17/01/2017 House of Commons


17/01/2017

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in view of the high levels of personal debt? We are looking very

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closely at, we will see some progress in the vein of future.

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Statement, the Secretary of State for Health man. -- the Secretary of

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State for Northern Ireland. Secretary James Brokenshire. Thank

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you, Mr Speaker. With permission, I should like to make a statement

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regarding forthcoming elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly. As

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the House is aware, Martin McGuinness resigned as dippy Defence

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Minister of Northern Ireland on Monday. As a result of which, the

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First Minister also ceased to hold office. -- Deputy First Minister.

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This began a seven-day period in which to fill both positions,

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otherwise it would fall to me to fulfil my statutory obligations as

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Secretary of State to call a fresh election to the Northern Ireland

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Assembly. Over the past week, I having gauged intensively with

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Northern Ireland's political parties to establish whether any basis

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existed to resolve the tensions within the executive without

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triggering an election. I've remained in close contact with the

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Irish foreign minister, Charlie Flanagan. In addition, my right

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honourable friend the Prime Minister has been kept fully informed and has

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had conversations with the former first and deputy first ministers and

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the Taoiseach Enda Kenny. Regrettably and despite all of our

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collective efforts, it has not proved possible to find an agreed

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way forward in the time available. In the Northern Ireland as the

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yesterday, the Democratic Unionist Party nominated Arlene Foster as

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First Minister whilst Sinn Fein declined to nominate anybody to the

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post of Deputy First Minister. While I have some discretion in law over

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the setting of a date for an election, given the circumstances in

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which we find ourselves in Northern Ireland, I can see no case for

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delay. As a result, once the final deadline has passed -- had passed at

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5p and yesterday, I proposed Thursday the 2nd of March as the

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date of the Assembly election. The Assembly itself will be dissolved

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from the 26th of January, meaning the last sitting day will be the

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25th of January, allowing time to conduct any urgent remaining

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business before the election campaign begins in earnest. I am now

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taking forward the process of submitting an order in council for

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approval by Her Majesty the Queen on the advice of the Privy Council,

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formally setting in law both the dates of the dissolution and the

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election. In setting the stakes, I have consulted the chief electoral

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officer for Northern Ireland chosen he has given the assurance in

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operational matters relating to the running of the election. -- in

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setting these dates. The decisions that I've taken have also been

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informed by my ongoing discussion with Northern Ireland's political

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leadership. All right honourable and honourable members in this House

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will understand that elections by their nature are hotly contested.

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This is part of the essence of our democracy. And nobody expects the

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debates around the key issues in Northern Ireland to be anything less

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than robust. I would, however, like to stress the following. This

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election is about the future of Northern Ireland and its political

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institutions are not just the Assembly, but all of the

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arrangements that have been put in place to reflect relationships

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through these islands. That is why it will be vital for the

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campaign to be conducted respectfully and in ways which do

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not simply exacerbate tensions and division. Once the campaign is over,

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we need to be in a position to re-establish strong and stable

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devolved government in Northern Ireland. And let me be very clear, I

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am not contemplating any outcome other than the re-establishment of

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strong and stable devolved government. For all the reasons I

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set out in my statement last week, devolution remains this government's

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strongly preferred option for Northern Ireland. It is about

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delivering a better future for the people of Northern Ireland, and

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meeting their expectations. For our part, the UK Government will

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continue to stand by our commitments under the Belfast agreement and its

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successors. We will do all that we can to safeguard political

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stability. Over the past decade, Northern Ireland has enjoyed the

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longest run of unbroken devolved government since before the demise

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of the old Stormont parliament in 1972. It has not always been easy,

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with more than a few bumps in the road. But with strong leadership,

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issues that might once have brought the institutions down have been

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resolved through dialogue. And Northern Ireland has been able to

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present itself to the world in a way that would have been unrecognisable

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a few years ago. A modern, dynamic and outward looking Northern

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Ireland, that is a great place to live, work, invest and to do

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business. Mr Speaker, Northern Ireland has come so far. We cannot

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allow the games that have been made to be derailed. -- the gains. So,

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yes, we have an election but once it is over, we need to be in a position

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to continue building in Northern Ireland that works for everyone.

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That is the responsibility on all of us and we all need to rise to the

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challenge. And in that spirit, Mr Speaker, I commend this statement to

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the house. Mr David Andersen. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. Can I

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thank the Secretary for his statement? Like most of us, I am

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saddened we are here today. I know many good people in Northern Ireland

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will feel exactly the same, the deep regret we have reached this impasse.

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I've personally been involved for almost three Deco Baku -- decade in

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Northern Ireland related issues and I have learned one thing, a

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political vacuum should be avoided at all gods. I say to the Secretary

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of State today, you must make sure that you are not only willing to

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fill the vacuum but you must work with all parties to try and seek a

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way forward so we avoid the nightmare scenario of six weeks of

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increasingly bitter campaigning, which leave us in the same place as

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when it started, with no solution in place to heal a huge divide and to

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bring together those elected representatives of all the people of

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Northern Ireland. I realise that the tension of an election dominates

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people's minds and the news agenda may well be focused on other issues.

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But Mr Speaker, I would suggest for the sake of all of us on these

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islands, we highlight the critical importance of maintaining devolved

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and functioning government in Northern Ireland. I want to see

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young men and women from Blaydon continue to go to Belfast with

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rucksacks on the backs, not back to the days when they went there with

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rifles on their shoulders. Anyone who thinks this is some form of

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local difficulty in Northern Ireland should think again. I want to see

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the continuing peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland that is helping

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to grow the economy and the life chances of all who live there. I

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want the world to look at Northern Ireland and rightly applaud the

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success we have witnessed over the past decades and hope none of us

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want to see a divided Northern Ireland that turns itself, as we

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have seen so often and so sadly in the past. There are huge issues

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facing the people of Northern Ireland. Our exit from the European

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Union and the real change it will bring to everybody's everyday lives.

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The uncertain position from the government on the UK's land border

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with Europe, how we keep improving economic performance, and

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critically, how we deal with Northern Ireland's unique and

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painful past. And without a stable, workable government, all these

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issues will be much harder to progress. Last week, the Secretary

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of State and the Prime Minister showed both myself and it out there

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will be scope for the Northern Ireland first -- voice to be heard

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in the run-up to negotiations on the EU, by the joint ministerial

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Council. If that is the case, then secretary of state, I say to you

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today, there's no reason for you not to engage with the parties and

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communities and begin to resolve the issues that have led to the

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breakdown, over the next six weeks, over the next eight weeks, and not

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let the election be an excuse for not getting people together. And

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let's Biglia, what is happening in Northern Ireland is just about who

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is or isn't First Minister or Deputy First Minister or the debacle that

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is the RHI scheme. There are real underlying issues. How we support

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the victims of the troubles. The women's rights and the equality for

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the LGBT communities. The treatment of ethnic minorities and migrant

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groups, and above all, how we deal with Northern Ireland's past and the

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crucial issue of trust and mutual respect. The Secretary of State has

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to face the fact that he has the responsibility to ensure the

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government deals with all parties in Northern Ireland on an equal basis

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because that clearly is a matter of huge concern to the parties in

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Northern Ireland. I wanted you credit to the Secretary of State,

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for the common measure Tony is adopted by Robert at the same time,

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I won't deny myself the optimism that those love Northern Ireland

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still feel, and to that end, I will this house that we will do

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everything we can develop but all parties need to look at what they

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can do to prevent present impasse degenerating into total collapse let

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me be very clear, we need to avoided if at all possible return to direct

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rule. We need Northern Ireland politicians to stand up and be

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counted, recognise their responsibility and accept that the

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vehicle for addressing the needs and concerns of their communities if the

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assembly and its executive. The need for continuing with the assembly

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should be the number one priority for them and all of us in

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Westminster. And the imposition of direct rule will serve no one. In

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the weeks to come, no one's personal or political position, posturing

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differences should get in the way it operates return to government and

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work in Northern Ireland. Secretary of State. Thank you Mr Speaker and

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can I welcome the right honourable gentleman's comment added emphasis

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on seeing that we return to shared government within Northern Ireland

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at the earliest possible opportunity. I welcome it support

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and his comets in underlining the focus that we must all have, and the

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shared responsibility that I think we all keenly feel in seeking to

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achieve that outcome. And indeed, how we use the time ahead as best

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and effectively as possible. He is aware that there is a relatively

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short period of time following an election, around three weeks, in

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order to form an executive. And we do need to use all of the time, up

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to polling day and beyond, to see that we bring people together and we

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retain the set of dialogue, as difficult and challenging as that

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may be during an election period but it is important that we continue to

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do so. It is that sense of political stability that obviously is the

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primary responsibility of government and we recognise that very firmly.

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Indeed, I have had discussions with all parties over the period since my

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last statement and have been very focused on engaging widely, seeking

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to encourage and promote a way forward, and that is absolutely what

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I will continue to do in the time ahead. I don't think anybody should

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prejudge the outcome of this election. And therefore, I think it

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is right that we are absolutely focused on seeking to get the right

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outcome, which is absolutely the continuation of devolved government

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in Northern Ireland. That is what I think is in the absolute best

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interests of the people of Northern Ireland, that allows things to move

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forward. And I think as the honourable gentleman said, we must

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all work collectively to that end and approach this in a positive way,

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as to what we can achieve. Mr Laurence Robertson. Thank you, Mr

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Speaker. Returning from Londonderry this morning, following meetings

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yesterday, I detected and witnessed a great sense of frustration about

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what is happening, and a great sense of disappointment that the assembly,

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yet again, was under threat and indeed, this time, has fallen. Does

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the Secretary of State therefore agree with me and indeed, the

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proposal made by the shadow Secretary of State, that the coming

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weeks should perhaps be used to explore all possibilities? Because

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none of us want to see a return to direct rule but the worry is that we

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are holding elections, as the secretary of state is indeed

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required to do, and the possibility, the strong possibility must be that

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those elections deliver the parties back to storm in roughly the same

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numbers as they are now. So what is indeed the likelihood of making

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progress under the present arrangement? -- back to Stormont.

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Surely we should use the coming weeks to put in place a plan B,

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where we can continue with some kind of devolved government and not bring

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powers back to this house because direct rule is not a satisfactory

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way of running Northern Ireland. I'm grateful to my honourable friend for

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his comments and as he rightly identifies, the key issue is the

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maintenance of devolved government in Northern Ireland. He is also

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right, I think, to see how we ensure that we use the time available to

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us, that communication lines, the dialogue remains open during the

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election period. However difficult that may appear. But equally knowing

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that the issues that have been highlighted, in terms of trust and

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confidence in the institutions, the ability for parties to be able to

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work together in that shared government arrangement, will still

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need to be resolved. And therefore, I think it is with that sense of how

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we can use this time to bring people together, that must be at the

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forefront of our minds. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I thank the Secretary of

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State for advance notice of his statement and I support the call is

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made yesterday for the election to be conducted in a manner which looks

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to the future and anticipates difficult but reasonable

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negotiations for the establishment of an effective administration after

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the election. No one will get everything they want from this

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election or from the formation of the new executive but the people

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that politicians serve deserve our best and most faithful efforts. The

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victory in this election should belong to the people, not political

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parties. This election has been brought about by a set of

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circumstances that have their genesis in Belfast and will also

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have their solutions in Belfast. And we will be onlookers to a great

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extent but there are some areas in which the efforts made here may

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actually help. I'm pleased to hear that dialogue between the secretary

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of state and the parties in Northern Ireland will continue throughout the

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election period so the ground is prepared for the negotiations over

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holding office in March. Can he tell us whether he will take those

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opportunities to reassure the parties that funding will not be

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cut, particularly from the support for addressing the legacy issues.

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The assembly suffers from the austerity fetish as much as the rest

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of the UK but it carries additional burdens, and it needs those extra

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resources. The past couple of months in the assembly have been marked by

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some serious allegations. What support will he be able to offer the

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assembly to have those allegations properly investigated and

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resolutions found? The uncertainty of this election, with the

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peculiarities surrounding it, adds to the uncertainty of the Brexit

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mess. What support can the government offered to people and

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businesses in Northern Ireland to smooth the next few months? And

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finally, can you clarify what special arrangements he is putting

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in place to consult on the Brexit negotiations while the election is

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ongoing? I'm grateful to the honourable lady for highlighting the

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issue in relation to the nature of elections, and again, the issues

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that I think we all recognise that are at stake here. I can assure her

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that we will be doing our part to maintain communication channels, to

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maintain that open dialogue, and to again continue to encourage the

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parties to think carefully about the nature of the campaign ahead on how

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best to be able to bring people back together afterwards, to get on with

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devolved government in Northern Ireland. She asks a number of more

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detailed questions, and in relation to the issue of legacy, she will

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know that it remains this government's intend to give effect

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to the Stormont House agreement and the funding commitments that were

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made in respect of that remain very firmly in place. In respect of

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support to investigation and the enquiry in relation to the

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allegations that in many ways have provided the trigger or the catalyst

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to the situation that we now find ourselves in, as she indicated, I

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continue to believe that the best solution for this lies within

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Northern Ireland. This is a devolved matter and therefore, in terms of

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the way in which answers are to be provided, it still seems right that

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it should come from that direction. But I remain open to work with

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parties on a cross community basis to see what support can be given

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because ultimately, it is about getting answers to a number of these

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issues, that matters so much. On the issue of the UK's departure from the

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European Union, well, I think that as honourable and right honourable

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members will have heard, the Prime Minister set out a very clear

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position in respect of this government's approach and indeed,

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emphasising those issues around the Common travel area, and indeed

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strengthening the union as well. I know honourable and right honourable

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members will have plenty of opportunity to raise further

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questions on that later today. Project may I make a fervent plea to

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my right honourable friend, that he should protect the interests of

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former British soldiers currently being charged by the Sinn

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Fein-supporting Director of Public Prosecutions in Northern Ireland,

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with respect to events which took place more than 40 years ago. It

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appears that the Director of Public Prosecutions issued a notice to news

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desks, not for publication. Is this not an attempt to muzzle

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Parliament and indeed to question the right of this House to support

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those soldiers who sought to bring about peace in Northern Ireland? In

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my usual way, I have been, as I think the House would acknowledge,

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extremely generous to the honourable gentleman. The honourable gentleman

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has asked a most interesting question and has delivered it with

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his usual eloquence, but it does suffer from one disadvantage, and

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that is that it has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the

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statement the Secretary of State is made. Nevertheless I have indulged

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the honourable gentleman, and he can thank me on a daily basis. Secretary

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of State... Mr Speaker, my honourable friend raises the

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important issue in relation to legacy. As I indicated to this House

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last week, I will never tyre of my praise for the work of our armed

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forces personnel in actually securing the peace, securing the

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stability and securing the arrangements that we see in Northern

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Ireland today. Yes, I do have some concerns about imbalance within the

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system, and therefore why I believe it is right that we do move forward

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with the Stormont agreement and the legacy bodies that are set up there.

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I will not comment on any individual decisions, and indeed, justice is

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devolved in Northern Ireland and also it has its own processes that

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remain in place in an independent way. But I hear very clearly the

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very general and firm point that my friend makes in relation to balance

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within the overall system trick of it is something I'm very keen to

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address. Mr Speaker, this party has worked tirelessly in recent years to

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move Northern Ireland forward, to make devolution work and to create

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conditions for stable government in Northern Ireland. So we are deeply

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disappointed, frustrated and angered by the decision of Sinn Fein to walk

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away from devolved government and cause this election. And what is

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this election about? It is fairly clear, it is not about the RHI

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issue, because had it been, then we could have got on with sorting it

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out, and indeed this election will serve to disrupt and delays ordering

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those issues out. What it's about is Sinn Fein sinking opportune

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political advantage, seeking to overturn the result of the election

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held just a few months ago, and seeking to gain a list of

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concessions from the Government on legacy issues, such as rewriting the

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past and putting more soldiers and police men in the dock, and other

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issues, and other concessions from the DUP. Let us be clear, we will

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work through this election and afterwards to create devolved

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government that is stable in Northern Ireland. But let this House

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know and the people of all Ireland know that just as we have not even

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into Sinn Fein demands in the past, we will not bow down and give into

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Fein 's unreasonable demands going forward, because that is what this

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election is all about Mr Speaker, I Recognise That There Are Strongly

:22:47.:22:53.

Held Views On All Sides, And we do enter into an election period when

:22:54.:22:57.

I'm sure that these issues will be hotly and keenly contested. What I

:22:58.:23:03.

do very much welcome from what the right honourable gentleman has said

:23:04.:23:05.

is that willingness to engage, to work things through, and that desire

:23:06.:23:12.

to get back into stable, shared, devolved devilment. And I think that

:23:13.:23:15.

is the focus that we all have in our minds in looking to the future of

:23:16.:23:20.

Northern Ireland and how we can get on with governing in the best

:23:21.:23:23.

interests of all in Northern Ireland. Does the Secretary of State

:23:24.:23:30.

agree with me that all encumbered, unhindered press is absolutely vital

:23:31.:23:35.

to the future elections? And would he agree that any chilling effect or

:23:36.:23:39.

threats could actually undermine the very democratic essence of these

:23:40.:23:42.

elections? We must have a free press. Well, I think the issues

:23:43.:23:54.

around the election will I'm sure be keenly and hotly contested. From all

:23:55.:24:00.

of my experience in seeing the experiences in Northern Ireland, the

:24:01.:24:04.

press is fair and free and open and it has wide debate contained within

:24:05.:24:09.

it. And so I think those building blocks that we see as a government

:24:10.:24:13.

on freedom of the press, and indeed the strength of our judiciary and

:24:14.:24:16.

legal processes as well, and seeing that those pillars of our democracy

:24:17.:24:25.

are upheld. In truth, Northern Ireland has lurched from one

:24:26.:24:27.

political crisis to another in recent years. Is it not time that

:24:28.:24:31.

the Government urgently reviews constitutional arrangements covering

:24:32.:24:36.

power-sharing, looking at issues like the title of First Minister and

:24:37.:24:40.

the pity First Minister but also a range of other issues? Is that not

:24:41.:24:43.

how the Government could add value in terms of long-term stability,

:24:44.:24:46.

reviewing those Costa to show arrangements? I think we need to be

:24:47.:24:54.

very careful at the moment as to the approach that we take. We are now

:24:55.:24:59.

embarking on an election which, as I have said, I do not want to prejudge

:25:00.:25:03.

the outcome of the election were indeed discussions that take place

:25:04.:25:07.

during this period and through and beyond the short window of time that

:25:08.:25:11.

we have after the election period, either. We will do all that we can

:25:12.:25:19.

as the UK Government, that primary responsibility that we hold in

:25:20.:25:22.

providing political stability within Northern Ireland. Clearly, the

:25:23.:25:27.

parties will need to discuss and have that open dialogue which I hope

:25:28.:25:30.

brings people back together again, but I think at this stage, seeking

:25:31.:25:34.

to try and widen the debate can I think we need to be very focused on

:25:35.:25:37.

the task at hand in bringing people back together again. Yes, the UK

:25:38.:25:41.

Government will play its part in supporting the Belfast agreement and

:25:42.:25:45.

its successors and bringing that element of stability and getting

:25:46.:25:47.

devolved government back in Northern Ireland, which is what we all want

:25:48.:25:56.

to see. Can I congratulate my right honourable friend for his calm and

:25:57.:26:00.

measured approach during these difficult circumstances? Does he

:26:01.:26:07.

show my concern that if indeed the resignation of Mr McGinnis was

:26:08.:26:09.

political and not over the environment in issue, that the

:26:10.:26:14.

intent of Sinn Fein is to halt these elections and then not to reappoint

:26:15.:26:20.

afterwards, which would put pressure on my right honourable friends to

:26:21.:26:23.

resort to direct rule, and all the consequences of that. Does he share

:26:24.:26:29.

my concern that this is a real possibility? I have said that I am

:26:30.:26:33.

concerned that an election campaign which seeks to divide and seeks to

:26:34.:26:40.

make it that much harder to bring people back together again

:26:41.:26:47.

afterwards clearly is a risk and one which I am concerned about, and one

:26:48.:26:50.

which I would again remind and encourage people to think about

:26:51.:26:54.

these issues very, very carefully. It's clear that the issues at stake

:26:55.:27:01.

here go much wider than simply the renewable heat scheme which perhaps

:27:02.:27:07.

was the issue which customised this. But I think we need to be very

:27:08.:27:11.

careful and appreciate quite what is at stake. -- which crystallised

:27:12.:27:16.

this. It is very important for people to be able to work together,

:27:17.:27:19.

to maintain communication and dialogue so that we do see the

:27:20.:27:25.

return of shared government in Northern Ireland for all communities

:27:26.:27:26.

at the earliest possible opportunity. The Secretary of State

:27:27.:27:36.

has rightly touched upon the fact that trust and confidence has to be

:27:37.:27:39.

rebuilt in the suggestions in Northern Ireland. One of the best

:27:40.:27:44.

ways of doing that is transparency. Transparency around the renewable

:27:45.:27:47.

heating scheme and also, with the greatest respect to the Secretary of

:27:48.:27:53.

State transparency around political parties and their donations to

:27:54.:27:57.

elliptical parties operating in Northern Ireland. Sinn Fein has

:27:58.:28:01.

precipitated this election. The people in Northern Ireland are

:28:02.:28:05.

entitled to know, who funds Sinn Fein? Who is funding this Pallo

:28:06.:28:10.

Jordan Assembly election? And by the same token, who is sponsoring and

:28:11.:28:16.

funding the other political parties in Northern Ireland? Please don't

:28:17.:28:21.

tell me he will reflect upon it, what is the Secretary of State going

:28:22.:28:25.

to do about it? The honourable lady has made the point about political

:28:26.:28:31.

donations and transparency over a number of weeks and months. And I

:28:32.:28:34.

have a huge amount of sympathy for the view that she rightly takes the

:28:35.:28:38.

Government that's why I did write out to all of the party leaders a

:28:39.:28:43.

very short time ago to ask them for their views, to come back to me by

:28:44.:28:49.

the end of this month, to be able to move things forward. I think it is

:28:50.:28:53.

right that we look at that reform and that we actually start to put in

:28:54.:28:57.

place changes that give that rate transparency to politics in Northern

:28:58.:29:03.

Ireland. That's why I look forward to receiving those responses so that

:29:04.:29:12.

we can move forward. Can I commend my right honourable friend's calm

:29:13.:29:16.

and measured approach? Could he update the House on what he's going

:29:17.:29:22.

to do to facilitate the voice of Northern Ireland, from politicians,

:29:23.:29:24.

into the run-up to triggering Article 50? Obviously, the Assembly

:29:25.:29:30.

will be the move very quickly, there is an election can do very short

:29:31.:29:33.

period of time before we will trigger Article 50, and we want to

:29:34.:29:36.

make sure that the voice of Northern Ireland is heard in our approach to

:29:37.:29:40.

our future. I think it's important to recognise that while an election

:29:41.:29:46.

has been called, that ministers other than the first and Deputy

:29:47.:29:50.

First Minister remain in place within the executive, and that

:29:51.:29:54.

therefore we will continue to issue invitations to the executive, to

:29:55.:29:59.

send representation to each of the meetings that will continue through

:30:00.:30:01.

the joint ministerial committee or through other means, and therefore,

:30:02.:30:06.

it is that approach that will be taken as we look towards the

:30:07.:30:11.

triggering of Article 50. But obviously, I will continue to have

:30:12.:30:15.

my broad engagements across community, with business, with the

:30:16.:30:19.

voluntary and community sector and more broadly, to ensure that we

:30:20.:30:23.

continue to listen to and reflect upon the views of people in Northern

:30:24.:30:25.

Ireland, as we look to the negotiations ahead. Could the

:30:26.:30:36.

Secretary of State share with us something more of his thoughts on

:30:37.:30:40.

what he expects to happen after an election in Northern Ireland? Does

:30:41.:30:43.

he accept that the problems will remain, and without him calling a

:30:44.:30:49.

public enquiries into renewable heat, or if he cannot find a way to

:30:50.:30:54.

do that, making it clear that he fully supports a public inquiry?

:30:55.:30:58.

Because without a public inquiry, public confidence in our political

:30:59.:31:02.

settlement will sink even lower and make restoration of the executive

:31:03.:31:06.

even more difficult. That's what people are telling me on the streets

:31:07.:31:10.

over the last few days and the last week, that they basically need to

:31:11.:31:15.

see clarity. That we are having an election here in a fog. It is quite

:31:16.:31:23.

clear that the issues surrounding the renewable heat incentive scheme

:31:24.:31:27.

are very much at the heart of what has led to the election that I have

:31:28.:31:31.

now called. I think it is right that we do get answered around this. I

:31:32.:31:34.

think it is absolutely critical in terms of re-establishing trust and

:31:35.:31:39.

confidence and accountability, giving answers to the public in

:31:40.:31:41.

relation to what has taken place here. As I've indicated, I think

:31:42.:31:47.

that it is right for that, as much as it possibly can do, to come from

:31:48.:31:51.

Northern Ireland itself. This was a devolved issue, this was something

:31:52.:31:57.

that relates to decisions within Northern Ireland. But I stand ready

:31:58.:32:03.

to work with and consider options on a cross community basis which will

:32:04.:32:05.

command support across the community. It is actually how we get

:32:06.:32:11.

those answers and see that we are injecting those back into the whole

:32:12.:32:17.

process. I'm sure the Secretary of State and others in the House may

:32:18.:32:20.

reflect on the irony that this election has been caused by the

:32:21.:32:23.

resignation of a man who spent a lot of his life trying to use violence

:32:24.:32:26.

to overcome the democratic will of the people of Northern Ireland to be

:32:27.:32:29.

part of this United Kingdom. But will he also agree with me that it

:32:30.:32:33.

is vital that work is done to ensure that in dealing with the past, those

:32:34.:32:38.

who have put their lives on the line to defend this democracy, are not

:32:39.:32:41.

unduly hounded by these legal processes? I think it is absolutely

:32:42.:32:46.

right that we have a system that is fair just, balanced and

:32:47.:32:50.

proportionate. I've been very clear on that on a number of occasions.

:32:51.:32:54.

That's why I strongly believe that the framework of Stormont house, the

:32:55.:32:58.

legacy institutions which are contemplated within that, divider

:32:59.:33:02.

framework and way forward to achieve that. Because I am concerned that

:33:03.:33:08.

there is an imbalance in the system with a focus on state -based actors.

:33:09.:33:12.

And actually getting answers for those who lost loved ones as a

:33:13.:33:16.

consequence of terrorist atrocities is really, really essential. That's

:33:17.:33:20.

why I want to see this moving forward, and why we strongly believe

:33:21.:33:27.

that change is required. We all wish everyone well in Northern Ireland in

:33:28.:33:31.

trying to resolve these current difficulties. Can I pass the

:33:32.:33:37.

Secretary of State on what he's doing with respect to the Irish

:33:38.:33:39.

government, working in partnership with the Irish government? The

:33:40.:33:44.

British and Irish governments are co-and tours of the Good Friday

:33:45.:33:47.

Agreement. So what plans has he got to work with the Irish government,

:33:48.:33:52.

is he planning a summit, is he panning talks, what concrete

:33:53.:33:56.

measures is the Secretary of State planning to take with the Irish

:33:57.:34:02.

government, to help resolve these difficulties together? As I've

:34:03.:34:06.

indicated to the House, I've had regular, ongoing communication with

:34:07.:34:11.

Charlie Flanagan, the Irish foreign minister, and indeed the

:34:12.:34:14.

conversations that the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach have had

:34:15.:34:19.

together. I certainly do intend to meet Charlie Flanagan in the very

:34:20.:34:24.

near future. So that we can assess the current situation, and determine

:34:25.:34:30.

how we as two governments can seek to encourage, promote and see that

:34:31.:34:34.

we are bringing people together in this way, such that, as I've said,

:34:35.:34:38.

we see the maintenance and continuation of devolved government

:34:39.:34:39.

in Northern Ireland. What alternative to direct rule

:34:40.:34:46.

would be available in these elections do not see an immediate

:34:47.:34:51.

power-sharing government? Mr Speaker, I indicated that it is, I

:34:52.:34:56.

think it would be premature and wrong to contemplate something other

:34:57.:35:00.

than devolved government in Northern Ireland. I think that is where we

:35:01.:35:04.

have to have all of our focus in the weeks ahead. That encouragement to

:35:05.:35:10.

the parties, the dialogue, the communication that I think is

:35:11.:35:14.

absolutely necessary. And while I know that others will say what is

:35:15.:35:18.

this, what if that, what if we don't get to a position where we have

:35:19.:35:22.

that, well, I'm not contemplating that. I'm contemplating how we use

:35:23.:35:26.

the time available to us, to maintain devolved government, to get

:35:27.:35:31.

people back into that power-sharing arrangement, and getting on,

:35:32.:35:33.

frankly, with what people in Northern Ireland want which is a

:35:34.:35:37.

settled situation, taking Northern Ireland forward and seeing that

:35:38.:35:40.

positive, optimistic Northern Ireland I know if parent has so much

:35:41.:35:47.

more to give. Thank you Mr Speaker. Central to those political

:35:48.:35:50.

institutions has been the principle of power-sharing. So what efforts

:35:51.:35:55.

will be Secretary of State and the British government, working with the

:35:56.:35:58.

