Government response to the Scrutiny of international agreements: Free Trade Agreement with Singapore, Trade Continuity Agreement with Canada and Association Agreement with Egypt report

This is the government's response, published 18 March 2021.

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

The government says it "values scrutiny of the trade continuity programme and welcomes your Committee's report", and responds on consultation, amendments, investment protections and the Canada and Singapore agreements.

• On consultation with the Devolved Administrations, Crown Dependencies and Gibraltar, the government says they "have not routinely raised concerns", and that it will "seek to further improve Explanatory Memoranda based on feedback".
• On amendments, it says the FCDO is working with departments to ensure all treaty amendments are published in the UK's Treaty Series, "including those that are not subject to CRaG".
• With Singapore, the countries have agreed an investment protection review will commence within two years of the FTA taking effect, and will "endeavour to conclude" within four years. The government also "intend[s] to launch negotiations" for a Digital Economy Agreement "next year".
• On Canada, the Investment Court System provisions will not come into force with the rest of the agreement but will be subject to a joint review "to be completed within three years, unless otherwise extended".

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