Change of heart on bill is step in the right direction
While the Government’s U-turn over the weekend - which saw the Trade and Agriculture Commission (TAC) given an extended statutory role to report direct to Parliament - was widely welcomed as a step in the right direction, fears remain that MPS will still lack the power to block trade deals which could overturn UK food and production standards.
Widely viewed as a move to fend off defeat in the House of Common sat tomorrow’s debate on the United Kingdom Agriculture Bill after the Lords resubmitted an amendment to the same end, the move will allow the TAC to advise directly to the House on the effects of trade deals on food standards and farming.
Commenting on the move George E us t ice, Defra Secretary of State, said: “By putting the Trade and Agriculture Commission on a statutory footing, we are ensuring that the voices of our farmers, as well as those of consumers and key environmental and animal welfare groups, continue to be heard while we are in the process of scrutinising future trade deals.”
The National Farmers’ Union Scotland said the change of heart – announced by Secretary of State for International Trade, Liz Truss on Sunday - was a ‘landmark’ lobbying success for the farming unions after months of pursuing changes to the Agriculture Bill.
Union president Andrew Mccornick, a member of the TAC, said the move was a huge step for ward following overwhelming public backing for legislation to ensure that any imports coming into the UK would meet the standards required of UK producers.
Mr Mccornick said: “As a member of TAC, I viewed putting the commission on a statutory footing and strengthening its Terms of Reference as critical.
“We will study the detail of the proposals and strive to ensure that the best interests of farming, food and drink and the public continue to be front and centre of any future trade deals.”
However despite the offer of more scrutiny, some commentators and lobbyists have indicated that MPs would still not have the right to vote on such deals and the food lobbying group, Sustain, said that the new measures provided no new route for MPS to amend trade deals.
"Ministers had finally got the message that they needed to act on standards in trade deals,” said the organisation’s sustainable farming campaign coordinator, Vicki Hird.
However she added: “It does not give any new powers to members of parliament to have any greater influence on the terms of any new deals - and it does not do the job required to give the regulations those red lines that would put the protection of food standards on a legal footing.”
As a result, efforts to gain support for an amendment calling for “equivalence measures” in areas not only of food standards and safety, but also of animal welfare and environmental production methods have been stepped up.
A similar proposal, put forward less than a month ago was, despite some Tory members rebelling and supporting the proposal, rejected by the Conservative majority when presented at the last House of Commons debate on the issue.