Irish government do to ensure that those principles of power-sharing on

:35:59.:36:02.

a mutual understanding, respect for political difference, which have

:36:03.:36:07.

been withered away over the last number of months, will be strictly

:36:08.:36:10.

adhered to following these elections and what work with the Irish

:36:11.:36:15.

government will actually take place within the next number of weeks to

:36:16.:36:21.

do just that? Well, I've already indicated to the house the dialogue

:36:22.:36:25.

and discussion we have had with the Irish government. And the work that

:36:26.:36:29.

we will continue and the discussions that we will continue to have. But I

:36:30.:36:33.

would stress as I said in my statement that this government

:36:34.:36:37.

remains committed to the Belfast agreement and its successors. All of

:36:38.:36:43.

what that means. Therefore, we will play our part to support the

:36:44.:36:47.

parties, to support discussion and dialogue, to see that we move to

:36:48.:36:51.

that stable, devolved government position that I think underpins so

:36:52.:36:56.

much of the work, so much of the positive work we see in Northern

:36:57.:36:59.

Ireland. And returning to that period of stability which is what

:37:00.:37:06.

everybody would wish to see. Foreign direct investment into Northern

:37:07.:37:08.

Ireland has been a great success in recent years. Will my right

:37:09.:37:11.

honourable friend reassure me that he had his office will do all they

:37:12.:37:14.

can to maintain a positive momentum during this period of political

:37:15.:37:19.

instability? Absolutely, I can give that assurance to my honourable

:37:20.:37:23.

friend because Northern Ireland has seen so much success in terms of

:37:24.:37:27.

foreign direct investment. I think the region with the greatest foreign

:37:28.:37:30.

direct investment outside of the City of London. I think that

:37:31.:37:37.

underlines the huge potential I see, the huge ability for Northern

:37:38.:37:39.

Ireland to continue to flourish and do so much more and absolutely yes,

:37:40.:37:43.

we will continue to underline that message. Jeffrey Donaldson. I echo

:37:44.:37:49.

the comments made by the honourable member for South Belfast. He and I

:37:50.:37:52.

and many others in this house have worked hard to bring the peace

:37:53.:37:55.

process to where it is today and we have taken risks and I despair of

:37:56.:37:59.

where we are just now. But can I say to the Secretary of State that if he

:38:00.:38:04.

is going to sit on his hands in the next six weeks and do nothing about

:38:05.:38:07.

the current crisis, then he can forget three weeks after an election

:38:08.:38:11.

to get devolution up and running. I support the suggestion made by the

:38:12.:38:15.

honourable member for South Belfast for which there is cross community

:38:16.:38:17.

support, that this government get on with holding a public enquiry into

:38:18.:38:21.

the RHI scheme that Sinn Fein have blocked. -- public inquiry. I can

:38:22.:38:28.

say to the honourable gentleman that this government will continue to do

:38:29.:38:31.

all it can to support the parties to find a resolution and the way

:38:32.:38:35.

through. As I have already indicated in answers the previous questions, I

:38:36.:38:40.

remain open to consider issues that command cross community support in

:38:41.:38:46.

order to find answers to be able to get to the root of issues in respect

:38:47.:38:51.

of the RHI enquiry and therefore, I will continue to hear those points

:38:52.:38:55.

that are made on that costume unity basis because ultimately, whatever

:38:56.:38:58.

is done must command confidence and support in Northern Ireland in order

:38:59.:39:06.

for this to be successful. Alison McGovern. The connection between the

:39:07.:39:10.

people of Merseyside and the people of Northern Ireland are many and

:39:11.:39:15.

they run deep. Can I press the Secretary of State on what he's

:39:16.:39:18.

doing, given the current political situation, the effect on Stormont's

:39:19.:39:22.

budget, to absolutely make sure the people of Northern Ireland lose out?

:39:23.:39:30.

The obvious way for the people of Northern Ireland not to lose out is

:39:31.:39:32.

to see the re-establishment of devolved government at the earliest

:39:33.:39:36.

popular -- possible opportunities work can continue, but it can get

:39:37.:39:39.

set and programmes can be put in place to take Northern Ireland

:39:40.:39:43.

further forward. That is why I make the point in those clear terms, in

:39:44.:39:46.

the focus and attention and effort that give in working with the

:39:47.:39:51.

parties to encourage dialogue, discussion, to bring people together

:39:52.:39:54.

because that is the most powerful and effective way to give effect to

:39:55.:39:59.

what the honourable lady was saying. Alistair Carmichael. Mr Speaker, we

:40:00.:40:03.

can have as many elections as we choose to hold but we will only get

:40:04.:40:07.

the strong and stable devolved government that the secretary of

:40:08.:40:10.

state says he wants when we have trust between the parties and

:40:11.:40:14.

transparency in the workings of the executive and in order to get that

:40:15.:40:18.

now, we need an independent examination of the conduct of the

:40:19.:40:24.

RHI will stop the secretary of state as the locus under the 2005 act to

:40:25.:40:28.

order that enquiry. It is surely apparent that nobody else is going

:40:29.:40:35.

to do it. He must. Well, I agree with the right honourable gentleman

:40:36.:40:37.

in terms of that sense of trust which has clearly broken down in

:40:38.:40:41.

Northern Ireland, hence the situation that we now find ourselves

:40:42.:40:46.

in. I hear the point that he makes clearly in relation to the need to

:40:47.:40:51.

get answers, the need for that transparency, the need for an

:40:52.:40:56.

inquiry and as I previously indicated, I strongly believe the

:40:57.:40:59.

best way to achieve that is by Northern Ireland being able to do

:41:00.:41:02.

that itself because that is where the issues arose, that is where

:41:03.:41:06.

devolution holds fire. But as I have already indicated to other parties,

:41:07.:41:10.

I will listen to and reflect upon suggestions, proposals that come

:41:11.:41:14.

forward on a costume unity basis because ultimately, it is that cross

:41:15.:41:19.

community bases -- cross community basis, it is that cross community

:41:20.:41:24.

basis which command confidence and respect and ensure that any

:41:25.:41:27.

investigations and inquiries are balanced and ensure they get to the

:41:28.:41:30.

answer is that people want and that accountability is shown. Mr Speaker,

:41:31.:41:37.

the Secretary of State... As he charts the course set by the Good

:41:38.:41:41.

Friday and St Andrews agreement in re-establishing the devolved

:41:42.:41:43.

institutions but the Prime Minister's commitment to data hard

:41:44.:41:47.

Brexit will cause widespread concern in Northern Ireland. Can I ask him

:41:48.:41:50.

to outline how he will work in full partnership with the Irish

:41:51.:41:53.

government on this matter while the assembly and executive is not

:41:54.:41:58.

functioning? I welcome the honourable gentleman's support for

:41:59.:42:04.

our work to ensure the return of stable devolved government, although

:42:05.:42:07.

I don't recognise his characterisation of what the Prime

:42:08.:42:12.

Minister has said. I think she has set out a bold, positive vision of

:42:13.:42:15.

what this country can be and what this country will be outside the

:42:16.:42:19.

European Union but yes, of course there is a negotiation to come. Of

:42:20.:42:23.

course we have had initial dialogue and discussion with the Irish

:42:24.:42:26.

government on how we get the best possible outcome for Northern

:42:27.:42:29.

Ireland and how that has been reflected in what the Prime Minister

:42:30.:42:32.

has said today, around the Common travel area and strengthening the

:42:33.:42:35.

union. That is precisely the approach we will take. Jim Shannon.

:42:36.:42:45.

Would be secretary of state care to outline exactly what people are

:42:46.:42:47.

voting for if Sinn Fein refused to work with the DUP or set a possible

:42:48.:42:53.

criteria or ask for possible concessions? How is the Secretary of

:42:54.:42:56.

State ensuring that Sinn Fein are not calling the shots, excuse the

:42:57.:43:00.

pun, on the elected government of Northern Ireland, and the electorate

:43:01.:43:04.

know their vote will not be ignored by the pithy fascinations of a party

:43:05.:43:08.

who simply want their own weight and do not like being challenged by a

:43:09.:43:15.

strong DUP team? Ultimately, this election is about the future of

:43:16.:43:17.

Northern Ireland, its future direction. In a democracy, I'm quite

:43:18.:43:22.

sure that these issues will be debated to and fro in the coming

:43:23.:43:27.

weeks. That is absolutely the whole point of the political and

:43:28.:43:30.

democratic system that we operate. How much is at stake here. As I said

:43:31.:43:35.

yesterday, how much I would encourage people to take part and

:43:36.:43:41.

vote at that election. Karen Smith. Thank you, Mr Speaker. The people of

:43:42.:43:45.

Northern Ireland are magnificent people and they have got used to

:43:46.:43:48.

living with a sense of peace over the last 18 years and they need hope

:43:49.:43:52.

now going forward. I have just listened to the Prime Minister's

:43:53.:43:55.

speak and she talked about making practical arrangements about the

:43:56.:43:59.

border, about making it a priority. Those are warm words in this context

:44:00.:44:04.

today. She has managed a phone call. She should be here. She should have

:44:05.:44:13.

been there. I've listened to the Secretary of State talk about his

:44:14.:44:15.

phone call and his activity over the last week and with due respect, I

:44:16.:44:18.

think it is wholly inadequate. The elections are about the future of

:44:19.:44:20.

Northern Ireland but they are actually about all our futures, on

:44:21.:44:23.

the island of Ireland and the island in which we live. What meetings will

:44:24.:44:26.

he be having with the Irish government with the Taoiseach? What

:44:27.:44:32.

will those conversations involving the next few weeks? What hope can he

:44:33.:44:38.

offer today to the people of Northern Ireland? As I have

:44:39.:44:41.

indicated, it is this government's clear intent and focus on seeing the

:44:42.:44:47.

return of devolved government in Northern Ireland. That is what I

:44:48.:44:50.

think is absolutely in the best interests of Northern Ireland. That

:44:51.:44:54.

is why I will be continuing to do all that I can to bring the

:44:55.:44:59.

political parties together because ultimately, that has been a part of

:45:00.:45:03.

the issues at stake here, in terms of some of that political division.

:45:04.:45:08.

But yes, of course, as I have indicated to the house today, we

:45:09.:45:11.

have had continued dialogue and discussion with the Irish government

:45:12.:45:15.

as well. We will continue to keep them closely informed. And as I have

:45:16.:45:22.

indicated to my right honourable friend, I intend to meet the Irish

:45:23.:45:25.

Foreign Minister very shortly to discuss the current position, how we

:45:26.:45:28.

can work together and ultimately, get the re-establishment of the form

:45:29.:45:33.

of government, that sense of the politics moving forward, and yes,

:45:34.:45:38.

how we should I think be positive about what we can achieve here. I'm

:45:39.:45:41.

certainly not going into this in a negative way. It is about how we can

:45:42.:45:45.

get on with this and make it happen. Sammy Wilson. The secretary of state

:45:46.:45:53.

has said today that he is committed to any action having cross community

:45:54.:46:00.

support in Northern Ireland. Since this crisis has been brought about

:46:01.:46:04.

by Sinn Fein's demand to have more security force personnel placed in

:46:05.:46:11.

the dock, taken to court and to have politically motivated inquests into

:46:12.:46:15.

deaths caused by the security forces, will he give a commitment

:46:16.:46:21.

today that there will be no money for inquests which are politically

:46:22.:46:26.

motivated, no releasing of security force files which have security --

:46:27.:46:33.

national security implications and that he will not persuade Sinn Fein

:46:34.:46:37.

to re-enter government at the expense of soldiers being dragged

:46:38.:46:42.

through the courts? On the issue of legacy, I think Stormont House,

:46:43.:46:49.

which all the parties signed up to, provided the right framework and way

:46:50.:46:52.

forward. I hold very keen responsibilities in relation to

:46:53.:46:54.

national security and I feel those very starkly in terms of the here

:46:55.:47:01.

and now of safety on the streets of Northern Ireland and what that means

:47:02.:47:04.

more broadly. I think it is important that we are able to find a

:47:05.:47:08.

way forward in relation to the whole issue of legacy. That it is more

:47:09.:47:13.

balanced, more proportionate, is able to see Northern Ireland looking

:47:14.:47:16.

to the future rather than looking to the past and I think it is that

:47:17.:47:20.

framework that we must be focused upon to be able to move things

:47:21.:47:26.

forward in that way. He will well know the issues that are set out

:47:27.:47:29.

there, the bodies that are set out their, the weighing gateman has

:47:30.:47:35.

taken place over many months. I believe there is a way forward in

:47:36.:47:38.

that but it is having the framework and intent and having the balance

:47:39.:47:42.

and proportionate approach that I continue to underline. Margaret

:47:43.:47:48.

Greenwood. What assessment has been made of the effect of the political

:47:49.:47:54.

instability on potential investment into Northern Ireland? I have

:47:55.:47:57.

certainly had some discussions with some business representatives. It is

:47:58.:48:04.

important that we get back into a stable devolved government at the

:48:05.:48:06.

earliest opportunity. Again, that is the most powerful way to underline

:48:07.:48:10.

Northern Ireland's moving forward and there is so much we can be

:48:11.:48:14.

positive about, the jobs that have been created, the foreign direct

:48:15.:48:17.

investment that has gone in and so many fantastic businesses in

:48:18.:48:21.

Northern Ireland. That is what we should be celebrating and it is that

:48:22.:48:26.

positive, optimistic viewpoint of what Northern Ireland's economies

:48:27.:48:28.

that we should be advancing and taking forward. Mr Speaker, after

:48:29.:48:35.

the assembly election in March agreement will need to be reached on

:48:36.:48:39.

a new power-sharing executive. However, if this doesn't happen,

:48:40.:48:45.

there is a very real possibility of returning to direct rule from

:48:46.:48:47.

Westminster. Does the secretary think it is acceptable for the

:48:48.:48:51.

people of Northern Ireland, who voted to remain in the European

:48:52.:48:58.

Union, to witness the triggering of article 50 while they live in total

:48:59.:49:03.

political limbo? It underlines my general point on the need to get

:49:04.:49:06.

back to devolved government at the earliest opportunity. But as I have

:49:07.:49:10.

indicated, we do intend to trigger Article 50 by no later than the end

:49:11.:49:14.

of March that is the approach we have taken. That is the work that

:49:15.:49:19.

continues and indeed, the way in which, as I have said, invitations

:49:20.:49:22.

will continue to be made to appropriate meetings to the

:49:23.:49:24.

executive, notwithstanding the current situation.

:49:25.:49:30.

Further to the comments made by my colleague from East Antrim, there

:49:31.:49:38.

are concerns within my constituency with the Government's eagerness to

:49:39.:49:42.

set up an Assembly immediately after the elections, that they could

:49:43.:49:47.

possibly contemplate some form of side deals with Republicans in order

:49:48.:49:51.

to get it up and running. Can I gently warm the Secretary of State

:49:52.:49:57.

that that will be an unacceptable situation to have? Well, I say to

:49:58.:50:01.

the honourable gentleman that there is a limited period under law in

:50:02.:50:07.

order to form a new executive. It is around three weeks following a poll.

:50:08.:50:13.

That's why I make the point about maintaining open dialogue, thinking

:50:14.:50:15.

about how we can bring parties together. It has to be that sense of

:50:16.:50:20.

commanding support from across community, which is why we do need

:50:21.:50:24.

to listen keenly and intently to the voices of his party and other

:50:25.:50:27.

parties in respect of this process ahead. But I do stress to him that

:50:28.:50:32.

need for dialogue and discussion and the need to focus on those

:50:33.:50:37.

principles in the Belfast agreement and its successors, those things

:50:38.:50:41.

that all parties have signed up to. I think that provides us with the

:50:42.:50:45.

framework, and that's what we need to get on and do. As we face the

:50:46.:50:51.

current phase of challenges, I think it is right that we should mourn the

:50:52.:50:57.

passing of Dermot Gallagher, former bullion of the department of foreign

:50:58.:50:59.

affairs and one of the linchpins for so much of this process come

:51:00.:51:06.

bringing us from transfixed to transactions to transformations. We

:51:07.:51:08.

need to emulate his purposeful ethic in the time ahead. Will the

:51:09.:51:15.

Secretary of State recognised that after the elections, there will be

:51:16.:51:19.

negotiations, and will he recognise that those negotiations will have to

:51:20.:51:22.

be more inclusive, Morecambe free hands of a more fundamental than

:51:23.:51:28.

what passed for negotiations in Stormont house? And the outcome will

:51:29.:51:32.

have to be more robust and reliable than what we got with the fresh hour

:51:33.:51:37.

agreement? I certainly pay tribute to Dermot Gallagher and obviously

:51:38.:51:43.

send my condolences to all his friends, family, all of those who

:51:44.:51:46.

remember him and the conjugation that he made. As I've indicated, I

:51:47.:51:52.

don't want to prejudge the outcome of this election, nor indeed

:51:53.:51:57.

discussions that take place. I earnestly want to see that through

:51:58.:52:01.

this election period, however possible that can be achieved. And

:52:02.:52:04.

equally in terms of discussions that take place there afterwards. But it

:52:05.:52:09.

has to be a position which creates that stability and sense of shared

:52:10.:52:15.

power arrangements, which allows Northern Ireland to move on from

:52:16.:52:20.

where we currently sit. That has to absolutely be our focus and

:52:21.:52:25.

intention and indeed why I make the points which I do about being

:52:26.:52:28.

thoughtful and conscious of the nature of the campaign itself, such

:52:29.:52:31.

that we are able to bring people back together afterwards. Mr

:52:32.:52:37.

Speaker, can the Secretary of State confirm that post-election, the

:52:38.:52:40.

framework of a devolved Assembly, of a shared executive, is the settled

:52:41.:52:46.

framework for moving forward? And that joint authority with the

:52:47.:52:50.

Republic of Ireland or wholesale renegotiation of the agreements that

:52:51.:52:53.

are already in place to not form part of his plan for moving forward?

:52:54.:53:00.

If he does not give expression to that certainty, further drift will

:53:01.:53:03.

occur, and we've got to net this in the bud now. I can confirm that that

:53:04.:53:08.

is absolutely my intent, that is absolutely the approach that I take

:53:09.:53:11.

to this. It's about getting through the election, about seeing the

:53:12.:53:15.

re-establishment of the executive, seeing the re-establishment of

:53:16.:53:19.

devolved government in the way that we have seen. And therefore whilst I

:53:20.:53:22.

hear order of the broader discussions and broader talk,

:53:23.:53:29.

actually that has to be where we focus, how we re-establish that

:53:30.:53:31.

trust and confidence in the institutions that we have, such that

:53:32.:53:35.

Northern Ireland is able to move forward. The Ulster Unionist Party

:53:36.:53:40.

want to see a strong and stable devolved government that works for

:53:41.:53:48.

everyone. But this crisis is about trust, relating to the two main

:53:49.:53:52.

parties in Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State has said that he

:53:53.:53:55.

is committed to the Belfast agreement and its successors. And

:53:56.:54:00.

yet this morning on the radio, we heard the DUP executive minister

:54:01.:54:03.

saying he had no intention to increment the St Andrews agreement

:54:04.:54:08.

in full. Surely this undermines all agreements, if you're not willing to

:54:09.:54:12.

tie yourself to what you've agreed? With the minister looked at the

:54:13.:54:15.

structures of the Belfast agreement and how we get back to the joint

:54:16.:54:20.

election of the first and Deputy First Minister? I did not hear the

:54:21.:54:23.

comments this morning when it's difficult for me to comment

:54:24.:54:28.

directly. For as I've indicated, the UK Government stands by its

:54:29.:54:35.

commitments under the Belfast agreement. I think it is how we are

:54:36.:54:38.

able to use the time ahead to look at ways in which we can, which gaps

:54:39.:54:45.

and in which we can see devolved power-sharing arrangements put in

:54:46.:54:56.

place at the earliest opportunity. With the Secretary of State agree

:54:57.:55:01.

with me that in the past months and years, the way in which problems

:55:02.:55:06.

have been resolved is when all parties dedicated themselves to

:55:07.:55:07.

working through those problems? Yesterday we had a Sinn Fein Deputy

:55:08.:55:13.

First Minister refusing to be re-elected, and even after the

:55:14.:55:16.

election, indicating that they will not nominate then. Walking away is

:55:17.:55:20.

not the solution, working through the problem is most certainly is. I

:55:21.:55:24.

think we can look to Northern Ireland's past, where division has

:55:25.:55:28.

existed and some people have said that it's not possible to breach

:55:29.:55:32.

that. And yet Northern Ireland has shown what can be done. And I think

:55:33.:55:36.

we need to reflect on Northern Ireland's past, the political

:55:37.:55:39.

achievements that have been reached and the strengths of dialogue, of

:55:40.:55:44.

discussion, of bringing people together in that way as we look to

:55:45.:55:52.

the future. I hope that we will see that return of devolved Vermont.

:55:53.:55:58.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. -- devolved government. Belfast politicians

:55:59.:56:03.

begin a leak quote the dogs on the street, but if they were to

:56:04.:56:08.

summarise their position on this, it would be barking mad. This is not

:56:09.:56:11.

the time, Secretary of State, for you to be a bystander in these

:56:12.:56:15.

discussions. Or to fail to recognise what the Prime Minister last week

:56:16.:56:18.

recognised, that no-one can or should benefit from their

:56:19.:56:24.

instability, and for wrecking the progress of the political

:56:25.:56:27.

institutions that we have fought so hard to attain for Northern Ireland.

:56:28.:56:32.

I say to the honourable gentleman that I do not and will not be a

:56:33.:56:37.

bystander in relation to these issues. It is important that the UK

:56:38.:56:42.

Government plays its role in supporting the parties, in

:56:43.:56:46.

fulfilling our obligations in relation to providing political

:56:47.:56:52.

stability in Northern Ireland. That is what we will use the time ahead

:56:53.:56:55.

to achieve. Because the issues at stake are significant. The issues in

:56:56.:57:01.

relation to the political future of Northern Ireland are very, very

:57:02.:57:05.

clear. That's why I make the points that I do about the collective

:57:06.:57:08.

response River Tees that we all hold and all feel in being able to take

:57:09.:57:14.

this forward and get back to that positive outlook for Northern

:57:15.:57:16.

Ireland. -- collective responsibilities. Mr Speaker, the

:57:17.:57:27.

Secretary of State stated that with strong leadership, issues which

:57:28.:57:30.

might once have brought their own institutions could be resolved

:57:31.:57:33.

through dialogue. Could he therefore assure the House that the Prime

:57:34.:57:37.

Minister will give that strong leadership, and as the vice-chair of

:57:38.:57:42.

the all-party group on Ireland, I echo the sentiment of my honourable

:57:43.:57:47.

friend the member for St Helens come in calling the Prime Minister to put

:57:48.:57:50.

foot to the pedal and get that 100% support. I can underline to the

:57:51.:57:58.

honourable gentleman the commitment that the Prime Minister gets to

:57:59.:58:02.

these issues. The way in which she has been kept very closely informed

:58:03.:58:06.

and updated, the discussions that she has had with the former First

:58:07.:58:10.

Minister and Deputy First Minister. And indeed, the discussion that she

:58:11.:58:15.

had with the Taoiseach. We are committed as a government to seeing

:58:16.:58:18.

the return of devolved government, to seeing a positive outcome after

:58:19.:58:21.

these elections take place. That is what the people of Northern Ireland

:58:22.:58:25.

want to see and what we all have that shared and collective drive to

:58:26.:58:29.

achieve, and we all need to be focused on achieving. Point of order

:58:30.:58:40.

which relates I gather to the immediate next business. Thank you,

:58:41.:58:46.

Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, in our constitution, Parliament and sure

:58:47.:58:49.

you will agree is supposed to be sovereign. We need a system which

:58:50.:58:53.

gives Parliament hours over ministers and restores public trust.

:58:54.:58:56.

Not my words but the use of the now Prime Minister in 2007. I will be

:58:57.:59:00.

scrutinising a minister shortly on the applications of Brexit for Wales

:59:01.:59:07.

- but you share my concern that one of the most fundamental issues

:59:08.:59:10.

facing this country in a generation, the Prime Minister chose not to

:59:11.:59:13.

speak to this this morning but to the media and foreign ambassadors?

:59:14.:59:17.

Churchill would not have done it, a little bit would not have done it,

:59:18.:59:23.

but when it comes to this House, Mr Speaker, this lady is not for

:59:24.:59:27.

turning up! I am grateful to the honourable gentleman for his point

:59:28.:59:32.

of order. I have not got all of the Presidents in front of me but I

:59:33.:59:35.

think there has been a developing phenomenon in recent decades whereby

:59:36.:59:41.

under successive governments, important statements have sometimes

:59:42.:59:43.

been made outside the House, which would have welcomed being made first

:59:44.:59:50.

inside the House. I am pragmatic in these matters, and what I would say

:59:51.:59:54.

to the honourable gentleman and two others who might share his concern

:59:55.:00:00.

is, I heard of the Prime Minister's important speech today, and my first

:00:01.:00:06.

concern was that a senior member of the government should come to the

:00:07.:00:10.

House on the same day to address us on the same matter. And I had

:00:11.:00:15.

contact with the powers that be to make precisely that point. I am

:00:16.:00:20.

pleased to say that we do have in our midst and indeed in my line of

:00:21.:00:29.

vision the Secretary of State for Exiting The European Union, whom I

:00:30.:00:33.

imagine the honourable gentleman will wish to interrogate in due

:00:34.:00:36.

course. Meanwhile, let's hear from the Secretary of State. I will say

:00:37.:00:44.

to the honourable gentleman who has just spoken that I have spent many

:00:45.:00:48.

years sitting on those benches, hoping... We did not have the

:00:49.:00:56.

opportunity at all to interrogate Mr Tony Blair after he had been on the

:00:57.:01:00.

radio and television! But today is a Parliamentary day and I wish to

:01:01.:01:04.

share with Parliament what I think are some important points. I would

:01:05.:01:09.

like to the House on the Government's plans for exiting the

:01:10.:01:13.

European Union. Today, the Prime Minister is setting up a plan for

:01:14.:01:18.

Britain. It is a plan to ensure that we embrace this moment of change to

:01:19.:01:21.

build a confident global trading nation that seizes the new

:01:22.:01:26.

opportunities before it and a fairer, stronger society at home and

:01:27.:01:29.

bracing bold economic and social reform. It is a plan which

:01:30.:01:36.

recognises that the referendum vote was not one to pull up tall, which

:01:37.:01:40.

is and retreat from the world, but rather a vote of confidence in the

:01:41.:01:45.

UK's ability to succeed. It is a plan to build a strong new

:01:46.:01:49.

partnership with our European partners while reaching beyond the

:01:50.:01:52.

borders of Europe to forge deeper links with old allies and new ones.

:01:53.:01:59.

Today, we set out 12 objectives in the negotiation to come. They answer

:02:00.:02:02.

the questions of those who have been asking what we intend while not

:02:03.:02:07.

undermining the UK's negotiating position. We are clear what we seek

:02:08.:02:11.

is that new partnership, not a partial EU membership, not a model

:02:12.:02:17.

adopted by other countries, not a position which means we're half in

:02:18.:02:21.

and half-hour. Let me address of our aims in turn. First, we will provide

:02:22.:02:27.

certainty wherever possible, while recognising we are about to enter a

:02:28.:02:33.

two sided negotiation. We have already made announcements about

:02:34.:02:35.

agriculture payments and student funding. Our proposal regarding EU

:02:36.:02:42.

law and UK law is designed to make the process as smooth as possible.

:02:43.:02:47.

At the point of exit, the same rules and laws will apply, and it will

:02:48.:02:51.

then be for this Parliament to determine changes in the country's

:02:52.:02:56.

interests. For we also intend to take control of our own laws and end

:02:57.:03:00.

the authority of the European Court of Justice in the UK. Laws have been

:03:01.:03:05.

made in this Parliament and in the devolved assemblies and interpreted

:03:06.:03:09.

by our judges, not those in Luxembourg. -- laws will be made. We

:03:10.:03:17.

will continue to engage with the devolved administrations and ensure

:03:18.:03:19.

that as powers our return from Brussels to the UK, the right powers

:03:20.:03:24.

come to Westminster and the right powers are passed to Edinburgh,

:03:25.:03:30.

Cardiff and Belfast. Another key objective will be to maintain the

:03:31.:03:32.

