Overview

This bill aims to increase parliamentary scrutiny of trade agreements and ensure that UK agricultural, environmental, and animal welfare standards are considered during negotiations. It mandates parliamentary approval for new trade deals and requires reports on the potential impact of agreements on farming and the environment.

Description

The bill introduces several key changes:

• Parliamentary Approval: The House of Commons must approve any new bilateral international trade agreement before it can be signed by a Minister.
• Duty to Consider Standards: The Secretary of State must consider the potential effects of differences in UK and other countries' agricultural, environmental, and animal welfare standards when negotiating trade agreements. A report outlining the steps taken must be presented to Parliament before any approval vote.
• Trade and Agriculture Commission (TAC) Reports: The TAC will assess the impacts of proposed trade agreements on UK farming, the rural environment, and animal welfare, and produce reports for Parliament.

Government Spending

The bill does not directly specify any changes to government spending. The cost of producing reports and undertaking assessments will likely fall under existing departmental budgets. No specific figures are provided.

Groups Affected

• Parliament: Gains increased power to scrutinize and approve trade agreements.
• Farmers and Agricultural Businesses: Potentially impacted by the effects of new trade agreements, with the bill aiming to protect their interests through enhanced scrutiny.
• Environmental Groups: Their concerns regarding environmental standards will be explicitly considered in trade negotiations.
• Animal Welfare Groups: Similar to environmental groups, their concerns regarding animal welfare standards will be explicitly considered in trade negotiations.
• Government Departments: Increased workload related to reporting and assessments.

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