Select committee: Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee
Recommendation 4
12th Report - UK-India Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)
Published 21 Jan 2026
Addressed to Department for Business and Trade
Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee UK trade with the US, India and EU All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Recommendation (the committee's words)
The Government must ensure that the remaining issues which risk undermining the Agreement’s benefits for key sectors are addressed. Ratification should not be treated as the conclusion of the process. Ministers must be held accountable for ensuring that businesses are able to use the Agreement effectively to drive growth and contribute to the Government’s wider growth mission. The Government should keep the details of the terms under review to make the most of opportunities of mutual benefit. The Government must regularly report to Parliament on rates of business 75 utilisation of the Agreement, particularly in priority sectors, including providing evidence of increased exports and progress in resolving key barriers. (Recommendation, Paragraph 52) Constraints on services access
From: Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee, 12th Report - UK-India Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) (HC 996), 21 January 2026
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 17 April 2026 (deadline 21 March 2026).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government responds to each recommendation mainly by describing existing structures and its approach to implementation, with a few stated commitments to update Parliament, publish data and monitor the agreement.
- On utilisation data, it will "endeavour to publish provisional data" within the first year after entry into force, "subject to information provision from Indian customs", and will update Parliament regularly.
- On mutual recognition of professional qualifications, it says this is "ultimately the decision of the regulators", but it "will seek to actively facilitate" such arrangements where they are of mutual interest.
- On the Responsible Business Conduct review, it will "update Parliament when the review is complete"; on labour market impacts, it says DBT "intends to monitor and evaluate the agreement".
- On debates, it "reaffirms" its commitment to provide a debate on any new trade deal during the statutory scrutiny period "where Parliamentary time allows".