New Clause 11 - Import of agricultural goods after IP completion day

Trade Bill – in the House of Commons at 9:00 pm on 20 July 2020.

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Votes in this debate

  • Division number 79
    A majority of MPs voted not to require imported agricultural goods to meet animal health and welfare, environmental, plant health, food safety and other standards which are at least as high as those which apply to UK produced agricultural goods.

“(1) After IP completion day, agricultural goods imported under a free trade agreement may be imported into the UK only if the standards to which those goods were produced were as high as, or higher than, standards which at the time of import applied under UK law relating to—

(a) animal health and welfare,

(b) protection of the environment,

(c) food safety, hygiene and traceability, and

(d) plant health.

(2) The Secretary of State must prepare a register of standards under UK law relating to—

(a) animal health and welfare,

(b) protection of the environment,

(c) food safety, hygiene and traceability, and

(d) plant health

which must be met in the course of production of any imported agricultural goods.

(3) A register under subsection (2) must be updated within seven days of any amendment to any standard listed in the register.

(4) “Agricultural goods”, for the purposes of this section, means anything produced by a producer operating in one or more agricultural sectors listed in Schedule 1.

(5) “IP completion day” has the meaning given in section 39 of the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020.”—(Bill Esterson.)

This new clause would set a requirement for imported agricultural goods to meet animal health and welfare, environmental, plant health, food safety and other standards which are at least as high as those which apply to UK produced agricultural goods.

Brought up.

Question put, That the clause be added to the Bill.

Division number 79 Trade Bill — New Clause 11 — Standards for Imported Agricultural Goods After Transition Period for Leaving the European Union

A majority of MPs voted not to require imported agricultural goods to meet animal health and welfare, environmental, plant health, food safety and other standards which are at least as high as those which apply to UK produced agricultural goods.

Aye: 249 MPs

No: 336 MPs

Aye: A-Z by last name

Tellers

No: A-Z by last name

Tellers

Absent: 61 MPs

Absent: A-Z by last name

The House divided: Ayes 251, Noes 337.

Question accordingly negatived.

The list of Members currently certified as eligible for a proxy vote, and of the Members nominated as their proxy, is published at the end of today’s debates.