Common travel area between the UK and the Republic of Ireland. No-one

:03:33.:03:36.

wants to see a return to the borders of the past. In terms of

:03:37.:03:42.

immigration, we will remain an open, tolerant nation. We will continue to

:03:43.:03:48.

welcome the brightest and the best and ensure that immigration continue

:03:49.:03:50.

to bring benefits in terms of addressing skill shortages where

:03:51.:03:56.

they exist. But we will manage our immigration system properly, which

:03:57.:04:02.

means free movement from the European Union cannot continue as

:04:03.:04:06.

before. We want to guarantee the rights of European Union citizens

:04:07.:04:10.

who are already in this country and make such a great contribution to

:04:11.:04:14.

our society already, and in tandem with that protect the rights of UK

:04:15.:04:16.

citizens in EU countries. Would like to resolve this issue at

:04:17.:04:25.

the early possible moment. -- earlier. Already UK law goes further

:04:26.:04:32.

than EU minimums in many areas but as we shift the UK law, we will

:04:33.:04:35.

ensure that workers' rights are not just protected but enhanced. In

:04:36.:04:41.

terms of trade, we want to build a more open, outward looking,

:04:42.:04:45.

confident nation that is a global champion for free trade. Membership

:04:46.:04:52.

of the EU's internal market means accepting its four freedoms, in

:04:53.:04:56.

terms of the movement of goods, services, capital and people, and

:04:57.:05:00.

complying with the EU's rules and regulations. That would effectively

:05:01.:05:03.

mean not leaving the European Union at all. So we do not propose to

:05:04.:05:10.

maintain membership of the EU single market. Instead, we will seek the

:05:11.:05:15.

broadest possible access to it through a comprehensive free trade

:05:16.:05:20.

agreement with the EU. We want it to cover goods and services and be as

:05:21.:05:26.

ambitious as possible. This is not a zero-sum game. It should be in the

:05:27.:05:30.

interests of both the UK and the European Union. It is in all our

:05:31.:05:37.

interests, that financial services continue to be provided freely

:05:38.:05:40.

across borders, that integrated supply chains are not disrupted and

:05:41.:05:44.

that trade continues in as barrier free away as is possible. While we

:05:45.:05:49.

will seek the most open and possible market in the European Union, we

:05:50.:05:52.

also want to further trade links with the rest of the world. So we

:05:53.:05:56.

will deliver the freedom of the UK to strike trade agreements with

:05:57.:06:00.

other countries. The Department for International trade has already

:06:01.:06:02.

started to prepare the ground and it is clear there is enormous interest

:06:03.:06:06.

around the globe in forging new links to the UK. Full membership of

:06:07.:06:14.

the EU's Customs union would prohibit new international trade

:06:15.:06:17.

deals so we do not intend to remain part of the common commercial policy

:06:18.:06:22.

ought to be bound by the common external tariff. Instead, we will

:06:23.:06:28.

seek a customs agreement with the European Union with the aim of

:06:29.:06:31.

ensuring that cross-border trade remains as barrier free as possible.

:06:32.:06:36.

Clearly, how this is achieved is a matter for negotiation. The UK is

:06:37.:06:42.

one of the best places in the world for science and innovation, with

:06:43.:06:45.

some of the best universities in the world. So we must continue to

:06:46.:06:49.

collaborate with our European allies. When it comes to crime,

:06:50.:06:54.

terrorism, security, we will aim to further cooperation with EU

:06:55.:06:57.

countries. We will seek practical arrangements in these areas to

:06:58.:07:01.

ensure we keep our continent secure and defend our shared values.

:07:02.:07:06.

Finally in terms of our exit, we have said repeatedly that it would

:07:07.:07:11.

be no one's interest for it to be disorderly, with any sort of cliff

:07:12.:07:14.

edge, the word used over there, as we leave the European Union. So we

:07:15.:07:18.

intend to reach broad agreement about the terms of our new

:07:19.:07:22.

partnership with the EU by the end of the two-year negotiation

:07:23.:07:26.

triggered by Article 50. But then we will aim to deliver an orderly

:07:27.:07:29.

process of implementation. That does not mean an unlimited transitional

:07:30.:07:33.

period where the destination is not clear but time for both the UK and

:07:34.:07:38.

EU member states to prepare for new arrangements whether it is in terms

:07:39.:07:42.

of customs arrangements, regulation of financial services, cooperation

:07:43.:07:44.

over criminal justice and immigration controls. These are the

:07:45.:07:49.

aims and objectives we set today for negotiations to come. So our

:07:50.:07:54.

objectives are clear, to deliver certainty and clarity wherever we

:07:55.:07:57.

can, to take control of our own laws, to protect and strengthen the

:07:58.:08:01.

union, to maintain the Common travel area with the Republic of Ireland,

:08:02.:08:06.

to control immigration, to protect the rights of EU nationals in the UK

:08:07.:08:09.

and UK nationals in the EU, to protect workers' rights, to allow

:08:10.:08:14.

free trade with European markets, to forge new trade deals with other

:08:15.:08:18.

countries, to boost science and innovation, to protect and enhance

:08:19.:08:22.

cooperation over crime, terrorism and security and to make our exit

:08:23.:08:27.

smooth and orderly. It is the outline of an ambitious new

:08:28.:08:30.

partnership between the UK and the countries of the European Union. We

:08:31.:08:34.

are under no illusions, agreeing terms that work for both the UK and

:08:35.:08:38.

the 27 nations of the European Union will be challenging and no doubt,

:08:39.:08:42.

there will be bumps on the road once talks begin. We must embark on a

:08:43.:08:48.

negotiation clear, however, that no deal is better than a bad deal. As

:08:49.:08:55.

the Prime Minister made clear today, the UK could not accept a punitive

:08:56.:09:00.

approach. So let me be clear, we do not expect this outcome. We are

:09:01.:09:05.

confident that if we approach these talks in the spirit of goodwill, we

:09:06.:09:09.

can deliver a positive deal which works to the mutual benefit of all.

:09:10.:09:14.

It is absolutely in our interests that the EU succeeds and in the EU's

:09:15.:09:18.

interest interests that we succeed, too. We do not want the European

:09:19.:09:25.

Union to fail. We wanted to prosper politically and economically. We

:09:26.:09:28.

will seek to convince our eyes that a strong new partnership with the UK

:09:29.:09:33.

will help them to do so. -- our allies. Our approach is not about

:09:34.:09:36.

cherry picking but reaching a deal which fits the aims of both sides.

:09:37.:09:41.

We understand the EU wants to preserve its four freedoms and chart

:09:42.:09:45.

its own course. That is not a project UK will now be apart of. And

:09:46.:09:50.

so we will leave the single market and the institutions of the European

:09:51.:09:54.

Union. We will make our own laws and decisions about immigration. And let

:09:55.:09:58.

me be crystal clear today, if there was any doubt, the final deal agreed

:09:59.:10:03.

between the UK and EU will be put to a vote in both Houses of Parliament

:10:04.:10:09.

before it takes effect. To conclude, we are leaving the European Union

:10:10.:10:12.

but we're leaving Europe. We will continue to be reliant on partners,

:10:13.:10:18.

willing allies and close friends to European neighbours. -- we are not

:10:19.:10:22.

leaving Europe. We anticipate success, not failure but we are

:10:23.:10:25.

ready for any outcome. The UK will embrace its new place in the world

:10:26.:10:28.

with optimism, strength and confidence. Thank you Mr Speaker.

:10:29.:10:35.

Sur Keir Starmer. Thank you Mr Speaker, and can I thank the

:10:36.:10:38.

secretary of state for giving me an advanced copy of this statement? Mr

:10:39.:10:41.

Speaker, the Prime Minister's speech which she has just given is the most

:10:42.:10:46.

important one she has made, it is about the future of our relationship

:10:47.:10:49.

with the EU and our position in the world. The place for such a speech

:10:50.:10:56.

is here. At this dispatch box. That is not just a convention. That is so

:10:57.:11:01.

that MPs across this house can ask the Prime Minister directly on

:11:02.:11:04.

behalf of their constituents about the plans she has for their future.

:11:05.:11:11.

There are many questions. For many months, the Labour Party has been

:11:12.:11:15.

demanding fullest possible access to the single market, emphasising the

:11:16.:11:19.

risks of leaving the customs union, arguing for a collaborative

:11:20.:11:23.

relationship with our EU partners, emphasising the need for

:11:24.:11:26.

transitional arrangements, and the need for entrenchment of workers'

:11:27.:11:31.

rights. Today, the Prime Minister has rightly accepted these in her

:11:32.:11:35.

plan and I acknowledge that. She has given little detail about how that

:11:36.:11:39.

is to be achieved and there are some unanswered questions and some big

:11:40.:11:47.

gaps. It is, in truth, a half in, half out plan. She has not... Let me

:11:48.:11:57.

give an example. The Prime Minister says that she doesn't want the

:11:58.:12:00.

jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice. But she wants a

:12:01.:12:03.

comprehensive trade agreement. Sooner or later, she and others will

:12:04.:12:08.

have to face the fact that any such agreement will have a dispute

:12:09.:12:13.

resolution clause and that will have to be independent of this country.

:12:14.:12:20.

It will not be by reason and resolution in the High Court in

:12:21.:12:25.

London, according to English law. So there will have to be, as she has

:12:26.:12:34.

avoided fronting up to some of these essential questions. But if the

:12:35.:12:37.

Prime Minister achieves all she has set out to achieve, she will fall

:12:38.:12:43.

short of hard Brexit, that many in business and trade unions have

:12:44.:12:49.

feared, the Brexit of no deal, their trade agreements, out of any customs

:12:50.:12:56.

union and at arms length with our EU relations. -- their trade

:12:57.:13:00.

agreements. It is good she has ruled out hard Brexit at this stage. But

:13:01.:13:04.

as the Prime Minister knows, setting out ambitions is the easy bit.

:13:05.:13:09.

Delivery is more difficult, much more difficult. The Prime Minister

:13:10.:13:12.

has taken the precarious course of taking the UK out of single market

:13:13.:13:15.

membership and changing the customs arrangements. This will cause

:13:16.:13:21.

concern to businesses, as the secretary of state knows, and to

:13:22.:13:23.

trade unions and the Prime Minister should have been more ambitious. But

:13:24.:13:28.

I accept that form follows function. So let me set out in terms what

:13:29.:13:32.

Labour will hold the Prime Minister to account for, as far as trade is

:13:33.:13:37.

concerned. Tariff free access to the single market. Access to the single

:13:38.:13:44.

market unencumbered by impediment, and I paused there, this is what was

:13:45.:13:47.

in the exchange of letters with Nissan, it is what all businesses

:13:48.:13:52.

want, and all trade unions want for those dealing in goods and services.

:13:53.:13:57.

Alignment of regulatory bodies to avoid dual bureaucracy or worse,

:13:58.:14:02.

diverted. And a deal that works for goods and services. That is the test

:14:03.:14:07.

we set out today. It is the test we will return to throughout the

:14:08.:14:11.

negotiations and it is the test to be applied when the deal is reached.

:14:12.:14:18.

And that is why the concession on a vote at the end of the negotiations

:14:19.:14:22.

is significant. We have been demanding that for months. It has

:14:23.:14:26.

not been given before today. It is significant because it means that we

:14:27.:14:29.

can ensure that those tests are met throughout the process and at the

:14:30.:14:34.

end of the process. The sting in the tail in the plan this morning if the

:14:35.:14:39.

threat to destroy the economic model which has been in place for many

:14:40.:14:43.

decades if the ambition is not reached. This is a very serious

:14:44.:14:49.

threat. That model, a shared model, about which there has been consensus

:14:50.:14:54.

for decades across this house, is designed to share prosperity,

:14:55.:14:57.

protect workers' rights, and improve living standards. There is no

:14:58.:15:02.

mandate for reckless disregard of that model and of so much that this

:15:03.:15:09.

country stands for. The Prime Minister described that model,

:15:10.:15:16.

resorting to that model, as an act that would be one of self harm for

:15:17.:15:22.

the EU. It would, Mr Speaker, be an act of huge self harm for the UK to

:15:23.:15:27.

abandon the economic model that we have had in place for so many years.

:15:28.:15:33.

It is also totally inconsistent, totally inconsistent with any

:15:34.:15:39.

meaningful commitment to workers' rights and a fairer society. So that

:15:40.:15:45.

sting in the tail, that threat undermines the ambition is a plan

:15:46.:15:49.

that I recognise. Let me touch on wider issues. The UK and EU have

:15:50.:15:53.

usually benefited from our collaborative work in the field of

:15:54.:15:56.

criminal Justice, anti-terrorism, research, medicine, science,

:15:57.:16:00.

technology, arts and culture and much else. We should be seeking to

:16:01.:16:04.

preserve that collaboration, not destroy it. Yet the Prime Minister

:16:05.:16:09.

said today, and I quote, "We do not seek to hold onto bits of membership

:16:10.:16:13.

as we leave". Let me give some examples of the bits she should seek

:16:14.:16:26.

to retain... Order. No, the honourable gentleman is a learning

:16:27.:16:29.

and celebrated and cerebrally individual. I don't want to

:16:30.:16:34.

interrupt him but the convention is that the reply is normally half the

:16:35.:16:38.

length of the statement so I can indulge the honourable gentleman

:16:39.:16:41.

modestly. There normally a bit of attitude but I was concerned when he

:16:42.:16:44.

had some, particularly as he is a lawyer! Mr Speaker, without details,

:16:45.:16:52.

the European Aviation Safety Agency which deals with safety, the

:16:53.:16:55.

European medicines agency and of course, Europol, which I worked with

:16:56.:16:58.

for many years. These are the bits of the EU we should be seeking to

:16:59.:17:02.

retain and not to throw away. Mr Speaker, I end by saying this. It

:17:03.:17:09.

was the previous Prime Minister who got us to this place without any

:17:10.:17:12.

forethought or planning. This Prime Minister has now chosen a risk

:17:13.:17:19.

implementation plan. She owns the consequences now. She owns them in

:17:20.:17:25.

2019 and beyond that. Thank you. The secretary of state. When we started

:17:26.:17:31.

down this route, I said to the house that the government have been given

:17:32.:17:37.

a national instruction which we would attempt to interpret in the

:17:38.:17:41.

national interest. It seemed to me that was the right approach to this,

:17:42.:17:47.

not a 52-48 approach but one that encompassed the interests of

:17:48.:17:52.

everybody. And I hope today that we had done that today. I mean in terms

:17:53.:17:57.

of the honourable gentleman's, and he's a very talented man, his

:17:58.:18:01.

questions were Azarenka as you'd expect, asking us about membership

:18:02.:18:04.

of the single market and we answer that. We laid out the claims of a

:18:05.:18:08.

customs union, another of his questions. He asked for detailed to

:18:09.:18:12.

scrutinise the plans and we will give it. In the context of not

:18:13.:18:17.

undermining our negotiation, that is entirely what we have tried to do. I

:18:18.:18:22.

had hoped that we would see support from some members of the benches

:18:23.:18:27.

opposite for what we think is a responsible, thoughtful, but

:18:28.:18:31.

realistic plan that takes on board the instructions we have been given

:18:32.:18:36.

by the British people. -- people, to take us out of the European Union

:18:37.:18:40.

but in a way which preserve that interest as best we can, whether

:18:41.:18:43.

they are security, economic interests or whatever. Let me deal

:18:44.:18:47.

with all the specific points he raised. I will put aside my

:18:48.:18:52.

disappointment at tone. He says a free trade arrangement will have do

:18:53.:18:55.

have a dispute resolution procedure. So it will cover they nearly all do

:18:56.:18:59.

but it does not have to be the European court of justice. We can

:19:00.:19:04.

agree but he has got the thrust of it wrong. As for other things,

:19:05.:19:11.

tariff free, I agree, impediment free, I agree, alignment regulation

:19:12.:19:13.

May be necessary in some aspects and we will see at the negotiating

:19:14.:19:17.

developments. -- develops. On goods and services, I agree. He's not

:19:18.:19:22.

putting up any hurdle but frankly we don't intend to cross ourselves.

:19:23.:19:30.

This question of threats, it is not a threat, this was the Chancellor,

:19:31.:19:33.

in response to an interview, saying, if you go down the route of a

:19:34.:19:36.

punitive approach, this is the consequence, what will happen.

:19:37.:19:40.

Nations defend themselves. No one says what we want to do, it is

:19:41.:19:43.

specifically what we don't want to do. We want the freest possible

:19:44.:19:47.

relationship, the most friendly possible we can get and that is what

:19:48.:19:49.

we will set out to do. You can take it as read that all the

:19:50.:20:20.

issues he raised, we will be addressing over time in this House

:20:21.:20:24.

and most particularly we'll be addressing in the negotiating

:20:25.:20:29.

chamber with the Europeans. I think that they'll have as much interest

:20:30.:20:36.

as we do. That is what the negotiation is predicated upon. We

:20:37.:20:42.

are going to do what is in the interests of everyone, ourselves, if

:20:43.:20:49.

Europeans and owl our neighbours in part of globe -- and our neighbours

:20:50.:20:53.

and our part of the globe. That's what we intend to do.

:20:54.:21:01.

I'm sure we'll acknowledge the Prime Minister's speech, it's principled,

:21:02.:21:06.

reasonable and statesmanlike. Does he agree that, in relation to

:21:07.:21:10.

what the 27 member states, heads of Government said, only a few weeks

:21:11.:21:16.

ago, the last counsel sum commitment, that there would be no

:21:17.:21:20.

access to the single market unless we accepted all the four freedoms --

:21:21.:21:25.

summit. That this does represent a difficulty. Does he accept therefore

:21:26.:21:27.

that it's essential that we clear that with the other member states on

:21:28.:21:32.

the basis of principle, reasonableness and statesmanship?

:21:33.:21:36.

I have tried throughout the six months so far not to respond to

:21:37.:21:43.

sometimes the emotional comments we've heard from various people

:21:44.:21:49.

around the continent. I'm sort of slightly surprised in him, however.

:21:50.:21:54.

He of all people would pull me up if I confused access to single market

:21:55.:21:57.

with membership of single market. Pretty much every country in the

:21:58.:22:00.

world that's not subject to sanctions has access to the single

:22:01.:22:04.

market. We will have access to the single market. The question that

:22:05.:22:08.

this is about is the terms. My job, and the job frankly of everybody,

:22:09.:22:13.

including the opposition, is to persuade our opposite numbers in

:22:14.:22:17.

Europe that it's in their their interests too that we all have

:22:18.:22:20.

access to each other's markets. That's what I intend to do.

:22:21.:22:31.

Thank you Mr Speaker. I thank the secretary for advance sight of the

:22:32.:22:38.

statement. We have seen the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State

:22:39.:22:42.

today complete an un-Holy Trinity of Westminster promises to people of

:22:43.:22:45.

Scotland. They promised to take account of the 62% remain vote in

:22:46.:22:50.

Scotland. And to consider all options for Scotland's future.

:22:51.:22:53.

They've broken that promise today. They promised during the referendum

:22:54.:22:58.

and in the election manifesto that leaving the EU doesn't mean we have

:22:59.:23:01.

to leave the single market. Today they are making that promise. As for

:23:02.:23:06.

the promise in 2014 remaining in the United Kingdom guaranteed Scotland's

:23:07.:23:09.

place in Europe, we all know where that's gone. I have to say to the

:23:10.:23:13.

Secretary of State, I hope he'll pass the message back to his boss

:23:14.:23:17.

that if she insists on giving Scotland only one option to remain,

:23:18.:23:24.

Scotland will take that option. We do have certainty, we know with

:23:25.:23:28.

certainty that Brexit means hard Tory Brexit. Can I ask the Secretary

:23:29.:23:34.

of State, even at this late stage, to accept that the promises that he

:23:35.:23:37.

and the Prime Minister have made must be honoured. Will he tell the

:23:38.:23:43.

House how he proposes to recognise the 62% Remain vote in Scotland and

:23:44.:23:49.

the overwhelming unanimous view in Scotland that our free movement of

:23:50.:23:54.

people is essential for our well-being. Can he tell the House if

:23:55.:23:57.

he's read the Scottish Government paper on Scotland's place in Europe

:23:58.:24:02.

and give than he's nodding, will he undertake this paper will be

:24:03.:24:07.

properly and thoroughly discussed at the joint ministerial council next

:24:08.:24:13.

week. Will he undertake, that before any non-returnable steps are taken,

:24:14.:24:16.

that Members of Parliament of all devolved nations will be given a

:24:17.:24:21.

chance, even on an advisory basis to consider the Government's plans,

:24:22.:24:25.

even before they are implemented. I thank the honourable gentleman for

:24:26.:24:30.

his question. It's been my privilege to chair the joint ministerial

:24:31.:24:34.

committee on European negotiations on which Mike Russell broadly

:24:35.:24:38.

represents the Scottish Government's position. I gave him an undertaking

:24:39.:24:46.

that we'd debate that paper at the next JMCEN, as it's known in

:24:47.:24:49.

Whitehall jargon. That's what we'll do. One of the things I've been very

:24:50.:24:53.

careful not to do is comment publicly on it because I said we

:24:54.:24:56.

want to give it the most open debate possible. There are parts of it I

:24:57.:25:01.

disagree with and parts I agree with. On the question of protection

:25:02.:25:07.

of workers' rights or maintenance of our terrific universities, I'm

:25:08.:25:10.

entirely on the side of the paper. On areas of devolution, Mr Russell

:25:11.:25:17.

may be surprised on how pro-devolution I am. There'll be

:25:18.:25:20.

nothing taken away and we'll have to decide what passes to them from the

:25:21.:25:24.

European Union. That will be a rational debate, based around the

:25:25.:25:28.

interests of the UK and Scotland. So he must take it as read I think

:25:29.:25:34.

that we will take very, very seriously the idea that we do not

:25:35.:25:39.

allow any part of the United Kingdom, any nation, Scotland,

:25:40.:25:42.

Wales, Northern Ireland, England, to lose out by this process. We are

:25:43.:25:46.

determined of that. THE SPEAKER: Anna Soubry? Thank you

:25:47.:25:51.

very much. I'll continue to come pain for membership of the single

:25:52.:25:55.

market and to make the positive case for immigration because I believe in

:25:56.:25:58.

the free movement of the people from the European Union. But can I make

:25:59.:26:09.

it very clear that I welcome the - I nearly said Her Majesty - the Prime

:26:10.:26:14.

Minister's speech and the statement made by my right honourable friend.

:26:15.:26:20.

I think it's realistic. It's much-needed clarity. I think the

:26:21.:26:27.

tone is to be hugely welcomed. It marks in that tone, a genuine

:26:28.:26:31.

desire, to bring about a consensus to reunite our country. So, in that

:26:32.:26:37.

spirit, would my right honourable friend commit, please, to putting

:26:38.:26:42.

those 12 objectives, this is not unreasonable, Mr Speaker, into a

:26:43.:26:47.

White Paper, bringing it into this House so that we can finally,

:26:48.:26:52.

because we haven't, and many others feel that Parliament's been

:26:53.:26:56.

deliberately procluded from this, that we can debate the single

:26:57.:26:59.

market, the customs union and free movement of people. I'll say first

:27:00.:27:04.

to my right honourable friend about her slip of the tongue, I often make

:27:05.:27:11.

the same mistake. Probably why I am where I am!

:27:12.:27:23.

As for her request to the you believe stance of this, I've tried

:27:24.:27:26.

today and the Prime Minister's tried today to answer all the questions we

:27:27.:27:31.

are able to answer without undermining the negotiation. But in

:27:32.:27:37.

terms of debates in the House, I can see in this chamber entirely a part

:27:38.:27:40.

for debating the very thing she talked about. So that's why I'll

:27:41.:27:45.

seek to get. THE SPEAKER: Ed Miliband. Thank you,

:27:46.:27:49.

Mr Speaker. The Secretary of State and the Prime Minister have both

:27:50.:27:52.

more or less admitted today what's been obvious for months, that it

:27:53.:27:55.

will take more than two years to have a trade deal with the EU ready

:27:56.:28:00.

to go. But there then follows a crucial question for many, many

:28:01.:28:04.

businesses up and down this country which is what the arrangements will

:28:05.:28:07.

be when we leave the EU and that trade deal is not yet completed. But

:28:08.:28:11.

listening to the Secretary of State today and indeed reading the Prime

:28:12.:28:14.

Minister's speech, we are not the wiser what that will be. Can the

:28:15.:28:18.

Secretary of State now enlighten us on this crucial point which matters

:28:19.:28:27.

to families and businesses hugely. I'll correct one or two things what

:28:28.:28:32.

he got wrong. He's wrong to interpret what I said as any

:28:33.:28:38.

suggestion that we'll not be able to negotiate this outcome in the

:28:39.:28:43.

timetable in front of us. The issue I said was that we'd look at

:28:44.:28:47.

implementation issues because I may well take time and I cited the

:28:48.:28:52.

borders and customs and various other aspects which might take time

:28:53.:28:55.

to take effect. It will be in the joint interests of the European

:28:56.:29:02.

Union and ourselves to put that in place. More widely, I cannot think

:29:03.:29:08.

how I could have been clearer. I've answered every single question with

:29:09.:29:12.

one exception that his spokesman of the party put to us. I've tried to

:29:13.:29:17.

answer as many as I can of the ones the Select Committee put to us. We

:29:18.:29:20.

have been very clear. I don't think out there anybody will believe the

:29:21.:29:24.

Labour Party now when they say we don't know what the negotiating

:29:25.:29:27.

strategy is. It's as plain as a pike staff and he should recognise that.

:29:28.:29:34.

The Prime Minister's given clarity, we are leaving the single market and

:29:35.:29:38.

customs union. Further to the point that's just been asked, in the

:29:39.:29:43.

implementation phase of the Prime Minister's proposal after article

:29:44.:29:48.

50, that period of adjustment to a deal, will all of the detailed terms

:29:49.:29:52.

already have been finalised or, is the period during which the details

:29:53.:29:57.

of the so-called bold and ambitious deal, as she put it, to be still

:29:58.:30:05.

worked out during the phase? My right honourable friend wrote a very

:30:06.:30:09.

wise paper which I referred to previously in a previous exchange

:30:10.:30:14.

here and he'd recognise that the negotiating balance changes at the

:30:15.:30:17.

end of the two-year period, so it's very, very important that we

:30:18.:30:21.

conclude the deal by then. The implementation is a different

:30:22.:30:26.

matter, it may take time and it does take time and we can't control

:30:27.:30:30.

whether we say putting in place a new customs arrangement or whatever

:30:31.:30:33.

it may be. It's the practicalities of it and that's what will drive it.

:30:34.:30:37.

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. While the Prime Minister's made

:30:38.:30:41.

things clearer today and I welcome in particular the commitment that

:30:42.:30:44.

Parliament will have a vote on the final deal and that the Government

:30:45.:30:48.

will seek transitional arrangements, both things the Select Committee

:30:49.:30:51.

called for in its first report, there is one big issue where there

:30:52.:30:56.

is still uncertainty for businesses and that is the continuation of

:30:57.:31:04.

tariff free and barrier free trade. Now, given the Government's

:31:05.:31:06.

unequivocal commitment today to that goal, can the Secretary of State

:31:07.:31:11.

tell the House that if remaining in the customs turns out to be the only

:31:12.:31:17.

way of assuring that that is what we'll get what we asked for, can you

:31:18.:31:23.

ensure that's what we'll do to honour that commitment to

:31:24.:31:26.

businesses? Zbloo we'll abide by the instruction given to it by the

:31:27.:31:28.

British people and the instruction was to leave the European Union.

:31:29.:31:34.

I'm afraid that is inconsistent with membership of the market. What we

:31:35.:31:37.

have said in terms, is that we intend to deliver the very thing

:31:38.:31:43.

that he says British business is uncertain about. That is tariff free

:31:44.:31:48.

and barrier free access to the European market.

:31:49.:31:54.

Can I welcome the contribution to increased clarity that the Prime

:31:55.:31:57.

Minister's brought to the EU debate today. I just hope that the 27

:31:58.:32:02.

remaining countries in the EU will take this opportunity to embrace the

:32:03.:32:06.

positive spirit in which this plan's been put forward. But the Prime

:32:07.:32:09.

Minister actually said in her speech that she was putting the

:32:10.:32:13.

preservation of our precious union at the heart of everything and, in

:32:14.:32:19.

that spirit, can I ask the Secretary of State if there is parts of the

:32:20.:32:23.

country that are net beneficiaries from the EU, such as Wales and

:32:24.:32:28.

Cornwall, will continue to get that level of funding so they can take

:32:29.:32:31.

advantage of the great opportunities ahead. The aim of the entire

:32:32.:32:36.

strategy is to improve the economic prospects of the country and to do

:32:37.:32:43.

that properly, the Prime Minister has been very forward in terms of

:32:44.:32:48.

talking about the benefits of that. One of the things which has passed

:32:49.:32:54.

almost unremarked but was in fact remarkable, was the speed with which

:32:55.:32:58.

the Treasury stepped in very early on universities and farming and

:32:59.:33:01.

structural funds. It made a decision in four weeks in the middle of

:33:02.:33:05.

August, something which I don't think I can remember in my lifetime

:33:06.:33:08.

in this parent which is quite long. So I think she can take it as read

:33:09.:33:11.

that we'll do everything possible to make sure that awe parts in the

:33:12.:33:15.

United Kingdom benefit from this policy.

:33:16.:33:18.

I applaud the Prime Minister's speech and her vision of a liberal

:33:19.:33:24.

Brexit. Can the minister confirm that where mutual cooperation is

:33:25.:33:28.

needed between the EU and UK after we've left such as

:33:29.:33:30.

intelligence-sharing, that arrangements will be put in place on

:33:31.:33:37.

the basis of bilateral treaties, rather than us being the supplement?

:33:38.:33:41.

One of the things the Prime Minister's made plain is that we are

:33:42.:33:46.

not the supplement here or in what follows afterwards. Britain is the

:33:47.:33:51.

intelligent super power, we are critical to the fence of Europe from

:33:52.:33:54.

terrorist threat and we are also critical to the military support of

:33:55.:34:00.

Europe and dealing with migration, the navy at work -- with the navy at

:34:01.:34:05.

work. They are often on a bilateral basis now but they'll be done on a

:34:06.:34:08.

treaty basis equal to both sides. I think we should loyally support

:34:09.:34:22.

the Government. Hear-hear! LAUGHTER

:34:23.:34:29.

