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Questions to the Secretary of State for exiting the European Unhon. With | :00:07. | :00:17. | |
permission, Mr Speaker, I whll answer questions one and ten | :00:18. | :00:21. | |
together. The Chancellor and I are both determined to ensure wd get the | :00:22. | :00:25. | |
best possible deal for our financial services sector. The crucial part of | :00:26. | :00:28. | |
our economy. Not just solicht the London, but the country mord widely. | :00:29. | :00:35. | |
-- not just for the City of London. Two thirds of financial services job | :00:36. | :00:40. | |
are outside the capital, we are in terminal two ensure the indtstry | :00:41. | :00:48. | |
thrives. We expect that in these negotiations, financial services | :00:49. | :00:50. | |
will be in great importance, but we must remain in a good posithon to | :00:51. | :00:54. | |
attract the artist and best talent, and seek the best possible terms for | :00:55. | :01:00. | |
trade in financial services and the European market. We are working to | :01:01. | :01:04. | |
go to maximise opportunities for financial services arising from the | :01:05. | :01:08. | |
exit from the European Union. We have met representatives of the | :01:09. | :01:10. | |
industry and expect to do so again as we shape our position. Whll he | :01:11. | :01:16. | |
make securing agreement on ` transitional period for fin`ncial | :01:17. | :01:22. | |
services and urgent prioritx for Brexit negotiations to avoid the | :01:23. | :01:26. | |
risk that firms feel they h`ve to make decisions to change thdir | :01:27. | :01:30. | |
business is now fit based on a worst case scenario, because complies the | :01:31. | :01:33. | |
gay shaking to mean they cannot wait to see what the | :01:34. | :01:37. | |
it would not be in the interests of either side for Britain or the | :01:38. | :01:50. | |
European having London sitting in thd centre | :01:51. | :02:19. | |
of the financial sector is not just in the interest of London btt the | :02:20. | :02:25. | |
greater country. He talked `bout all possible options, yesterday I talked | :02:26. | :02:28. | |
to the Chancellor about accdpting the transitional arrangements. Can | :02:29. | :02:34. | |
he say whether or not he has met regulators, if those transitional | :02:35. | :02:47. | |
measures put into place? We have been talking to European | :02:48. | :02:51. | |
institutions and they take the same line. May I say to the Secrdtary of | :02:52. | :02:57. | |
State first of all that we look State first of all that we look | :02:58. | :03:00. | |
forward to hearing for him was the select committee has been | :03:01. | :03:00. | |
established. He will be only too well aw`re that | :03:01. | :03:14. | |
our future trading relationships including for the financial services | :03:15. | :03:18. | |
industry is the major concern for business. Can he not give the House | :03:19. | :03:23. | |
and assurance that if we have not been able to negotiate and larket | :03:24. | :03:30. | |
access agreement by the end of the Article 50 process, that thd | :03:31. | :03:34. | |
government will seek a transitional arrangement? If it does not say that | :03:35. | :03:38. | |
now, that uncertainty on thd part of business will continue and | :03:39. | :03:41. | |
businesses may begin to takd decisions because they do not know | :03:42. | :03:45. | |
what the future holds. May H start by congratulating the Right | :03:46. | :03:48. | |
honourable gentleman to his new post. I am very pleased that he is | :03:49. | :03:54. | |
the chairman of the Brexit select committee, and I am looking forward | :03:55. | :04:00. | |
to a great deal of discussion with him on the subject. He is qtite | :04:01. | :04:04. | |
right, we have to treat as absolutely central to what we do, | :04:05. | :04:10. | |
maintaining the stability of both the city and also the Europdan | :04:11. | :04:13. | |
financial markets, and the Duropean financial markets are a little | :04:14. | :04:17. | |
fragile over the last few ydars We will therefore do anything | :04:18. | :04:25. | |
necessary. Let me make one point, in the financial sector as in other | :04:26. | :04:29. | |
sectors, at the point of exht from the European Union, the standards, | :04:30. | :04:34. | |
all the conventions, all thd regulations will be identic`l. So | :04:35. | :04:41. | |
the transition should be capable of managed clearly, but we will do | :04:42. | :04:44. | |
everything necessary to maintain stability. I wonder if the Secretary | :04:45. | :04:51. | |
of State can confirm in rel`tion to press reports earlier this week that | :04:52. | :04:58. | |
the government may in futurd pay to the European Union in some form or | :04:59. | :05:02. | |
another for access this fin`ncial services. If the government's | :05:03. | :05:06. | |
position that under no circtmstances will they in future pay for market | :05:07. | :05:11. | |
access for financial servicds? Firstly, I do not comment on leaks, | :05:12. | :05:15. | |
I will not comment on that particular newspaper report or | :05:16. | :05:21. | |
indeed on its veracity or otherwise. I will also say, a point whhch came | :05:22. | :05:31. | |
up last week in the debate, on accountability of government | :05:32. | :05:33. | |
activity, is that I want to be as accountable and open as possible | :05:34. | :05:37. | |
with the House of Commons. The Labour Party accepted the alendment | :05:38. | :05:43. | |
to that, enthusiastically accepted the MM at which said that they will | :05:44. | :05:49. | |
do nothing to undermine or prejudged our negotiating position. The | :05:50. | :05:56. | |
Treasury did its best to pl`y a prominent role in the Remain | :05:57. | :06:00. | |
campaign, including the reldase of a highly dodgy dossier predict in | :06:01. | :06:06. | |
economic doom and gloom. If my right honourable friend that the Treasury | :06:07. | :06:09. | |
has caught up with the result of the referendum and is singing off the | :06:10. | :06:15. | |
same page as his department? I do not agree with my honourabld friend. | :06:16. | :06:21. | |
The simple truth is the Tre`sury is looking at all the options just as | :06:22. | :06:25. | |
we are. The forecast of the sort that he described our contingent | :06:26. | :06:31. | |
entirely on the assumptions you put under them. If you make a lot of | :06:32. | :06:36. | |
seriously deleterious assumptions, you get a delirious outcome. If you | :06:37. | :06:42. | |
introduce serious policy to correct a risk and maximise opportunity you | :06:43. | :06:44. | |
get a better outcome and th`t is what we will do. The Secret`ry of | :06:45. | :06:50. | |
State has just stated that he does not want to discuss leaks btt it is | :06:51. | :06:53. | |
important that we get factu`l information out there. According to | :06:54. | :06:56. | |
the Financial Times, the government is to spend billions on keeping the | :06:57. | :07:00. | |
City of London in the singld market. Can he confirm what steps hd is | :07:01. | :07:03. | |
taking to ensure the people of Scotland get a similar deal? As I | :07:04. | :07:09. | |
what I will say is this, I lentioned what I will say is this, I lentioned | :07:10. | :07:13. | |
at the beginning when I was talking about the financial services, a very | :07:14. | :07:17. | |
large number of financial sdrvices jobs are outside London, many | :07:18. | :07:20. | |
concentrated in Scotland. It has been a fundamental part of | :07:21. | :07:26. | |
Scotland's advantage down the years to have strong financial services | :07:27. | :07:29. | |
and we will do every bit as much to protect Scotland as we will to | :07:30. | :07:33. | |
protect London. Tens of thotsands of jobs in Britain and on euro | :07:34. | :07:40. | |
denominated clearing. The US for secured equivalents for its clearing | :07:41. | :07:48. | |
houses, how confident is thd Secretary of State that the euro do | :07:49. | :07:50. | |
nominated clearing will be permitted in the UK after we leave thd EU It | :07:51. | :07:58. | |
is certainly one of our major aims. I reiterate the point I mean to the | :07:59. | :08:01. | |
new chairman of the Brexit committee, we start at the point we | :08:02. | :08:06. | |
leave with absolute equivaldnts because we meet all of the | :08:07. | :08:11. | |
requirements at that point. I would seek to insure that was maintained. | :08:12. | :08:19. | |
The discussions on financial services are intended as I | :08:20. | :08:21. | |
understand it to build consdnsus around the government's plans. Eight | :08:22. | :08:25. | |
days ago at the dispatch box, the government gave a clear comlitment | :08:26. | :08:29. | |
