Source · Select Committees · Business and Trade Committee
Recommendation 23
23
Acknowledged
Schedule a debate on a substantive motion for the Agreement to enable meaningful scrutiny.
Recommendation
The Committee welcomes the Government’s commitment to make time available in the House of Commons for a debate on the Agreement during the CRaG period. However, we are disappointed that the Government intends to seek only a general debate. Given the limitations of CRaG scrutiny in practice, the Committee recommends that the Government should instead seek to schedule a debate on a substantive motion, in order to enable meaningful parliamentary scrutiny ahead of ratification. (Recommendation, Paragraph 115)
Government Response Summary
The government states it is grateful for the scrutiny and proactively sought a debate in both Houses on this deal to recognize the relevant committees’ respective inquiries and commitment to transparency.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
HM Government is extremely grateful for the scrutiny work undertaken by the Committees and by Parliament through the negotiation and ratification process for this Trade Agreement. Alongside updates to the House after negotiating rounds, DBT regularly updated both committees privately to ensure that they were fully appraised of the sensitive negotiations. The FTA and its impact assessment were published in full and laid in the House on the day of its signature in July 2025, our Section 42 report was published in November, and extensive evidence was provided to the BTC and IAC to inform their committee reports. We proactively sought a debate in both Houses on this deal to recognize the relevant committees’ respective inquiries and our commitment to transparency.