Will the Secretary of State confirm this, that insist on controlling

:34:30.:34:33.

your own borders and insisting on doing international trade deals is

:34:34.:34:36.

inconsistent, not just with membership of the European Union,

:34:37.:34:41.

but also the customs union and the single market, so I agree after the

:34:42.:34:44.

welcome turn of today's speech it's not hard Brexit, it's full Brexit.

:34:45.:34:51.

Well, I will start by saying with respect to his opening remarks, my

:34:52.:34:56.

health is fragile these days, careful about such assertions of

:34:57.:35:02.

supporting the Government! But it is plain, I mean, we have endeavoured

:35:03.:35:05.

to put together the option which gives the best outcome for Britain

:35:06.:35:08.

whilst obeying the decision of the people. That's what we have done and

:35:09.:35:13.

it will work. Thank you, MrSpeaker. The Prime

:35:14.:35:16.

Minister in the first part of her speech made a welcome commitment to

:35:17.:35:20.

enhance and protect workers' rights but at the end was threatening to

:35:21.:35:26.

take them away and to undercut the rest of Europe and rip up the

:35:27.:35:31.

British economic model if we don't get what we want. Can he now

:35:32.:35:35.

withdraw that threat and be clear that Britain will not do that

:35:36.:35:38.

because otherwise if the Government is prepared to rip up workers'

:35:39.:35:43.

rights as soon as the negotiations get difficult, how can we trust them

:35:44.:35:48.

to ensure that the rest of Britain's interests are protected if the

:35:49.:35:51.

negotiations get difficult, as well? I will say to her what I said to the

:35:52.:35:56.

head of the TUC a couple of weeks ago, there is no circumstance under

:35:57.:35:59.

which we will rip up worksers' rights. That's my commitment from

:36:00.:36:02.

the beginning in this job and it will be my commitment for as long as

:36:03.:36:11.

I am in it. The governor of the Bank of England

:36:12.:36:14.

said the financial stability risks to the eurozone are greater than

:36:15.:36:17.

those faced by the UK, will he undertake to offer the European

:36:18.:36:21.

Union a full agreement to ensure that through the withdrawal

:36:22.:36:25.

agreement the eurozone continues to enjoy access to the City of London?

:36:26.:36:30.

Well, the governor and my honourable friend make a good point. The City

:36:31.:36:35.

of London, the existence of the City of London ensures both a pool of

:36:36.:36:40.

liquidity and a source of almost bottomless source of low cost

:36:41.:36:43.

finance for most of the industries of Europe. So, I think they've every

:36:44.:36:50.

interest in doing the deal we described and that again I reiterate

:36:51.:36:56.

is what we are relying on that's in everybody's interests economically,

:36:57.:37:00.

socially and in terms of financial stability. As the Secretary of State

:37:01.:37:04.

knows I support reform of freedom of movement but in a way that does

:37:05.:37:08.

least damage to the economy and particularly the regional economy. I

:37:09.:37:12.

see in the Prime Minister's speech she makes specific mention of

:37:13.:37:15.

protecting the interests of Cardiff, Edinburgh, Belfast, the City of

:37:16.:37:19.

London, but there is no mention of the north-west of England, Greater

:37:20.:37:22.

Manchester or indeed any English region. Rather than leaving these

:37:23.:37:29.

crucial decisions to a London centric click isn't it take to open

:37:30.:37:33.

up this debate, give Greater Manchester a voice in it and

:37:34.:37:36.

establish a Brexit committee for the nations and regions?

:37:37.:37:43.

If he is not very careful, I shall invite him to jump on to the M62 and

:37:44.:37:52.

visit me at my home in Yorkshire, this right-wing bastion in the north

:37:53.:37:57.

of England. Firstly, as you he - as he might imagine, I am acutely

:37:58.:38:01.

conscious of the needs of the north and what I am intending to do, I had

:38:02.:38:05.

intended to announce it - I hadn't intended to announce it today but I

:38:06.:38:09.

will as he asked, after the mayoral elections I intend to All Yours the

:38:10.:38:14.

mayors to have a meeting to talk about precisely that.

:38:15.:38:23.

It's a makeshift plan but before he is able to negotiate it, can I urge

:38:24.:38:29.

on him enormous patience because our partners will first want to discuss

:38:30.:38:35.

the money, the division of the assets and liabilities. I shall

:38:36.:38:38.

almost reiterate the answer I gave to the previous question. I am from

:38:39.:38:45.

Yorkshire and we are known to be just like the Scots, but a lot less

:38:46.:38:52.

generous! Today's speech is a result of what

:38:53.:38:59.

you get when you allow immigration policy to dictate economic policy,

:39:00.:39:04.

rather than considering these crucial questions of immigration and

:39:05.:39:06.

economics together. The Prime Minister set out a plan to leave the

:39:07.:39:11.

European Union but she did not set out a plan to keep anything like the

:39:12.:39:15.

current access to our biggest single market for jobs, businesses and

:39:16.:39:19.

trade and during the referendum campaign she said that pulling out

:39:20.:39:23.

of the single market would mean a loss of investors and going

:39:24.:39:28.

backwards on international trade. Let me ask the Secretary of State,

:39:29.:39:33.

what economic assessment did the Government make on the impact of

:39:34.:39:39.

today's speech on jobs, trade and prosperity or was the speech made

:39:40.:39:45.

without any such assetment at all? The first thing I will say to him is

:39:46.:39:49.

that the outcome of the referendum last year was not principally, it

:39:50.:39:53.

was a large part about immigration, but not principally about

:39:54.:39:55.

immigration, it was about control of our country. If you talk to the

:39:56.:39:59.

people who voted that was what they were concerned about. That's what

:40:00.:40:03.

this is about. Since I was party to the writing of this speech I can

:40:04.:40:07.

tell him, we had the economic future of the country, the security of the

:40:08.:40:10.

country, the sovereignty of the country and our part in the world

:40:11.:40:14.

all squarely in our sights when we wrote it.

:40:15.:40:24.

My right honourable friend in his speech made clear that no deal is

:40:25.:40:29.

better than a bad deal. In the unlikely I am sure event that we

:40:30.:40:32.

were to get a bad deal and the House were to vote against it, what would

:40:33.:40:35.

be the impact in terms of our status within the European Union?

:40:36.:40:46.

Well, the referendum last year set in motion a circumstance where the

:40:47.:40:49.

UK is going to leave the European Union and it won't change that. What

:40:50.:40:54.

we want to have is a vote so the House can support the policy which

:40:55.:40:56.

we are quite sure they will approve of when we get there.

:40:57.:41:04.

Can I welcome the Prime Minister's speech today in the sense that it

:41:05.:41:08.

gives certainty to those millions of Labour supporters who voted to leave

:41:09.:41:12.

and now know that the slogan taking back control is not just a slogan

:41:13.:41:15.

but actually means something. Could I ask him in the interim period now,

:41:16.:41:21.

before we actually leave, will he assure us that the negotiations

:41:22.:41:25.

about trade deals with other countries that may be nearly there,

:41:26.:41:29.

that we will continue to do that work so we are ready to go when we

:41:30.:41:33.

actually leave the EU? Of course we will do that. The honourable lady is

:41:34.:41:38.

entirely right. What we are constrained by is a thing called the

:41:39.:41:44.

duty of sincere co-operation. It requires us not to do things which

:41:45.:41:48.

jeopardise actions by the European Union. If the European Union

:41:49.:41:52.

currently has a trade deal in negotiation we have to be very

:41:53.:41:56.

careful about how we impact on that. Of course we can't actually sign

:41:57.:41:59.

until the day we leave. But I have a strong suspicion that there will be

:42:00.:42:03.

a lot of things ready to sign that very next day.

:42:04.:42:12.

I apologise for being unavoidably rather late in the chamber. Whilst I

:42:13.:42:16.

welcome the tone of the Prime Minister's statement today and the

:42:17.:42:20.

commitments to free trade and internationalism and so on which are

:42:21.:42:24.

very welcome, does my right honourable friend agree that when he

:42:25.:42:29.

is negotiating free trade agreements or customses union with any other

:42:30.:42:36.

country or groups of country, the parties both agree to be bound by

:42:37.:42:42.

sets of rules which neither of them are going to change and any

:42:43.:42:47.

agreement involves submitting to some means of resolution of

:42:48.:42:53.

disputes, be it arbitration or a court of law or the World Trade

:42:54.:42:58.

Organisation rules. So what I don't understand when reading the Prime

:42:59.:43:01.

Minister's statement or listening to my right honourable friend is which

:43:02.:43:05.

country in the world is going to enter into a trade agreement with

:43:06.:43:09.

this country on the basis that the rules are entirely what the British

:43:10.:43:13.

say they're going to be on any particular day and if there is any

:43:14.:43:17.

dispute about the rules it's going to be sorted out by the British

:43:18.:43:21.

Government? LAUGHTER

:43:22.:43:30.

Well, those on that side have a very short memory. I can forgive my right

:43:31.:43:34.

honourable friend, he didn't hear the first question which was on

:43:35.:43:37.

exactly this point. And I answered it in the same way I am going to

:43:38.:43:40.

answer this, which is of course there will be agreements between us

:43:41.:43:43.

and there will they'll be arbitrated by an organisation which we agree

:43:44.:43:46.

between us, not normally the European Court of justice.

:43:47.:43:54.

Thank you, MrSpeaker. Can the Secretary of State be absolutely

:43:55.:43:57.

crystal clear, does his statement and the Prime Minister's speech

:43:58.:44:00.

represent the totality of the plan promised to parliament and will

:44:01.:44:07.

there be a White Paper, yes or no? I was asked by the select committee

:44:08.:44:11.

that we will present the plan as quickly as possible, that's what we

:44:12.:44:19.

have done. I am very pleased to hear priorities

:44:20.:44:27.

include allowing the EU citizens to stay here and allowing us to still

:44:28.:44:30.

access those vital skills we need for science and insroe vasion. I

:44:31.:44:35.

appreciate the negotiation can't be open for all to see and no running

:44:36.:44:41.

commentary will be possible. Will the Secretary of State commit -

:44:42.:44:46.

needs and requirements must be reflected in negotiating aims.

:44:47.:44:53.

Broadly, yes, the honourable lady is a member for Cambridgeshire? I was

:44:54.:44:58.

in Cambridge only just before Christmas to speak to a number of

:44:59.:45:04.

hi-tech organisations, one of them ARM but a number of others, as well,

:45:05.:45:10.

some pharmaceutical ones, as well, with the direct intention of

:45:11.:45:14.

informing exactly how we approach some of these complex matters in the

:45:15.:45:23.

negotiation. The Government took a wise decision

:45:24.:45:29.

to inform our E. Partners that in the event of intransigence during

:45:30.:45:32.

our negotiations to establish a new partnership that we would not take

:45:33.:45:37.

it lying down and would use the fiscal and legislative levers at our

:45:38.:45:43.

disposal to ensure that Britain's economic case was represented

:45:44.:45:47.

properly. Is he surprised at the casual way in which the opposition

:45:48.:45:51.

has dismissed the use of these levers on the basis that it might

:45:52.:45:56.

start a trade war and would he not accept that the sure way of getting

:45:57.:46:02.

entrance generals from the EU is to throw away this economic deterrent

:46:03.:46:06.

we have at our disposal? I am disappointed but not surprised, what

:46:07.:46:16.

is perhaps spicing -- surprising. This is something in the national

:46:17.:46:19.

interest, every single member of our nation stands to gain.

:46:20.:46:26.

Can I welcome the detailed plan set out by the Prime Minister for a

:46:27.:46:31.

post-Brexit Britain that means that we are a self-governing democracy, a

:46:32.:46:35.

firm friend to Europe but have a global perspective. Does he agree

:46:36.:46:39.

that it's vital this is a positive vision because that's the way we can

:46:40.:46:42.

unite the country and make sure Britain goes from strength to

:46:43.:46:47.

strength? Well, my honourable friend goes to

:46:48.:46:50.

the heart of this. The purpose of this and the reason we addressed the

:46:51.:46:55.

questions that were put by the opposition was because we wanted to

:46:56.:46:59.

get people behind a vision of Britain which will be in everybody's

:47:00.:47:04.

interests, everybody, north, south, England, Scotland, Wales, Northern

:47:05.:47:06.

Ireland, every part of the country, rich and poor and that's what we

:47:07.:47:10.

intend to do. Thank you, MrSpeaker. In 45 minutes

:47:11.:47:15.

the Prime Minister hasn't delivered a plan, she's delivered a Pandora's

:47:16.:47:25.

Box. She said she wants us to leave the common commercial policy and the

:47:26.:47:29.

common external tariff but to have associate membership of the customs

:47:30.:47:33.

union. A membership that doesn't yet exist and nobody else has. Can the

:47:34.:47:37.

Secretary of State tell us exactly what this means now for the deals

:47:38.:47:43.

like the aniesen deal on which thousands of jobs -- Nissan. Or what

:47:44.:47:51.

is it he - what cake he wants to eat and have this time? Nissan have

:47:52.:47:56.

decided to enlarge their investment in Britain, so they are clearly

:47:57.:48:02.

persuaded of this circumstance. The second thing I would say to her is

:48:03.:48:07.

that we have said from the beginning the relationship, the new

:48:08.:48:10.

partnership we want to have with the European Union will be unique T will

:48:11.:48:14.

be brand new, it is unique in many ways. Let me give one example. In

:48:15.:48:20.

the trade deal that we are seeking to arrive at we will be at the same

:48:21.:48:24.

standards of production, same standards applying to all of Britain

:48:25.:48:27.

that applies to the European Union now. There is no other trade deal in

:48:28.:48:32.

the world like that. The same thing applies to customs agreements, we

:48:33.:48:36.

are in a position where currently we have no customs barriers, why should

:48:37.:48:39.

we not have a frictionless one when we get to the end of the deal?

:48:40.:48:47.

Does the Secretary of State agree with me that a strong, fair and

:48:48.:48:53.

global Britain must include showing support for EU nationals currently

:48:54.:48:57.

living and working in our communities and to that end does he

:48:58.:49:04.

agree with me that we should unilaterally guarantee their rights

:49:05.:49:08.

as this would demonstrate our goodwill with a clear statement of

:49:09.:49:13.

intent? En What we have done is we have

:49:14.:49:19.

sought at the earliest possible opportunity with the national

:49:20.:49:23.

governments of those EU nationals to try to establish an agreement which

:49:24.:49:27.

covers both those EU nationals about which we care deeply, but also those

:49:28.:49:31.

citizens for whom we have a legal and moral responsibility, that's the

:49:32.:49:35.

point to remember, we have a legal and moral responsibility for our own

:49:36.:49:38.

citizens and those nations have not yet taken up the offer.

:49:39.:49:42.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Further to the point made by the honourable

:49:43.:49:51.

lady for Twickenham, the speech does contain the words "guarantee", so

:49:52.:49:53.

there is a commitment from the Government that they want to do

:49:54.:50:00.

this. However, with 3.5 million citizens living in our country, will

:50:01.:50:07.

it be 23rd June or the day we trigger. Certainly is extremely

:50:08.:50:10.

important and work needs to be done on the basis of when people arrived

:50:11.:50:15.

because the number of EU citizens will have arrived without passports

:50:16.:50:22.

but with identity cards. He'll know as a long-standing ex-chairman of

:50:23.:50:26.

the Home Affairs Select Committee which actually published a report on

:50:27.:50:30.

this and put up three dates, that this is a matter strictly for the

:50:31.:50:38.

Home Office to initiate and their policy on it.

:50:39.:50:44.

People came here in good faith to feel fear, concern about the future

:50:45.:50:51.

and we want to be able to guarantee all the other things that go with

:50:52.:50:54.

it, the welfare support and so on. That's what we intend to do. He'll

:50:55.:50:59.

forgive me if I don't pick a date out of the air because he knows what

:51:00.:51:03.

will happen, it will create an instant problem in terms of concerns

:51:04.:51:08.

for people who arrived either before or after that date. I don't wish

:51:09.:51:13.

this to make it any more difficult for the decent people that I want to

:51:14.:51:16.

help. I also welcome the Prime Minister's

:51:17.:51:20.

tone and her outlined objectives as she enters into the Brexit

:51:21.:51:25.

negotiations. I'm pleased she's listened to honourable friends to

:51:26.:51:27.

putting that vote to Parliament. Does my right honourable friend

:51:28.:51:30.

agree with me that in order to ensure that the Government is in

:51:31.:51:34.

tune with the will of Parliament that the single market is

:51:35.:51:43.

desperately overdue, the debate on it, and also so that Britain can be

:51:44.:51:46.

a best friend and neighbour to European partners. To do anything

:51:47.:51:51.

else would make Britain poor and the European partners. He goes to the

:51:52.:52:02.

heart of the strategy. The non-tariff barriers are as important

:52:03.:52:05.

in some ways as the 0% tariff and maybe harder to negotiate.

:52:06.:52:10.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. Once the UK's left the EU, there'll

:52:11.:52:17.

be a ?9 billion in EU finances. Given reduced resources, why does

:52:18.:52:20.

the Government believe the EU will prioritise negotiating a trade deal

:52:21.:52:23.

with the UK over more lucrative markets such as the US or China?

:52:24.:52:29.

Well, I'm afraid she's wrong about the more lucrative market bit. I

:52:30.:52:34.

mean, we are, once we are outside the European Union, the largest

:52:35.:52:37.

market for the European Union. They do not want to lose what they

:52:38.:52:42.

already have, which is a massive trade deficit, as it were, in their

:52:43.:52:46.

direction, which is very important for many, many millions of jobs.

:52:47.:52:55.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like to warmly welcome the statement by

:52:56.:52:59.

my right honourable friend and the speech earlier by the Prime

:53:00.:53:01.

Minister. I'm sure my right honourable friend is aware of the

:53:02.:53:05.

importance of the British university sector for research, jobs and

:53:06.:53:11.

growth, and that is challenged, that sector, in terms of the workforce

:53:12.:53:16.

and also in terms of many of the grants it gets from the European

:53:17.:53:19.

Union. Will my right honourable friend commit to prioritising with

:53:20.:53:22.

the university sector to make sure it has a viable and strong future in

:53:23.:53:27.

a post-Brexit world? We are already at that. As I

:53:28.:53:32.

mentioned to his honourable friend, I was in Cambridge just before

:53:33.:53:34.

Christmas with that very much in mind.

:53:35.:53:38.

Let me just reiterate the point. I know I've made it from despatch box

:53:39.:53:43.

before. I'll reiterate the point. My job is to bring back control of the

:53:44.:53:47.

immigration policy to the UK. But do not assume that we'll do anything

:53:48.:53:51.

other than interpret that immigration policy in the UK's

:53:52.:53:57.

national interests. We are a university, a science super power

:53:58.:54:02.

and that science super power status depends on our access to tariffs,

:54:03.:54:06.

our ability to get people to come and work in our universities with

:54:07.:54:10.

Nobel Prizes and do what they do very well here and we have got that

:54:11.:54:15.

very, very square and centre in what we are attempting to achieve. Thank

:54:16.:54:21.

you very much, Mr Speaker. The Secretary of State was an early

:54:22.:54:25.

advocate of a White Paper. Downing Street have made it clear that

:54:26.:54:29.

there'll be no White Paper that the Prime Minister's speech is all we

:54:30.:54:35.

are going to get. Is he disappointed with that and, will he go back and

:54:36.:54:40.

ask her to think again so that we can have meaningful debate with

:54:41.:54:47.

votes ahead of the final agreement? I mean, frankly, she should read it.

:54:48.:54:52.

It's almost 7,000 words, a closely argued strategy in terms of the

:54:53.:54:56.

approach to the European Union. It answers all of her questions that we

:54:57.:55:01.

can answer at this stage and that's what we set out to do, to help

:55:02.:55:04.

Parliament with its decisions. That's what I think we have done.

:55:05.:55:13.

The honourable member from hoe burn and St Pancras suggested that the

:55:14.:55:19.

ECJ would retain the trade deal. Given the Canada trade deal contains

:55:20.:55:23.

an arbitration clause, does the Secretary of State think this is

:55:24.:55:27.

absolutely necessary? There is always an arbitration clause in any

:55:28.:55:31.

trade deal but whoever the organisation that carries out the

:55:32.:55:35.

arbitration, is a part of that deal. That's what we'll agree. I think

:55:36.:55:40.

it's incredibly unlikely it will be the ECJ.

:55:41.:55:44.

Can I suggest to the honourable member that the Government's threat

:55:45.:55:47.

of turning Britain into a corporate tax haven floating off on the edge

:55:48.:55:50.

of Europe is not what people voted for on the 23rd June. People also

:55:51.:55:54.

did not vote to wreck our environmental protections. So will

:55:55.:55:59.

the Government introduce a new Environmental Protection Act as

:56:00.:56:02.

advocated by the Environmental Audit Committee so that vital safeguards

:56:03.:56:06.

for nature are neither quietly dropped through secondary

:56:07.:56:08.

legislation, nor bargained away in this rush to be able to conclude new

:56:09.:56:11.

trade deals, for example, with the US.

:56:12.:56:15.

Well, what I'll say to her is this. The way we have structured this,

:56:16.:56:21.

very clearly I think, with the great Repeal Bill, so that that all of the

:56:22.:56:26.

existing protections in law will be put into British law, then anything

:56:27.:56:29.

thereafter will be for this Parliament to decide, something that

:56:30.:56:37.

hasn't been true for about 40 years. Mr Speaker, in the Secretary of

:56:38.:56:42.

State's long and distinguished political career, did he ever think

:56:43.:56:46.

that in his political lifetime, he would have a British Prime Minister

:56:47.:56:53.

make such a splendid speech on the EU, totally in line with the British

:56:54.:56:56.

people? Absolutely not! But sadly that won't

:56:57.:57:04.

get me a pay increase. Russia. Russia this week has been up

:57:05.:57:09.

to its usual tricks no trying to stir up trouble between Serbia and

:57:10.:57:14.

Kosovo and of course is trying to face down the United States of

:57:15.:57:17.

America and, for that matter, other members of NATO on the border with

:57:18.:57:22.

Poland and Estonia. Now, I believe that the bedrock of our national

:57:23.:57:28.

security is NATO. I hope my party does too. But successive Foreign

:57:29.:57:36.

Secretaries and Home Secretaries and Prime Ministers have come to this

:57:37.:57:39.

House and said that they are proud when they've come back from the EU,

:57:40.:57:43.

that they have been able to make sure that the EU keeps strong

:57:44.:57:47.

sanctions against Russian territorial aggression. How will we

:57:48.:57:51.

be able to do that in the future when we've left the European Union?

:57:52.:57:55.

Well, we'll be able to do it by bilateral negotiation. Let me go

:57:56.:57:58.

back to the fundamental of what he said. I mean, one of the - he's

:57:59.:58:05.

right, we need to contain Russian expansionism - and he's right that

:58:06.:58:09.

that's an important part of this country's role in the world. One of

:58:10.:58:14.

the most important parts of the incredibly important speech was the

:58:15.:58:18.

Prime Minister making it very plain that we will continue to be a good

:58:19.:58:24.

global citizen and a good European citizen, particularly on matters of

:58:25.:58:29.

regional security. I welcome today's statement and the

:58:30.:58:34.

clarity it brings. In the Black Country and the wider West Midlands

:58:35.:58:39.

economy, their businesses have driven export growth, particularly

:58:40.:58:43.

outside of the European Union. Would the Secretary of State agree with me

:58:44.:58:46.

that whatever we agree in terms of access to the single market, must

:58:47.:58:51.

not constrain the ability of West Midlands exporters to continue to

:58:52.:58:55.

ply trade outside of the European Union and grow their exports?

:58:56.:58:59.

He makes a point which goes to the heart of the approach to the customs

:59:00.:59:03.

union. The reason we are not going to be a part of the common

:59:04.:59:07.

commercial policy is to enable us to make the deals which enable the

:59:08.:59:11.

Black Country industrialists to make the maximum out of international

:59:12.:59:18.

trade. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. EU

:59:19.:59:24.

workers in Scotland contribute ?7. 5 billion to our economy, not to

:59:25.:59:28.

mention the huge contribution they make to our social fabric. What is

:59:29.:59:32.

he going to do to protect their rights and Scotland's place in

:59:33.:59:35.

Europe as they voted for by a majority in the EU vote?

:59:36.:59:41.

I mean, there was a part of the report that was produced by the

:59:42.:59:45.

Scottish Government which related to this and, as I said to one of my

:59:46.:59:53.

colleagues earlier, that we will not be managing the immigration policy

:59:54.:59:56.

or the migration policy in a way which harms the national interest.

:59:57.:00:01.

That means not causing Labour shortages, shortages of talent and

:00:02.:00:05.

so on. That applies, not just as it were globally, but to each nation

:00:06.:00:11.

state of the United Kingdom too. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

:00:12.:00:14.

I welcome the Prime Minister's plan for Britain and her speech today. I

:00:15.:00:20.

represent a rural constituency which has a long history and future of

:00:21.:00:26.

agriculture. Can my right honourable friend assure the House that

:00:27.:00:31.

agriculture will be central in any trade negotiations and that the high

:00:32.:00:36.

quality of food standards for which British farming is famed will be a

:00:37.:00:42.

key principle in those negotiations? The answer very simply is yes. We

:00:43.:00:48.

are a large market for European agriculture and food production but

:00:49.:00:51.

they are a large market for us too and we'll keep that in mind.

:00:52.:00:58.

Mr Speaker, on rethinking immigration policy, will ministers

:00:59.:01:01.

consider allowing EU citizens to come to the UK if they have a firm

:01:02.:01:06.

job offer in the UK, as part of the quid pro quo for the barrier free

:01:07.:01:10.

access to the single market which he said is his goal?

:01:11.:01:15.

I think if I remember correctly from the speech, the Prime Minister made

:01:16.:01:20.

the point thats the not a policy to shut out Europeans at all, it's a

:01:21.:01:24.

policy to deliver the best interests of the United Kingdom and the best

:01:25.:01:27.

interests of the European Union and therefore we'll keep that in mind,

:01:28.:01:32.

of course. I welcome the Prime Minister's

:01:33.:01:36.

speech and her plans. But would my right honourable friend agree his

:01:37.:01:38.

negotiations will be greatly enhanced by his commitment to

:01:39.:01:41.

working with Britishth British business and that the Government's

:01:42.:01:45.

commitment to shaping a modern industrial strategy with British

:01:46.:01:50.

business will also provide a clear vision for our post-Brexit economic

:01:51.:01:54.

future? The two policies fit together hand and glove almost, the

:01:55.:02:01.

industrial policy and the negotiating policy with the European

:02:02.:02:04.

Union. It's right that we have made an enormous amount of attention to

:02:05.:02:08.

business, finance and manufacturing, to aviation, energy, every single

:02:09.:02:12.

sector, 51 different sectors. We have paid a great deal of attention

:02:13.:02:15.

to them in order to get the best possible deal and we'll continue to

:02:16.:02:20.

do so. Mr Speaker, trading with the EU

:02:21.:02:27.

under WTO rules would be vastly inferior to our current arrangements

:02:28.:02:33.

with 10% tariffs on cars, 13% on clothes, up to 40% tariffs on

:02:34.:02:37.

agricultural produce that the lady was talking about. For the sake of

:02:38.:02:42.

clarity, can he be absolutely clear, does the Prime Minister's commitment

:02:43.:02:46.

to an interim implementation arrangement amount to the Government

:02:47.:02:55.

ruling out leaving the EU with no deal at all. That would be damaging

:02:56.:03:00.

for jobs and businesses in this country.

:03:01.:03:10.

If you walk into a negotiating option with no other option you

:03:11.:03:18.

won't do very well. Can I welcome the tone of the Prime

:03:19.:03:23.

Minister this morning in the building formerly known as Stafford

:03:24.:03:29.

House. Would he agree with me that this issue of no cliff edge of a

:03:30.:03:36.

really well-worked out implementation plan is incredibly

:03:37.:03:39.

important, not just for businesses, but for the entire economy and all

:03:40.:03:43.

of the people of the United Kingdom and indeed of the EU.

:03:44.:03:47.

I think my right honourable friend is, as ever, right. I would say to

:03:48.:03:53.

him, of course, the point I tried to make earlier and it was made this

:03:54.:03:56.

morning, is this is important to us but also important to the European

:03:57.:03:58.

Union too. Thank you, Mr Speaker. If we are

:03:59.:04:06.

looking things which unite us and will enable us to exit the European

:04:07.:04:09.

Union more smoothly, can I suggest the minister starts talking to the

:04:10.:04:12.

Home Office and to minister who is deal with universities to find a way

:04:13.:04:18.

where we can properly remove the numbers of international students

:04:19.:04:21.

from the head count of immigration figures?

:04:22.:04:28.

Having explained earlier how I got the job, I think answering that

:04:29.:04:35.

question would lose me the job. It is a matter for the Home Office. But

:04:36.:04:40.

she can be sure that as I have said earlier, in answer to other

:04:41.:04:44.

questions, the operation of the immigration policy after we depart

:04:45.:04:48.

the European Union will be in the national interest, that includes the

:04:49.:04:53.

interest of our incredibly powerful and effective university sector. As

:04:54.:04:59.

the Shadow Minister said, this is not a hard Brexit, nor is this a

:05:00.:05:04.

soft Brexit, this is a plan for Britain on Brexit. The pound is up

:05:05.:05:08.

almost 3% since the announcement of the Prime Minister this morning.

