Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether clauses or chapters on animal welfare may be inserted into the Australia Trade Agreement.
Answered by Greg Hands
Prime Ministers Johnson and Morrison secured an historic free trade agreement on 15 June at Number 10 Downing Street. The Government expects to publish an agreement document outlining what has been agreed for Agreement in Principle (AiP) in the coming days.
This agreement with Australia secures positive steps on animal welfare. The Government has secured a non-regression clause with Australia to ensure that neither country lowers current or future animal welfare protections. The Government has also secured commitments to cooperate together on animal welfare internationally.
The UK produces high quality, premium produce that is globally sought after, and maintaining high domestic standards is a red line in all the UK’s trade negotiations, as the Government works to bring new export opportunities to British farmers.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if she will take steps to ensure that produce from animals that have had (a) high use of antimicrobials or (b) use of growth promoters will not be permitted to enter the UK under trade deals.
Answered by Greg Hands
All agri-food products imported into the UK under existing or future free trade agreements will, as now, have to meet the UK’s food safety and other Sanitary and Phytosanitary Standard requirements for imports. These include clear controls on limits of veterinary medicine residues in meat and other animal products. That will not change under any trade deal.
The UK is a world leader in the battle against antimicrobial resistance – significantly cutting use of antibiotics in farming, with sales of antibiotics for livestock reduced by 40% over the five years to the end of 2018. The UK will ensure that Antimicrobial Resistance remains a global priority by continuing to lead international policy dialogue at the highest political levels through the G7, G20 and other international and regional fora, and as a major supporter of the United Nations and wider multilateral system.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether her Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of using tariff rate quotas in the Australia trade agreement in order to manage volumes of agricultural produce entering the UK market.
Answered by Greg Hands
The Government has a range of tools at its disposal to protect UK farmers from unfair competition, including tariff rate quotas, and recognises the need to reassure farmers and rural stakeholders that the UK market access proposal will not threaten sensitive sectors.
Tariff liberalisation for sensitive goods such as beef and lamb can be staged, providing UK farmers sufficient time to adapt. The deal will also include bilateral safeguards to defend the industry against import surges.
The UK produces high quality, premium produce that is globally sought after – all the UK’s new Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), including the UK-Australia FTA, will create new export opportunities for British farming.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent discussions she has had with the Leader of the House on parliamentary scrutiny of trade agreements including the Australia agreement.
Answered by Greg Hands
I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 11th June 2021 to Question UIN: 7771.
Asked by: Neil Hudson (Conservative - Epping Forest)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, when the Trade and Agriculture Commission will be constituted and will able to scrutinise forthcoming trade agreements.
Answered by Greg Hands
On 7 June, the Department launched a call for expressions of interest for expert advisors to join the new Trade and Agriculture Commission. The Commission will be established in time to scrutinise the planned Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Australia, to inform parliamentary scrutiny following signature. It will also scrutinise other planned FTAs.