Trade Committee Chair comments on NAO report on Department for International Trade

Commenting on the National Audit Office (NAO) report on the Department for International Trade (DIT), Angus Brendan MacNeil MP, Chair of the International Trade Committee, said:

“As a Committee, we’ve called on the Government to publish a full strategy for its international trade negotiations, outlining the overarching aims and objectives of the UK’s trading approach. The Government must also make clear how its wider policy objectives complement this strategy.

“It is vital that Parliament has sufficient time to scrutinise trade deals, and that MPs are provided with the right information at the right times, not just at the end. It cannot be the case that the Government negotiates these deals behind closed doors. 

“Ministers should focus on getting deals right, rather than constantly rushing to move on to the next negotiation. These agreements have positive and negative impacts, and it’s only right that the Government puts due consideration, time and effort into them.

“We are keen to work with DIT to take forward recommendations for further improvements to the current FTA negotiation and scrutiny processes.” 

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Notes to Editors:

International Trade Committee

• The International Trade Committee launched an inquiry into the relationship between trade and foreign policy on 6 December. It will look at the extent to which Government should further its strategic objectives through trade agreements and, if so, the areas on which it should focus.
• The Committee’s UK trade negotiations inquiry is looking at cross-cutting issues relating to free trade agreements and their scrutiny, including:
• • how coherent and strategic the Government’s approach is,
  • how the Government’s impact assessments could be improved,
  • how well the Government takes account of the views and interests of all stakeholders,
  • how well the Government helps all stakeholders prepare for new arrangements from FTA,
  • what lessons the Government can learn from FTA negotiations to date, and
  • how the Government can improve scrutiny arrangements.
• The Committee has previously written to the Secretary of State on 29 November, calling for greater scrutiny (28 September), seeking details of the Government’s wider trade strategy (8 November), and continues chasing details about its approach to assessing impacts (18 November).
• The Committee also has inquiries open on the Government’s live or planned negotiations with the CPTPP, the GCC, and New Zealand.