:05:09.:05:11.

Could I urge my right honourable friend to not give in to the voices

:05:12.:05:15.

opposite who want a constant commentary but to carry on the clear

:05:16.:05:18.

strategy that's been laid out since he took post of making announcements

:05:19.:05:22.

when there is something to announce because that stability has been

:05:23.:05:25.

proved on the markets today that it works. Well, I am slightly loath to

:05:26.:05:30.

pin the entire effectiveness of the strategy on the currency markets,

:05:31.:05:35.

although I have to say that in two speeches now we managed to move it

:05:36.:05:39.

by a total of 5% so I have made more money on that than in the entire

:05:40.:05:43.

rest of my industrial career. But I take the point. This is a very

:05:44.:05:47.

important issue that we must not give a running commentary on but I

:05:48.:05:51.

think the opposition have a point that clarity was worthwhile and

:05:52.:06:00.

that's been demonstrated today. The Prime Minister said in her

:06:01.:06:04.

speech that we are leaving the single market, that she was going to

:06:05.:06:10.

negotiate a tree trade agreement with the EU and -- free trade

:06:11.:06:15.

agreement with the EU. Taking arrangements in certain areas. The

:06:16.:06:21.

Prime Minister continued, if so, it is reasonable that we should make an

:06:22.:06:25.

appropriate contribution. Can the Secretary of State say today and

:06:26.:06:30.

confirm is the Government actually considering continuing to make a

:06:31.:06:33.

financial contribution on that basis to the EU? I think he should have

:06:34.:06:39.

listened to the questions as well when she elaborated on that. She

:06:40.:06:45.

pointed out there are elements of the European Union where it's to our

:06:46.:06:49.

benefit, some of the research arrangements and so on. We are not

:06:50.:06:54.

in the business of going into great detail beyond that. I have said

:06:55.:06:56.

before we are not closing doors, but neither are we committing to things

:06:57.:07:07.

at this point. Well done the Prime Minister, well done my right

:07:08.:07:13.

honourable friend. Does he share my optimism that access to the European

:07:14.:07:18.

markets will not be affected by our departure because of the millions of

:07:19.:07:23.

European workers who will not allow their politicians or their

:07:24.:07:27.

bureaucrats to threaten their livelihoods simply to punish the

:07:28.:07:30.

United Kingdom? I am sure my right honourable friend

:07:31.:07:33.

is right and I particularly like the opening of his question!

:07:34.:07:47.

Could I commend the honourable lady for her sanity in her common sense

:07:48.:07:52.

earlier and the member for Rushcliff for bringing a degree of integrity

:07:53.:07:56.

to the discussion. Does the Secretary of State for exiting the

:07:57.:08:00.

EU recognise that I and thousands of others in Northern Ireland won't be

:08:01.:08:05.

leaving the EU willingly. We recognise the very significant

:08:06.:08:09.

benefits that have flowed from EU membership. We hold EU passports and

:08:10.:08:14.

we intend to retain them. But can I ask the Secretary of State what

:08:15.:08:17.

arrangements he will make to accommodate us? People like myself

:08:18.:08:21.

and the 70% of my constituents who voted to remain in the EU and intend

:08:22.:08:27.

to retain the benefits and could he when he tell us how he intends

:08:28.:08:32.

Northern Ireland to have its voice heard at the GMC meetings that he

:08:33.:08:35.

has and in the negotiations generally in the next three months?

:08:36.:08:41.

Let me say to the honourable gentleman. Firstly, since the

:08:42.:08:47.

beginning of this process, since I took this post, we have put the

:08:48.:08:52.

preservation of the stability and interests of Northern Ireland pretty

:08:53.:08:55.

much at the top of the tree of the negotiation, in particular on issues

:08:56.:09:01.

such as maintaining an open border and indeed on preserving the

:09:02.:09:05.

economic basis of Northern Ireland which is very dependent on trade

:09:06.:09:11.

with the Republic of Ireland. In terms of the JMC, I don't think

:09:12.:09:15.

whether it's gone yesterday but I approved it yesterday for the

:09:16.:09:19.

Northern Ireland economictive asking them whether they during the interim

:09:20.:09:23.

period, although the Government doesn't - is now subject to an

:09:24.:09:28.

election, ministers, most of the ministers are still in place to get

:09:29.:09:32.

them to send representatives either Ministerial or other

:09:33.:09:34.

representatives, so that we are always across the interests of

:09:35.:09:38.

Northern Ireland. He must take it as read, I am absolutely committed to

:09:39.:09:41.

making sure that the stability we have got used to and the peace we

:09:42.:09:45.

have got used to and prosperity in the last several years, we intend to

:09:46.:09:50.

maintain. As the Secretary of State said, if

:09:51.:09:53.

we are to give up our membership of the European Union and indeed the

:09:54.:09:59.

single market, this is not incompatible with us negotiating

:10:00.:10:01.

access to the single market either in whole or in part, I was wondering

:10:02.:10:06.

if at this stage my honourable friend has considered red lines he

:10:07.:10:12.

may put down in terms of what we pay for such access? I have considered,

:10:13.:10:18.

but the idea that I might talk about them is neither here... The simple

:10:19.:10:22.

truth is, there is a sort of naivety in modern politics that you have to

:10:23.:10:27.

establish in some sort of butch way red lines. If you establish a red

:10:28.:10:33.

line what you do is you invite your opposite, your negotiating opposite

:10:34.:10:36.

to make that red line very expensive to you. So, I do not intend to get

:10:37.:10:41.

into the business of laying out red lines here, there and everywhere,

:10:42.:10:44.

because I intend to get the best possible outcome for the country.

:10:45.:10:55.

The Prime Minister has said that we will be leaving the jurisdiction of

:10:56.:11:01.

the European Court of justice but can the Secretary of State, who has

:11:02.:11:06.

been a strong advocate of human rights, confirm that we will not be

:11:07.:11:10.

leaving the European Convention on Human Rights?

:11:11.:11:16.

Well as she knows I have history in this area and they're completely

:11:17.:11:19.

separate entities, nothing to do with this.

:11:20.:11:26.

I wholeheartedly welcome my right honourable friend's statement and

:11:27.:11:32.

that of the Prime Minister. Steel production is hugely important in

:11:33.:11:36.

Northamptonshire, will he consult widely about the future of the steel

:11:37.:11:40.

industry to make sure we get these arrangements right because this is a

:11:41.:11:44.

vitally strategic important industry for our country? Yes, the short

:11:45.:11:48.

answer is yes. The Secretary of State talked about

:11:49.:11:56.

bumps in the road. But this threatens to be a head of on car

:11:57.:12:01.

crash for Wales where 200,000 jobs are supported by trade with Europe.

:12:02.:12:06.

Does he have any idea how many jobs will be lost in Wales as a result of

:12:07.:12:12.

his Government's chosen path? The intention is none. I will say to

:12:13.:12:18.

that end the joint Ministerial committee for European negotiation

:12:19.:12:22.

will be considering a subfrom the Government for Wales I think in the

:12:23.:12:27.

meeting after next. I actually believe the Prime

:12:28.:12:30.

Minister's powers are pragmatic plan because it sets out the ambitions

:12:31.:12:34.

that we have to continue to attract the best talent to continue access

:12:35.:12:38.

to the single market and to have a phased implementation and that

:12:39.:12:41.

certainly recognises the ambitions of the financial services industry.

:12:42.:12:46.

Could my right honourable friend confirm he will follow the Prime

:12:47.:12:52.

Minister's lead and put the needs at the forefront of his negotiations

:12:53.:12:57.

and secure mutual recognition and equiff Lance in those negotiations?

:12:58.:13:00.

Following my earlier comments of course I will follow the Prime

:13:01.:13:04.

Minister's lead! And yes, of course, national

:13:05.:13:11.

services is an enormously important industry, plus all the associated

:13:12.:13:14.

industries that support it. I have to tell him as well it's an industry

:13:15.:13:18.

that general rates great revenue for the tresh ear, even if I didn't pay

:13:19.:13:22.

attention I am sure the Chancellor would.

:13:23.:13:28.

58% of the north-east exports are destined for the EU, 10% more than

:13:29.:13:32.

the UK average, leaving our region the most exposed from leaving the

:13:33.:13:37.

single market. Could the Secretary of State confirm what specific

:13:38.:13:41.

assessment or specific conversations he has had with business

:13:42.:13:44.

organisations and others in the north-east to ensure that our voice

:13:45.:13:48.

is heard in these discussions and that those jobs that depend on our

:13:49.:13:51.

access to the single market are not put at risk.

:13:52.:13:58.

I am not a southerner, she will understand that I come at this from

:13:59.:14:04.

a different view from some, and companies like Nissan clearly took a

:14:05.:14:09.

view too. Let me put this to her clearly, the aim of this strategy is

:14:10.:14:15.

to deliver absolutely the maximum possible access to the European

:14:16.:14:18.

Union marketplace, as well as delivering access to other global

:14:19.:14:22.

marketplaces at the same time. Those two things will be to the benefit of

:14:23.:14:27.

the north-east just as much as anywhere else.

:14:28.:14:33.

Nearly 70% of my constituents voted to leave the EU so I very much

:14:34.:14:37.

welcome the Prime Minister's speech today and my right honourable

:14:38.:14:41.

friend's statement outlining a plan of how we can deliver this exit. But

:14:42.:14:48.

just a point on trade. Can my right honourable friend outline in more

:14:49.:14:51.

detail what the Government is going to do to ensure businesses such as

:14:52.:14:56.

those in Cannock Chase can make the most of global trade opportunities

:14:57.:15:01.

as we exit the EU? Strictly this is a question she

:15:02.:15:05.

should address to the department for international trade because one

:15:06.:15:08.

element of what they do is negotiating new deals but the other

:15:09.:15:13.

element is facilitating, particularly for medium sized

:15:14.:15:18.

businesses, the ones where we underperform, access to those

:15:19.:15:20.

markets and they'll be doing that, as well.

:15:21.:15:30.

The second of the Prime Minister's Brexit principles as leaving the

:15:31.:15:33.

European Union will mean our laws will be made in Westminster,

:15:34.:15:37.

Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, in the spirit of principle one that the

:15:38.:15:42.

Government will provide certainty wherever it can, will the Secretary

:15:43.:15:46.

now provide details to the House of what further devolution or as he

:15:47.:15:51.

called it the right powers will go to the devolved administrations

:15:52.:15:53.

following our exit from the European Union?

:15:54.:15:58.

The first thing to say to her is that not a single power will come

:15:59.:16:03.

away from the devolved administrations, not one. If one was

:16:04.:16:06.

to listen sometimes to people talk being this you would think somehow

:16:07.:16:10.

we are going to strip the Scottish parliament of powers, which is not

:16:11.:16:15.

true. Secondly, I will say this to her, my presumption is I can tell

:16:16.:16:18.

her the principle, I can't give her the details at this stage, but my

:16:19.:16:22.

presumption is that wherever possible we will devolve so long as

:16:23.:16:26.

it doesn't undermine the UK single market, for which it is incredibly

:16:27.:16:30.

important to Scotland, about five times as much as it is to a European

:16:31.:16:36.

single market is. Secondly, that it preserves the ability of the

:16:37.:16:39.

Government to do international negotiation because - thirdly, to

:16:40.:16:42.

meet the international standards. Those are very important. Subject to

:16:43.:16:45.

that, I am on her side in terms of devolving.

:16:46.:16:51.

MrSpeaker, I totally agree with my right honourable friend that the UK

:16:52.:16:54.

is one of the best places for innovation and science and not least

:16:55.:16:58.

we have many world-class universities just like in my home

:16:59.:17:02.

town of Huddersfield. Would he agree that's exactly why our European

:17:03.:17:06.

allies will be eager to build a strong, new relationship?

:17:07.:17:12.

Of course. If the European negotiators take a rationale

:17:13.:17:15.

approach to this we will do this deal inside that two years and it

:17:16.:17:21.

will be good for both sides. No deal may be better than a bad

:17:22.:17:27.

deal but isn't the reality that no deal means, despite its best

:17:28.:17:32.

efforts, the British Government has been unable to conclude what it

:17:33.:17:38.

regards as a satisfactory outcome to the negotiations and therefore we

:17:39.:17:42.

are left with what the other 27 members want to impose on us,

:17:43.:17:46.

doesn't that sound like a pretty bad deal?

:17:47.:17:50.

No, being left to what 27 nations want to impose on sup a definition

:17:51.:17:57.

of a bad deal. I am sure the Secretary of State

:17:58.:18:00.

shares my enthusiasm for the clarity of the Prime Minister's speech

:18:01.:18:04.

today, a global Britain, freedom from the customs union and the

:18:05.:18:07.

constraints of single market membership. How will my right

:18:08.:18:13.

honourable friend impart that same enthusiasm amongst our EU friends

:18:14.:18:17.

and partners as we approach this future realising it's as good for

:18:18.:18:22.

them as it is good for us and it's a positive sum game? That last point

:18:23.:18:28.

is the most sper swaysive aspect. It will be to their benefit. The

:18:29.:18:32.

European Union has had a difficult five years, in economic terms and

:18:33.:18:36.

they really, if anybody has an appetite for more jobs and business

:18:37.:18:39.

and more trade it's them and we are their biggest market.

:18:40.:18:47.

The EU procurement rules have led to privatisation of parts of the health

:18:48.:18:52.

service, including part of the ambulance service in the East

:18:53.:18:57.

Midlands. Will the Secretary of State guarantee that when these

:18:58.:19:00.

negotiations are concluded and put in front of parliament that we will

:19:01.:19:04.

have the opportunity as parliament if we then choose to renationalise

:19:05.:19:10.

the entirety of the health service, without EU procurement getting in

:19:11.:19:13.

the way and if we also choose the rail industry?

:19:14.:19:17.

The honourable gentleman will understand better than most, that

:19:18.:19:21.

once we have exited the European Union, every change in law will be

:19:22.:19:24.

subject to this Parliament's decision.

:19:25.:19:27.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I very much welcome the Prime Minister's speech

:19:28.:19:37.

today and indeed my right my right honourable friend's statement

:19:38.:19:40.

earlier on. We have seen the New Zealand Prime Minister visiting

:19:41.:19:45.

London over the weekend expressing a desire for a trade deal and also the

:19:46.:19:50.

US President Elect Trump wanting a swift deal as well with the UK.

:19:51.:19:54.

There seems to be some confusion. Can my right honourable friend

:19:55.:19:59.

confirm that we cannot negotiate global free trade deals if we remain

:20:00.:20:05.

members of the customs union? Well, he's exactly right. What

:20:06.:20:09.

that's what the common commercial policy is, it prevents us doing

:20:10.:20:12.

that, that's why we have come to the conclusion that we have. Thank you

:20:13.:20:25.

Mr Speaker. The UK is going to do away with free movement, it's going

:20:26.:20:29.

to come out the customs union and leaving the single market. Yet we

:20:30.:20:35.

are going to maintain a common free movement deal with Ireland. How can

:20:36.:20:41.

that work but we are constantly told such a deal would not be possible

:20:42.:20:51.

between Scotland and England? If I remember correctly, the common

:20:52.:20:56.

travel area started in 1923 and has nothing to do with the European

:20:57.:21:02.

Union. Mr Speaker, my right honourable friend is the man with

:21:03.:21:10.

the plan. They may mock if they wish, Mr Speaker, but will he ensure

:21:11.:21:14.

that those wanting a running commentary will not get their way in

:21:15.:21:21.

wrecking the negotiation? Of course. Thank you very much

:21:22.:21:27.

indeed Mr Speaker. The Secretary of State and indeed

:21:28.:21:30.

the Prime Minister are very keen to repeat this phrase - no-one wants to

:21:31.:21:35.

see a return to the border of the past - between Northern Ireland and

:21:36.:21:38.

the republic. Of course no-one wants to see the return of the borders of

:21:39.:21:43.

the past with army patrols and that sort of thing. The reality is, we

:21:44.:21:49.

can't have a return to the border of the past because we don't have the

:21:50.:21:53.

army watch Towers. They've gone. Dissident Republicans have not gone.

:21:54.:21:57.

Dissident Republicans have murdered two prison officers in the last four

:21:58.:22:01.

years in Northern Ireland. This is a really serious issue. So if we are

:22:02.:22:04.

not going to go back to the border of the past and I don't want to go

:22:05.:22:08.

back to that very hard type of border, it's a porous border in

:22:09.:22:14.

south Armargh, 300 miles of it. Is the British Government proposing to

:22:15.:22:18.

outsource our immigration control to the Irish Government in terms of

:22:19.:22:21.

lick Rick, Shamrock, Dublin and Shannon? What is the British

:22:22.:22:25.

Government going to do and please throw some light on this in this

:22:26.:22:29.

debate in this House today because I'm so tired of hearing that sound

:22:30.:22:34.

byte, no-one wishes to return to the borders of the past. The first thing

:22:35.:22:38.

to say is of course there is an open border now and that's the existing

:22:39.:22:45.

circumstance. I don't wish to give her sound bytes but I'll say this to

:22:46.:22:49.

her. There are other borders and perhaps not quite the same security

:22:50.:22:53.

issues are related to them, around Europe, Norway to Sweden for

:22:54.:22:58.

example, where there is an open border maintained where you've got

:22:59.:23:02.

Customs and Excise across the border but nevertheless it's frictionless

:23:03.:23:06.

and that's what we'd aim for. On the security front, it's a question more

:23:07.:23:09.

for my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Northern

:23:10.:23:14.

Ireland. Thank you Mr Speaker. Some 44% of

:23:15.:23:19.

our exports currently go to the European Union. But does the

:23:20.:23:22.

Secretary of State agree with me that in many respects that figure is

:23:23.:23:26.

part of the problem given that just 7% of the world's population lives

:23:27.:23:30.

in the EU. So does the Secretary of State agree with me that today's

:23:31.:23:33.

decision to come out of the single market gives us a wonderful

:23:34.:23:37.

opportunity to be more global and international with our trading

:23:38.:23:46.

partners. A difficult one. My right honourable friend will know better

:23:47.:23:51.

than me since, well in the last 16, 17 years, the balance of exports in

:23:52.:23:55.

this country to Europe and the rest of the world has always turned

:23:56.:24:00.

around. It was 60-40 in favour of Europe 20 years ago, it's now almost

:24:01.:24:04.

60-40 the other way. That reflexes the growth rates in global markets

:24:05.:24:12.

are much higher -- that reflects. That is one of the bonuses of exit

:24:13.:24:22.

of the European Union. The Prime Minister's come up with a wish list

:24:23.:24:28.

and a scorched earth policy of slashing taxes and Public Services

:24:29.:24:31.

if she doesn't get what she wants. Given that many of the Secretary of

:24:32.:24:35.

State's colleagues would regard that as an ideal snarl yes, it's the

:24:36.:24:39.

economics model they would love to see implemented here, how is he

:24:40.:24:42.

going to square that during the negotiations and ensure we homed out

:24:43.:24:45.

for the best deal, rather than this deal which would be absolutely

:24:46.:24:50.

terrible for this country? Ink it would help the honourable lady if

:24:51.:24:57.

she read the speech with an impartial view. It says in terms,

:24:58.:25:02.

the preferred outcome is that of the freest possible open market with the

:25:03.:25:05.

European Union as well as the rest of the world and that's what we

:25:06.:25:15.

intend to achieve. It's a statement of economic fact that a large part

:25:16.:25:21.

of our economy is heavily dependent on unskilled hard-working migrants

:25:22.:25:27.

from the European Union. Does he accept there is likely to still be

:25:28.:25:29.

some unskilled migration in this country after we leave the EU and if

:25:30.:25:33.

so, will it still be the case if at present that legally unskilled

:25:34.:25:36.

migrants can only come to the EU or will our migration system be global

:25:37.:25:42.

too? He's right that the level of unskilled migration is likely to

:25:43.:25:46.

continue. Where from, how it's controlled, will all be a matter for

:25:47.:25:49.

the new immigration policy which will be under the control of this

:25:50.:25:55.

House. I keep returning to - my sgrob is to return the policy here

:25:56.:26:00.

-- my job. Then it's the job of this house to make the right decision in

:26:01.:26:03.

the British national interest and I'm sure we will. Thank you Mr

:26:04.:26:14.

Speaker. My constituency voted stronger than anywhere else to leave

:26:15.:26:19.

the European Union. I know that many people in Boston and Skegness will

:26:20.:26:22.

welcome the lardty and tone of the announcement today. Does the

:26:23.:26:24.

Secretary of State agree with me that when the people of Boston and

:26:25.:26:28.

Skegness voted for this country to be able to control our immigration

:26:29.:26:32.

policy and to be able to do our own trade deals, they were voting

:26:33.:26:35.

knowingly to leave the customs union and the leave the single market? I

:26:36.:26:45.

don't want to get into trying to interpret the inner thinkings of

:26:46.:26:48.

this. But the advocates on both sides of the argument during the

:26:49.:26:52.

campaign made it plain that they thought that leaving the European

:26:53.:26:55.

Union meant leaving the single market so I can't think it was a

:26:56.:27:05.

decision made in ignorance. The Secretary of State has said

:27:06.:27:10.

maintaining the common area in Northern Ireland is important. This

:27:11.:27:13.

time, for the first time ever, one partner will be a member of the

:27:14.:27:16.

European Union and one will not be. Can he give some clarity to people

:27:17.:27:22.

like myself who have a porous border with the Republic of Ireland whether

:27:23.:27:26.

the common travel area will mean the free movement of people or will it

:27:27.:27:31.

mean the freedom of movement, people, goods and capital. Because

:27:32.:27:35.

many people travel with goods and will Welsh ports be subject to

:27:36.:27:37.

customs? Firstly, he's right, and one of the

:27:38.:27:53.

things I've discussed is that. The point that came across very clearly

:27:54.:27:57.

was that the European Union is very proud of its position in the peace

:27:58.:28:00.

process and does not want to jeopardise that. So I think we've

:28:01.:28:08.

got a very - it will be treating, as indeed it was a 1949 Act, somebody

:28:09.:28:14.

will know it, treats Irish citizens the same as British and vice versa.

:28:15.:28:22.

Thank you Mr Speaker, I'm loathed to disagree with my Parliamentary

:28:23.:28:25.

neighbour, people trying to build a statue of him in my constituency at

:28:26.:28:30.

the moment. Stand that to one side, but I can't think of a single treaty

:28:31.:28:37.

between the EU and another country which uses the ECJ to organise its

:28:38.:28:43.

dispute issues. Every treaty the EU's ever signed, as far as I'm

:28:44.:28:48.

aware, either uses an international arbitration system or the World

:28:49.:28:51.

Trade Organisation. So there is absolutely no reason that the Right

:28:52.:28:54.

Honourable friend and the Government couldn't achieve that in our own

:28:55.:29:01.

negotiations. THE SPEAKER: I hope it were a

:29:02.:29:09.

speaking statue, otherwise it wouldn't fully capture it. My right

:29:10.:29:12.

honourable friend is right and indeed I cannot imagine most

:29:13.:29:16.

countries doing deals with the European Union agreeing for the

:29:17.:29:19.

European Union's own court to make the judgment. It would be an

:29:20.:29:28.

independent, of course, in general. The Secretary of State's confirmed

:29:29.:29:31.

that my constituents who're EU nationals will be used as bargaining

:29:32.:29:36.

chips to secure the rights of EU nationals living in the UK. This is

:29:37.:29:40.

already impacting our NHS, universities and the construction

:29:41.:29:43.

sector amongst other sectors of the economy. Why won't he retain the

:29:44.:29:47.

moral high ground on this issue and confirm the rights of EU nationals

:29:48.:29:51.

living this the UK and their status as values members of the community

:29:52.:29:55.

and important contributors to our economy and Public Services and then

:29:56.:29:58.

seek to hold EU countries to the same high stand ahhed of

:29:59.:30:02.

decision-making as regards the rights of UK nationals? The point

:30:03.:30:10.

about doing it as a block is that it makes nobody a bargaining chip. Once

:30:11.:30:14.

you start separating groups out, you turn the remainder into a bargaining

:30:15.:30:17.

chip and we mustn't do that. We have a legal responsibility to our own

:30:18.:30:23.

sit Zibs. -- citizens. Having said that, many times in every public

:30:24.:30:28.

forum I speak in on this subject, that we are determined to get a good

:30:29.:30:34.

guaranteed position for them. They should not worry. It needs us to get

:30:35.:30:39.

all the other countries lined up to agree with us to do it. We tried to

:30:40.:30:43.

do it, we wanted to do it earlier but we haven't been able to. We'll

:30:44.:30:49.

do it as soon as we can. Will the minister explain what will

:30:50.:30:57.

happen to fisheries? Well, with great respect to my right honourable

:30:58.:31:01.

friend, I'm not going to go into every single sedge for of the --

:31:02.:31:06.

sector of the negotiation, but it's pretty plain that we have a very

:31:07.:31:10.

strong hand on fisheries, I'll put it that way. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

:31:11.:31:20.

It's a pity the Secretary of State was unable to attend the statement

:31:21.:31:25.

by my right honourable friend, the Right Honourable Secretary of State

:31:26.:31:29.

for Northern Ireland, for if he did he'd recognise the White Paper is a

:31:30.:31:33.

catastrophe. That's what he called it in his statement. That is the

:31:34.:31:37.

White Paper. Therefore to assure members of this House that the

:31:38.:31:41.

Secretary of State - will the Secretary of State assure us that

:31:42.:31:48.

the amendment will not be revoked either before or after Brexit and

:31:49.:31:51.

that the United Kingdom Government will confirm that it will not impose

:31:52.:31:59.

a hard border with their closest European Union member, Ireland.

:32:00.:32:07.

I think I've said that many times. Thank you Mr Speaker. When

:32:08.:32:12.

Switzerland voted in 2014 to restrict immigration, their future

:32:13.:32:15.

participation in key EU research programmes was thrown into doubt.

:32:16.:32:20.

Just a few weeks from the deadline they've reached a compromise

:32:21.:32:22.

allowing them full participation. But this return for free movement

:32:23.:32:28.

with some tweaks. Our science and research and university sector

:32:29.:32:32.

demands no less. Today the Prime Minister offered no more than

:32:33.:32:35.

aspiration, no plan at all for the sector. Two years of uncertainty

:32:36.:32:40.

will do huge damage. Just how much damage is this Government prepared

:32:41.:32:43.

to countenance to one of our key sectors? Well, as nonsense questions

:32:44.:32:49.

go, that pretty much takes the biscuit. We've made it very plain

:32:50.:32:54.

indeed, very plain indeed what we intend here. We are a dominant

:32:55.:33:01.

scientific power in European Union, we have worked night and day to

:33:02.:33:07.

ensure we guarantee the position of students. We will continue to do

:33:08.:33:11.

that. If he just plays it down, he'll do harm to the very sector

:33:12.:33:19.

he's supposedly trying to protect. Given almost everything that's been

:33:20.:33:22.

said by the Prime Minister, and by the Brexit secretary today, is

:33:23.:33:26.

incompatible with the Scottish Government, Scotland in Europe

:33:27.:33:29.

compromise document, how does the UK Government plan to honour the

:33:30.:33:33.

promise to take seriously those proposals, unless the Government now

:33:34.:33:37.

plans to explore all options to support continuing Scottish

:33:38.:33:43.

membership of the single market? As I answered earlier, we've got

:33:44.:33:47.

that paper to appear before us in a few days' time. There is more than

:33:48.:33:53.

just one component to it, of course. He talks as if it's only about the

:33:54.:34:01.

so-called opt-out, they call it. But there's also questions in it about

:34:02.:34:05.

devolution and about the treatment of employment. There's a question

:34:06.:34:09.

about immigration. All of which we'll discuss at that time and we'll

:34:10.:34:12.

treat it seriously, as we always have.

:34:13.:34:17.

At the weekend it was reported that Michelle Barney, the EU negotiator

:34:18.:34:24.

was prepared to contemplate a special deal for the city and the UK

:34:25.:34:28.

Government have indicated they might look at special sector of deals for

:34:29.:34:33.

the city and Nissan. Does the Secretary of State accept that there

:34:34.:34:37.

is scope for the differentiated deal which the Scottish Government seeks

:34:38.:34:43.

if he and his Prime Minister have the political will to support it?

:34:44.:34:47.

Very unusually for the honourable lady she's not quite got Michelle

:34:48.:34:53.

Barnier's statement right. What he is reported as saying I think he

:34:54.:34:58.

subsequently denied it, is that he saw there were risks to the

:34:59.:35:01.

financial stability of the European Union if they did not maintain open

:35:02.:35:05.

access for the City of London. But she's also wrong in saying that we

:35:06.:35:09.

have talked about special deals, for any sector, we haven't. The aim of

:35:10.:35:17.

the British Government is to ensure that the whole economy succeeds as a

:35:18.:35:20.

result of this policy, not just one part of it and that includes

:35:21.:35:29.

Scotland too. The Secretary of State says that no

:35:30.:35:32.

deal is better than a bad deal. But what he is not being clear about is

:35:33.:35:38.

that no deal is a bad deal. Given the Chancellor told the Treasury

:35:39.:35:42.

committee that the Prime Minister should enter the negotiations with

:35:43.:35:46.

the widest possible range of options available, why is the Government

:35:47.:35:49.

today chosen to rule out the best possible deal with the European

:35:50.:35:53.