that, I cried, there should be transparent debate on the | :08:30. | :08:33. | |
government's plans for leavhng the EU. Yesterday, I wrote to the | :08:34. | :08:38. | |
Secretary of State to ask a very simple question. When will the plans | :08:39. | :08:43. | |
be made available? That is `n important question because we need | :08:44. | :08:46. | |
time to debate and scrutinise the plans before article 50 is hnvoked | :08:47. | :08:51. | |
and no doubt the new Brexit select committee will want to see them The | :08:52. | :08:55. | |
Secretary of State replied promptly to my letter but failed to `nswer | :08:56. | :08:59. | |
that central question. So I am going to ask him again. When will the | :09:00. | :09:03. | |
government plans for leaving the EU be made available to this house I | :09:04. | :09:09. | |
could not have been clearer that I consider in Gate would of P`rliament | :09:10. | :09:15. | |
and the process of exiting the EU of paramount importance. -- I consider | :09:16. | :09:19. | |
in gauging Parliament. That was the thrust of my speech last wedk and | :09:20. | :09:23. | |
the thrust of everything I have said previously to select committees and | :09:24. | :09:27. | |
the House. That is why I was able to support the opposition's motion last | :09:28. | :09:31. | |
week that there would be a full and transparent debate on the | :09:32. | :09:34. | |
government's plan for leaving the EU. His wedding. It is alwaxs our | :09:35. | :09:38. | |
intention that Parliament should be in gauge the rout -- his wording. | :09:39. | :09:45. | |
But I think there is a vital caveat that this vision must support the | :09:46. | :09:51. | |
decision to leave the EU and does not undermine the negotiating | :09:52. | :09:53. | |
position of the plot governlent though there will be a balance to be | :09:54. | :09:59. | |
struck between transparency and negotiation. Over the coursd of six | :10:00. | :10:05. | |
months or less, the period before the triggering of article 50, much | :10:06. | :10:08. | |
information will be put out about this and the House will be hn no | :10:09. | :10:11. | |
doubt what our aims and str`tegic objectives are. The question was | :10:12. | :10:17. | |
when will the plans be made available. That has not been | :10:18. | :10:21. | |
answered the second time. These are important not just so the House can | :10:22. | :10:26. | |
hold the government to accotnt but also provide certainty, and we have | :10:27. | :10:29. | |
seen so much evidence of uncertainty. I met the council | :10:30. | :10:34. | |
commission and Parliament in Brussels yesterday and it is | :10:35. | :10:36. | |
absolutely clear that the Prime Minister's words at her party | :10:37. | :10:40. | |
conference about Brexit havd been widely interpreted as an indication | :10:41. | :10:44. | |
that she wants the UK to le`ve not just the single market but `lso the | :10:45. | :10:49. | |
customs unit. No doubt this will come up in her discussions hn | :10:50. | :10:52. | |
Brussels this evening but c`n the Secretary of State assure the House | :10:53. | :10:56. | |
that this is not the governlent s starting position for the article 50 | :10:57. | :11:02. | |
negotiations? Actually, it hs a very good example of the reason we are | :11:03. | :11:07. | |
taking our time to come to ` conclusion on this. These m`tters | :11:08. | :11:14. | |
are... These matters are, h`ve very serious indications whichevdr way | :11:15. | :11:17. | |
you go with them. Inside thd customs union you have some advantages but | :11:18. | :11:21. | |
it cuts off to some extent free trade areas around the rest of the | :11:22. | :11:25. | |
world, outside the union crdates some handicaps but also opens up | :11:26. | :11:29. | |
those areas and that decision is not a part of what the Prime Minister | :11:30. | :11:31. | |
has said to the European Unhon. Thank you, Mr Speaker, the | :11:32. | :11:48. | |
Government continues to unddrwide a wide range of analysis covering all | :11:49. | :11:53. | |
parts of the UK to inform the upcoming position with the Duropean | :11:54. | :11:56. | |
partners A key part is the differences between the UK. The | :11:57. | :12:00. | |
Welsh economy has particular strengths in're yes space, | :12:01. | :12:06. | |
automotive, higher education, electronics, steel and agriculture, | :12:07. | :12:09. | |
for example. It is important we understand the impacts and the | :12:10. | :12:12. | |
opportunities for all parts of the Welsh economy. I visited Cardiff | :12:13. | :12:18. | |
this week where I visited the Finance Minister. I also met with | :12:19. | :12:24. | |
the university vice Chancellors Wales has a particular alli`nce on a | :12:25. | :12:27. | |
range of EU funding, more so than much of the rest of the UK, on which | :12:28. | :12:32. | |
the Chancellor's offered a number of guarantees. | :12:33. | :12:39. | |
Mr Speaker, as he'll be aware the Welsh economy produces a substantial | :12:40. | :12:44. | |
trade surplus of over ?5 billion per anum. As a result of the single | :12:45. | :12:49. | |
market, the union and the associated 53 global trade deals. The TK on the | :12:50. | :12:55. | |
other hand has a massive deficit of ?120 billion. Does he acknowledge | :12:56. | :12:58. | |
that the favoured policy of his Government of leaving the shngle | :12:59. | :13:04. | |
market, the customs union and the 53 global trade deals, a hard Brexit | :13:05. | :13:08. | |
will have a significant effdct on Wales? No. Because the aim of the | :13:09. | :13:14. | |
Government is to maintain the freest and most barrier-free access to the | :13:15. | :13:17. | |
market we can obtain. That hs the aim and parts of the kingdol, like | :13:18. | :13:22. | |
Wales, are very much at the forefront of our thoughts, hn that | :13:23. | :13:25. | |
strategy. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Many | :13:26. | :13:30. | |
businesses in Wales will be wondering how EU directives, which | :13:31. | :13:35. | |
have been signed, but have not yet been enacted, some may not be until | :13:36. | :13:41. | |
2017 or 2018, will impact on them? At what stage will the Government | :13:42. | :13:46. | |
say that directives will no longer be applicable within the UK? Well, | :13:47. | :13:49. | |
my honourable friend makes `n important point. It actuallx goes to | :13:50. | :13:54. | |
the heart of the previous qtestions, to maintaining stability and | :13:55. | :13:58. | |
confidence. What we have sahd in terms is that the great repdl act | :13:59. | :14:05. | |
will put into domestic law `ll that exists at the point until wd depart. | :14:06. | :14:09. | |
Until that point. Everything in European law at that point goes into | :14:10. | :14:16. | |
British law therefore. Mr Speaker, in Gwent, the successful Dips | :14:17. | :14:23. | |
company is facing a bigger bill to bring its ingredient into the | :14:24. | :14:27. | |
country. With petrol prices going up, the falling pound is making | :14:28. | :14:32. | |
every step to the dinner pl`te more expensive. What is the Government | :14:33. | :14:36. | |
doing to help businesses who are faced with steep increase in costs | :14:37. | :14:40. | |
and families who are faced with higher food bills? Well it hs not | :14:41. | :14:45. | |
the part of the judgment to judge what is the right and wrong exchange | :14:46. | :14:51. | |
rate. He is right, the exch`nge rate has gone down quite notably, but | :14:52. | :14:54. | |
that gives advantages and disadvantages. The success of | :14:55. | :14:59. | |
various industries and exports already and other domestic | :15:00. | :15:02. | |
industries. We will hope th`t the balance, more than hope, we intend | :15:03. | :15:06. | |
that the balance will work out to everybody's advantage in thd longer | :15:07. | :15:10. | |
run. Yesterday I was delighted to have confirmed by the Welsh minister | :15:11. | :15:15. | |
that the tresly would -- Trdasury would underwrite ?110 million that | :15:16. | :15:21. | |
comes from the regional devdlopment fund into the electrification of the | :15:22. | :15:26. | |
valley's line. In his discussions with the First Minister was he able | :15:27. | :15:30. | |
to give him greater clarity around all the funds which come into Wales | :15:31. | :15:35. | |
from the EU? Businesses really require that stable backgrotnd | :15:36. | :15:38. | |
against which to operate. Well, she picks on a very ilportant | :15:39. | :15:44. | |
point. Wales is more depend`nt on European funding at the momdnt than | :15:45. | :15:47. | |
many other parts of the country And one of the things that the | :15:48. | :15:52. | |
Government has done, a set of things Government has done, to protect | :15:53. | :15:56. | |
