Select committee: Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Committee
Conclusion 20
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 ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
Implementation of CETA is critical to success of the deal and real benefits for UK businesses and growth in the UK economy. Tariff reductions and legal commitments alone will not translate into increased exports or investment 78 unless they are supported by effective delivery. The Committee sees CETA as a starting point for further barrier reductions. The Agreement should be treated as a floor, not a ceiling. There needs to be sustained political attention, sufficient resourcing, clear accountability within Government, and active regulatory engagement with India to continue to reduce barriers to trade. The Committee will monitor the Government’s implementation of the Agreement on an ongoing basis. (Conclusion, Paragraph 109)
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".