Union, which is membership of the single market, membership of the

:35:54.:35:56.

customs union and as a result free flowing goods and trade with the

:35:57.:36:00.

largest single market in the world on our own doorstep and access for

:36:01.:36:03.

British businesses to half a billion customers?

:36:04.:36:08.

Well, I don't know where the honourable gentleman was on 23 June

:36:09.:36:11.

but the British people pretty much rejected that.

:36:12.:36:21.

Brexit is a bigger factor in the political discolouration in Northern

:36:22.:36:26.

Ireland at the minute, partly because the Good Friday Agreement

:36:27.:36:30.

had common membership of the EU absolutely Jermaine to it and its

:36:31.:36:33.

institutions. The Secretary of State would need to recognise that any

:36:34.:36:38.

negotiations which follow these elections are going to follow

:36:39.:36:41.

returning to and renewing fundamentals of the Good Friday

:36:42.:36:44.

Agreement, that means people are going to be looking in respect of

:36:45.:36:47.

Strand 2 about ensuring that the island of Ireland can work and be

:36:48.:36:51.

worked as part of the European economic area into the future. The

:36:52.:36:55.

question of when rights, when powers over rights are transferred or

:36:56.:37:01.

devolved after the great repale bill will be a political area because

:37:02.:37:05.

nobody in Northern Ireland is going to trust this House with diluting

:37:06.:37:09.

rights before powers are then devolved where any attempt to prove

:37:10.:37:13.

them with be vet I doed by the DUP as we have seen in the past. It

:37:14.:37:20.

would be like asking Attila the Hun to mind your horse. Not sure I get

:37:21.:37:24.

the reference. That's one of the reasons I wrote to the Northern

:37:25.:37:28.

Ireland executive to make sure that we had representation in a joint

:37:29.:37:31.

Ministerial committee during the course of this election process. I

:37:32.:37:35.

don't foresee removal of any rights. As I said to a member in the Labour

:37:36.:37:43.

Party earlier, my expectation is that this is one area where we

:37:44.:37:46.

expect a great deal of co-operation from the European Commission to get

:37:47.:37:49.

an outcome which is beneficial for everybody.

:37:50.:37:56.

Can the Secretary of State tell the House why the other 27 members of

:37:57.:38:01.

the European Union should give the UK the Ben fits of single market

:38:02.:38:06.

membership without the costs with a bespoke deal that gives barrier free

:38:07.:38:10.

and tariff free access to the single market when it sets a precedent and

:38:11.:38:14.

an incentive for other EU states to leave the European Union, how is

:38:15.:38:19.

that good for them? At the risk of repeating myself, to

:38:20.:38:24.

pick one industry, one country, German car industry sells 800,000

:38:25.:38:27.

cars a year to the United Kingdom. I think it has every interest in

:38:28.:38:36.

keeping that market open. The Prime Minister in her speech

:38:37.:38:40.

this morning ended on a very gracious note. She said that the

:38:41.:38:47.

victors in the Brexit debate in the UK should be magnanimous towards

:38:48.:38:53.

those who lost. I put it to the Minister that magnanimous accepting

:38:54.:38:56.

Scotland wants to stay in the single market and that discussions from now

:38:57.:39:00.

on should at least leave the door open to that ask from Scotland.

:39:01.:39:06.

As I said earlier that's - I said this to Mike Russell, that I have

:39:07.:39:09.

not commented publicly on the report, even though I have read it

:39:10.:39:13.

in detail, because I want to have an open discussion about it later. But

:39:14.:39:16.

it does not mean that we are going to agree on everything but we are

:39:17.:39:23.

going to treat it with respect. The EU is in the process of concluding

:39:24.:39:28.

international trade deals with, for example, Japan and Canada, which the

:39:29.:39:32.

UK Government has warmly supported believing they'll be good for the UK

:39:33.:39:35.

economy, for example in the case of the Japanese deal I understand that

:39:36.:39:38.

the UK Government estimate that is it could be worth 5 billion annually

:39:39.:39:43.

to the British economy. How quickly can those deals be replaced when we

:39:44.:39:47.

leave the European Union and what modelling has the Government done of

:39:48.:39:51.

the potential cost to our economy if they can't quickly be replaced with

:39:52.:39:55.

new deals? Little point modelling what's not

:39:56.:39:58.

going to happen. The expectation is for many of the deals, the most

:39:59.:40:03.

important ones for us, we will get, as it were, an immediate transfer

:40:04.:40:06.

and then we will start talking about improving the deals between us. Not

:40:07.:40:10.

all the European trade deals have actually been that beneficial for

:40:11.:40:13.

Britain and some of these we could certainly improve.

:40:14.:40:23.

I know the Secretary of State's assertion to control our own laws

:40:24.:40:27.

and end the authority of the European Court of justice in the

:40:28.:40:30.

United Kingdom, and I want to put on record I support that proposal. When

:40:31.:40:34.

that takes place what will be the authority or standing of any

:40:35.:40:38.

decision relative to the United Kingdom that has already been taken

:40:39.:40:41.

by the European Court for the United Kingdom?

:40:42.:40:46.

If he is talking about the standing of case law, which I assume is what

:40:47.:40:52.

he means really, that will be frozen at the point that we leave then it's

:40:53.:40:56.

up to us in this House whether we change that.

:40:57.:41:05.

Free trade in goods is much easier to achieve than the free flow of

:41:06.:41:10.

services where non-tariff problems - barriers are the problem. How will

:41:11.:41:14.

the Government seek to ensure the continued success over time of the

:41:15.:41:18.

UK financial service exports to Europe when we will no longer get a

:41:19.:41:26.

say in the regulatory harp Monday ieation that's facilitated that

:41:27.:41:31.

success so far. City UK which an trr in the area he is talking about,

:41:32.:41:38.

talking about mutual recognition and an ex-terrible, rather than

:41:39.:41:42.

passporting. We haven't arrived at a conclusion on that yet. He is quite

:41:43.:41:45.

right, the goods side of it will be easier than that part lay because

:41:46.:41:49.

the single market is incomplete any way in services but that

:41:50.:41:52.

notwithstanding we have been successful in this area and he may

:41:53.:41:56.

take it as read that we will continue to facilitate that success.

:41:57.:42:03.

The Secretary of State will know that my constituency was the largest

:42:04.:42:08.

vote Leave constituency in Northern Ireland, one of the largest vote

:42:09.:42:12.

Leave constituencies in the United Kingdom. Can he confirm that it will

:42:13.:42:20.

not fall for some flawed, special status, half-in, half-out

:42:21.:42:22.

arrangement that's currently being sought by some people, that it will

:42:23.:42:26.

give my constituents absolute clarity and certainty that the

:42:27.:42:30.

Brexit deal will apply to all of Northern Ireland in this same way as

:42:31.:42:32.

apply to the people in his constituency?

:42:33.:42:37.

Yes, it will apply across the whole of the United Kingdom, as I said I

:42:38.:42:43.

am trying not to predate other discussions. I will say this is that

:42:44.:42:49.

in what we are doing in this negotiation, the interests of

:42:50.:42:51.

Northern Ireland, particularly the interests of his constituency, will

:42:52.:42:59.

be at the forefront of our thoughts. Three-quarters of my fellow citizens

:43:00.:43:02.

in the great City of Edinburgh voted not to turn their back on the

:43:03.:43:05.

European Union. Therefore, you will forgive me if I wholeheartedly do

:43:06.:43:10.

not welcome today's statements. However, I do welcome the Secretary

:43:11.:43:14.

of State's now repeated suggestion that he will take seriously the

:43:15.:43:16.

proposals of the Scottish Government. Let me press him on this

:43:17.:43:23.

matter. Some in his party have said that there can be no differentential

:43:24.:43:28.

arrangements in the nations post-Brexit on principle, even when

:43:29.:43:31.

it can be demonstrated they nr the benefit of the UK as a whole. Does

:43:32.:43:35.

he share that view or will he consider proposals on their merits?

:43:36.:43:40.

What I said already is that we will respect the view of the Scottish

:43:41.:43:44.

Government on this but what I have also said it doesn't mean we agree

:43:45.:43:48.

with all parts of it. Let me give one practical issue, which I have to

:43:49.:43:56.

deal with, if nobody else, and that is that the leading Norwegian

:43:57.:44:02.

members of FEDA have said that aspect he refers to will not work

:44:03.:44:06.

for them and the Spanish Minister said it would not work for them

:44:07.:44:10.

either, so we have hurdles to get over before that -- before that

:44:11.:44:19.

becomes a runner. The new Brit tappic isolation that

:44:20.:44:22.

the Government now seeks cannot be at the expense of EU nationals in

:44:23.:44:26.

this country or UK nationals in Europe. The Secretary of State has

:44:27.:44:30.

said he has tried to resolve this issue, they wanted to do so sometime

:44:31.:44:33.

ago, so can he tell us exactly what the problem s what's the barrier in

:44:34.:44:37.

his way from resolving that and how do we best get it lifted?

:44:38.:44:42.

It requires all the members of the European Union togethers to agree.

:44:43.:44:50.

The Prime Minister's fixation with leaving the jurisdiction of the

:44:51.:44:54.

European Court of justice clearly risks jeopardising the extent of our

:44:55.:44:58.

ongoing co-operation in EU justice in home affairs issue, which she

:44:59.:45:02.

says also she values. If those ambitions Clwyd surely the Secretary

:45:03.:45:05.

of State would agree that the issue of security must trump the issue of

:45:06.:45:09.

leaving the European courts jurisdiction. We have security

:45:10.:45:12.

arrangements with other allies which do not run into that problem.

:45:13.:45:16.

America, for a start. So I wouldn't think that's an issue.

:45:17.:45:26.

No deal is better than a bad deal. I am perplexed by this. How could a

:45:27.:45:30.

negotiated deal possibly be worse than something that the Secretary of

:45:31.:45:35.

State refers to as a cliff-edge? Is he really that bad at negotiation?

:45:36.:45:39.

The honourable gentleman over there referred to a deal in which we had

:45:40.:45:43.

to take all sorts of penalties from all sorts of European nations, that

:45:44.:45:48.

would be a bad deal. Of all the laws and regulation that

:45:49.:45:53.

is will be democratically repatriated to this parliament by

:45:54.:45:56.

the great Repeal bill, which is the first one that the Secretary of

:45:57.:46:00.

State himself would like to see reformed or repealed and when the

:46:01.:46:03.

bill goes through can he guarantee that the rights of this particlement

:46:04.:46:06.

to scrutinise legislation will be maintained and the bill will not be

:46:07.:46:12.

the great power grab? The first one to repeal, I don't

:46:13.:46:20.

have a favourite there. I will tell him the last one, and the last one

:46:21.:46:26.

is the protection of the employment rights of UK citizens both in

:46:27.:46:30.

Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom, because I made the promise

:46:31.:46:34.

from the first day in this job that that's one thing we are not going to

:46:35.:46:41.

change. I am most grateful to the Secretary

:46:42.:46:44.

of State for the experience of the last one hour and 46 minutes in

:46:45.:46:51.

which we could - and my understanding is that no fewer than

:46:52.:46:56.

84 back bench members had the opportunity to question the right

:46:57.:46:58.

honourable gentleman so I hope that there has been a decent exploration

:46:59.:47:03.

of the issues. I congratulate the right honourable gentleman on the

:47:04.:47:09.

strength of his knee muscles. Point of order. Thank you. MrSpeaker, last

:47:10.:47:16.

week during questions I asked the Minister for disabled people health

:47:17.:47:20.

and work how people with mental health issues could continue to

:47:21.:47:24.

receive appropriate support if the Glasgow Jobcentres were closed. The

:47:25.:47:29.

Minister responded by saying and I quote, my honourable friend the

:47:30.:47:33.

Minister for welfare reform has met Scottish ministers to discuss the

:47:34.:47:39.

issue. Firstly, there is currently no Minister for welfare reform and

:47:40.:47:44.

secondly, I have been informed by Scottish Ministerial colleagues no

:47:45.:47:47.

such meetings have taken place. Would it be in order for the

:47:48.:47:54.

Minister to come back to the chamber to clarify the situation? I was

:47:55.:48:03.

about to respond but I see that the Minister on the Treasury bench is

:48:04.:48:08.

very anxious to catch my eye and I don't want to disappoint her.

:48:09.:48:13.

Minister. Thank you. Further to that point of order, in my answer I said

:48:14.:48:17.

my honourable friend the Minister for employment has met with all the

:48:18.:48:22.

MPs concerned about those locations across Glasgow and my honourable

:48:23.:48:26.

friend the Minister for welfare reform has met Scottish ministers to

:48:27.:48:31.

discuss this issue, referring to the honourable member for Romsey. I

:48:32.:48:36.

should have said the Minister for welfare delivery. The Minister for

:48:37.:48:39.

welfare reform is in the House of Lords. For that, I profusely

:48:40.:48:45.

apologise. On these matters and others, not least devolution of

:48:46.:48:49.

welfare, our doors are always open to meet with Scottish ministers and

:48:50.:48:54.

good outcomes are contingent on good dialogue. I would not want this

:48:55.:48:59.

point of order to give an otherwise contrary impression.

:49:00.:49:04.

I think that's a very gracious acknowledgement of the situation by

:49:05.:49:12.

the Minister and I feel the nod of the head confirms she's content with

:49:13.:49:16.

that outcome. So I thank the Minister on the Treasury bench and

:49:17.:49:19.

we will leave it there. If there are no further points of

:49:20.:49:23.

order I think we come to the ten-minute rule motion for which the

:49:24.:49:26.

honourable gentleman has been so patiently waiting.

:49:27.:49:35.

I beg to move for leave to be give than I bring in a bill for people to

:49:36.:49:42.

give his or her instructions for burial matters legally binding on

:49:43.:49:45.

their personal representative or beneficiary to enable a person to

:49:46.:49:47.

make provision about the use of a burr ideal space he or she acquired

:49:48.:49:52.

while living after a person's burial and for connected purposes. It's

:49:53.:49:56.

been a surprising two months for me in Parliament. I've been talking a

:49:57.:50:01.

lot about death. We don't talk a lot about it inside or outside

:50:02.:50:03.

Parliament given we all die though it should be more of a surprise that

:50:04.:50:07.

we do not talk more about death. Apart from times when we are near to

:50:08.:50:12.

death or personally affected by it, or when some of us plan for it in a

:50:13.:50:17.

will, death is not usually on the agenda. There is an opportunity in

:50:18.:50:20.

the week of the 8th May, death awareness week, to talk more about

:50:21.:50:24.

death and I commend that to the honourable members.

:50:25.:50:28.

Let's hope, Mr Speaker, that week will not coincide with the final

:50:29.:50:33.

moments of our believed Arsenal's champions ambitions. Last month, I

:50:34.:50:38.

steered through a private Bill which the minister who is present will

:50:39.:50:44.

recall which gives our local new Southgate cemetery the power to use

:50:45.:50:49.

old graves which will need to be replicated in the UK to make more

:50:50.:50:55.

spaces available. There is a distressing case of one of my

:50:56.:50:58.

constituents watching in the gallery. After Marion's father died

:50:59.:51:02.

in 2009, her mother gave money to her sister to buy him a plot on her

:51:03.:51:07.

behalf. Unbeknown to the mother, her daughter registered the grave in her

:51:08.:51:11.

name and gained exclusive rights to decide who is buried and what

:51:12.:51:15.

monument is placed on the grave. When Marion's mother died in 2014,

:51:16.:51:19.

she assumed ownership of her late husband's grave and Marion also

:51:20.:51:23.

appointed next of kin. Her dying wish was to have her ashes scattered

:51:24.:51:29.

on her late husband's grave. It was only when Marion contacted the

:51:30.:51:32.

cemetery to make the necessary arrangements that it came to light

:51:33.:51:35.

that her sister, now estranged from the rest of the family, was the

:51:36.:51:39.

grave owner. She's refused to allow her mother's ashes to be scattered

:51:40.:51:45.

on her father's grave. Or even allow a stone to be erected. Marion's

:51:46.:51:49.

asked me, along with her family, to change the law so that wishes of

:51:50.:51:57.

mothers and fathers can be honoured and not thwarted. The most high

:51:58.:52:04.

profile case stemmed from the remains of Richard III. Descendants

:52:05.:52:10.

of the King pitted against the less notorious the then Lord Chancellor

:52:11.:52:12.

my right honourable friend the member for Epsom and York. They

:52:13.:52:18.

attempted to have their ancestor laid to rest in York Minster to have

:52:19.:52:25.

plans to have him buried there some 115 years ago. His body remained in

:52:26.:52:49.

Leicester, in spite of his wishes. When relatives are unable to fulfil

:52:50.:52:54.

the wishes of a departed loved one. A nan died leaving four daughters

:52:55.:52:58.

behind, a decision was made to put the deeds of the grave in the name

:52:59.:53:02.

of the youngest daughter. She became unwell and uncontactable. When the

:53:03.:53:05.

late nan's sister died and wished to be interned in the family grave,

:53:06.:53:09.

there were problems. It took six years to sort out and eventually get

:53:10.:53:15.

an updated headstone on the grave. Grave owners shouldn't be able to

:53:16.:53:19.

block out other family members from their family grave. I read on

:53:20.:53:23.

various forums of family disputes arriving from remarriage where say

:53:24.:53:27.

the father dies and step mother arranges the funeral, pays for the

:53:28.:53:30.

grave and registers ownership in her name. She gains exclusive rights to

:53:31.:53:36.

erect a memorial and pass on future use of the grave to her family at

:53:37.:53:39.

the exclusion of the late husband's family. Or there is the example of

:53:40.:53:44.

the grave plot being put in the name of the older son on the insistence

:53:45.:53:48.

of the directors. The aggrieved young sister is now concerned that

:53:49.:53:56.

if her mother dies is and is buried to a family plot, she the sister

:53:57.:54:04.

says, I don't know where I'll be buried, I don't have any other

:54:05.:54:13.

family. There is an issue raised to me in

:54:14.:54:20.

Sussex where there's refusal to allow internment of ashes to a grave

:54:21.:54:25.

because a relative moved out of the parish to retirement and lived 0.3

:54:26.:54:29.

miles from the boundary despite being resident in the former village

:54:30.:54:33.

for some 50 years. Finally there is the connected issue

:54:34.:54:40.

of funeral arrangements. They're cases when the deceased, such as for

:54:41.:54:45.

a religious funeral, may be at odds with the arrangements of the

:54:46.:54:47.

surviving family. All the cases, as has been mentioned in the House now

:54:48.:54:51.

on many occasions when funerals cost too much and lead to funeral

:54:52.:54:57.

property so were highlighted by the experience and campaigning of the

:54:58.:55:02.

honourable member for Swansea East. Madam Deputy Speaker, arrangements

:55:03.:55:07.

for burials and funerals have become bureaucratic and expensive and in

:55:08.:55:10.

some cases contrary to the wishes of the person who's died. We can and

:55:11.:55:14.

must do Bert. We cannot say we have been warned in this House. Since

:55:15.:55:20.

2004, the then Home Secretary Deb said, our burial law is out-of-date

:55:21.:55:24.

and needs reform -- we can do better.

:55:25.:55:27.

There was a conclusion in 2007, there was public support for reform

:55:28.:55:32.

but it's not a priority. My burial rights reform Bill today

:55:33.:55:35.

provides an opportunity to give collar the I to relatives who're

:55:36.:55:40.

confused and aggrieved by the opaque laws in relation to funeral and

:55:41.:55:45.

burial arrangements. The law is clear to the extent that dead bodies

:55:46.:55:49.

have no rights. In common law there is no property in body. The

:55:50.:55:58.

overriding legal maximum is that the only lawful possession of a corpse

:55:59.:56:02.

is the earth. Perhaps more surprising, there are no laws

:56:03.:56:06.

governing funerals but only the disposal of bodies, even a will

:56:07.:56:11.

setting out our funeral wishes is not legally binding because wills

:56:12.:56:14.

are about property and not about a dead body. Recent court cases have

:56:15.:56:19.

tried to apply the Human Rights Act to apply rights on a dead body but

:56:20.:56:22.

the law is unclear. To follow a theme that we have heard about

:56:23.:56:28.

today, it's about time Parliament takes control on burial issue rights

:56:29.:56:36.

or the wishes of a person who's died and their wishes.

:56:37.:56:43.

Normally these actions take place without concern and is normally done

:56:44.:56:47.

by the next of kin of the deceased. The problem is this exclusive right

:56:48.:56:50.

of burial is determined by whoever buys the lease for the grave plot.

:56:51.:56:53.

If your name is not on the deed, you've got no right to be buried

:56:54.:56:58.

there or have a memorial or enscription put on that grave. My

:56:59.:57:03.

Bill will ensure that the wishes of the person are properly carried out

:57:04.:57:07.

by surviving relatives and that the ownership of graves shouldn't mean

:57:08.:57:11.

exclusive rights for one family member to use against another. The

:57:12.:57:15.

only answer when there is a family dispute about grave ownership

:57:16.:57:19.

currently is to consult a solicitor and conduct expensive litigation.

:57:20.:57:24.

The issue of respecting the wishes of the deceased commands a less

:57:25.:57:30.

contentious approach. There should be a requirement for parties to take

:57:31.:57:33.

greater responsibility for their consideration for the deceased

:57:34.:57:36.

wishes for burial arrangements and to give greater significance to any

:57:37.:57:42.

existing will or public register. A proposed Bill is a public burial

:57:43.:57:46.

register similar to the organs donation register allowing wishes to

:57:47.:57:49.

be clearly identified without necessarily having a will and

:57:50.:57:55.

avoiding subsequent family disputes. A clearly expressed binding electric

:57:56.:57:59.

laration of our final wishes will seek to remove the pressures of

:58:00.:58:11.

burial issues at such a testing time -- binding declaration. Perhaps

:58:12.:58:14.

there can be no better way to honour the dead than to give life to the

:58:15.:58:21.

their final wishes. THE SPEAKER: The question is that

:58:22.:58:25.

the honourable member have leave to bring in his Bill. Chris Bryant.

:58:26.:58:31.

Madam Deputy Speaker. I pay tribute to the honourable member for

:58:32.:58:34.

advancing this cause today but I can't agree with him and I'll

:58:35.:58:38.

explain why. I've probably conducted more funerals than anybody else in

:58:39.:58:43.

this chamber when I was a curate in All Saints High Wycombe. The first

:58:44.:58:46.

funeral I did, the undertaker put his glasses in his top pocket, as he

:58:47.:58:51.

lent over to let the coffin down into the grave, and the glasses fell

:58:52.:58:54.

on top of the coffin and he then had to clamber in on top. The second

:58:55.:59:00.

funeral I conducted was at the crematorium and unfortunately the

:59:01.:59:02.

organist at the end of the service played, smoke gets in your eyes,

:59:03.:59:08.

which was everybody else realised was somewhat inappropriate. The last

:59:09.:59:14.

funeral I conducted, the family was very, very divided and the

:59:15.:59:19.

ex-husband was not instraighted to the funeral but suddenly appeared in

:59:20.:59:22.

the middle of the service and started shouting and screaming at me

:59:23.:59:25.

and the family all shouted "how on earth did you get here, we locked

:59:26.:59:30.

you in the bathroom" and he said "you didn't lock the bathroom window

:59:31.:59:34.

so I climbed out and climbed down the ivy".

:59:35.:59:38.

So I've seen a lot of funerals and I know the pain and difficulty of

:59:39.:59:43.

which the honourable member speaks. But my beef is not particularly with

:59:44.:59:48.

the remedy that he's seeking, though I think to be honest burial reform

:59:49.:59:53.

and funeral reform in general needs to be conducted on the basis of a

:59:54.:59:58.

Law Commission proposal so that it binds the whole of the legal

:59:59.:00:05.

profession and takes it out of party political discussion, du it's more

:00:06.:00:07.

to do with the fact that, as he started, of course, as we start with

:00:08.:00:12.

every ten-minute rule Bill, he begs leave to introduce his Bill and I

:00:13.:00:15.

don't think we should give him leave to introduce his Bill. I say so for

:00:16.:00:20.

a very simple point which is that we have only five more Fridays when

:00:21.:00:24.

we'll be sitting this session before the end of this session when any

:00:25.:00:27.

Bill will have to become law. It will have to have gone through all

:00:28.:00:31.

three stages in this House and in the House of Lords, or will simply

:00:32.:00:38.

fall. There are 73 Bills private members Bills all ready seeking

:00:39.:00:43.

second reading on the order paper of future order papers to be considered

:00:44.:00:48.

on the five days. Plus, there are bills that have been given second

:00:49.:00:51.

reading, quite a lot of them in fact, one of them is in committee,

:00:52.:00:55.

that's the homelessness bill honoured by the member for harrow

:00:56.:01:00.

East and will be coming out of the committee tomorrow. Then in the

:01:01.:01:08.

normal process, it should be the awards of Valuev ourself Private

:01:09.:01:13.

Members Bill honoured by the member for Dartford that goes into

:01:14.:01:16.

committee followed one would have thought by the one for my right

:01:17.:01:19.

honourable friend for North West Durham which is the Parliamentary

:01:20.:01:23.

constituency's amendment bill. But so far, the Government has not yet

:01:24.:01:27.

brought forward a money resolution and is not saying whether it's going

:01:28.:01:31.

to let that happen at all. In addition to that, the Government

:01:32.:01:35.

only this week has said it's turned its back on the reforms to the

:01:36.:01:39.

Private Members Bills process that the procedure committee have called

:01:40.:01:44.

for in successive years and successive Members of Parliament. So

:01:45.:01:48.

even if every single element of what the honourable member is proposing

:01:49.:01:50.

were right, the truth of the matter is, it's an act of deception for the

:01:51.:01:57.

House to send it into its next process, to allow him to present its

:01:58.:02:01.

Bill because the truth of the matter is, it has absolutely no chance of

:02:02.:02:06.

getting anywhere. So I make the speech, madam deputy spiker, for the

:02:07.:02:10.

simple reason that I think we could use our Friday mornings better. We

:02:11.:02:14.

should not have a system of private members Bills which mines that we

:02:15.:02:18.

completely and utterly waste our time and deceive the public about

:02:19.:02:21.

the true process of what is happening in this House.

:02:22.:02:26.

Consequently I say, I disagree with the honourable gentleman, though I

:02:27.:02:30.

applaud his motives. THE SPEAKER: Hm! The question is

:02:31.:02:34.

that the honourable member have leave to bring in the Bill while the

:02:35.:02:39.

House has a big decision to make. As many are of that opinion say aye. As

:02:40.:02:48.

many of the contrary say no. I think the ayes have it. The ayes have it.

:02:49.:02:55.

Who will prepare and bring in the Bill?

:02:56.:03:05.

(Reads out the list of those who'll bring in the Bill)

:03:06.:03:35.

THE SPEAKER: Burial Rights Reform Bill. Second reading what day? 24th

:03:36.:03:50.

March. 24th March. 24th March. Order. We now come to the opposition

:03:51.:04:00.

day. Motion in the name of the leader of the Scottish National

:04:01.:04:05.

Party on the effect of the UK leaving the EU, on the rural

:04:06.:04:13.

economy. The amendment in the name of the Prime Minister.

:04:14.:04:22.

Thank you very much. I beg to move that this House is concerned at the

:04:23.:04:32.

impact on the rural economy of the United Kingdom leaving the European

:04:33.:04:37.

Union. We want to use this debate today to consider the significant

:04:38.:04:43.

and tangible benefits the EU membership has afforded the Scottish

:04:44.:04:47.

rural community through funding, trade and freedom of movement. These

:04:48.:04:52.

benefits must be acknowledged and the Government must offer a clear

:04:53.:04:56.

statement prior to triggering Article 50 on how they intend to

:04:57.:05:01.

mitigate the impact of leaving the EU when it comes to rural areas.

:05:02.:05:07.

They must do so now because the combined threat of the loss of

:05:08.:05:12.

direct funding, end to tariff free trading and the abolition of free

:05:13.:05:18.

movement of people could have devastating consequences for rural

:05:19.:05:21.

communities across Scotland and indeed the rest of the UK. The Prime

:05:22.:05:29.

Minister puts forward 12 points today but people in my constituency

:05:30.:05:35.

are not reassured because it lacks detail and certainty. We are told

:05:36.:05:43.

that Brexit is about a more global Britain and that this process will

:05:44.:05:47.

represent a clean break. Well let me be absolutely clear in stating how

:05:48.:05:51.

far removed from reality that rhetoric is. Under the Government's

:05:52.:05:57.

current direction of travel Brexit will not be a clear break for the

:05:58.:06:02.

sheep farmers in my constituency whose produce could face prohibitive

:06:03.:06:06.

tariffs and whose direct support payments could be wiped out. It will

:06:07.:06:11.

not and clean break for the fish processors in Shetland where more

:06:12.:06:15.

fish was landed than in the entirety of England and Wales in 2015 but

:06:16.:06:20.

whose access to the largest seafood market in the world is now under

:06:21.:06:24.

question. Nor will there be a clean break for the soft fruit farmer in

:06:25.:06:29.