people from instability, is to underwrite very, very quickly. In | :15:57. | :16:03. | |
August, the Treasury undertook to underwrite the existing strtctural | :16:04. | :16:08. | |
funds. And the Welsh Governlent was aware of that and welcomed ht. | :16:09. | :16:12. | |
Particularly as it was, I vhsited on budget day, so they were able to | :16:13. | :16:16. | |
make their budgets balance. I think from that point of view, thd | :16:17. | :16:20. | |
Government will continue to look at any years where financial rhsk is | :16:21. | :16:26. | |
induced as a result of our departure and the severance of EU funds as we | :16:27. | :16:29. | |
leave. Number three. | :16:30. | :16:37. | |
With permission I will answdr questions three and 14 together | :16:38. | :16:42. | |
Since the referendum, the Government has met companies from everx sector, | :16:43. | :16:47. | |
including tourism to discuss the risks and opportunities. I believe | :16:48. | :16:53. | |
that as we build a more agile-forward facing economx, with | :16:54. | :16:55. | |
firms trading widely across the world there is a potential for the | :16:56. | :16:59. | |
UK to be in a better place to do business. We are meeting | :17:00. | :17:02. | |
representatives of business regularly and a detailed an`lysis is | :17:03. | :17:06. | |
preparing the negotiations for preparations. As for tourisl, | :17:07. | :17:11. | |
foreign visitors contribute ?22 billion in our economy. And the | :17:12. | :17:17. | |
industry supports 1.6 million jobs. We saw 3.8 million people vhsit the | :17:18. | :17:23. | |
UK in July. The Culture Secretary has meet ministers and we ddbated | :17:24. | :17:28. | |
this matter in Westminster Hall As the Prime Minister said, we are | :17:29. | :17:31. | |
confidence our exit presents opportunities for growth in tourism. | :17:32. | :17:37. | |
We will work closely with the industry to realise this. | :17:38. | :17:43. | |
While deciding what investmdnt to make in the coming... Waiting | :17:44. | :17:50. | |
two-and-a-half years for th`t will not be helpful. When does the | :17:51. | :17:53. | |
Secretary of State think thdy'll be able to understand or at le`st the | :17:54. | :17:59. | |
big-picture position will bd? At the strategic level that is unddrstood | :18:00. | :18:03. | |
clearly now. We have clear strategic aims. Number one, we will rdspect | :18:04. | :18:08. | |
the views of the British people I know he campaign on the sidd to | :18:09. | :18:14. | |
bring back our laws and bring back control of immigration. We will | :18:15. | :18:19. | |
maintain the consideration on security and on the market front, we | :18:20. | :18:25. | |
seeking the most open possible market with the European Unhon. | :18:26. | :18:30. | |
Thank you, Mr Speaker, I th`nk the Secretary of State state for his | :18:31. | :18:33. | |
comments about engaging in the tourism industry. We are having | :18:34. | :18:40. | |
record visits and spend. Dods he belief we can investigate m`rketing | :18:41. | :18:45. | |
the UK more aggressively ovdrseas, taking advantage of the weak pound, | :18:46. | :18:51. | |
by increasing visits to Visht Britain. His excellent debate and | :18:52. | :18:55. | |
speech he had last week on this subject. He's right, the industry | :18:56. | :18:59. | |
continues to thrive, with 3.8 million people visiting the UK. And | :19:00. | :19:06. | |
I'm quite certain, and I am sure he will see the Hansard later, that my | :19:07. | :19:09. | |
Right Honourable friend, thd Secretary of State for international | :19:10. | :19:13. | |
trade, will take up his point on promoting Britain abroad as a place | :19:14. | :19:18. | |
to visit. Does he agree with his international | :19:19. | :19:22. | |
trade secretary that we shotld leave the European trades union or with | :19:23. | :19:28. | |
the Chancellor that we shouldn't? I gave the answer to that somd moments | :19:29. | :19:32. | |
ago. Thank you. The Secretary of State talks about a smooth | :19:33. | :19:35. | |
transition, but the truth is, business are concerned that we are | :19:36. | :19:41. | |
going to have to fall back on WTo rules. Our European partners have so | :19:42. | :19:48. | |
far refused to say they will negotiate trade talks Article 5 | :19:49. | :19:53. | |
negotiations. Will what will the Government and the Secretarx of | :19:54. | :19:57. | |
State do to avoid the cliff edge when we leave the EU possibly | :19:58. | :20:03. | |
falling out of the EU singld market and possibly falling back on WTO | :20:04. | :20:09. | |
rules? Some have said. That they are starting to read what Article 5 | :20:10. | :20:12. | |
says. It implies parallel negotiation. That is what wd'll do. | :20:13. | :20:16. | |
She's quite right, we need to conclude this within the two years. | :20:17. | :20:23. | |
My constituency is home to the Cambridge science park, a cdntre of | :20:24. | :20:28. | |
innovation and technology. Last week I met the chief executive of Labour | :20:29. | :20:34. | |
TTP. He said he's concerned about maintaining access to oversdas | :20:35. | :20:38. | |
talent following the vote of Brexit. What steps is the Secretary of State | :20:39. | :20:43. | |
taking to ensure we continud to attract international expertise | :20:44. | :20:47. | |
helping to drive our sector in the UK? I said in my conference speech | :20:48. | :20:53. | |
to take part in the global competition, global competitive | :20:54. | :20:57. | |
economy, we have to win the global battle for talent too. My t`sk is to | :20:58. | :21:01. | |
bring back to the UK the right to decide on who can come to Britain. | :21:02. | :21:05. | |
And then the Government's t`sk will be to exercise that right in the | :21:06. | :21:09. | |
international interest. Cle`rly that is not going to be in the n`tional | :21:10. | :21:13. | |
interest to restrict the movement of talent. The free movement of brain | :21:14. | :21:17. | |
power. You can be very, verx confident that we'll not be limiting | :21:18. | :21:24. | |
people's, highly intelligent people's access to university. | :21:25. | :21:28. | |
Thank you. I wonder if the Secretary of State can tell us what assessment | :21:29. | :21:32. | |
his or other departments have made of the impact of leaving thd EU on | :21:33. | :21:36. | |
the economy and when he'll lake it available to this House? We are | :21:37. | :21:42. | |
currently, we have currentlx got in place a sectoral assessment of 1 | :21:43. | :21:46. | |
different sectors of the economy. We're looking at that on a, one by | :21:47. | :21:50. | |
one basis. The aim is, at the end of it, is to be able to inform the | :21:51. | :21:56. | |
negotiating approach so nobody gets hurt. We're doing it in a w`y which | :21:57. | :22:01. | |
throws up whether it has an impact on the individual nations of the | :22:02. | :22:04. | |
United Kingdom as well as the United Kingdom as a whole. I obviotsly | :22:05. | :22:08. | |
welcome that new information from the Secretary of State. Alrdady we | :22:09. | :22:12. | |
have been told it could cost up to 80,000 jobs in Scotland alone. The | :22:13. | :22:20. | |
CBI, the chip per of commerce and Institute of Directors have warned | :22:21. | :22:23. | |
about limiting the freedom of movement. You did not do yotr | :22:24. | :22:27. | |
homework during the vote le`ve campaign when we have a blank piece | :22:28. | :22:31. | |
of paper to campaign on. If the Secretary of State is going to go to | :22:32. | :22:36. | |
Scotland he'll feed to do bdtter than that. When will this bd | :22:37. | :22:41. | |
published? I have always done my homework. I strongly recent any | :22:42. | :22:48. | |
suggestion to the country. If you did do your homework you | :22:49. | :22:52. | |
wouldn't have it marked by the honourable gentleman. I havd not | :22:53. | :22:57. | |
seen the report. I would be grateful if he could to it. They basd | :22:58. | :23:01. | |
themselves on single assumptions, of course. We need to look at the | :23:02. | :23:05. | |
assumptions and see if they are realistic. That is what we'll do. We | :23:06. | :23:09. | |
have a large number of forecasts of the effect of Brexit. Some of them | :23:10. | :23:15. | |
are very pessimistic about policy which we do not allow to happen ly | :23:16. | :23:20. | |
look at it careful and -- c`refully and talk to him about after I have | :23:21. | :23:25. | |
done so. The Chamber of Comlerce which represents can companhes with | :23:26. | :23:31. | |
interests in the UK worth $600 billion. To attract those | :23:32. | :23:35. | |
investments in the year Is ` head will require access to the single | :23:36. | :23:38. | |
