South Shropshire MP, Philip Dunne, has welcomed confirmation from government that future free trade agreements (FTAs) will be assessed for their environmental impact.

The commitments come as the Environmental Audit Committee, chaired by Mr Dunne, publishes the Government’s response to its report, The UK’s footprint on global biodiversity.

The Committee’s report acknowledged the opportunity leaving the EU has on promoting the highest environmental and social standards in international trade deals, and recommended the Government should make good on its support for environmental sustainability.

Mr Dunne said:

“I am very pleased to see that the Government is taking forwards a number of our Committee’s recommendations. I know there will be many people in South Shropshire who welcome the UK expanding and opening new markets for business, but also want to ensure that we retain high standards and protect the environment.

“Embedding nature protection in trade agreements not only safeguards biodiversity, but it sends a striking message to trading partners that this must be prioritised. The Government should be commended for showing such leadership. At home, by making sustainability a central tenet of its procurement choices, the Government is showing other organisations that it is possible. My committee looks forward to examining how these commitments will be implemented.

“At a time when the Government is looking beyond the pandemic, it is encouraging to see it is keen to keep up this momentum on the importance of biodiversity and show leadership at COP15 when the international community comes together, once more, in the Spring.”

Under the Agriculture Act, there is a duty for the Secretary of State for International Trade to report to Parliament on whether, or to what extent, measures in new FTAs relating to trade in agricultural products are consistent with maintaining UK levels of statutory protection in relation to human, animal or plant life or health, animal welfare and the environment.

In addition, the independent Trade and Agriculture Commission will scrutinise signed FTAs and inform Parliament’s understanding of whether the contents of an FTA are consistent with the maintenance of UK levels of statutory protection for the following: UK animal and plant health standards; UK animal welfare standards; and environmental standards as they relate to agricultural products.