Angus when the plug is pulled on seasonal labour, his business needs

:06:30.:06:34.

to function. It will not be a clean break for the most remote highland

:06:35.:06:38.

communities that are now contemplating the loss of hundreds

:06:39.:06:43.

of millions of pounds in European regional development funding. We

:06:44.:06:47.

find ourselves facing a combination once again of Tory indifference to

:06:48.:06:55.

the needs of the Scottish economy and a dramatic democratic deficit. I

:06:56.:07:00.

will give way. I am very grateful to the honourable gentleman for giving

:07:01.:07:03.

way and he and his party are optimistic people and rays of

:07:04.:07:06.

sunshine in this House, I wonder if he can't see any possible benefit to

:07:07.:07:11.

the Scottish rural economy, particularly fisheries, the European

:07:12.:07:14.

policy on which decimated the Scottish fishing industry. I thank

:07:15.:07:21.

the honourable member. You will find that we are optimists at heart. But

:07:22.:07:28.

what this debate is about is the reality, it's about the implications

:07:29.:07:32.

for the rural economy and I will with great delight return to the

:07:33.:07:36.

matter of fishing. I would like to make more progress and I promise I

:07:37.:07:41.

will give way in a little bit more time. Nowhere - I apologise. As with

:07:42.:07:50.

many complex challenges of Brexit pile-up, we knead to remember that

:07:51.:07:57.

real political leadership is about finding solutions, not soundbites.

:07:58.:08:01.

Our debate is necessary - one moment. Our debate is necessary to

:08:02.:08:08.

ensure that the Government does not overlook or downplay all the

:08:09.:08:11.

possible outcomes of Brexit, they must not walk away from the policy

:08:12.:08:15.

vacuum that is opening up before our eyes. I will give way. I am

:08:16.:08:22.

grateful. If we devolve more agricultural policy powers to the

:08:23.:08:26.

Scottish nationalists, they cannot think of a single way on which they

:08:27.:08:32.

could improve policy to help their farmers. The right honourable

:08:33.:08:37.

gentleman usually makes excellent contributions, I am afraid that was

:08:38.:08:44.

a poor one, because actually there are many ways in which we will be

:08:45.:08:48.

delighted to improve agricultural policy, so long as his Government

:08:49.:08:52.

don't do a power grab as powers return from Brussels. I would be

:08:53.:08:56.

delighted. I will happenive give way. Would my honourable friend also

:08:57.:09:03.

agree that 70% of farmers' incomes comes through CAP which is not

:09:04.:09:07.

subject to Barnet, but if it comes back to the UK it may be subject to

:09:08.:09:12.

Barnet which would leave to a significant reduction in funds

:09:13.:09:16.

available to roar Scotland? I thank my honourable friend for that

:09:17.:09:19.

excellent contribution. It brings me on to one of the first areas I want

:09:20.:09:24.

to look at, nowhere is the policy vacuum more apparent than on the

:09:25.:09:29.

issue of farm payments. Whatever the flaws, and there are flaws - I will

:09:30.:09:34.

give way. Could I thank my honourable friend for giving way and

:09:35.:09:39.

congratulate him on making some very compelling points. In the Northern

:09:40.:09:45.

Ireland context, we have a similar situation where 80% of farm incomes

:09:46.:09:51.

are dependent on European resources. There is a fear and would he agree

:09:52.:09:58.

with me that sort of funding is not likely to come from the Treasury,

:09:59.:10:03.

thus undermining our local rural economy and our agricultural

:10:04.:10:07.

enterprises? I thank the honourable lady for that contribution. I

:10:08.:10:10.

wholeheartedly agree and it's something I would like us to focus

:10:11.:10:14.

on in this debate, the importance of these support payments to the

:10:15.:10:19.

prosperity, not just of fafrming but of the whole rural community. We

:10:20.:10:23.

have two debates squeezed in time today. So, as I say, nowhere is the

:10:24.:10:31.

policy vacuum more apparent, because wherever its flaws, money invested

:10:32.:10:35.

in Scotland and throughout the UK and rural communities through the

:10:36.:10:39.

common agricultural policy are absolutely vital in underpinning the

:10:40.:10:43.

rural economy. As my honourable friend mentioned farm payments

:10:44.:10:50.

account for two-thirds of total net farm income in Scotland. And as has

:10:51.:10:55.

mentioned, we have 8. 4% of the population, but 32. 5% of the land

:10:56.:11:06.

mass and Scotland received 16. 5% of UKCAP funds. I will give way. I

:11:07.:11:13.

thank the honourable gentleman. Many farmers in Scotland like Lancashire

:11:14.:11:17.

will be involved in upland sheep farming which I am sure all sides of

:11:18.:11:20.

the House would acknowledge is often a difficult business for farmers.

:11:21.:11:25.

Does he not think if we leave the European Union this is an

:11:26.:11:29.

opportunity for the Government to refocus support on those most

:11:30.:11:32.

marginal of farms he is talking about, specifically the uphill farms

:11:33.:11:37.

in Lancashire and Scotland, because farmers in Lancashire are hoping for

:11:38.:11:42.

more from Brexit just as farmers in Scotland will be hoping for more. I

:11:43.:11:47.

thank him for that intervention. Sheep farm something one of our most

:11:48.:11:52.

fragile industries and I have deep concerns about the support going

:11:53.:11:55.

forward. What we must do and the point I want to make here is about

:11:56.:12:00.

the level of funding because we need the Government to step up and I

:12:01.:12:05.

would like to also come back to lamb when we look at trade because it is

:12:06.:12:11.

one of the most threatened trade areas. I will give way. I thank my

:12:12.:12:16.

honourable friend. He is being most generous in giving way. Addressing

:12:17.:12:20.

the point he made earlier in the lack of detail in the Prime

:12:21.:12:25.

Minister's statement would my honourable friend agree that the

:12:26.:12:33.

Government should have taken the report as summarised in a letter

:12:34.:12:38.

which I have here to the Secretary of State for environment, by the

:12:39.:12:42.

British ecological society, the chartered institute of ecology and

:12:43.:12:46.

environment, the institution of environmental science, these are the

:12:47.:12:49.

people we should be listening to and these are details the Government

:12:50.:12:52.

should be including in their letters. I thank my honourable

:12:53.:12:58.

friend for his intervention and it's a point well made. Agriculture is

:12:59.:13:05.

already devolved area, so as powers are repatriated from Brussels it's

:13:06.:13:09.

essential that they go directly to the Scottish Government. Any power

:13:10.:13:14.

grab from a Westminster Government would be totally unacceptable. We

:13:15.:13:18.

absolutely understand the need for levels of commonality but that is

:13:19.:13:22.

not a justification for a power grab by Westminster. We need a commitment

:13:23.:13:28.

from this Government that the existing allocation of funds will

:13:29.:13:32.

not be tampered with once the convergence is added to the 16. 5%,

:13:33.:13:36.

that is the starting point in terms of funds that should be delivered to

:13:37.:13:43.

Scotland. Now throughout last year's referendum campaign both the

:13:44.:13:46.

Secretary of State and the farming Minister who I understand is in

:13:47.:13:52.

Scotland argued for Brexit and it's now incumbent upon them to take

:13:53.:13:57.

responsibility for the commitments made during that campaign. In March

:13:58.:14:01.

last year, the farming Minister said, and I wrote, the UK Government

:14:02.:14:08.

will continue to give farmers and the environment as much support or

:14:09.:14:14.

perhaps even more as they - yet this commitment appears already to have

:14:15.:14:17.

been abandoned. Earlier this month the Secretary of State, the farming

:14:18.:14:22.

Minister and I were at the Oxford conference and both the Secretary of

:14:23.:14:27.

State and the farming Minister refused to confirm that funding

:14:28.:14:33.

would at least match levels current levels beyond 2020. Now will the

:14:34.:14:37.

Secretary of State take this opportunity today to make a clear

:14:38.:14:41.

commitment that Brexit as the farming Minister promised, will not

:14:42.:14:46.

result in a reduction in the level of funding available for farmers or

:14:47.:14:50.

is this another Brexit broken promise? Now we acknowledge that CAP

:14:51.:14:56.

is far from perfect and we recognise that there is now an opportunity to

:14:57.:15:02.

design a new and better system. We also accept that there must be a

:15:03.:15:08.

route to sustainable farming without direct income support but this must

:15:09.:15:13.

be an evolution that takes great care over the fragility of the rural

:15:14.:15:18.

economy. CAP is about much more than just farming. In Scotland, EU

:15:19.:15:24.

funding has helped to support the rollout of superfast broadband,

:15:25.:15:28.

business development, housing investment and measures to address

:15:29.:15:34.

rural fuel poverty, in addition to improvements in infrastructure and

:15:35.:15:37.

transport through regional development funds. We need the

:15:38.:15:40.

Government to explain whether it will match this kind of programme,

:15:41.:15:47.

the funding and, if so, more detail the better, please, Secretary of

:15:48.:15:52.

State. Another area where the rural economy has benefitted massively

:15:53.:15:56.

from EU membership is freedom of movement. For significant portions

:15:57.:16:01.

of the Scottish rural economy access to seasonal workforce is a vital

:16:02.:16:07.

factor in keeping their operations sustainable. At any one time between

:16:08.:16:18.

five and 15,000 non-UKEU workers are employed in Scottish agriculture

:16:19.:16:22.

alone. So we support continued freedom of movement because it's a

:16:23.:16:26.

system that works, not just for farming, and food production, but a

:16:27.:16:32.

range of sectors in rural Scotland, especially in these fragile and

:16:33.:16:39.

often ageing populations. I happily give way. I represent Angus which

:16:40.:16:46.

along with my honourable friends in Perthshire, has the most of the

:16:47.:16:50.

numbers of economic migrants into Scotland because they work in the

:16:51.:16:55.

horticultural industry. Many of these industries could not survive

:16:56.:17:01.

without that labour. Members talk about the unemployed taking the

:17:02.:17:04.

jobs, there are more migrant workers working in that industry alone than

:17:05.:17:09.

there are unemployed in our areas. Even if all those unemployed people

:17:10.:17:13.

could take up these jobs, so we do need these people and the Government

:17:14.:17:19.

need to take that into account. I notice the Secretary of State at the

:17:20.:17:22.

recent Oxford conference hinted there might be some relaxation of

:17:23.:17:28.

this and could she give more details when she comes to speak. I thank my

:17:29.:17:40.

honourable friend for -- it emphasises the point I was making.

:17:41.:17:47.

We must have powers over imI gos devolved in order to pursue our own

:17:48.:17:50.

distinct policy. Members opposite may laugh. Can I respectfully

:17:51.:17:56.

suggest that they read Scotland's place in Europe, because this is

:17:57.:18:00.

what a plan for Brexit actually looks like. Now in the meantime,

:18:01.:18:06.

though, I know the Secretary of State understands the importance of

:18:07.:18:10.

seasonal workers in particular in the rural economy, so I would like

:18:11.:18:16.

to hear today what steps DEFRA is taking to ensure the rural economy

:18:17.:18:20.

doesn't grind to a halt because seasonal workers are already

:18:21.:18:25.

beginning to look elsewhere. Now one area where members opposite get very

:18:26.:18:29.

animated and excited of course because there is an opportunity, is

:18:30.:18:36.

fishing. We welcome the chance to move beyond the common fisheries

:18:37.:18:44.

policy but we will not forget, we on these benches will not forget the

:18:45.:18:49.

circumstances in which this was all... Ted Heath, a Conservative

:18:50.:18:58.

Prime Minister, sacrificed the expendable Scottish fishing industry

:18:59.:19:03.

to gain entry to the European Economic Community. They may not

:19:04.:19:07.

like that, but that's why we are in the position we are in. We won't

:19:08.:19:12.

take lectures from any members opposite. The legacy of that deal

:19:13.:19:18.

means today that over half of the fish in our waters are caught by

:19:19.:19:26.

foreign vessels. Brexit clearly will mean the re-establishment of our

:19:27.:19:32.

exclusive economic zones but the process here is key. I hope he

:19:33.:19:39.

enjoyed his visit to Scotland. Hopefully ofs learning about the

:19:40.:19:43.

importance of honouring the level of payments that is currently received

:19:44.:19:44.

in Scottish communities. Access to the EEZ should be

:19:45.:20:00.

negotiated on an annual basis and led by Scottish ministers. These

:20:01.:20:05.

negotiations must not form part of Brexit talks. Scottish fishermen

:20:06.:20:11.

want to hear a clear commitment from the Secretary of State to the

:20:12.:20:15.

Scottish fishing industry, indeed the UK fishing industry, that it

:20:16.:20:21.

will not just be another pawn in a Brexit negotiation. Finally I would

:20:22.:20:30.

like to turn to the issue of trade. In particular the important question

:20:31.:20:41.

of access to the single market. The numbers speak for themselves. Worth

:20:42.:20:53.

?724 million in 2015. I'll give way. Just on the issue of trade and

:20:54.:20:57.

figures, in circumstances where two thirds of Scottish exports go to the

:20:58.:21:05.

UK and only 15 go to other country, why is the SNP suggesting we stay in

:21:06.:21:16.

Europe but we come out of the UK? I don't understand why members of zit

:21:17.:21:20.

don't get this. It was as though if we were to go independent we'd be

:21:21.:21:24.

cut off and float off into the Atlantic. It's not what happens. Are

:21:25.:21:36.

you seeing the Ireland Brexit minister said it would be able to

:21:37.:21:40.

trade freely with the UK but Scotland wouldn't. We buy more from

:21:41.:21:49.

you than you buy from us. THE SPEAKER: I can't let the

:21:50.:21:53.

honourable gentleman away with it. I know what he meant but maybe he

:21:54.:21:57.

could just say it the right way just to keep me happy? Apologies, Madam

:21:58.:22:05.

Deputy Speaker, I get a bit excited. I'll always be passionate defending

:22:06.:22:08.

my constituency in rural Scotland against those that want to do it

:22:09.:22:14.

harm based on hard right Tory Brexit. Thank you to my right

:22:15.:22:20.

honourable friend for giving way, he's very generous. On the subject

:22:21.:22:23.

of trade, will my right honourable friend agree with me that the EU is

:22:24.:22:27.

Scotland's growth market area where we have seen an increase in exports

:22:28.:22:35.

of 20% since 2007 in relation to goods. I thank the honourable lady,

:22:36.:22:42.

she makes an excellent point. If you look at the numbers, in terms of

:22:43.:22:50.

different industries, for fishing, 68% of Scottish seafood exports that

:22:51.:22:55.

leave the UK go to EU countries. 80% of beef and lamb exports from

:22:56.:23:02.

Scotland are destined for the EU. Now, I'm with the EU as we hear the

:23:03.:23:05.

Government try to carve out a policy. These will be at risk of

:23:06.:23:11.

tariffs. I want to just look at the risk this poses. If we take one

:23:12.:23:18.

example, red meat. Quality meat Scotland has conducted analysis that

:23:19.:23:21.

shows if we were subject to the current tariffs that apply to non-EU

:23:22.:23:26.

countries, there would be an on average 50% increase in cost for

:23:27.:23:32.

importers to buy our products. At the Oxford farming conference, the

:23:33.:23:37.

Secretary of State spoke of fields of opportunity that in the press

:23:38.:23:41.

conference afterwards admitted that the UK exports would decline if they

:23:42.:23:49.

were erected. There is the prospect that exporters in Scotland and

:23:50.:23:53.

indeed the whole UK are facing. We call upon the Secretary of State to

:23:54.:23:59.

outline what products the department thinks should be prioritised in

:24:00.:24:03.

upcoming negotiations. At the end of the day, there is no

:24:04.:24:08.

easy way to withdraw from the world's largest trading block and

:24:09.:24:15.

the search for alternative markets and compromises too. Let me give you

:24:16.:24:23.

an example. The current standing of beef, it currently stands at 26.5%.

:24:24.:24:30.

South Africa's currently 40%. Does the Government really think that

:24:31.:24:34.

alternative markets, many with lower costs of production than our own,

:24:35.:24:39.

can compensate for restricted access to the EU? The recent success of

:24:40.:24:50.

Scotland's 14 billion - I was slightly taken by that figure - ?14

:24:51.:24:55.

billion food and drink sector shows that we are already an exporting

:24:56.:25:04.

global country. New tablings cannot mitigate the economic vandalism of

:25:05.:25:10.

cutting off access to a market of 500 million people on your doorstep.

:25:11.:25:26.

Madam Deputy Speaker, if all the tangible benefits of single market

:25:27.:25:32.

membership end up being frittered away in a pursuit of red, white and

:25:33.:25:37.

blue Brexit, global Brexit, the Scottish people who've shown that

:25:38.:25:43.

they want to build, not sever their links with Europe, will recognise a

:25:44.:25:50.

familiar pattern. They'll recall the sacrifice of the Scottish fisheries

:25:51.:25:54.

when we joined the EU, that the Thatcher Government decimated the

:25:55.:25:58.

industry in the '80s, and they'll conclude this Tory Government with

:25:59.:26:02.

no mandate for the damage it may cause will wreck Scotland's rural

:26:03.:26:10.

economy and ignore our overwhelming wish to the trade links with Europe.

:26:11.:26:14.

If this Government's already made a calculation that rural Scotland is

:26:15.:26:21.

expendable in order to engineer a clean break with Europe, they can

:26:22.:26:26.

never again turn to us, turn to the people of Scotland and claim the

:26:27.:26:32.

union is a partnership of equals. Will the Government take this

:26:33.:26:37.

opportunity to recognise the potentially devastating impact that

:26:38.:26:41.

a hard Brexit could have on the Scottish rural economy? Or will they

:26:42.:26:46.

be content to make a desert or rural Scotland in the name of Brexit?

:26:47.:26:55.

THE SPEAKER: The question is as on the order paper to move the

:26:56.:26:59.

amendment in the name of the Prime Minister, Secretary of State Andrea

:27:00.:27:04.

Leadsom. Thank you. It won't surprise the honourable gentleman to

:27:05.:27:07.

know that I don't quite see it the same way he does, so I beg to move

:27:08.:27:11.

the amendment in my name and those of my right honourable friends on

:27:12.:27:15.

the order paper. I would like to start by thanking the honourable

:27:16.:27:20.

member for giving us the opportunity to debate the rural economy, a vital

:27:21.:27:25.

part of our national economy. While members on all sides of the House

:27:26.:27:30.

will know how diverse the rural economy is, much of it is

:27:31.:27:34.

underpinned by our food, farming and fisheries sectors. These industries

:27:35.:27:39.

have shaped all four parts of the UK and continue to do so. They're

:27:40.:27:45.

central to our heritage, landscapes and economic well-being. They

:27:46.:27:50.

generate ?110 billion for the economy each year and they employ

:27:51.:27:54.

one in eight of us in all parts of the UK. So we should all be proud of

:27:55.:28:00.

the world class food and drink these industries produce and the role they

:28:01.:28:07.

play in our national life. The rural economy matters enormously. So

:28:08.:28:12.

whilst leaving the EU offers huge opportunities to the farming and

:28:13.:28:17.

fisheries sector, it's vital that we provide the industry with as much

:28:18.:28:21.

continuity and certainty as we can. That's why we've already provided

:28:22.:28:25.

reassurance to all farmers across the UK that they'll receive the same

:28:26.:28:31.

level of financial support under pillar 1 until 2020 and for Rural

:28:32.:28:37.

Development Programmes, agry environment schemes and the maritime

:28:38.:28:40.

and fisheries fund, we'll guarantee projects signed before the EU for

:28:41.:28:45.

their lifetime, even when this stretch is beyond our departure from

:28:46.:28:48.

the EU. The Government will also ensure the

:28:49.:28:52.

devolved administrations are funded to meet the commitments they've made

:28:53.:28:57.

under current EU budget allocations. Given that the administration of EU

:28:58.:29:02.

funding is devolved, it will be for those administrations to decide the

:29:03.:29:09.

criteria used to assess projects. I'll give way. I thank the

:29:10.:29:13.

honourable lady for giving way. I would like to believe the promises

:29:14.:29:18.

this Government is making but of course the Government's - if we go

:29:19.:29:24.

back to the convergence uplifting criteria - Scotland wouldth was

:29:25.:29:27.

supposed to be rewarded by the funds coming from the EU, yet we are only

:29:28.:29:32.

getting 16%. We were promised a review would take place in 2016, it

:29:33.:29:35.

hasn't happened. When will that happen and when will crofters and

:29:36.:29:39.

farmers get what is due to them? The real question about devolution of

:29:40.:29:42.

agriculture to the Scottish Government and Parliament is to make

:29:43.:29:44.

sure that we get the correct funding. It's not about up to 2020,

:29:45.:29:51.

it's about what happens after that. Well, I do recognise the honourable

:29:52.:29:54.

gentleman's point and it is something that I continue to look

:29:55.:29:57.

closely at in my department and I will keep him up-to-date with

:29:58.:30:01.

progress on it. But Madam Deputy Speaker, I believe that leaving the

:30:02.:30:05.

EU will give us the chance to develop policies for the rural

:30:06.:30:08.

economy that are bespoke to the needs of this country, rather than

:30:09.:30:13.

the different approaches and circumstances of 278 different

:30:14.:30:17.

member states. As Secretary of State for DEFRA, I've made very clear my

:30:18.:30:23.

two long-term ambitions. Firstly, to make a resounding success of our

:30:24.:30:28.

world leading food and farming and fisheries industry, producing more,

:30:29.:30:32.

selling more and exporting more of our Great British food. And

:30:33.:30:36.

secondly, to become the first generation to leave the environment

:30:37.:30:41.

in a better state than we found it. These ambitions look far beyond

:30:42.:30:45.

tomorrow. They're about long-lasting change and real reform. They form

:30:46.:30:50.

the bedrock of a balanced approach to policy and the success of one is

:30:51.:30:54.

integral to the success of the other. I thank manufacture for

:30:55.:31:03.

giving way. She'll be aware that one of the difficulties under the

:31:04.:31:07.

current legislation which the sector faces is honest food labelling -- I

:31:08.:31:13.

thank my right honourable friend for giving way. It may well have been

:31:14.:31:17.

grown or farmed a long way overseas. This is a real opportunity, leaving

:31:18.:31:21.

the European Union, one real opportunity here, to have honest

:31:22.:31:25.

food labelling so we know British food is genuinely farmed and grown

:31:26.:31:30.

and produced in this country. Well, I share my right honourable

:31:31.:31:35.

friend's concerns and I can tell him that it's something we have improved

:31:36.:31:41.

on greatly through voluntary and compulsory schemes through labelling

:31:42.:31:43.

and he's right, particularly as we leave the EU.

:31:44.:31:47.

So this brings me to the mechanics of our departure from the EU. The

:31:48.:31:53.

great Repeal Bill will transpose the body of EU legislation into UK law.

:31:54.:31:57.

As UK law, we'll then be annual basis able to change or amend it at

:31:58.:32:02.

our leisure and we'll soon be publishing a Green Party consulting

:32:03.:32:07.

on a framework for the plan for the environment -- green paper. This

:32:08.:32:11.

will help inform our decisions, better connect current and future

:32:12.:32:14.

generations to the environment and ensure that investment is directed

:32:15.:32:17.

to where it will have the biggest impact on the environment.

:32:18.:32:25.

I'm sure all honourable members will agree that our constituents want

:32:26.:32:29.

clean beaches, clean air, clean water, good soil and healthy

:32:30.:32:32.

biodiversity, whether we are a member of the EU or not, and I can

:32:33.:32:37.

assure you of my full commitment to that. Will my right honourable

:32:38.:32:46.

friend make it a priority to publish proposals for the fishing industry

:32:47.:32:50.

where we can catch more of our own fish and protect our fishing grounds

:32:51.:32:54.

for the future. I'm grate. To my right honourable friend who makes a

:32:55.:32:56.

very good point about the potential for all UK fishing and I do hope

:32:57.:33:03.

that our policies, when we come to them, after consultation, will

:33:04.:33:05.

enable us to deliver exactly as he asks for.

:33:06.:33:10.

I will give way to the honourable lady.

:33:11.:33:14.

Today, the Prime Minister made a passing reference to Spanish

:33:15.:33:16.

fishermen and their interests when she was talking about doing a deal

:33:17.:33:21.

with the EU. That suggests that fishing is already in play in these

:33:22.:33:25.

negotiations so can the Secretary of State clarify, what is the Prime

:33:26.:33:29.

Minister offering to Spanish fishermen and why are they being

:33:30.:33:33.

used as pawns in this process already? Well, I can assure the

:33:34.:33:38.

honourable lady that we are not entering into any negotiations, as

:33:39.:33:42.

she will appreciate, until we have triggered Article 50. We are

:33:43.:33:45.

consulting widely with our colleagues in the devolved

:33:46.:33:48.

administrations and any negotiating positions will be discussed with

:33:49.:33:51.

them. So I don't think she needs to worry about that. However, I would

:33:52.:33:56.

like to point out to honourable members that a healthier environment

:33:57.:34:01.

will enable our world leading food, farming and fishing industry to go

:34:02.:34:04.

from strength-to-strength. As pledged in the manifesto, our

:34:05.:34:09.

upcoming green paper on food, farming and fisheries, will set out

:34:10.:34:13.

a framework for the future of the industries over the next 25 years

:34:14.:34:18.

and we'll also be consulting widely on that green paper.

:34:19.:34:27.

Auto I thank my honourable friend for giving way. With farming in

:34:28.:34:34.

Lancashire we have decisions made in Europe that damage our industry, a

:34:35.:34:46.

perfect example of this is movement of cattle between Commons counts as

:34:47.:34:49.

movement, ensuring that a farmer may have 15 movements in the life of

:34:50.:34:52.

just his herd which reduces the price that he gets at market. Will

:34:53.:35:00.

she commit to make sure that this is altered? Yes There is a lengthy

:35:01.:35:04.

answer to that but a much shorter answer which is that opportunities

:35:05.:35:07.

that arise from leaving the EU do include such points as the one he

:35:08.:35:13.

raises and in consulting on our food farming and fisheries Green Paper

:35:14.:35:17.

there will be the opportunity to make those points and seek recommend

:35:18.:35:22.

tees, I want to give a few examples of how our departure gives us

:35:23.:35:26.

specific opportunities. Firstly to design a domestic successor to the

:35:27.:35:29.

common agricultural policy that meets our needs, rather than those

:35:30.:35:33.

of farmers across the entire European Union. Secondly, to ensure

:35:34.:35:39.

our fisheries industries are competitive, sustainable and

:35:40.:35:44.

profitable. Thirdly, to make our environment cleaner, healthier and

:35:45.:35:48.

more productive. Ours will be a system that is fit for the 2 ist

:35:49.:35:53.

century, tailored to our priorities and those of our farmers, fishermen

:35:54.:35:58.

and our environment. The UK guarantee on funding was my first

:35:59.:36:04.

priority on arriving at DEFRA in the summer, it provides crucial

:36:05.:36:06.

certainty to farmers and the wider rural economy but I am conscious

:36:07.:36:11.

that many farmers and rural businesses plan much further ahead

:36:12.:36:14.

and work to much longer investment cycles so it's vital that we start

:36:15.:36:19.

planning now for life beyond 2020. So it's important that we think

:36:20.:36:23.

carefully about what happens next and develop the ideas and solutions

:36:24.:36:28.

for a world leading food and farming industry and an environment that's

:36:29.:36:32.

left in a better state than we inherited it. That will involve

:36:33.:36:39.

focussing on the industry's resilience, unlocking further

:36:40.:36:41.

productivity and building environmental considerations into

:36:42.:36:47.

our policies from the outset. I believe that the fundamentals of our

:36:48.:36:51.

food and farming sectors are strong. Food and drink is the largest

:36:52.:36:56.

manufacturing sector in the UK, bigger than cars and aerospace

:36:57.:37:01.

combined. Leaving the EU will provide more opportunities for the

:37:02.:37:06.

sector to thrive. It's important to take stock of how much we already

:37:07.:37:15.

export to outside the EU. 69% of exports of scotch whisky go to

:37:16.:37:21.

non-EU countries. Salmon exports, predominantly from Scotland, go to

:37:22.:37:25.

non-EU countries and non-EU dairy exports are up by over 90%. Leaving

:37:26.:37:33.

the EU will allow us to shape our own trade and investment

:37:34.:37:36.

opportunities, encourage even greater openness with partners in

:37:37.:37:48.

Europe and beyond. I sign seerly hope that keeps shouting will read

:37:49.:37:51.

this in Hansard, they're not interested. I will give way once

:37:52.:37:54.

they listen to me in a moment. We will shape our own trade and

:37:55.:37:58.

investment opportunities, encourage even greater openness with partners

:37:59.:38:02.

in Europe and beyond and put Britain firmly at the forefront of global

:38:03.:38:07.

trade and investment. The recent launch of our international action

:38:08.:38:11.

plan for exports with nine campaigns across a number of global markets

:38:12.:38:15.

demonstrates our ambition in this area, an ambition that builds on our

:38:16.:38:20.

strength as a great outward looking trading nation. Now turning to

:38:21.:38:27.

Scotland. Scotland has always been at the - only for good behaviour.

:38:28.:38:31.

Has always been at the heart of this success. Accounting for 30% of the

:38:32.:38:36.

