Question to the Department for Business and Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, with reference to the Second Report of the Business and Trade Committee of Session 2023-24 on UK accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, HC483, published on 19 February 2024, whether a debate will be held on a substantive motion on the UK’s accession to that Partnership before the period the treaty is laid before Parliament under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010 concludes on 22 March 2024.

The Government is committed to effective scrutiny of its trade agenda and has put in place a comprehensive framework for scrutiny of free trade agreements (FTAs). This includes a commitment to seek to hold a general debate on a new FTA where one is requested by the relevant Select Committee in a timely manner, subject to parliamentary time. The Government's view is that a general debate is the appropriate mechanism for Parliament to debate a new FTA.

The scheduling of parliamentary business is not a matter for the Department for Business and Trade, but the Government is aware of the Business and Trade Committee’s request for a debate.