Thank you for contacting me about the Trade Bill and New Clause 17.
The Trade Bill is a continuity Bill. The powers within the Bill could not be used to implement new free trade agreements with countries such as the US. Instead, the Bill only allows for trade agreements that we have been party to through our EU membership to be transitioned into UK law.
As I have explained before the NHS is already protected by specific carve outs, exceptions and reservations in these trade agreements and the Government has no intention of lowering standards in transitioned trade agreements; indeed, the very purpose of these agreements is to replicate as close as possible the effects of existing commitments in EU agreements. Thus I can reassure you that none of the 20 continuity agreements signed have resulted in standards being lowered.
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