Crown dependencies need seat at trade negotiations - MPs

Ministers were told Jersey (pictured), Guernsey and the Isle of Man should have officials present at negotiations

Three self-governing British Crown dependencies should be represented when the UK brokers international trade deals, a group of British MPs has said.

Ministers were told Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man should have officials present at negotiations.

UK ministers are responsible for negotiating trade policy on their behalf.

The UK's Justice Committee highlighted dependency concerns about the agreement for the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The group of MPs recommended both goods and services from the islands should be covered in future free trade agreements the UK signs.

Analysis: Freddie Miller, BBC Jersey political reporter

It's often said that if you want something to be done properly, you have to do it yourself - and island leaders certainly have plenty of experience of this.

In the past, Jersey ministers have boarded French fishing vessels mid-protest while Guernsey officials have spoken with Canadian counterparts on the sidelines of international trade negotiations.

While leaders across the Crown dependencies and Downing Street want to talk up their relationships, Sir Bob Neill tells me not every member of the UK government sufficiently understands the islands, or its responsibilities towards them.

However, he insists UK ministers do not deliberately disregard the wishes of the Crown dependencies, but instead difficulties in the past few years have been caused by "oversights" at times when Number 10 has been "seeking to move at speed".

Politicians in Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man will welcome any extra chances they get to advocate on behalf of the communities they represent, but there are no guarantees anything will change as a result of the report.

The UK government may end up deciding too many voices around the table would hinder trade talks rather than help them.

While the committee said relations between the UK government and Crown dependencies were good, it recommended greater communication and consultation.

Sir Bob Neill, the Conservative chairman of the committee, said: "Representation of the interests of the Crown dependencies in international relations is not optional, according to whether or not their interests are in line with those of the UK: it is the UK government's duty.

"We recommend that the Department for Business and Trade formally assesses their contribution to the UK's offer in trade negotiations, and how their economic role can be better and more strategically promoted to potential trading partners, including the possibility of including them in the strategic approaches to free trade agreements that it publishes."

Deputy Elaine Millar, assistant minister for external relations in Jersey, said the island's government welcomed the report following "extensive engagement by ministers and the Jersey London Office in recent months".

She said: "The committee supports the island having greater involvement in the UK's free trade agreements, which we have long called for.

"And the committee robustly defends our autonomy by making clear to the UK government that any inclusion of permissive extent clauses in UK legislation must be subject to proper consultation and consent.

"We look forward to the response of the UK government to the committee's recommendations, and we will continue to work closely with the UK government, the justice committee and other UK parliamentarians to advance Jersey's interests, in accordance with our long-established constitutional relationship."