Asked by: Lord Grocott (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Senior Deputy Speaker which House of Lords Committee reports, published since the EU Referendum in 2016, have been directly related to the UK's departure from the EU, excluding reports by (1) the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee, and (2) the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments.
Answered by Lord McFall of Alcluith
Since 23 June 2016 the following committees have published the following reports directly related to the UK’s departure from the EU. These include reports on legislation and treaties which are directly concerned with the Brexit process.
Constitution Committee (2016–17)
The invoking of Article 50 (4th report, HL Paper 44)
European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill (8th report, HL Paper 119)
The ‘Great Repeal Bill’ and delegated powers (9th report, HL Paper 123)
Constitution Committee (2017–19)
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill: interim report (3rd report, HL Paper 19)
Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill [HL] (8th report, HL Paper 39)
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (9th report, HL Paper 69)
Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Bill (10th report, HL Paper 80)
Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Bill [HL] (11th report, HL Paper 90)
Trade Bill (13th report, HL Paper 193)
Healthcare (International Arrangements) Bill (18th report, HL Paper 291)
European Union (Withdrawal) (No.5) Bill (19th report, HL Paper 339)
Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee (2016–17)
European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill (18th report, HL Paper 118)
Special Report: Submission to the House of Commons Procedure Committee inquiry on delegated powers in the “Great Repeal Bill” (23rd report, HL Paper 143)
Special Report: Second Submission to the House of Commons Procedure Committee inquiry on delegated powers in the “Great Repeal Bill” (30th report, HL Paper 164)
Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee (2017–19)
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (3rd report, HL Paper 22)
Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill (7th report, HL Paper 38)
Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill (Government response); scrutiny of delegated legislation under the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (correspondence) (10th report, HL Paper 58)
Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Bill; Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill (Government response (11th report, HL Paper 65)
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (12th report, HL Paper 73)
Nuclear Safeguards Bill (13th report, HL Paper 77)
Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Bill (15th report, HL Paper 84)
Nuclear Safeguards Bill (Government response) (17th report, HL Paper 102)
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (Government response); Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Bill (Government response) (20th report, HL Paper 119)
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (correspondence) (22nd report, HL Paper 123)
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (Government amendments) (23rd report, HL Paper 124)
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (Further government amendments) (24th report, HL Paper 128)
Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill (Consideration of Commons Amendments); European Union (Withdrawal) Bill (correspondence) (26th report, HL Paper 140)
Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill (Government response) (28th report, HL Paper 147)
Taxation (Cross-border Trade) Bill (Government response) (32nd report, HL Paper 181)
Trade Bill (33rd report, HL Paper 186)
Agriculture Bill (34th report, HL Paper 194)
Fisheries Bill; Healthcare (International Arrangements) Bill (39th report, HL Paper 226)
Fisheries Bill (Government response) (45th report, HL Paper 274)
Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (46th report, HL Paper 275)
Healthcare (International Arrangements) Bill; Healthcare (International Arrangements) Bill (Government response) (47th report, HL Paper 289)
Healthcare (International Arrangements) Bill (changed to Healthcare (European Economic Area and Switzerland Arrangements) Bill) (Government response) (50th report, HL Paper 336)
European Union (Withdrawal)(No.5) Bill (51st report, HL Paper 340)
European Union (Withdrawal)(No.6) Bill (61st report, HL Paper 418)
Economic Affairs Committee (2017–19)
Brexit and the Labour Market (1st report, HL Paper 11)
European Union Committee (2016–17)
Scrutinising Brexit: the role of Parliament (1st report, HL Paper 33)
Brexit: parliamentary scrutiny (4th report, HL Paper 50)
Brexit: the options for trade (5th report, HL Paper 72)
Brexit: UK-Irish relations (6th report, HL Paper 76)
Brexit: future UK-EU security and police cooperation (7th report, HL Paper 77)
Brexit: fisheries (8th report, HL Paper 78)
Brexit: financial services (9th report, HL Paper 81)
Brexit: acquired rights (10th report, HL Paper 82)
Brexit: environment and climate change (12th report, HL Paper 109)
Brexit: Gibraltar (13th report, HL Paper 116)
Brexit: UK-EU movement of people (14th report, HL Paper 121)
Brexit and the EU budget (15th report, HL Paper 125)
Brexit: trade in goods (16th report, HL Paper 129)
Brexit: justice for individuals, families and businesses? (17th report, HL Paper 134)
Brexit: trade in non-financial services (18th report, HL Paper 135)