market. Can the Secretary of State tell the House whether he accepts | :23:39. | :23:43. | |
that figure and if not how luch US business will be at risk if he does | :23:44. | :23:46. | |
not secure access to the single market? Of course. One of the | :23:47. | :23:50. | |
reasons, only one of the re`sons why we are seeking to maintain the most | :23:51. | :23:56. | |
open and barrier-free possible access to the European markdt s to | :23:57. | :24:01. | |
encourage foreign direct investment. We've had the discussions whth | :24:02. | :24:06. | |
countries, including the US. I hosts a US congressional delegation, or a | :24:07. | :24:13. | |
met a delegation which came here and they were very enthusiastic about | :24:14. | :24:16. | |
Brexit. There are many views on this. Mr Speaker, the Chancdllor has | :24:17. | :24:22. | |
already announced that the Government will guarantee ET | :24:23. | :24:25. | |
structural and investment ftnding, signed before we leave the DU. In | :24:26. | :24:32. | |
addition, projects where UK organisations bid directly for EU | :24:33. | :24:37. | |
funding will be guaranteed by the Treasury ifs are won before our de-- | :24:38. | :24:41. | |
if the bids are won before our departure. The minister recorded in | :24:42. | :24:49. | |
part what the Chancellor has said. The Chancellor has also said that | :24:50. | :24:53. | |
finance would be guaranteed to bidders who projects meet UK | :24:54. | :24:57. | |
priorities. Does that imply, therefore, that the UK Government | :24:58. | :25:01. | |
will seek to change the agrded priorities for EU expenditure? Mr | :25:02. | :25:07. | |
Speaker, over the coming months the Government will consult with all | :25:08. | :25:11. | |
interested parties, including the devolved administrations whhch | :25:12. | :25:14. | |
clearly have an interest in this policy to ensure that futurd funding | :25:15. | :25:19. | |
commitments do represent value for money and are in line with our | :25:20. | :25:24. | |
strategic priorities. Does ly Right Honourable friend agree that one of | :25:25. | :25:28. | |
the great advantages of the UK leaving the EU is it will ghve us | :25:29. | :25:33. | |
greater flexibility over how we spend our regional aid? As we are a | :25:34. | :25:39. | |
net contributor we'll have `ctually more to spend on these scheles? My | :25:40. | :25:45. | |
honourable friend is right. This particular area, as in many other | :25:46. | :25:49. | |
areas of policies does give the UK the opportunity to assess these | :25:50. | :25:53. | |
arrangements and to make sure they do meet with the priorities of the | :25:54. | :25:57. | |
UK. Number five, Mr Speaker. | :25:58. | :26:05. | |
Can I start by congratulating my honourable friend for his election | :26:06. | :26:12. | |
to the chair of the science and technology committee. We had a very | :26:13. | :26:14. | |
good debate on this matter xesterday and it was clear that members on all | :26:15. | :26:19. | |
sides wanted to provide reassurance. The government fully intends to | :26:20. | :26:23. | |
protect the status of EU nationals living here, the Prime Minister has | :26:24. | :26:28. | |
been clear on this. We expect UK citizen's writes in other ET member | :26:29. | :26:31. | |
states to be protected in rdturn. I find it hard to imagine a scenario | :26:32. | :26:35. | |
where this is not the outcole. At every step we will seek to dnsure | :26:36. | :26:38. | |
the best possible outcomes for British people at home and overseas. | :26:39. | :26:44. | |
Following on from my honour`ble friend's question, the government | :26:45. | :26:51. | |
has made it clear that it it has a desire to control borders and free | :26:52. | :26:55. | |
movement cannot continue as it does now. Will he reiterate that a degree | :26:56. | :26:58. | |
of free movement will be necessary to protect key areas of our economy | :26:59. | :27:05. | |
such as science and technology and particularly research collaboration? | :27:06. | :27:08. | |
I absolutely recognise the point he makes and the need to strikd that | :27:09. | :27:13. | |
balance. As the Secretary of State said in his conference speech, | :27:14. | :27:16. | |
pulling out of the UPN union does not mean pulling up the drawbridge, | :27:17. | :27:20. | |
we will always welcome thosd of the skills, drive and expertise to make | :27:21. | :27:24. | |
our nation better still. If we are going to win in the global | :27:25. | :27:28. | |
marketplace, we will win thd global battle for talent. We will `lways be | :27:29. | :27:32. | |
one of the most welcoming places on earth, and it will remain so. It was | :27:33. | :27:36. | |
is particularly true in are`s such as science and technology, the UK is | :27:37. | :27:40. | |
a science supervisor want to make it stay that where. As well as ensuring | :27:41. | :27:43. | |
that British pensioners livhng in other EU countries retain the right | :27:44. | :27:53. | |
to remain there, will he make sure that their pensions are protected on | :27:54. | :27:58. | |
the terms they currently Receive them? This is something that we will | :27:59. | :28:02. | |
want to secure through negotiations. want to secure through negotiations. | :28:03. | :28:06. | |
We are working on the basis that what is fair for UK citizens in the | :28:07. | :28:09. | |
EU will also be fair the other way round. The most recent censts | :28:10. | :28:18. | |
indicates that 1588 of my constituents were born in other EU | :28:19. | :28:22. | |
countries. From personal experience I know they include doctors, | :28:23. | :28:26. | |
dentists, teachers, nurses, home care and residential workers, | :28:27. | :28:31. | |
teachers and many more. White is the government not -- why the government | :28:32. | :28:37. | |
able to give guarantees on the right of bankers but not my consthtuents? | :28:38. | :28:45. | |
We are clear it is important to maintain the right of EU citizens in | :28:46. | :28:49. | |
the UK and UK citizens in the EU and we will continue to do this to the | :28:50. | :28:53. | |
negotiations. The minister hs seeking to brush away the concerns | :28:54. | :28:56. | |
that exist on this issue. L`st month the British Chambers of Comlerce | :28:57. | :29:01. | |
reported that 41% of companhes had said their staff had expressed | :29:02. | :29:04. | |
uncertainty on their future, EU staff in our universities who make | :29:05. | :29:10. | |
up 15% of academics are considering their position, and NHS England s | :29:11. | :29:14. | |
Chief Executive has called darly reassurance for the future of EU | :29:15. | :29:18. | |
workers. Will the government simply resolve uncertainty by commhtting to | :29:19. | :29:24. | |
implement the decision on this house and say that EU nationals h`ve the | :29:25. | :29:30. | |
right to remain? The governlent recognises the enormous contribution | :29:31. | :29:37. | |
of EU citizens to our health service, business and we nedd to | :29:38. | :29:40. | |
make sure they're rights at addicted but we need to do so through | :29:41. | :29:48. | |
negotiation. -- their rights are protected. Why was the Chancellor | :29:49. | :29:56. | |
yesterday in front of the sdlect committee able to give a solid | :29:57. | :30:00. | |
guarantee for the travel right bankers but he is not able to do it | :30:01. | :30:05. | |
for hard-working citizens? H think he might have been inadvertdntly | :30:06. | :30:11. | |
misrepresenting the comments. The Chancellor was making clear that his | :30:12. | :30:15. | |
role to advocate in the polhcy discussions to come on this with the | :30:16. | :30:19. | |
Home Office and other departments, he was not doing as he says. | :30:20. | :30:28. | |
Immigration is a reserved m`tter however we are working closdly with | :30:29. | :30:33. | |
the Scottish Government and we will get the best possible deal for all | :30:34. | :30:37. | |
part of the United Kingdom `s we leave the EU. We will give the | :30:38. | :30:41. | |
Scottish Government every opportunity to have their s`y as we | :30:42. | :30:47. | |
develop the negotiating str`tegy. After the referendum, the former | :30:48. | :30:53. | |
Justice Secretary said that Scotland could decide its own immigr`tion | :30:54. | :31:00. | |
policy in the event of Brexht. Was that proposal defender strahght it | :31:01. | :31:05. | |
at the same time as the Minhster? -- what a proposal thrown out of the | :31:06. | :31:08. | |
window at the same time as the Minister? We have indicated that | :31:09. | :31:12. | |
immigration is a reserved m`tter but we will continue to have discussions | :31:13. | :31:16. | |
with all of the devolved administration including thd | :31:17. | :31:18. | |
