Implications of the UK/ Australia FTA for Wales: Government response to the Committee’s Third Report of Session 2021–22

This is the government's response, published 25 November 2021.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The government's response sets out existing engagement and publication arrangements for most recommendations, says it will publish its response to the Trade and Agriculture Commission report "as soon as it is ready", and commits to no new Wales-specific impact assessment.

• On Welsh Government access to draft treaty text, it says it has "committed–and delivered on the commitment–to sharing FTA draft treaty text with the devolved administrations prior to any signature".
• On a Wales-specific impact assessment, it states only that DIT publishes scoping and impact assessments at the launch and conclusion of FTA negotiations, which provide analysis of potential impacts on the nations and regions of the UK.
• On agricultural safeguards in years 11 to 15, it describes product specific safeguards for beef and sheep meat, with a 20% safeguard duty if volume thresholds are exceeded, plus a general bilateral safeguard mechanism.
• On the Trade and Agriculture Commission, it says its advice "will be published to inform Parliamentarians" before ratification, and on Agriculture and Food Counsellors says "We aim to expand their number", without stating a date.

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