25 Not Addressed

Which?

Conclusion
Which? also highlighted the importance of reflecting consumer interests more generally and suggested that a consumer chapter should be included in each trade agreement.69 The Department confirmed that the UK-New Zealand trade agreement will include a “first ever” chapter on consumer protection and it said that it wants to test appetite in this area with other partners – where partners are equally interested in pursuing this. The Department said that consumer chapters serve to improve cooperation and to ensure the benefits are more clearly explained to consumers.70 It wrote to us to explain that the consumer protection chapter that the UK is negotiating with New Zealand aims to uphold consumer protection rights and ensure that consumers continue to benefit from trade 62 Q 3 63 C&AG’s Report, paras 16, 25 64 PTN0001 65 Q 47 66 C&AG’s Report, para 16 67 PTN0001 68 Q 48 69 PTN0001 70 Qq 58–60 Progress with trade negotiations 17 in both online and offline settings. For example, the agreement is currently expected to include commitments requiring goods to be of satisfactory quality at the time of delivery and requiring services to be performed with reasonable skill and care..71
Government Response Summary
The government's response focuses on general transparency in trade negotiations, economic analysis methodologies, and public engagement, rather than addressing the committee's specific point about including consumer protection chapters in trade agreements.
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government Not Addressed
5.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 5.2 The government is committed to a high level of transparency in relation to trade negotiations. The government publishes materials before negotiations launch and after they conclude and is highly consultative prior to and during negotiations across all aspects of interest to stakeholders. Nevertheless, the government strives for continuous improvement. 5.3 The department sets out a strategic case, objectives, and potential economic impacts for each negotiation, engages an advisory network of over 350 organisations and individuals to ensure impacts, trade-offs, and opportunities are understood. Engagement with the new Trade and Sustainable Development Domestic Advisory Group, alongside DIT’s Trade Union Advisory Group and Civil Society Roundtable garners input on priorities (alongside public consultations) and trade-offs before negotiations, and supports effective implementation of climate, environment, and labour provisions. DIT’s UK and global network undertakes thousands of interactions each month with stakeholders on top of communicating updates regularly during negotiations, alongside the department’s already strong Parliamentary scrutiny, including through relevant committees, as referenced in Recommendation 6. Once negotiations conclude, the department explains to stakeholders what has been agreed and publishes explanatory information on the impact of agreements, e.g. macro-economic impact, sectoral impacts, impacts on UK regions and impact on the environment. 5.4 The department constantly reviews its economic analysis methodologies to reflect global best practice. The referenced GDP increase in the Australia FTA impact analysis reflects updates to the modelling methodology, clearly explained in page 25 of the published impact assessment. The changes were informed by the Modelling Review Expert Panel and the impact assessment has been scrutinised by independent experts at the Regulatory Policy Committee, who gave a green rating. 5.5 The department seeks the views of the public through tools including the Public Attitudes to Trade Tracker, which is designed to be representative of the UK population. In its fourth wave 4,009 members of the UK public were interviewed. Survey findings are used to guide communication to support better understandings of trade and trade policy.
Addressee Bodies
HM Treasury
Timeline
Recommendation age 4.4 yrs
Report published 18 Mar 2022