Brexit: the Crown Dependencies (19th report, HL Paper 136)
Brexit: agriculture (20th report, HL Paper 169)
European Union Committee (2017–19)
Brexit: the EU data protection package (3rd report, HL Paper 7)
Brexit: devolution (4th report, HL Paper 9)
Brexit: farm animal welfare (5th report, HL Paper 15)
Brexit: judicial oversight of the European Arrest Warrant (6th report, HL Paper 16)
Brexit: deal or no deal (7th report, HL Paper 46)
Brexit: sanctions policy (8th report, HL Paper 50)
Brexit: will consumers be protected? (9th report, HL Paper 51)
Brexit: energy security (10th report, HL Paper 63)
Brexit: the future of financial regulation and supervision (11th report, HL Paper 66)
Brexit: competition and State aid (12th report, HL Paper 67)
Brexit: reciprocal healthcare (13th report, HL Paper 107)
Brexit: food prices and availability (14th report, HL Paper 129)
Dispute resolution and enforcement after Brexit (15th report, HL Paper 130)
Brexit: Common Security and Defence Policy missions and operations (16th report, HL Paper 132)
UK-EU relations after Brexit (17th report, HL Paper 149)
Brexit: the proposed UK-EU security treaty (18th report, HL Paper 164)
Brexit: movement of people in the cultural sector (19th report, HL Paper 182)
Brexit: the customs challenge (20th report, HL Paper 187)
Brexit: plant and animal biosecurity (21st report, HL Paper 191)
Brexit: chemical regulation (23rd report, HL Paper 215)
Brexit: the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration (24th report, HL Paper 245)
Brexit: the European Investment Bank (25th report, HL Paper 269)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 5 February 2019 (27th report, HL Paper 282)
Brexit: the Erasmus and Horizon programmes (28th report, HL Paper 283)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 12 February 2019 (29th report, HL Paper 287)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 20 February 2019 (30th report, HL Paper 296)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 26 February 2019 (31st report, HL Paper 300)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 5 March 2019 (32nd report, HL Paper 306)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 12 March 2019 (33rd report, HL Paper 315)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 19 March 2019 (34th report, HL Paper 321)
Beyond Brexit: how to win friends and influence people (35th report, HL Paper 322)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 3 April 2019 (36th report, HL Paper 337)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 9 April 2019 (37th report, HL Paper 342)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 30 April 2019 38th report, HL Paper 349)
Brexit: road, rail and maritime transport (39th report, HL Paper 355)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 14 May 2019 (40th report, HL Paper 362)
Scrutiny of international agreements; treaties considered on 11 June 2019 (41st report, HL Paper 379)
Scrutiny of international agreements: treaties considered on 9 July 2019 (44th report, HL Paper 402)
Scrutiny of international agreements: treaties considered on 23 July 2019 (45th report, HL Paper 416)
Scrutiny of international agreements: treaties considered on 9 September 2019 (46th report, HL Paper 421)
Scrutiny of international agreements: treaties considered on 7 October 2019 (47th report, HL Paper 427)
Brexit: refugee protection and asylum policy (48th report, HL Paper 428)
European Union Committee (2019–20)
Scrutiny of international agreements: treaties considered on 21 October 2019 (1st report, HL Paper 6)
Brexit: the financial settlement (2nd report, HL Paper 7)
Science and Technology Committee (2016–17)
A time for boldness: EU membership and UK science after the referendum (1st report, HL Paper 85)
Asked by: Mike Amesbury (Labour - Weaver Vale)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans he has to ensure that (a) hon. Members, (b) NGOs and (c) Trade Unions are able to fully scrutinise future potential trade deals.
Answered by George Hollingbery
On 28 February we published further proposals on transparency and scrutiny of FTAs. During negotiations for future free trade agreements we will publish and lay before Parliament a Round Report following each substantive round of negotiations. This Round Report will also be published online in an accessible format. We will also publish an Annual Trade Report covering progress across the full programme of negotiations. We announced our intention to work closely with a parliamentary committee to put in place measures to ensure effective parliamentary scrutiny throughout the process.
Alongside our regular engagement with stakeholders, we have set up the Strategic Trade Advisory Group, which was recently announced. Another formal engagement mechanism we are setting up is Expert Trade Advisory Groups. Both of these mechanisms are designed to seek expert insight on strategic trade policy issues, including future trade agreements. These groups will represent a variety of interests, including representatives of trade unions and NGOs.
Asked by: Andy Slaughter (Labour - Hammersmith)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, for what reason (a) article 4 of the Trade and Partnership Agreement between the UK Government and the Government of Israel describes the territoriality of only the UK and (b) the territoriality of Israel is referred to only in the explanatory memorandum; what legal force the explanatory memorandum has; and what assurances the Government has given to the state of Israel on accepting the territorial limitation of that UK-Israel agreement.
