Trade Act 2021

3 Free trade agreements and genocide

(1) Subsection (2) applies if the responsible committee of the House of Commons publishes a report which—

(a) states that there exist credible reports of genocide in the territory of a prospective FTA counter-party, and

(b) confirms that, in preparing the report, the committee has taken such evidence as it considers appropriate.

(2) If, after receiving a response from the Secretary of State, the committee publishes a report which—

(a) includes a statement to the effect that the committee is not satisfied by the Secretary of State’s response, and

(b) sets out the wording of a motion to be moved in the House of Commons in accordance with subsection (3),

subsection (3) applies.

(3) A Minister of the Crown must make arrangements for the motion mentioned in subsection (2)(b) to be debated and voted on by the House of Commons.

(4) Subsection (5) applies if the responsible committee of the House of Lords publishes a report which—

(a) states there exist credible reports of genocide in the territory of a prospective FTA counter-party, and

(b) confirms that, in preparing the report, the committee has taken such evidence as it considers appropriate.

(5) If, after receiving a response from the Secretary of State, the committee publishes a statement to the effect that—

(a) it is not satisfied by the Secretary of State’s response, and

(b) it seeks a debate on the report,

subsection (6) applies.

(6) A Minister of the Crown must make arrangements for a motion for the House of Lords to take note of the report and the Secretary of State’s response to be moved in that House by a Minister of the Crown.

(7) References in this section to genocide are references to genocide occurring, or continuing, after this section comes into force.

(8) In this section—

• “genocide” has the same meaning as in the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (see Article 2 of the Convention);

• “prospective FTA counter-party” means a state with which the United Kingdom is engaged in formal negotiations for a bilateral free trade agreement;

• “the responsible committee of the House of Commons” means the select committee of the House of Commons charged with responsibility for this section;

• “the responsible committee of the House of Lords” means the select committee of the House of Lords charged with responsibility for this section.