Select committee: International Agreements Committee

Recommendation 24

10th Report - UK accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP): Scrutiny of the Government’s Negotiating Objectives Published 17 Nov 2021 Paragraph 111

International Agreements Committee Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗

Recommendation (the committee's words)

In this context, we welcome the establishment of a Trade and Agriculture Commission to scrutinise the UK’s new free trade agreements, including the CPTPP, and assess whether they are consistent with the maintenance of UK levels of statutory protection in relation to animal and plant health, animal welfare, and the environment. We call on the Government to ensure the relevant provisions in the Trade Act 2021 are commenced as soon as possible so that the Trade and Agriculture Commission can be placed on a statutory footing.

From: International Agreements Committee, 10th Report - UK accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP): Scrutiny of the Government’s Negotiating Objectives, paragraph 111, 17 November 2021

Government response

The government responded to the whole report on 19 January 2022 (deadline 5 September 2022).

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

The government says it will "only accede to CPTPP on terms which are beneficial to the UK", agreeing with some recommendations, giving limited detail on negotiating positions, and stating that accession is not a re-negotiation of the agreement.

On side letters and carve-outs, the government "will consider these options insofar as there is a need to safeguard UK interests", and says full disclosure of its most sensitive positions "would lead to worse negotiated outcomes".
On agricultural imports, it states that "Nothing in this deal will undermine our standards" and that imports "must and will continue to meet all the relevant UK rules and regulations".
On NHS medicines costs, it says it "will not accede to CPTPP on terms which make medicines more expensive or less accessible".
On parliamentary scrutiny, it will "continue to provide regular updates" and private briefings, and "will endeavour" to share the treaty text confidentially with committees shortly before publication "where time allows".

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