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Fossil Fuels: Dispute Resolution

Asked by Martin RhodesLabourDepartment for Business and TradeTabled Answered 8 June 2026UIN 4710

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of ISDS mechanisms with the UK’s stated commitment to supporting a just and equitable transition away from fossil fuels.

Answered by Chris Bryant

The UK draws on the full range of investment commitments and international best practice in our international investment agreements to promote growth, deliver our clean energy goals, and continue to uphold the UK’s right to regulate.

Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) provides an independent means to resolve disputes with states where investors believe they have experienced arbitrary, discriminatory or unfair treatment or expropriation without compensation. ISDS does not remove governments’ right to regulate in the public interest, including with respect to the environment. We jealously and zealously guard this right.

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