Answered by George Hollingbery
With regard to Israel, the EU-Israel Trade Agreements apply to the State of Israel and this same territorial application is incorporated into the UK-Israel agreement, without change. The UK has been clear that it does not recognise the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs), including the settlements, as part of the State of Israel and that the OPTs are not covered by the UK-Israel Agreement.
The incorporated territorial application of the EU-Israel agreements has had to change with regard to the UK, to reflect our departure from the EU. The UK-Israel agreement, therefore, makes clear that it applies to the UK and the territories for whose international relations it is responsible.
The Explanatory Memorandum is laid before Parliament to assist parliamentary scrutiny of the UK-Israel agreement.
Asked by: Kevin Foster (Conservative - Torbay)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
What progress his Department has made on proposals for the scrutiny of future free trade agreements.
Answered by George Hollingbery
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, when he plans to bring forward Government proposals on the scrutiny and democratic oversight of trade agreements; and what his policy is on the role that Parliament will play in that process.
Answered by George Hollingbery
I refer the Honourable Gentleman to the reply I gave on 4 February to the question asked by the honourable Member for Swansea West (Geraint Davies) (UNI 213161).
Asked by: Barry Gardiner (Labour - Brent North)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent discussions he has had with the Leader of the House on bringing forward a debate on parliamentary scrutiny and oversight of trade agreements.
Answered by George Hollingbery
I refer the Honourable Gentleman to the reply I gave on 4 February to the question asked by the honourable Member for Swansea West (Geraint Davies) (UNI 213161).
Asked by: Geraint Davies (Independent - Swansea West)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether he has plans to introduce legislative proposals for the Parliamentary oversight of new trade agreements.
Answered by George Hollingbery
The Government is committed to a transparent and inclusive trade policy. In July 2017, the Secretary of State for International Trade set out proposals for Parliament’s role in scrutinising the government’s proposals for new trade deals. This included commitments that Parliament would have the opportunity to consider the Government’s approach to negotiations and receive regular updates throughout negotiations, as well as playing a role in the ratification of trade agreements through the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010. Any legislation required to implement a future trade agreement will also be subject to the scrutiny and agreement of Parliament.
My Department is continuing to consider the role Parliament will play in future trade negotiations, including considering the views of the International Trade Committee as set out in their report on this issue on 28 December 2018, as well as the views that have been expressed by other Committees and members of both Houses.
The Government will be bringing forward proposals shortly.
Asked by: Stewart Hosie (Scottish National Party - Dundee East)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, pursuant to his oral contribution of 16 July 2018, Official Report column 41, what the criteria are for the best process of engaging Parliament in the negotiation of future trade agreements; and whether he plans to include in that process a parliamentary vote on final such agreements.
Answered by George Hollingbery
The Government has made a strong commitment to transparency and inclusiveness for Parliament, the Devolved Administrations, businesses, civil society groups, trade unions and the public. Building on what we have already set out to Parliament, we are exploring the best process for engaging Parliament at every stage of future trade agreement negotiations.
The Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 will continue to apply as it does to all treaties subject to ratification. For each new future trade agreement requiring changes to legislation and where no powers exist, the Government will bring forward a bespoke piece of primary legislation when required.
Asked by: Jo Platt (Labour (Co-op) - Leigh)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether he has plans to publish proposed trade deals in draft to ensure Parliamentary scrutiny of those deals.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The UK remains committed to a transparent, fair, and rules-based approach to international trade and invited views on its approach to future trade policy, including future trade agreements, in the Trade White Paper last year – ‘Preparing for our future UK trade policy’. The Department has undertaken a comprehensive series of engagement activities, to ensure a wide range of stakeholder views were gathered. We published a response on 5 January acknowledging stakeholder views and set out positive next steps for future engagement. The Government is currently in the process of designing its future trade policy, where future trade agreements are concerned.
We will continue to respect the role of Parliament when agreeing the terms of future trade agreements.
Asked by: Lord Brooke of Alverthorpe (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what are their plans for parliamentary scrutiny of post-Brexit trade deals.
Answered by Baroness Fairhead
As outlined in the Government’s White Paper – ‘Preparing for our Future UK Trade Policy’, parliament will play a vital role in the scrutiny of future trade agreements, as it always has. The UK remains committed to a transparent, fair, and inclusive approach to international trade and has invited views on the UK’s approach to its future trade policy, including future trade agreements.
The Department for International Trade continues to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, to gather views that will help to inform decisions on the future approach to the scrutiny of future trade agreements.