Scottish Government, and thdre will be discussions in due coursd as to | :31:19. | :31:22. | |
where powers should lie. London is a great global city and we | :31:23. | :31:38. | |
expect it to continue its to be so. I am sure he will join me in | :31:39. | :31:42. | |
welcoming the record-breaking jobs figures for London, the lowdst rate | :31:43. | :31:45. | |
of unemployment in London in our lifetime will. The Secretarx of | :31:46. | :31:52. | |
State has met with the Mayor of London and we expect to be leeting | :31:53. | :31:55. | |
with regions across the UK to ensure that their views are taken hnto | :31:56. | :32:00. | |
account. I am grateful for that answer. I am sure the Minister will | :32:01. | :32:03. | |
welcome the London is open campaign led by the Mayor of London so can he | :32:04. | :32:07. | |
give a commitment to with an open mind of the case being developed by | :32:08. | :32:12. | |
London's business community for a work permit system for London which | :32:13. | :32:17. | |
would enable us to continue us to recruit the best and brightdst | :32:18. | :32:20. | |
talent around the world? Thd precise way in which the government will | :32:21. | :32:24. | |
control the movement of EU nationals and people around the world is | :32:25. | :32:26. | |
something we will be working on with the Home Office and certainly take | :32:27. | :32:30. | |
into account representations from London and other devolved areas but | :32:31. | :32:34. | |
clearly we need to come up with the policy that works alone of the UK. I | :32:35. | :32:40. | |
am holding a Brexit for next month with local businesses in my | :32:41. | :32:44. | |
constituency with interests from IT, creative industries, retail and | :32:45. | :32:48. | |
property. What would the Minister's advice be the local businesses to | :32:49. | :32:52. | |
engage with Brexit? Would it be to embrace the challenges and | :32:53. | :32:55. | |
opportunities or follow the opposition leader which is full of | :32:56. | :33:01. | |
pessimism and then I'll? My honourable -- denial? My honourable | :33:02. | :33:08. | |
friend is right that we need to embrace the opportunities in the | :33:09. | :33:11. | |
Brexit process and engage whth businesses so it is excellent that | :33:12. | :33:14. | |
he is holding this forum and listening to businesses in his | :33:15. | :33:16. | |
constituency, it is something that we will be doing around the country. | :33:17. | :33:22. | |
The government's shocking rdcord on tackling air pollution is | :33:23. | :33:26. | |
well-documented with almost 10, 00 associated deaths in London in just | :33:27. | :33:32. | |
one year. Given that the government regularly flout EU regulation on air | :33:33. | :33:36. | |
pollution now, what assurance can the minister give me that once we | :33:37. | :33:40. | |
urge the exit the European Tnion, the government will not simply | :33:41. | :33:43. | |
abandon all legal protection on revolution in the capital and the -- | :33:44. | :33:49. | |
on air pollution in the caphtal and country? The government is committed | :33:50. | :33:53. | |
to air pollution cutting and we have committed ?2 billion as his 201 to | :33:54. | :33:58. | |
increase the uptake of ultr` low emissions vehicles, support green | :33:59. | :34:01. | |
schemes and set out a national town to tackle elution in towns `nd | :34:02. | :34:05. | |
cities. I visited the Institute for Cancer Research and they want to | :34:06. | :34:09. | |
develop a London cancer hub which I hope the government will support and | :34:10. | :34:13. | |
they expect to be able to ddvelop two new cancer drugs in fivd years | :34:14. | :34:17. | |
if that happens. One of thehr concern is that 30% of their | :34:18. | :34:20. | |
postgraduate come from the DU. What guarantees can the Minister give | :34:21. | :34:23. | |
that these essential London workers will be able to continue in post and | :34:24. | :34:27. | |
recruit from the EU in the future? I would prefer him to the answer I | :34:28. | :34:33. | |
gave earlier, I think this hs something where we want to continue | :34:34. | :34:36. | |
to attract the brightest and best and we will be making sure, as I | :34:37. | :34:39. | |
have already engaged with c`ncer charities and abide -- wide range of | :34:40. | :34:45. | |
organisations, we take their concerns into account as we have | :34:46. | :34:48. | |
conversations on immigration in the future. | :34:49. | :34:52. | |
The Prime Minister is clear that we want the most open and free access | :34:53. | :34:57. | |
possible. All countries havd access to the single market, the qtestion | :34:58. | :35:01. | |
is on what terms and to what extent. We are seeking a bespoke outcomes | :35:02. | :35:05. | |
with terms of trading with `nd operating within the Europe`n | :35:06. | :35:09. | |
market. As one of the world's largest economies, we will | :35:10. | :35:12. | |
confidently negotiate the rhght deals England, Scotland, Wales and | :35:13. | :35:16. | |
Northern Ireland and we are acutely aware of the significant tr`ding | :35:17. | :35:18. | |
links between Ireland and Northern Ireland and are intended to ensure a | :35:19. | :35:26. | |
smooth transition. The Secrdtary of State's answers suggest that nothing | :35:27. | :35:29. | |
has been set in stone. With that in mind, and given the importance of | :35:30. | :35:33. | |
the single market membership to the island economy, will the Secretary | :35:34. | :35:40. | |
of State commit to exploring ways in which Northern Ireland can remain in | :35:41. | :35:44. | |
the single market in the evdntuality that but leaves because of the | :35:45. | :35:47. | |
importance of that market to our business? I have already colmitted | :35:48. | :35:56. | |
to extensive work to ensure that we keep an open border between the | :35:57. | :36:00. | |
north and south, that we mahntain common travel areas and maintain the | :36:01. | :36:05. | |
most effective possible open market that we can achieve. Within that, I | :36:06. | :36:09. | |
do not intend at that point to specify any particular outcome. The | :36:10. | :36:16. | |
Remain campaign were perfectly clear that we would have to leave the | :36:17. | :36:19. | |
single market. On the important questions here whether the French | :36:20. | :36:27. | |
wish to sell off wine withott Paris, whether the Germans wish to sell off | :36:28. | :36:30. | |
Carl without tariffs, and whether or not all of Europe wishes to continue | :36:31. | :36:34. | |
its current level of access to the city? My friend makes a verx | :36:35. | :36:44. | |
important point and when thd Prime Minister is at the European Council | :36:45. | :36:46. | |
tonight and tomorrow she will reiterate what you have said many | :36:47. | :36:50. | |
times already, that we want an outcome which are successful both | :36:51. | :36:54. | |
for the United Kingdom and the European Union. He makes thd point | :36:55. | :36:59. | |
that if they do not achieve an open trading relationship, open, free and | :37:00. | :37:07. | |
barrier free, that will be harmful for European countries and financial | :37:08. | :37:14. | |
stability is no wants that. Were we to leave the customs union, the 44% | :37:15. | :37:20. | |
of exporters who export into the EU would face extra costs complying | :37:21. | :37:24. | |
with the rules of origin whhch the OECD estimates at 25%. Doesn't the | :37:25. | :37:29. | |
Secretary of State feel that membership of the customs union is | :37:30. | :37:32. | |
even more important than thd Bishop of the single market? -- melbership? | :37:33. | :37:38. | |
These are matters which are being set a carefully. I will makd the | :37:39. | :37:41. | |
point that if she looks at the various other countries, all of them | :37:42. | :37:45. | |
smaller than us, they are not good models, around the unit European | :37:46. | :37:54. | |
Union, we have got Turkey and Norway outside the customs unit whhch | :37:55. | :38:00. | |
manage to trade. Switzerland is outside the custom unit and the | :38:01. | :38:04. | |
single market. We are looking at the best balance to get the best | :38:05. | :38:08. | |
outcome. Obviously the Minister cannot speculate on how the | :38:09. | :38:11. | |
negotiations will go but ond thing we do know, we have already had a | :38:12. | :38:20. | |
Brexit problem with the pound falling 15% because the Europe, | :38:21. | :38:27. | |
exports cheaper and import lore expensive, that means more goods | :38:28. | :38:34. | |
coming into the country -- lade in this country and that is crdating | :38:35. | :38:39. | |
jobs. The pound has a disadvantage in effect of inflation but ht has | :38:40. | :38:46. | |
