Petition · past parliament
Omit the NHS from any future trade deal with the US
Closed
111,079 signatures
What the petition asks
As the Coronavirus escalates, there are concerns that a trade deal between the UK Government and the US deal might not exempt our NHS, leaving it vulnerable to privatisation and in direct contradiction to promises this would not happen.
It is very important to the people of the UK that the NHS is a public institution without private business interests. The pressure from the public led Johnson to promise the NHS would be protected from trade deals; putting a deal through quietly during the Coronavirus crisis would be unethical and lack transparency.
Given that Trump recently made a bid to make a German Coronavirus vaccine US-only, (which could prolong the crisis) involving the US financially in our medical system could be a direct health risk to us.
Given that Trump recently made a bid to make a German Coronavirus vaccine US-only, (which could prolong the crisis) involving the US financially in our medical system could be a direct health risk to us.
Government response · 23 June 2020
The government has been clear that protecting the UK’s right to regulate in the public interest and protecting public services, including the NHS, is of the upmost importance.
As set out in our negotiating objectives for a UK-US Free Trade Agreement, published on 2nd March, when we are negotiating trade deals, the NHS will not be on the table. The price the NHS pays for drugs will not be on the table. The services the NHS provides will not be on the table. We will not make changes to our intellectual property regime that would lead to increased medicines prices for the NHS.
The UK’s negotiating positions have been made clear to all of our trade partners, including by the Secretary of State for International Trade in her Written Ministerial Statement to Parliament of 18th May. The government will continue to ensure that decisions on how to run public services are made by UK governments, including the Devolved Administrations, and not by any foreign government.
In all cases, we will continue to protect the right to regulate public services, including the NHS, in the national interest.
Department for International Trade
The UK’s negotiating positions have been made clear to all of our trade partners, including by the Secretary of State for International Trade in her Written Ministerial Statement to Parliament of 18th May. The government will continue to ensure that decisions on how to run public services are made by UK governments, including the Devolved Administrations, and not by any foreign government.
In all cases, we will continue to protect the right to regulate public services, including the NHS, in the national interest.
Department for International Trade
Debate in Parliament
MPs debated this petition on 16 November 2020.
Timeline
| 11 May 2020 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 12 Jun 2020 | Passed 10,000 signatures, requiring a government response |
| 23 Jun 2020 | Government responded |
| 28 Jul 2020 | Passed 100,000 signatures, qualifying for a parliamentary debate |
| 11 Nov 2020 | Closed to new signatures |
| 16 Nov 2020 | Debated in Parliament |
Key facts
Signatures
111,079
Status
Closed
Opened
11 May 2020
Closed
11 Nov 2020
Response
23 Jun 2020
Debated
16 Nov 2020
Follow this petition
Sign in to get an email when the government responds, a debate is scheduled or held, or the petition closes.
Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.