Asked by: Lord Goodlad (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will publish the terms of the free trade agreement with Japan.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
The UK-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) will be finalised and signed in the coming weeks, before the full text is laid in parliament and made publicly available.
Furthermore, a parliamentary report, setting out in detail any areas where there are material differences between the EU-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement and the CEPA, will be published, alongside a full Impact Assessment. Both the International Trade Committee and the International Agreements Sub-Committee will have the opportunity to scrutinise the deal and produce an independent report on the agreement.
Asked by: Lord Goodlad (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made in negotiations over joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.
Answered by Lord Grimstone of Boscobel
Pursuing accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) is a priority for the Government and is a key part of our trade negotiations programme. We have engaged with all eleven member countries, at both ministerial and official level. All CPTPP members have welcomed our interest in accession. Most recently, on 9th September 2020, my Rt Hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade addressed a United Kingdom-CPTPP Senior Officials’ meeting to discuss the UK’s potential accession. We will continue to engage all members as we consider our application.
Asked by: Lord Goodlad (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what commitments they have entered into under the Belt and Road Initiative of the People's Republic of China.
Answered by Baroness Fairhead
In 2017 the United Kingdom, together with 26 other countries, endorsed the “Guiding Principles on Financing the Development of the Belt and Road”. We continue to engage closely with China on the Belt and Road Initiative. The Department for International Trade assists UK firms by scoping project opportunities, providing finance where appropriate through UK Export Finance, and then supporting bids for contracts in firms’ priority markets. In addition, the Government advocates for the application of recognised international standards in the areas of transparency and anti-corruption, environmental standards, social standards and debt sustainability.