advantages in trading. They are bigger than the tariffs that people | :38:47. | :38:54. | |
talk about. The member for Rutherford is not standing... She | :38:55. | :38:59. | |
is! Enlightenment has dawned! Leaving a single market in the hard | :39:00. | :39:05. | |
Brexit will be catastrophic, and the Treasury estimates the cost of the | :39:06. | :39:13. | |
UK economy could be ?60 billion wages hit by ?2000 and jobs in | :39:14. | :39:17. | |
Scotland lost. Considering the Tory manifesto stated that we sax yes to | :39:18. | :39:22. | |
the single market, can the secretary cast doubt aside and undert`ke to | :39:23. | :39:29. | |
make good on this? I can undertake to make sure that we get thd freest | :39:30. | :39:33. | |
and most open trading relathonship with Europe. That is not -- that is | :39:34. | :39:40. | |
what matters, not hard Brexht or soft Brexit, these amazing terms, we | :39:41. | :39:45. | |
want the maximum possible access which will encourage job growth and | :39:46. | :39:49. | |
wealth growth and revenue growth in this country. Membership of the | :39:50. | :39:55. | |
single market means accessing EU laws, home to accept rulings on the | :39:56. | :39:59. | |
European Court of justice, still making conservation is to the EU | :40:00. | :40:02. | |
budget and accepting free movement of people, all of which risd in the | :40:03. | :40:06. | |
face of what the British people voted for in the referendum. If not | :40:07. | :40:10. | |
the only question of principle at stake whether or not the EU want to | :40:11. | :40:15. | |
carry on with tariff free trade in the UK or do they want to commit | :40:16. | :40:22. | |
economic suicide? He makes ` good point and I reiterate what H said | :40:23. | :40:26. | |
earlier, our aim is to come up with an outcome which is good for the | :40:27. | :40:29. | |
United Kingdom and good for the European Union and that acttally is | :40:30. | :40:31. | |
a free trade area with us. The UK has been a leading player on | :40:32. | :40:43. | |
environmental policy, setting the international agenda on clilate | :40:44. | :40:46. | |
change as demonstrated by a Prime Minister's commitment to ratify the | :40:47. | :40:49. | |
Paris agreement as soon as possible. Britain will take back control of | :40:50. | :40:53. | |
its laws through the greater appeal bill, any future changes to | :40:54. | :40:57. | |
environmental changes will be for Defra and this has to decidd. The UK | :40:58. | :41:01. | |
will continue to be a leader on international incremental | :41:02. | :41:06. | |
Corporation. The European dhrective on bathing water has been p`rt of a | :41:07. | :41:12. | |
very good environmental law that has meant that water have cleandd up our | :41:13. | :41:16. | |
beaches around the country. Can be rest assured that we are not going | :41:17. | :41:20. | |
to going to row back on environmental laws are good? Not all | :41:21. | :41:24. | |
environmental laws from Europe are bad. I can see his point but it is | :41:25. | :41:28. | |
in the UK interest to make sure we have the cleanest possible bathing | :41:29. | :41:32. | |
water. It will be something for future debates. We will certainly | :41:33. | :41:36. | |
make sure that we are maint`ining at least the standards that we have | :41:37. | :41:40. | |
done in the past and I would remind him of our manifesto commitlent to | :41:41. | :41:44. | |
leave the environment in a better state than we inherited it. | :41:45. | :41:49. | |
Is the minister not aware that waste, energy, water, we have such | :41:50. | :41:57. | |
close relationships across Durope and are depent dant on their levels | :41:58. | :42:03. | |
with us. Many of the people involved in that sector have read thd article | :42:04. | :42:10. | |
saying with the Brexit is the worst decision since Suez. Does hd agree | :42:11. | :42:14. | |
with that view? I don't think now is the time to re-fight the referendum, | :42:15. | :42:18. | |
on which he and I may have been on the same side. What I would say is | :42:19. | :42:22. | |
that it will be absolutely hn our interests in the future to | :42:23. | :42:25. | |
co-operate with our neighbotrs on matters of environment, which affect | :42:26. | :42:29. | |
us all. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Amongst those | :42:30. | :42:35. | |
who will be most affected bx changes to environmental regulations will be | :42:36. | :42:40. | |
the agriculture community. Hs my friend aware of significant concern | :42:41. | :42:44. | |
among that community at the prospect of leaving the single market with | :42:45. | :42:50. | |
issues involving welfare as well as tariffs. It will not be used as a | :42:51. | :42:55. | |
make-weight in negotiations with other interests and there'll be | :42:56. | :42:58. | |
close co-operation with DEFRA colleagues in relation to that? I | :42:59. | :43:03. | |
can assure my friend there hs close co-operation between our department | :43:04. | :43:10. | |
and DEFRA and there have bedn meetings with the NFU and | :43:11. | :43:14. | |
agricultural businesses frol around the UK. Number seven, Mr Spdaker. | :43:15. | :43:20. | |
A large component of the people who voted to leave the European Union | :43:21. | :43:26. | |
could be characterised as British industrial working class. It is not | :43:27. | :43:30. | |
for me to undermine their rhghts. As a Government we will do nothing to | :43:31. | :43:34. | |
undermine workers' rights. @ll law in this area at the time of exit | :43:35. | :43:40. | |
will be brought under UK law ensuring continuity. I thank the | :43:41. | :43:45. | |
Secretary of State for that answer. The part-time worker's regulations | :43:46. | :43:51. | |
2000 implemented that EU directive that guarantees equal rights for | :43:52. | :43:53. | |
workers with their full-timd colleagues. Will the Secret`ry of | :43:54. | :43:58. | |
State guarantee that those rights will not be removed or di lhghted in | :43:59. | :44:07. | |
anyway -- diluted in anyway when UK leaves the EU. All law, no | :44:08. | :44:12. | |
exceptions. On that point, employment law is a devolved matter | :44:13. | :44:18. | |
in Northern Ireland. Under the great repel bill, will that competent will | :44:19. | :44:22. | |
automatically devolved or hdld in some holding room here before it is | :44:23. | :44:26. | |
subsequently devolved? The honourable gentleman raises an | :44:27. | :44:29. | |
important point. That is whx I said last week when talking about the | :44:30. | :44:34. | |
great repel bill we'll have extensive discussions to ensure that | :44:35. | :44:38. | |
each appropriate piece of l`w goes to the right place. | :44:39. | :44:47. | |
Thank you. Number 15. We have engaged with a numbdr of | :44:48. | :44:52. | |
higher educational instituthons including groups such as unhversity. | :44:53. | :44:58. | |
Over the next few months we will engage with civil society, hncluding | :44:59. | :45:04. | |
university through number of round tables. We want to create an | :45:05. | :45:11. | |
environment in which the UK can be a leader in science and education | :45:12. | :45:17. | |
There are 4512 students at The University of Edinburgh frol other | :45:18. | :45:23. | |
EU countries and others involved in research, administration and | :45:24. | :45:26. | |
teaching at the university do. They not realise this refusal to | :45:27. | :45:30. | |
guarantee the status of these people in our community is placed hn | :45:31. | :45:34. | |
jeopardy much of the work of that great institution and is catsing | :45:35. | :45:39. | |
unnecessary anxious in our community I would refer the honourabld | :45:40. | :45:47. | |
gentleman to the answers earlier, on the intention to my earlier | :45:48. | :45:52. | |
comments. EU students applyhng for places in 2017 and 2018 will be | :45:53. | :45:57. | |
eligible for loans and grants for the duration of their coursd. The | :45:58. | :46:01. | |
Scottish Government has madd the same guarantees. Number 17. | :46:02. | :46:10. | |
The Prime Minister has made clear that she will trigger Article 5 by | :46:11. | :46:15. | |
the end of March 2017. It is in everyone's interests we takd time to | :46:16. | :46:19. | |
establish a UK approach and clear objectives for negotiations. Equally | :46:20. | :46:22. | |
the Prime Minister has been clear there'll be no unnecessary delay. | :46:23. | :46:25. | |
We've been clear we will trhgger when the time is right for Britain. | :46:26. | :46:30. | |
And that will certainly will, we will give certain where possible for | :46:31. | :46:37. | |
businesses in Britain other Europeans countries time for | :46:38. | :46:40. | |
themselves. Will the honour`ble gentleman agree with me this | :46:41. | :46:44. | |
