliament the statutory right to scrutinise treaties prior to ratification, and includes the power to block ratification. Parliament must also pass legislation that may be necessary to implement a treaty.
In addition, the House of Commons Business and Trade Committee plays an important role in scrutinising the Government’s trade policy.
Taken together, the current framework facilitates robust parliamentary scrutiny of FTAs.
Asked by: David Chadwick (Liberal Democrat - Brecon, Radnor and Cwm Tawe)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether future trade deals will include impact assessments for (a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) the regions of England.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
For new free trade agreements (FTAs), the Government publishes impact assessments to support the parliamentary scrutiny process of FTAs. The analysis will include an assessment on the UK's regions and nations as well as UK growth and trade.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what are the criteria by which it would be determined whether any prospective trade treaty between the UK and the US that does not deal with substantially all trade would be subject to scrutiny under the Constitutional Reform and Government Act 2010.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
Part 2 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 is the statutory framework for the parliamentary scrutiny of all legally binding international agreements, regardless of the extent to which the relevant international agreement deals with trade, either substantially or in part. The criteria for an international agreement being subject to the provisions of the Act is set out in sections 23 and 25 of the Act.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 28 October 2024 to Question 10718 on Trade Agreements, what opportunities he plans to provide to parliamentarians to scrutinise proposed free trade agreements.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
As well as meeting our statutory obligations under CRaG, the Government will continue to provide additional information and time to support parliamentary scrutiny of FTAs. This includes running a call for evidence on proposed new negotiations, publishing negotiating objectives and publishing regular updates throughout negotiations. Following signature of a new FTA, the Government will publish the full treaty text along with an Impact Assessment and explanatory memorandum and allow a reasonable period of time for Parliament to consider the agreement before commencing the formal CRaG scrutiny period.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 31 October 2024 on Question 11149 on Trade Agreements: Parliamentary Scrutiny, if he will announce his plans for scrutiny arrangements of trade deals prior to the conclusion of the negotiations of those deals.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
The Government will continue to fulfil commitments set out under the current scrutiny framework for free trade agreements (FTAs).
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to the Answer of 17 October 2024 to Question 8571 on Trade Agreements: Parliamentary Scrutiny, what options he is considering for wider scrutiny arrangements for trade agreements.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
The Government is considering all aspects of this issue. All arrangements must be proportionate and in line with the UK’s overarching constitutional framework. We need to balance effective parliamentary scrutiny whilst still ensuring the Government can negotiate effectively in the UK’s best interest.
Asked by: Clive Jones (Liberal Democrat - Wokingham)
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.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
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.
Asked by: Adam Jogee (Labour - Newcastle-under-Lyme)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, whether he plans to take steps to ensure Parliament has greater oversight of the UK’s trade negotiations.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Secretary of State for Scotland
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.
The Department for Business and Trade is currently considering scrutiny arrangements for trade agreements, to ensure they are fit for purpose.
Asked by: David Linden (Scottish National Party - Glasgow East)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if she will have discussions with the Leader of the House on allocating time for debate on a substantive motion relating to the UK's accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership ahead of the conclusion of the statutory 21 sitting day period for which the treaty is laid before Parliament.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Government is committed to effective scrutiny of its trade agenda and has put in place a comprehensive framework for scrutiny of free trade agreements (FTAs). This includes a commitment to seek to hold a general debate on a new FTA where one is requested by the relevant Select Committee, subject to parliamentary time being available.
The scheduling of parliamentary business is not a matter for the Department for Business and Trade.
Asked by: Charlotte Nichols (Labour - Warrington North)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Second Report of the Business and Trade Committee of Session 2023-24 on UK accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, HC483, published on 19 February 2024, whether a debate will be held on a substantive motion on the UK’s accession to that Partnership before the period the treaty is laid before Parliament under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 concludes on 22 March 2024.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Government is committed to effective scrutiny of its trade agenda and has put in place a comprehensive framework for scrutiny of free trade agreements (FTAs). This includes a commitment to seek to hold a general debate on a new FTA where one is requested by the relevant Select Committee in a timely manner, subject to parliamentary time. The Government's view is that a general debate is the appropriate mechanism for Parliament to debate a new FTA.
The scheduling of parliamentary business is not a matter for the Department for Business and Trade, but the Government is aware of the Business and Trade Committee’s request for a debate.