Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, if she will make an assessment of the potential environmental impact of the trade agreements with (a) Australia and (b) New Zealand.
Answered by Conor Burns
The Government recognises the importance of assessing the environmental impacts of new free trade agreements (FTAs) and published the full environmental impacts of the Australia and New Zealand FTAs at signature alongside the negotiated treaty text. Our assessment covers a range of environmental impacts such as emissions (both production and transport), carbon leakage, deforestation and biodiversity.
The published impact assessments can be accessed through the following links:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-australia-fta-impact-assessment
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-new-zealand-fta-impact-assessment
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether her policy on the trade terms on agriculture agreed in principle with Australia (a) will or (b) will not become the standard terms to be offered to other countries with lower food and animal welfare standards.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
All trade deals are different, and tailored to the relationships and markets of the countries involved. However, the Government has committed that it will never lower food standards. The UK’s food standards are overseen independently by the Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland. Decisions on these standards are made separately from any trade agreements.
The UK-Australia trade deal does not compromise our animal welfare high standards and does not create new permissions for imports from Australia.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps the Government is taking to use its trade policy to promote higher animal welfare standards around the world.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
HM Government is working to secure world-class free trade agreements that uphold our manifesto commitment to not compromise on the animal welfare standards for which our country is rightly renowned. To promote higher animal welfare standards, we will consider the full range of mechanisms available to us, including at international fora such as the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Trade Organisation.
We have secured ground-breaking provisions on animal welfare with Australia and New Zealand. This includes a standalone animal welfare chapter, a non-regression clause and a comprehensive partnership to work with Australia and New Zealand to progress animal welfare internationally.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to the oral contribution of the Secretary of State for Scotland of 23 June 2021, Official Report 842, on safeguards to stop the UK market being flooded with beef or experiencing a collapse in price following the trade agreement with Australia, if she will publish details of those safeguards referred to.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Any deal the Government signs with Australia will include protections for the agriculture industry and will not undercut UK farmers unfairly or compromise the UK’s high animal welfare standards. Beef imports from Australia account for only a tiny fraction of the UK’s overall beef imports – around 0.5% in 2020.
Throughout negotiations the Government has listened closely to the concerns of farmers and other stakeholders. The Government has agreed 15 years of capped tariff free imports from Australia. In addition, a general bilateral safeguard mechanism will provide a safety net for industry if they face serious injury from increased imports as a direct consequence of the Free Trade Agreement. This applies to all products.
Further details on what has been agreed is available on gov.uk.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether she plans to include review mechanisms in a potential free trade agreement which could be agreed with Australia to ensure matters relating to agriculture can be regularly reviewed to help ensure they are operating fairly.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Any deal the Government signs with Australia will include protections for the agriculture industry and will not undercut UK farmers or compromise high standards.
The Government is currently involved in agreeing the outstanding details of this negotiation with the aim of reaching agreement in principle with Australia later this month. The Government has an objective to provide for regular review of the operation of the whole agreement. The agreement will provide forums for an ongoing dialogue between Australia and the UK to raise and discuss matters relating to agriculture in future.
The Government’s goal is a long-term sustainable future for British farming, based on high standards, competitiveness, and productivity, which meets the growing demand for the UK’s world-class produce.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps she is taking to ensure that the interests of the UK farming sector are taken into account in negotiations for a free trade agreement with Australia.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government is working to secure an ambitious free trade deal with Australia that benefits businesses across the UK.
Any deal signed with Australia will include protections for the agriculture industry and will not undercut UK farmers or compromise high standards. Tariffs for sensitive goods can be staged over time, with safeguards built in. Australian meat accounts for a very low proportion of total UK imports, and Australian meat imported into the UK is produced to high standards.
The Government keeps farmers and senior figures from across industry closely involved throughout all trade negotiations through the Trade Advisory Group (TAG). This allows closer engagement, so the Government better understands their views and the impact of each deal on the industry.
The Government will continue to work with the industry, keeping representatives involved throughout the process and helping the industry capture the full benefits of trade.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, whether he has had discussions with his counterpart in Saudi Arabia on exporting lamb to that country.
Answered by Graham Stuart - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Department for International Trade has worked closely with the FCO, Defra and the Saudi Food and Drug Authority resulting in the ban on importing lamb and goat meat being lifted in February 2018 with final approval on 16 April 2018.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, with reference to paragraph 169 of the White Paper, The future relationship between the UK and the EU, Cm. 9593, published on 12 July 2018, in what way UK trade policy will promote the economic empowerment of women.
Answered by George Hollingbery
We have taken decisive steps to recognise the role of trade in promoting gender equality and are a proud signatory to the WTO’s joint declaration on Women’s Economic Empowerment. Expanding women’s access to trade is not only the right thing to do and vital to women’s economic empowerment, but it brings significant economic and developmental gains through improved market efficiencies, trade performance and competitiveness.
DIT has committed to a future UK trade policy which secures prosperity for all citizens, including women. We are exploring the best domestic and international approaches and will take a gender-responsive approach to trade, creating a framework that upholds gender equality, working closely with the Department for International Development.
Asked by: Theresa Villiers (Conservative - Chipping Barnet)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions he has had with the Australian Government on preparations for opening trade talks.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My Rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade established the UK-Australia Trade Policy Working Group with the Australian Trade Minister last September, and my noble Friend the Minister of State for Trade Policy (Lord Price) chaired the first meeting of this group in November. This is an important step on the road to securing an independent UK trade policy once we leave the EU.
The Australia working group will continue to scope the potential for an ambitious and comprehensive Free Trade Agreement once the UK has left the European Union.