Government are right to delhver the Brexit that 17.2 million people | :46:45. | :46:47. | |
voted ford and do it in a responsible fashion that will allow | :46:48. | :46:49. | |
this to deliver the great ddal for this to deliver the great ddal for | :46:50. | :46:52. | |
Britain that we know it will deliver? That is exactly right. It | :46:53. | :46:56. | |
is what the Prime Minister said It is what we intend. I say I doubt it | :46:57. | :47:02. | |
is what they intend. Has my Right Honourable friend aware that the | :47:03. | :47:06. | |
house in the last 24 hours has reported that there should be a vote | :47:07. | :47:13. | |
in this house to debate negotiating guidelines at least in outlhne. Will | :47:14. | :47:17. | |
he accept that the Parliament as a whole, including the House of Lords, | :47:18. | :47:21. | |
has to not only respect, but also to accept the verdict of the British | :47:22. | :47:25. | |
people? And furthermore, it is this elected House to determine hts own | :47:26. | :47:28. | |
procedures, standing orders and votes? | :47:29. | :47:32. | |
The honourable gentleman is right. We should respect the will of the | :47:33. | :47:35. | |
British people. I have not had a chance to look at the Lords report | :47:36. | :47:43. | |
yet.ly comment on that when I do. As my Right Honourable friend will know | :47:44. | :47:47. | |
there's been a very important court case heard in the High Court in the | :47:48. | :47:52. | |
last week. What plans has mx Right Honourable friend drawn up, | :47:53. | :47:56. | |
including legislation in thd event that he loses that case and that | :47:57. | :48:03. | |
therefore that it will be this place, including the House of Lords, | :48:04. | :48:07. | |
that will trigger Article 50, and not the Government using thd royal | :48:08. | :48:15. | |
prerogative? Let me say gently to my honourable friend, ministers do not | :48:16. | :48:21. | |
comment on court cases in progress. THE SPEAKER: Topical questions. | :48:22. | :48:28. | |
Topical question two. Sir. Last week I updated the House on our progress | :48:29. | :48:30. | |
towards leaving the European Union. I had been clear that the | :48:31. | :48:35. | |
Government's overarching cl`ims are bringing back control of laws | :48:36. | :48:41. | |
controls over immigration to the UK. Maintaining strong security | :48:42. | :48:45. | |
co-operation we have with the EU and establishing the freest possible | :48:46. | :48:47. | |
market with the EU and the rest of the world. The great repel bill will | :48:48. | :48:55. | |
end the primacy of EU law. Litre turn sovereignty to the UK. That is | :48:56. | :48:57. | |
what it was all about, taking control. We will work to ensure the | :48:58. | :49:01. | |
UK's exit from the EU serves the interests of the whole country. From | :49:02. | :49:05. | |
citizens to businesses. We will reap the opportunities exit provhdes all | :49:06. | :49:10. | |
over the world and deliver `n orderly and smooth transition. I | :49:11. | :49:13. | |
have been clear, as has the Prime Minister, that we will not provide a | :49:14. | :49:17. | |
running commentary on the negotiations. That would not be in | :49:18. | :49:21. | |
our interest. We want to build a national | :49:22. | :49:24. | |
consensus around our position. Discussion our options and ` rieng | :49:25. | :49:29. | |
of stakeholders. Last week H committed to debates so the House | :49:30. | :49:34. | |
can air its views. We look forward to communities with the Seldct | :49:35. | :49:38. | |
Committee. Congratulate the member for Leeds Central as the ch`ir on | :49:39. | :49:44. | |
that committee. From the mill bakery next door to my office to Khngston | :49:45. | :49:49. | |
Hospitals thousands of EU chtizens work and live in Kingston. They are | :49:50. | :49:54. | |
very welcome. What process does my friend have in mind to ensure their | :49:55. | :49:59. | |
rights are protected post Brexit as well as the British ex-pats living | :50:00. | :50:04. | |
in the EU. Something which none of the heads of 27 states are xet to | :50:05. | :50:08. | |
guarantee? As the parliamentary secretary has made very cle`r | :50:09. | :50:11. | |
already we want to be able to guarantee the right of all those | :50:12. | :50:16. | |
European migrants. I say for many of them they are in a position of | :50:17. | :50:19. | |
having indefinitely to remahn or will have by the time we le`ve | :50:20. | :50:24. | |
whenever it is in two-and-a,half years time or thereabouts. We are | :50:25. | :50:28. | |
talking about a small fracthon of people. We take it incredibly | :50:29. | :50:33. | |
seriously and we will seek to get the agreement with the other | :50:34. | :50:36. | |
European countries that we will uphold their rights and British | :50:37. | :50:40. | |
citizens rights abroad as soon as possible. | :50:41. | :50:45. | |
Thank you, Mr Speaker. Now H don't know about you Mr Speaker, but the | :50:46. | :50:50. | |
British people have had enotgh of this being misled over thosd issues. | :50:51. | :50:56. | |
So, will the Secretary of State tell this House and the country whether | :50:57. | :51:01. | |
his plan, as it is evolving, it seems, will involve the country | :51:02. | :51:05. | |
agreeing to continue to makd payments to the European Unhon after | :51:06. | :51:14. | |
we have left the European Union The honourable lady had a great deal of | :51:15. | :51:18. | |
trouble keeping the straight face asking that question. She knows it | :51:19. | :51:25. | |
is not one I am going to answer Mr Speaker, I look forward to being | :51:26. | :51:29. | |
able to ask him a question with a straight face in anticipation of a | :51:30. | :51:34. | |
straight answer. Could he perhaps try to tell this | :51:35. | :51:40. | |
House and the country whethdr his plan how much he estimates will need | :51:41. | :51:46. | |
to be spent on settling leg`cy commitments prior to the colpletion | :51:47. | :51:50. | |
of Brexit because the FT estimates, and it is not a leak, this hs an | :51:51. | :51:56. | |
analysis, they estimate that our historic liabilities could cost up | :51:57. | :52:02. | |
to ?20 billion. Let me go, I mean, to an more | :52:03. | :52:10. | |
authorive source. I have no trouble keeping a straight face. Wh`t they | :52:11. | :52:14. | |
do is not to the country's hnterest from time to time. And the source I | :52:15. | :52:20. | |
am going to quote is more authoritative than the Financial | :52:21. | :52:24. | |
Times T European Commission talking about negotiating guidelines and how | :52:25. | :52:28. | |
it handles negotiations and what it puts in the public domain. The | :52:29. | :52:33. | |
negotiations and remember this is the commission "the negotiations and | :52:34. | :52:36. | |
their text are not themselvds public. This is normal for trade | :52:37. | :52:39. | |
negotiations, not just thosd involving the EU. There are several | :52:40. | :52:44. | |
reasons for this. A certain level of confidentiality is necessarx to | :52:45. | :52:47. | |
protect EU interests and to keep chances for a satisfactory outcome | :52:48. | :52:52. | |
high. When entering into a game no-one is revealing his str`tegy to | :52:53. | :52:56. | |
his counterpart. This is thd case for the EU." What the opposhtion are | :52:57. | :53:02. | |
trying to do, Mr Speaker s to put us into a disadvantage position against | :53:03. | :53:04. | |
the European Union. That is not in the national interest. | :53:05. | :53:12. | |
Are opportunities being identified potential opportunities for British | :53:13. | :53:14. | |
business which will arise from our departure? Mr Speaker, my Rhght | :53:15. | :53:20. | |
Honourable friend raises an extremely important point bdcause | :53:21. | :53:23. | |
whilst many honourable membdrs seek to identify the challenges of | :53:24. | :53:26. | |
exiting the European Union, there are of course a great number of them | :53:27. | :53:30. | |
not least because we will bd in charge of our own affairs and our | :53:31. | :53:36. | |
own trade policy. For that reason my department and the department for | :53:37. | :53:40. | |
international trade are eng`ging regularly with businesses, not only | :53:41. | :53:42. | |
in the United Kingdom, but `round the globe. | :53:43. | :53:47. | |
Thank you. In Camden, where I live, the bats of business and thd fast | :53:48. | :53:54. | |
forward programme benefit from the social funds. They employ 400 | :53:55. | :54:00. | |
people, many of whom are disabled. Will the minister outline what plans | :54:01. | :54:05. | |
he has to protect such fundhng programmes which promote such social | :54:06. | :54:11. | |
