The Government recognises that free trade agreements are an important tool to help prevent, identify and eliminate forced labour in global supply chains. The UK will continue to pursue the inclusion of forced labour provisions in our free trade agreements. The UK has specific articles on forced labour in its FTAs with Australia, New Zealand and in the CPTPP. In the UK-NZ FTA, for instance, both parties commit to tackling forced labour within supply chains; and in the recently signed UK-India FTA both countries agreed to provisions to discourage forced and compulsory labour. FTAs are however just one of the UK’s tools for addressing forced labour in supply chains. The Developing Countries Trading Scheme allows for the suspension of preferential trading agreements on grounds of serious violation of labour rights, and UK Export Finance reviews social, and human rights risk factors for transactions in scope of their policy. Work also continues in the multilateral space to support the eradication of forced labour in global supply chains, in line with Sustainable Development Goal 8.7 11 Free Trade Agreement Impact Assessments JCHR Recommendation 19 19. The UK should carry out effective impact assessments before entering trade negotiations with other nations. These assessments should include analysis of how enhanced trading arrangements with the UK will impact the use of forced labour in the contracting state, and whether an agreement would be likely to increase the UK’s exposure to forced labour in supply chains. (Paragraph 204) Government Response Identifying forced labour in international supply chains is challenging due to their complexity and opacity, the lack of transparency and reliable data. There is ongoing work to examine the extent to which UK supply chains are affected by forced labour. Prior to entering negotiations with trading partners, the UK carries out scoping assessments. These provide a qualitative assessment of the ILO conventions our trading partners are signed up to. It is through the commitments in the labour chapter of a trade agreement that the UK works with trading partners to address forced labour. For example, in the recently signed UK-India FTA both countries agreed to provisions to discourage forced and compulsory labour. JCHR Recommendation 20 20. The UK should not enter trade agreements or negotiations with states that actively and knowingly participate in gross violations of human rights, such as state-imposed forced labour. (Paragraph 205) Government Response The UK is a leading advocate for human rights around the world. We remain committed to the promotion of universal human rights. Having secure and growing trading relationships can increase UK influence and allow us to have more open discussions with partners on a range of issues, including human rights. When we have concerns, they are raised directly with partner governments, including at ministerial level. JCHR Recommendation 21 21. The Government should establish a regular, formal process to assess whether the obligations to uphold labour rights and human rights in trade agreements are being met. If breaches are found, the UK should have a policy of using dispute resolution mechanisms and exemptions under trade agreements to their fullest effect to prevent and deter future breaches. (Paragraph 206) Government Response The Government is committed to ensuring labour standards are protected internationally. Our FTAs include important implementation tools which ensure labour commitments are constantly being discussed and progressed. These implementation tools ensure we are identifying areas for further cooperation and ensure our FTA partners are upholding their labour commitments. To date, the UK has held labour discussions with 14 FTA partners through formal sub-committees. These have included discussions on forced labour with Vietnam and Singapore, with the UK sharing best practice on approaches. We also hold regular civil society forums with our FTA partners, including Vietnam, Andean nations and New Zealand to provide a formal mechanism for stakeholders to raise suggestions and any concerns. Dispute settlement mechanisms in the UK’s FTAs provide a means to address breaches of obligations. Where the dispute mechanism is the most appropriate method, the Government is committed to using it. 12 Procurement Act 2023 JCHR Recommendation 22 22. The Government should assess how frequently the new discretionary powers are being used across public sector buyers by analysing the reports on excludable suppliers submitted to the Procurement Review Unit by Contracting Authorities. If it appears the discretionary powers are being underused, or there is a wide variance in the range of use, Government should consult with Contracting Authorities to understand why this is the case and explore whether further support is required. (Paragraph 224) Government Response The Procurement Act outlines the process for considering exclusions which c