Rutland and Melton MP Alicia Kearns has welcomed the Department for International Trade’s extension of the Trade and Agriculture Commission (TAC) to give farmers a stronger voice in UK trade policy.
The Commission was initially launched in July for a six-month period to bring together voices from across the UK agricultural sector and report back to inform top-level trade policy and negotiations.
However, as Britain prepares to ratify the trade deal struck with Japan and become a fully-fledged trading nation, the Government has extended the TAC’s past previous fixed term and given it a more active role through new legislation.
The TAC will now produce a report on the impact on animal welfare and agriculture of each new free trade deal the Government signs after the end of the Transition Period. This report will be laid in Parliament by the Department for International Trade before the start of the 21-day scrutiny period of the free trade deal under the terms of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act.
This will expand Parliamentarian’s access to independent and expert advice when reviewing the impact of each trade deal on farming.
Rutland and Melton MP, Alicia Kearns said:
“I welcome that we’ve delivered this manifesto commitment to give farmers a stronger voice in future trade deals.
“I promised to stand up for our farmers and will continue to push for them to be at the heart of our trade policy as we become an independent trading nation.”
Alicia Kearns continues has also recently welcomed the Government’s enhanced labelling system to protect foods with geographical significance, that are currently protected under EU law, after the Transition Period.