inclusivity? Most EU funds will be guaranteed by the Treasury hn | :54:12. | :54:15. | |
August, post departure. After that, the decision we will one | :54:16. | :54:20. | |
for the British people, the Parliament and the relevant | :54:21. | :54:23. | |
department. I am sure they will take on board what she says. Does the | :54:24. | :54:26. | |
Secretary of State agree th`t the UK will continue to be a leading global | :54:27. | :54:32. | |
finance centre outside of the E ? -- EU? Absolutely. We don't think | :54:33. | :54:36. | |
there's any doubt of that whatsoever. London was rankdd as the | :54:37. | :54:43. | |
number one finance centre in 20 6. The next highest ranked was not in | :54:44. | :54:47. | |
the top ten. While being part of the EU market is part of this and we are | :54:48. | :54:51. | |
looking to maintain the best terms of trade, it is not the onlx factor. | :54:52. | :54:55. | |
London clearly leads the world in terms of the depth and expertise, | :54:56. | :55:01. | |
the breadth of services and the links to marketses around the world. | :55:02. | :55:05. | |
It is in the interests of the UK and the EU this should continue. | :55:06. | :55:10. | |
Thank you, Mr Speaker. I didn't quite catch in the minister's | :55:11. | :55:14. | |
response earlier, could he say what priority he's giving to enstring | :55:15. | :55:19. | |
that university and research funding more broadly is not adversely | :55:20. | :55:24. | |
affected by Brexit and that kurntd research protocols are protdcted? | :55:25. | :55:28. | |
The honourable lady raises ` very important point. As I said darlier | :55:29. | :55:33. | |
we want the UK to maintain ` scientific superpower. We h`ve | :55:34. | :55:36. | |
significant guarantees from the Treasury in the lead up to 2020 It | :55:37. | :55:43. | |
will be in the interest of future Governments to maintain we remain | :55:44. | :55:46. | |
one of the scientific centrds of the world. Under Cornwall Counchl | :55:47. | :55:53. | |
figures only 1300 jobs will be created from ?350 million spend | :55:54. | :56:00. | |
between now and 2020. Does he agree a more tailored approach cotld | :56:01. | :56:04. | |
create more jobs in a faster time for Cornwall? Well my honourable | :56:05. | :56:07. | |
friend makes an extremely ilportant point. As I indicated the Chancellor | :56:08. | :56:13. | |
has guaranteed structural ftnding efek tick live to 2020. It hs | :56:14. | :56:17. | |
important that these progralmes deliver value for money. For that | :56:18. | :56:22. | |
purpose the Government will liaise with the devolved administr`tions | :56:23. | :56:24. | |
and local authorities such `s Cornwall. | :56:25. | :56:27. | |
. Given the Secretary of St`te's answer to question one earlher, I am | :56:28. | :56:32. | |
sure he's well aware that in financial services Merrill Lynch has | :56:33. | :56:40. | |
1,000 staff in Cheshire but he only has staff in London and Brussels. | :56:41. | :56:46. | |
Will he commit thod to having staff in his department based in dvery | :56:47. | :56:50. | |
region of England, so that business can share their views directly with | :56:51. | :56:52. | |
his staff? What we have done already, ht is not | :56:53. | :57:04. | |
about the allocation of staff. The simple truth is we have been from | :57:05. | :57:12. | |
Blackburn to Belfast to Port of Tilbury, very many places in the UK | :57:13. | :57:16. | |
and we will continue to do so throughout this process and they are | :57:17. | :57:24. | |
after. Yesterday's employment figures showed that this | :57:25. | :57:27. | |
government's policies mean there are no people in employment than ever | :57:28. | :57:33. | |
before. Because the NHS relhes on thousands of EU nationals, hncluding | :57:34. | :57:39. | |
consultants, cleaners and porters, does the Secretary of State want to | :57:40. | :57:43. | |
ensure the NHS that they will be able to continue to employ them The | :57:44. | :57:48. | |
point to reiterate is that the point of my department is to bring the | :57:49. | :57:54. | |
decision back to the UK so that the British Government and parlhament | :57:55. | :57:57. | |
can make the decision in thd interests of the UK so you can be | :57:58. | :58:02. | |
absolutely sure that it will not interpret that interest in somehow | :58:03. | :58:05. | |
denying staff to the NHS, jtst the reverse. Earlier on the Secretary of | :58:06. | :58:14. | |
State said there would be no running commentary on negotiations. They | :58:15. | :58:20. | |
then announced plans to protect financial services. Is this not | :58:21. | :58:26. | |
prove that the government h`s not a clue what they are doing? -, proof. | :58:27. | :58:34. | |
As I have said a number of times, I will make as much information public | :58:35. | :58:38. | |
as possible without prejudice and our negotiating position. Would my | :58:39. | :58:54. | |
right honourable friend givd manufacturers in the West Mhdlands | :58:55. | :58:57. | |
in my constituency reassurance that the smooth tariff free oper`tion of | :58:58. | :59:04. | |
supply chains is of the utmost importance to them? In deed, and we | :59:05. | :59:07. | |
have been studying in detail the effect on integrated operathons to | :59:08. | :59:13. | |
make sure it does not jeopardise that. In a written answer to me | :59:14. | :59:19. | |
yesterday the Secretary of State for Wales talked about the full | :59:20. | :59:25. | |
engagement of the devolved administrations in the negotiations. | :59:26. | :59:30. | |
Isn't it in the the best interests of Wales to have the Ministdr in | :59:31. | :59:37. | |
negotiating team? I met the First Minister and the finance minister on | :59:38. | :59:41. | |
Tuesday to talk about Wales's interest, that is how we will do it. | :59:42. | :59:51. | |
Automotive industry in my rdgion have benefited from multinational | :59:52. | :59:55. | |
industry, what will he do to make sure that that sector -- in that | :59:56. | :00:07. | |
sector the UK is a great pl`ce to invest? | :00:08. | :00:09. | |
People in Scotland are scardd of being left on a small island with | :00:10. | :00:13. | |
perpetual Tory governments hn charge of employment law. Will this | :00:14. | :00:22. | |
government committed to fully developing employment law? ,- | :00:23. | :00:41. | |
devolving. We committed that we would not involve employment rights. | :00:42. | :00:51. | |
I am meeting with my counterpart in Brussels to discuss this. Whll he | :00:52. | :00:57. | |
make sure that in reviewing agricultural and environmental | :00:58. | :00:59. | |
registrations they will havd at the front of their minds the nedd for | :01:00. | :01:03. | |
our farmers to deduce the high-quality food they do profitable | :01:04. | :01:15. | |
-- in a profitable way? One of the benefits of leaving the EU hs not | :01:16. | :01:19. | |
only we will be able to adhdre to stringent environmental reqtirements | :01:20. | :01:26. | |
but we will also be able to tailor them to our needs. Nissan and Jaguar | :01:27. | :01:30. | |
Land Rover made it clear th`t access to the single market is crucial to | :01:31. | :01:34. | |
their future investment dechsions in this country. What discussions have | :01:35. | :01:40. | |
the Minister had with these companies to give them reassurance | :01:41. | :01:45. | |
that access to the single m`rket is the government's highest prhority? | :01:46. | :01:51. | |
The Prime Minister had a medting with Nissan this week and the | :01:52. | :01:55. | |
communiqu that came out after that was extremely positive on both | :01:56. | :02:00. | |
sides. Brexit has been widely welcomed by leaders in the fishing | :02:01. | :02:04. | |
industry in the Cleethorpes area. The industry was badly let down in | :02:05. | :02:10. | |
the negotiations in the 1970s. Can he assured me this will not be the | :02:11. | :02:15. | |
case in this occasion? He m`kes an extremely important point. The | :02:16. | :02:21. | |
interests of the British fishing industry are the forefront of the | :02:22. | :02:24. | |
government's mind and we have had meetings with the Scottish fishermen | :02:25. | :02:27. | |
and had round table meetings at effort. In Northern Ireland we have | :02:28. | :02:35. | |
some of the best export bushness in our businesses for agriculttre food | :02:36. | :02:41. | |
and fishing. With he speak to them and hear what they have to say? I | :02:42. | :02:51. | |
will be delighted to do so. Can the Leader of the House please give us | :02:52. | :02:58. | |
the forthcoming business. The business for next week will be as | :02:59. | :03:04. | |
follows, Monday the 24th of October, second reading of the | :03:05. | :03:05. |