Liz Truss’s Department for International Trade (DIT) is scrambling to meet a Wednesday deadline for tabling £80bn of trade agreements before parliament, in time for them to come into force in January under standard procedures.
Truss’s department has signed a string of “continuity agreements” to ensure the UK can go on trading with non-EU countries on similar terms, when the Brexit transition period comes to an end on 31 December.
Under the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act (Crag) passed in 2010, international treaties have to be laid before parliament for 21 sitting days before they can be ratified.
With parliament due to rise for Christmas on 17 December, as of this Thursday only 21 sitting days remain before the new year.
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