Asked by: Jim Sheridan (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, what assessment he has made of the rigorousness of the US judicial system towards business; and under what circumstances he would support a dispute settlement mechanism being included in the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations.
Answered by Matt Hancock
The purpose of an investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanism in an investment protection agreement is to provide an independent process for foreign investors to seek compensation where they believe they have suffered a loss as a result of action by the host state which breaches the provisions of the treaty. ISDS provisions can help to create a positive investment climate and promote growth. As such, ISDS will not have a direct impact on consumers, who will benefit from other elements of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and who have separate routes for seeking redress. The UK currently has over 90 investment protection agreements with other countries. While a number of UK businesses have used ISDS to seek compensation, there has been no successful action against the UK in respect of any of these agreements. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has commissioned research into investment protection agreements and the ISDS mechanism, reviewed academic research, consulted external experts and carried out its own internal analysis on investment provisions. The ISDS provisions in TTIP are still under negotiation. We believe these provisions must strike the right balance between protecting investors and the host nation’s right to regulate and determine policy. Balanced investment protection provisions in TTIP could act as a model for future trade and investment agreements.
I am not aware of having received any representations from South Africa, Ecuador, India and Indonesia on investor state dispute settlement in the TTIP negotiations.
Asked by: Jim Sheridan (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will veto the inclusion of NHS services in the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership agreement.
Answered by Jane Ellison
The Government does not believe that the United Kingdom’s interests would be served by seeking to exclude health from the scope of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) negotiations. This would prevent our world-class pharmaceutical and medical devices sectors from benefiting from improved access to the United States’ market, increasing growth and employment in the UK.
The Government considers trade in both goods and services to be good for the UK and we already have many bilateral and multilateral trade agreements in place. For example, through the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) 1995, we have long-standing agreements on trade, including in health services. The UK's aim in relation to health services in Free Trade Agreement negotiations, including TTIP, is to maintain commitments that are broadly in line with our existing obligations under GATS.
We have no intention of allowing the TTIP to dictate the opening up of National Health Service services to further competition; and it will not do so. The NHS will always be free at the point of use for everyone who needs it.
We have made clear our commitment that the NHS will always be there for everyone who needs it, funded from general taxation, free at the point of use. The TTIP could not change this.
TTIP will also not affect the position that it is for local NHS commissioners to take decisions on which providers should deliver services in the best interests of their patients.
Asked by: Jim Sheridan (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, in how many meetings in the last year between financial sector professionals and Ministers or senior officials of his Department the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership has been discussed.
Answered by Matt Hancock
Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.
Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.
Asked by: Jim Sheridan (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, in how many meetings in the last year between agricultural sector professionals and Ministers or senior officials of his Department the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership has been discussed.
Answered by Matt Hancock
Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.
Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.
Asked by: Jim Sheridan (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, in how many meetings in the last year between pharmaceutical sector professionals and Ministers or senior officials of his Department the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership has been discussed.
Answered by Matt Hancock
Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.
Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.
Asked by: Jim Sheridan (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, in how many meetings in the last year between chemical sector professionals and Ministers or senior officials of his Department the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership has been discussed.
Answered by Matt Hancock
Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.
Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.
Asked by: Jim Sheridan (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, in how many meetings in the last year between manufacturing sector professionals and Ministers or senior officials of his Department the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership has been discussed.
Answered by Matt Hancock
Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.
Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.
Asked by: Jim Sheridan (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, in how many meetings in the last year between energy sector professionals and Ministers or senior officials of his Department the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership has been discussed.
Answered by Matt Hancock
Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.
Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.
Asked by: Jim Sheridan (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, in how many meetings in the last year between insurance sector professionals and Ministers or senior officials of his Department the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership has been discussed.
Answered by Matt Hancock
Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.
Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.
Asked by: Jim Sheridan (Labour - Paisley and Renfrewshire North)
Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, in how many meetings in the last year between financial sector professionals and himself or senior officials in 10 Downing Street the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership has been discussed.
Answered by Matt Hancock
Details of meetings held by Ministers and Permanent Secretaries with external organisations are published quarterly and can be found at Gov.uk.
Information requested in respect of other officials’ meetings is not held centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate costs.