Lords Committee to question UK Trade Minister as part of inquiry into EU/US investment partnership

The Minister of State for Trade and Investment will be asked how the deal could affect the UK in areas such as financial services, the car industry, maritime and air transport services, but also agriculture, food and drink – an area regarded as pivotal to the deal. 

The House of Lords EU Sub-Committee on External Affairs is holding an inquiry to look at the benefits, both to the EU and the UK, of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), which was launched earlier this year.

One area of questioning will be around the potential boost TTIP offers to UK goods of protected geographical indication, for example Scottish Salmon, the Cornish Pasty and Dorset Blue Cheese, with the Committee hoping to establish how much protection these brands could be given by the deal in the US.

Lord Green will also be joined by another witness, Edward Barker, Head of the Transatlantic & International Unit, at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
 

The witnesses will also be asked questions such as:

• What do you expect to be the United States' top requests of the EU in discussions on agriculture, and would those requests pose problems for producers in the UK?
• What steps are you taking to dispel US resistance to including financial services in TTIP?
• What practical benefits would the industry, and consumers, see in relation to the automotive part of the deal?
• What would a disappointing TTIP agreement look like from the UK's point of view?
• Would there be consequences for the ongoing debate on UK membership of the EU? 

The evidence session will take place at 10.05am on Thursday 21 November in Committee Room 1 of the House of Lords.

The session will be webcast at www.parliamentlive.tv and is also open to the public. Journalists wishing to attend should go to Parliament's Cromwell Green Entrance and should allow time for security screening.