The U.K. government is ending many forums for labor, NGOs, academics, and environmental groups to advise on trade negotiations.
The chemicals advisory group is one such that’s been disbanded

EU rules limit a product’s concentrations of these chemicals. If the U.K. agrees to U.S. demands on chemicals, she said, it could weaken standards. Some 1,623 chemicals are banned by the EU, but fewer than 50 are banned by the U.S. FDA.

Consumer groups like Which? who will be concerned about the chemicals and ingredients agreed to in future trade deals, have also been frozen out.

The sustainability panel remains in place, but the appointment of Tony Abbott, a notorious climate change denier, has environmentalists deeply concerned about the direction of travel over our new trade deals.

The government is really making a hash of this

Gvts the world over hug industry groups tightly, especially as they reach the conclusion of trade deals, to ensure they know what is acceptable to them or not in terms of compromises being made with the new trade deal partner.

The U.K. isn’t even following good practice let alone best.

“Just when these proposed trade agreements need to be exposed to the most detailed scrutiny, the expertise of the TAGs is being diluted,” said Shadow International Trade Secretary Emily Thornberry.