UK's total exports of food, feed and drink in 2015. One of the highlights

:38:37.:38:42.

of my trip to Vietnam last year was a lunch to promote fabulous Scottish

:38:43.:38:47.

smoked salmon and Aberdeen Angus beef to Vietnamese food importers. I

:38:48.:38:54.

will give way. She mentioned planning and going forward. Will she

:38:55.:38:59.

tell me what planning and careful thinking have been doing for farmers

:39:00.:39:05.

in croft farmers and what 2020 will mean for them and their futures? My

:39:06.:39:08.

honourable friend met with the national farming union for Scotland

:39:09.:39:11.

yesterday and I met with them recently. We have been taking

:39:12.:39:15.

informal advice but at the same time as I have made very clear,

:39:16.:39:19.

unfortunately he wasn't listening, that our consultation on our Green

:39:20.:39:23.

Paper for the future, the long-term future of food, farming and

:39:24.:39:28.

fisheries is the perfect opportunity for him to represent his own

:39:29.:39:32.

crofters' interests and for them to feed back to that consultation which

:39:33.:39:38.

we will welcome that opportunity. Order. Honourable members ought to

:39:39.:39:44.

have the courtesy to listen to the Secretary of State. Secretary of

:39:45.:39:51.

State. Thank you. Scotland has a rich and varied agricultural

:39:52.:39:53.

heritage, including the grain producing lowlands in the east and

:39:54.:39:57.

beef and lamb in the uplands. It's no surprise that Scotland has a

:39:58.:40:03.

number of world beating brands, including scotch beef, lamb, black

:40:04.:40:08.

pudding and Orkney Cheddar. On my last trip to Scotland I met

:40:09.:40:11.

representatives from key industries and trade bodies vital to the

:40:12.:40:15.

Scottish rural economy, including NFU Scotland and Scotland food and

:40:16.:40:22.

drink. I was given a guided tour of one of Scotland's best known

:40:23.:40:25.

independent food companies with a turnover of almost ?24 million in

:40:26.:40:33.

2015. I was also fortunate to be shown around a bottling plant,

:40:34.:40:38.

whisky is a phenomenal global success and accounts for around one

:40:39.:40:43.

fifth of all UK food and drink exports, worth ?3. 9 billion in

:40:44.:40:50.

2015. So working with the devolved administrations I regularly meet my

:40:51.:40:55.

Ministerial counterparts in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

:40:56.:40:59.

and I look forward to welcoming them to London for further discussions

:41:00.:41:02.

next week. I am determined that we secure a deal on leaving the EU that

:41:03.:41:08.

works for all parts of the UK and recognises the contribution that all

:41:09.:41:13.

corners of this country make to our economic success. Now leaving the EU

:41:14.:41:19.

is DEFRA's biggest focus as it is the Whitehall department most

:41:20.:41:23.

affected by the EU but alongside this the day photograph day work

:41:24.:41:27.

continues to focus on the right conditions for a thriving rural

:41:28.:41:31.

economy. While much of rural policy is devolved, in August 2015 we

:41:32.:41:35.

published the rural productivity plan for England to set the right

:41:36.:41:39.

conditions for businesses in rural areas in England to prosper and

:41:40.:41:45.

grow. Across the board Government policies will help rural communities

:41:46.:41:49.

and industrial strategy that works for all areas, delivering three

:41:50.:41:53.

million apprenticeship starts in England by 2020, including trebling

:41:54.:41:59.

the number in food, farming and agriculturetech and building more

:42:00.:42:03.

homes and providing better access to services. I thank my honourable

:42:04.:42:08.

friend for giving way. Does she believe there are huge opportunities

:42:09.:42:12.

for rural diversification that will strengthen on rural communities not

:42:13.:42:19.

least of which with outdoor recreational activities that create

:42:20.:42:21.

meaningful experiences for people to help the rural economy and physical

:42:22.:42:27.

health and well-being? Yes, that's exactly right. Reconnecting with

:42:28.:42:32.

nature, with the outdoors is incredibly good for well-being. Of

:42:33.:42:37.

course, we expect and anticipate that tourism, rural success will

:42:38.:42:42.

continue as we seek to become a more outward looking nation. I will give

:42:43.:42:45.

way. She's making a very powerful point. Would the Minister agree that

:42:46.:42:50.

there are huge opportunities in the rural industries in renewable

:42:51.:42:53.

energy, many of which are based in rural economies to build on this and

:42:54.:42:57.

to sell our technology and our innovation on the world stage which

:42:58.:43:02.

will help with climate change across the globe as well? Yes, my

:43:03.:43:06.

honourable friend is quite right. The UK is the scene of incredibly

:43:07.:43:11.

successful renewable energy schemes and many of the offshore wind

:43:12.:43:17.

projects are in Scotland which has brought prosperity to some key areas

:43:18.:43:25.

in that nation. Increasing connectivity right across the UK is

:43:26.:43:30.

vital both for businesses to be competitive and for communities to

:43:31.:43:36.

thrive. We are investing over ?780 million to make superfast broadband

:43:37.:43:40.

of at least 24 megabits per second available to 95% of UK premises by

:43:41.:43:47.

2017. But reaching the 5% this figure does not cover is absolutely

:43:48.:43:51.

key and that's why I welcome the better broadband scheme. Under this

:43:52.:43:56.

scheme those who can't get a broadband speed of at least 2

:43:57.:44:01.

megabits per second qualify for a subsidised connection with a grant

:44:02.:44:07.

available and I really do encourage anyone who is eligible for that to

:44:08.:44:10.

contact their local authority. We are also working to introduce a

:44:11.:44:14.

broadband universal service obligation by 2020 at a minimum of

:44:15.:44:20.

10 megabits per second. An additional ?442 million will make

:44:21.:44:23.

superfast broadband available to a further 2% of premises in the UK.

:44:24.:44:30.

This will be complemented by a further infrastructure investment as

:44:31.:44:33.

announced in the autumn statement. For areas with poor mobile coverage

:44:34.:44:38.

planning reforms came into force in November to facilitate the building

:44:39.:44:43.

of taller masts and make upgrading and sharing of infrastructure

:44:44.:44:47.

easier. I would like to assure members across the House that better

:44:48.:44:52.

connectivity, the key to unlocking the full potential and productivity

:44:53.:44:57.

of rural areas, will remain a priority for this Government. To

:44:58.:45:01.

conclude, our goal is to secure a deal that works for all parts of the

:45:02.:45:06.

UK. And promoting our great British food at the same time as improving

:45:07.:45:12.

our environment is central to building a strong economy that works

:45:13.:45:17.

for everyone. Thank you. Order. Before I call the spokesman

:45:18.:45:22.

for the opposition, it will be obvious that a great many people

:45:23.:45:26.

wish to speak and that we have a very short time for this debate so I

:45:27.:45:32.

warn honourable members that there will be initially a time limit of

:45:33.:45:37.

four minutes and that is likely to reduce to three minutes and if

:45:38.:45:40.

people make lots of sper ventions then they will find they will be

:45:41.:45:45.

called later in the debate than they otherwise would have been. But no

:45:46.:45:52.

time limit applies to Rachel Maskell. Thank you. If I may before

:45:53.:45:57.

I begin today, this is my first opportunity, I would like to pay my

:45:58.:46:03.

personal respects to Katie Ravel, Katie lived in my constituency and

:46:04.:46:06.

died tragically in York just over a week ago. The whole city has been

:46:07.:46:11.

shocked and so saddened by the loss of such a precious little life.

:46:12.:46:15.

Yesterday would have been Katie's 8th birthday and I join with her

:46:16.:46:19.

community in Westfield to celebrate her life alongside her parents and

:46:20.:46:22.

friends and I am sure the whole House would want to wish Alison and

:46:23.:46:25.

Paul and to let them know that they very much are in our thoughts and

:46:26.:46:32.

prayers. May Katie rest in peace. We live in challenging times. One where

:46:33.:46:36.

it is often difficult to see over the horizon. Yet we have a duty to

:46:37.:46:40.

steer a steady path to achieve the best outcome for our nation. The

:46:41.:46:46.

country voted to leave the European Union on 23 June so we now have a

:46:47.:46:52.

responsibility to take the whole country forward together. The 100%,

:46:53.:46:56.

to provide economic and national security for all and to cut deals

:46:57.:47:02.

with the EU and others to ensure that our export focus remains

:47:03.:47:06.

robust. Seven months have passed since the vote and negotiations

:47:07.:47:09.

begin in just a couple of months' time. So where is the DEFRA plan? I

:47:10.:47:17.

have heard plenty of platitudes from the party opposite and listened to

:47:18.:47:20.

ideology about cutting red tape. There have been utterances about

:47:21.:47:23.

aspiration and the fantastic opportunity before us but all is

:47:24.:47:28.

meaningless without even a sled of a DEFRA plan being shared. These words

:47:29.:47:38.

no longer wash with farmers. Farmers don't work in eteric concepts. They

:47:39.:47:41.

live in a world where straight talk something what matters. Where is the

:47:42.:47:46.

DEFRA plan we have been promised? We should have had it before the

:47:47.:47:50.

referendum and we continue to hear talk of the two seriously delayed

:47:51.:47:56.

25-year plans. Farmers need a plan now so that they can shape their

:47:57.:47:59.

agricultural businesses and give them the best possible chance to

:48:00.:48:03.

succeed. 2020 is just around the corner and provides little security

:48:04.:48:08.

to so many. The whole food and farming sector needs security now,

:48:09.:48:12.

security through transition, and security for the long-term. It is

:48:13.:48:16.

challenging enough for the farming community at the west of times, that

:48:17.:48:21.

is why many voted to leave the EU in the hope that surely things couldn't

:48:22.:48:25.

be worse but by being kept in the dark, not knowing what the

:48:26.:48:27.

Government plans to do is even more worrying. Farmers at the Oxford

:48:28.:48:31.

farming conference showed their vote of confidence in the Secretary of

:48:32.:48:36.

State when only the Minister, the member for Cambourne, eventually

:48:37.:48:40.

came to her rescue by putting the arm in the air to show support for

:48:41.:48:44.

his boss. Farmers need clarity. The success of the food and farming

:48:45.:48:49.

industry which we must celebrate has been down to the sheer grit and

:48:50.:48:53.

determination of farmers to make success of their businesses but

:48:54.:48:57.

let's not get away from the fact it's tough out there. Incomes are

:48:58.:49:01.

falling and debts are rising. Incomes were down by a shocking 29%

:49:02.:49:06.

last year, a fifth of farmers are struggling just to pay their bills.

:49:07.:49:13.

The average debt for a farming business is now ?188,000 and too

:49:14.:49:17.

many have gone out of business all together, including more than 1,000

:49:18.:49:21.

dairy farmers in the last three years. So not all farmers are

:49:22.:49:25.

thriving or even There are some regulations that

:49:26.:49:36.

farmer would happily see the back of the 1200 regular layingses to annal

:49:37.:49:39.

size of course we'd want to see some go. -- regulations. The Prime

:49:40.:49:47.

Minister should set out the strategy and test each regulation by the

:49:48.:49:52.

criteria, not a piecemeal approach with no systematic logic being

:49:53.:49:56.

applied. A question I've been asking since I was appointed, how will

:49:57.:50:01.

Government police regulations prosecution those who breach them

:50:02.:50:05.

outside of the EU framework. Answers are needed, as this will be a matter

:50:06.:50:12.

for the UK alone. But all of this has little relevance if the big

:50:13.:50:17.

question is not answered. What will replace the common ago cultural

:50:18.:50:22.

policy? What succeeds CAP is not subject to any negotiation, so what

:50:23.:50:27.

has been agreed with the Treasury. With subsidies accounting for over

:50:28.:50:30.

half the income and investment resource for the farmers, they need

:50:31.:50:34.

to know what will take its place, what will the criteria be, how will

:50:35.:50:39.

they access funding and how can they start shaping businesses now,

:50:40.:50:44.

according to the new criteria so that by 2020, they can be on the

:50:45.:50:49.

firmest financial footing possible. So what has the Treasury agreed and

:50:50.:50:53.

the Secretary of State determined? The Labour were in power today, we'd

:50:54.:50:58.

be launch the rural investment bank, building sustainability for

:50:59.:51:00.

businesses and sustainability for the environment. Resilience across

:51:01.:51:05.

farming and giving farming the stability and security they need to

:51:06.:51:09.

plan their future with the business support they need, as well as the

:51:10.:51:14.

infrastructure and technological investment to drive forward

:51:15.:51:17.

productivity. I am happy to give way. May I thank the honourable lady

:51:18.:51:22.

for giving way. Would she agree with me there are grave concerns

:51:23.:51:25.

regarding early pest and disease intelligence from Europe which may

:51:26.:51:30.

become much less accessible alongside investment in research and

:51:31.:51:34.

development which may fall without access to EU funding. I thank the

:51:35.:51:39.

honourable lady for her intervention there. She's absolutely right. It's

:51:40.:51:43.

our cooperation across Europe which has built the resilience of farming

:51:44.:51:47.

and have built the huge knowledge base we which we all take advantage

:51:48.:51:53.

of. The relationships we maintain with the science and research base

:51:54.:51:56.

across the E such going to be absolutely vital to the success of

:51:57.:52:01.

farming in the future. Of course, our fishermen and women

:52:02.:52:04.

are searching for answers too. I've always believed that honesty is the

:52:05.:52:08.

best policy to abide by. It's time the Government clearly set out for

:52:09.:52:12.

those working across the fishing industry what they can expect to

:52:13.:52:17.

change after leaving the EU. How we build a sustainable fishing industry

:52:18.:52:21.

in an international context is vital for the industry to survive. But, as

:52:22.:52:26.

has always been the case, it is the responsibility of the UK Government

:52:27.:52:30.

to make sure the small fishing fleets have access to the stock.

:52:31.:52:35.

Accessing global markets is vital for the future of the UK food and

:52:36.:52:40.

drinks and farming sectors, but again, I have to ask the Secretary

:52:41.:52:45.

of State what the strategy is. It surely cannot be her role to conduct

:52:46.:52:50.

the global auction on every food product promoting her favourite

:52:51.:52:55.

brands like the Snowdonian cheese or Walker short bred. What is the

:52:56.:53:00.

approach to help every farmer have access to global free tariff market.

:53:01.:53:04.

She cannot skip over the EU as though it no longer exists.

:53:05.:53:12.

Farmers want security in knowing that they will have tariff free

:53:13.:53:17.

access to this market. This is why Labour's been explicitly clear, we

:53:18.:53:20.

want you to have access to the single market tariff free trade. I

:53:21.:53:28.

We must warn the Prime Minister, what she's said today, she mustn't

:53:29.:53:35.

create more barriers for the ago cultural and food sectors. The other

:53:36.:53:40.

pressing issue is Labour. Free movement has enabled 98% of the UK

:53:41.:53:44.

farmers seasonal workers to come from the EU. 80,000 people to pick

:53:45.:53:50.

our veg and fruit each year. On this point, we must be clear - these are

:53:51.:53:57.

absolutely not about taking anybody's jobs from anyone. These

:53:58.:54:03.

are jobs that have failed to recruit locally. Farmers need to know what

:54:04.:54:11.

they will reap before they sew. So, with seasonal labour, it's already

:54:12.:54:15.

in short supply. As a result of the vote last June. The fall in the

:54:16.:54:19.

pound's made other countries more attractive to seasonal workers. The

:54:20.:54:24.

xenophobia is keeping some away. Xenophobia has no place anywhere in

:54:25.:54:29.

our country. We owe it to those who come here to make it clear that they

:54:30.:54:34.

are not only welcome, but we recognise the valuable role they

:54:35.:54:37.

play in the freedom farming sector and the wider economy. But for those

:54:38.:54:41.

who've made a decision to work in the UK from the EU, the Government

:54:42.:54:46.

should grant them the right to stay now. Indecision and delay is

:54:47.:54:49.

resulting in many leaving and keeping others away. I know the meat

:54:50.:54:54.

sector have highlighted the serious risk that the dithering over the

:54:55.:54:57.

rights are causing to their sustainability and they are not

:54:58.:54:59.

alone. Today the Prime Minister had her

:55:00.:55:02.

opportunity to provide businesses and workers from the EU. The

:55:03.:55:07.

stability they need. When she was asked specifically on the point

:55:08.:55:11.

earlier, she yet again ducked the question.

:55:12.:55:15.

I am happy to give way. I thank my right honourable friend for giving

:55:16.:55:18.

way. Does she share my disappointment that apart from a

:55:19.:55:21.

passing reference to the word agriculture in preamble to the Prime

:55:22.:55:24.

Minister's speech, there was nothing about the environment, food or

:55:25.:55:27.

farming in terms of the 12 objectives she set out. Doesn't she

:55:28.:55:31.

think the Prime Minister ought to be giving it far more importance? I

:55:32.:55:34.

thank my right honourable friend for the point she's made and I have

:55:35.:55:37.

scoured the speech to try and find the word environment in there and it

:55:38.:55:43.

wasn't there, so I have serious concerns that the environmental

:55:44.:55:45.

protections we currently enjoy from the EU just will not be there for

:55:46.:55:50.

the future and, of course, as we advance forward and see that the EU

:55:51.:55:55.

makes more progress on these areas, there is no guarantee given today in

:55:56.:55:58.

the Prime Minister's contribution that that will be part of her

:55:59.:56:04.

negotiating 12-point plan - her strategy.

:56:05.:56:09.

So, as we move forward, I hear that the minister saying that it's

:56:10.:56:14.

nonnegotiable but we need to see nit the 12-point plan if it's a key

:56:15.:56:18.

point for us moving forward, so clearly the Prime Minister missed

:56:19.:56:22.

that opportunity today to make that clear, the importance she would

:56:23.:56:25.

place on the environment clearly not being stated.

:56:26.:56:30.

I am happy to give way further. I thank the honourable lady for giving

:56:31.:56:36.

way. Does she share the concerns that I have that it's staggering

:56:37.:56:41.

that it appears the Government hasn't incorporated at least some of

:56:42.:56:46.

the recommendations concerning land management. I suggested in a letter

:56:47.:56:49.

to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

:56:50.:56:53.

by the institution of environmental sciences and other professional

:56:54.:56:59.

bodies into the still foggy post-Brexit plan.

:57:00.:57:01.

THE SPEAKER: Order. Interventions have been far too long, it simply

:57:02.:57:05.

isn't fair for the honourable gentleman to take the time of

:57:06.:57:09.

thethey shall people waiting to take speeches. It's simply not courteous.

:57:10.:57:15.

No matter how important his point may appear to be. Rachel Maskell? We

:57:16.:57:22.

have seen the lack of certainty being given, so it's a valid point

:57:23.:57:28.

that's been made. A further point I want to raise with the Secretary of

:57:29.:57:32.

State and that's about apprenticeships. I'm sorry,

:57:33.:57:38.

apprenticeships aren't about filling unskilled labour gaps, they are

:57:39.:57:41.

about sustaining people in their development, training and skills, so

:57:42.:57:44.

that they can have a career ahead of them. Certainly suggesting that

:57:45.:57:50.

they'll fill the post-rich 80,000 workers currently hold is not

:57:51.:57:54.

appropriate and not what apprenticeships are for. Farmers

:57:55.:57:58.

need real solutions, so why not introduce the seasonal ago cultural

:57:59.:58:01.

workers scheme? I know the Government scrapped it in 2013 but

:58:02.:58:05.

it would provide a lifeline to farmers now, far better than leaving

:58:06.:58:09.

fruit and veg rotting in fields this summer. On behalf of all farmers,

:58:10.:58:13.

especially though who may be watching and listening to us speak

:58:14.:58:17.

here today, I sincerely hope the Secretary of State provides a

:58:18.:58:22.

solution to this issue. We also have a wider biodiversity system to

:58:23.:58:25.

protect. Farmers are the great conservationists of our nation.

:58:26.:58:31.

They, along with many NGOs are the ones investing and restoring natural

:58:32.:58:35.

habitats leaving in environmental sustainability with more support

:58:36.:58:39.

they'll go further still. We know there is far more to be achieved and

:58:40.:58:43.

we cannot return to being the dirty man of Europe, nor can we stand by

:58:44.:58:47.

and sign trade deals with nations that pollute on our behalf having no

:58:48.:58:54.

regard for soil, air or water quality. A as responsible global

:58:55.:59:00.

stewards we must drive forward progressionive environmental

:59:01.:59:02.

standards and stem pollution. If the Government pin their hope on a deal

:59:03.:59:05.

with the next US administration, I would urge them to think again.

:59:06.:59:11.

As we debate rural communities, we cannot ignore all the other needs

:59:12.:59:15.

that rural communities call for. This Government are still to address

:59:16.:59:18.

this. Access to Broadband, as the Secretary of State said, is an

:59:19.:59:21.

important issue, Broadband and mobile connectivity. But it's the

:59:22.:59:24.

rural communities which are in that 5% that still can't get access.

:59:25.:59:31.

Access to jobs, housing and transport essential for rural

:59:32.:59:34.

communities, as well as good Public Services. Our ambition must go

:59:35.:59:40.

further to halt the urban drift and to rebuild rural communities

:59:41.:59:44.

sustaining rural business and investing in new businesses, pulling

:59:45.:59:48.

us back into the countryside and taking to unsustainable strain of

:59:49.:59:52.

urban Britain. All are important and on these benches, we understand how

:59:53.:59:57.

vital invest isn't into rural communities. You certainly won't see

:59:58.:00:01.

a Labour Government cutting the budget to our national pashes by 40%

:00:02.:00:06.

as the Government has on its watch. So, what will the Secretary of State

:00:07.:00:11.

do? It's a shame that the Government's amendment today fails

:00:12.:00:15.

to recognise the unique needs of rural communities and the central

:00:16.:00:18.

role investment has in strengthening the wider economy. However, the huge

:00:19.:00:25.

challenges facing rural economies needs clear interventions, not

:00:26.:00:28.

complacency. And the shocking disparities with urban environments

:00:29.:00:31.

needs to be addressed. There is not such thing as a single monolithic

:00:32.:00:36.

rural economy in the UK. There's great diversity, not just between

:00:37.:00:39.

communities, but within them. I focus much of my time today on

:00:40.:00:43.

farming because that's where the challenges are most pressing, but we

:00:44.:00:47.

must remember that there is more to life in rural and coastal

:00:48.:00:50.

communities than farming and fishing alone. If the Government truly

:00:51.:00:55.

intends to deliver for rural communities, it will take a far more

:00:56.:01:00.

sustained everybody than simply addressing immediate short-term

:01:01.:01:05.

challenges in isolation. We need a proper cross Government strategy.

:01:06.:01:08.

The abolition of Labour's commission on rural communities by this

:01:09.:01:13.

Government and establishing the much diminished policy unit in its place

:01:14.:01:17.

has weakened rural communities to the lack of capacity and expertise.

:01:18.:01:22.

Madam Deputy Speaker, many of the issues raised today are

:01:23.:01:25.

long-standing and cannot be blamed on the EU alone. But in saying that,

:01:26.:01:30.

the turmoil now created by uncertainty by the Government is

:01:31.:01:34.

escalating risk for the sector. Those who work across the rural

:01:35.:01:39.

landscape or fish in our sea, did feel left behind, left behind bay

:01:40.:01:42.

Tory Government that failed to invest in their industry and in

:01:43.:01:48.

their communities. This has to change. With Labour you would be

:01:49.:01:52.

confident that it would and farming would become far more stable, secure

:01:53.:01:57.

and sustainable. Thank you. THE SPEAKER: Order. I already have

:01:58.:02:02.

to reduce the time limit before I have even imposed it. The time limit

:02:03.:02:13.

will now be three minutes. Thank you, Madam Deputy Speaker.

:02:14.:02:16.

It's nice to follow the honourable lady who mentioned her urban drip.

:02:17.:02:21.

Can I just add that I have a very small farm in north her forkedshire

:02:22.:02:24.

and raise cattle which the Secretary of State ought to know are the

:02:25.:02:28.

finest and most popular beef breed in the world. The assumption made in

:02:29.:02:32.

this motion that Brexit is something for farmers to be scared of is far

:02:33.:02:37.

too pessimistic. There are risks but also opportunities. The European

:02:38.:02:42.

Union has for years subsidised farms under the CAP and we have seen our

:02:43.:02:47.

farmers fall from pole position behind now some of our European

:02:48.:02:51.

partners in profitability and innovation. Therefore leaving the EU

:02:52.:02:55.

and thus ending the common ago cultural policy should not be a

:02:56.:03:00.

cause for concern in itself. Indeed, farmers and research

:03:01.:03:03.

organisations such as leave have noted that Brexit is far more of an

:03:04.:03:08.

opportunity than a risk. Instead of a CAP which compromises for 28

:03:09.:03:13.

states with 12 million farmers with an average farm size of 15 hectares

:03:14.:03:19.

or 37 acres, compared to the UK which has an average farm size of 84

:03:20.:03:25.

hectares or 207 acres. So now, we are able to create a uniquely

:03:26.:03:31.

helpful ago cultural policy for our farmers prioritising the goals we

:03:32.:03:35.

most want to achieve. It's important that we have an ago

:03:36.:03:39.

cultural policy which works for our farmers, for we need their

:03:40.:03:43.

contributions. It must also work for voters, for the environment and for

:03:44.:03:48.

all of those of us who need a healthy diet. This is particularly

:03:49.:03:53.

tryth true as the NHS faces pressure from type II diabetes and#24er diet

:03:54.:04:07.

and exercise related illnesses. It was made clear that ago cultural

:04:08.:04:10.

support would continue until 2020 and by then we have had enough time

:04:11.:04:14.

to prepare for a new ago cultural policy which will work for this

:04:15.:04:18.

country. Already, the Government has indicated that it's keen to cut back

:04:19.:04:23.

on ridiculous levels of EU bureaucracy. But, we must be aware

:04:24.:04:30.

that within DEFRA, there are evil individuals who're still rolling out

:04:31.:04:35.

hideous regulation by increasing the area suppressed by nitrate

:04:36.:04:39.

vulnerable zones which are EU regulations, they are the nastiest

:04:40.:04:43.

and most ridiculous rules and need to be frozen or rolled back but

:04:44.:04:47.

instead they are being increased which is beyond scandalous.

:04:48.:05:04.

I have been placing on the record in this mousse multiple times the

:05:05.:05:10.

sensible and straight forward position this country stands to gain

:05:11.:05:16.

nothing by the Government setting out our negotiating position before

:05:17.:05:19.

the negotiations are even commencing. The EU negotiation

:05:20.:05:23.

negotiators would gain the upper hand. And I will stop right there!

:05:24.:05:30.

I am disappointed that the Prime Minister signalled today she intends

:05:31.:05:33.

to pull the UK out of the single market as well as out of the EU.

:05:34.:05:36.

Some of those potentially have the most to lose from this hard Brexit

:05:37.:05:40.

approach are Scotland's beef and sheep farmers. We have been farming

:05:41.:05:43.

beef in Aberdeenshire for thousands of years. Farm something a way of

:05:44.:05:47.

life more than a job and we produce some of the best beef in the world

:05:48.:05:52.

for premium markets. I am not going to repeat the comments my honourable

:05:53.:05:55.

friend has made because he made the case well, but I will say this in

:05:56.:05:59.

response to the Secretary of State. Scotland exported beef and lamb

:06:00.:06:03.

worth ?73 million to EU countries in 2015. It's important that we realise

:06:04.:06:08.

that over 90% of Scotland's red meat exports go to EU countries and of

:06:09.:06:12.

the non-EU countries, Switzerland, nor Which? And Monaco are at the top

:06:13.:06:17.

of the non-EU destinations. Scotland's food and drink exports

:06:18.:06:20.

have grown substantially and our biggest growth markets have been in

:06:21.:06:24.

the EU, a massive 20% of growth over the last decade and a much higher

:06:25.:06:28.

rate of growth than in other markets including the UK market. That's why

:06:29.:06:33.

retaining access to the single market is so important to our future

:06:34.:06:37.

economic security especially in rural areas where livelihoods are so

:06:38.:06:41.

affected by trade. But the other commodity produced on a large scale

:06:42.:06:44.

in my constituency is fish. We have a huge catching sector, probably a

:06:45.:06:48.

quarter of the UK's fish is landed in my constituency but for every job

:06:49.:06:51.

in the catching sector there are four or five in the processing

:06:52.:06:55.

industry. That supports thousands of jobs across Scotland in a wider

:06:56.:06:58.

supply chain. The vast majority of fishermen voted to leave the EU and

:06:59.:07:04.

given the way they were sold out in 1972 and shoe-horned into who can

:07:05.:07:10.

blame them. There are many potential gains from being outside the CPC,

:07:11.:07:14.

however it's a different story for the proetsing sector where those

:07:15.:07:19.

opportunities are tempered by some significant drawbacks of a hard

:07:20.:07:23.

Brexit as against a region style deal that keeps our foot in the

:07:24.:07:26.

door. One of the major employers in my constituency already said

:07:27.:07:29.

publicly that we need to protect our position in the single market

:07:30.:07:33.

because we have a market advantage there. Nevertheless, we need to

:07:34.:07:37.

remember that two-thirds of our fish exports are going to the EU. It's a

:07:38.:07:43.

huge issue for some employers. We exported fish worth nearly ?450

:07:44.:07:50.

million to the EU in 2015, we can't afford to jeopardise trade. I think

:07:51.:07:54.

while tariffs are probably, we can't afford tariffs at this stage, we can

:07:55.:08:01.

afford non-tariff barriers such as the need for certificates. Those are

:08:02.:08:06.

adding costs and bureaucracy that we don't need and we leave an open goal

:08:07.:08:10.

for Norwegian and Icelandic competitors. During the Brexit

:08:11.:08:14.

campaign when I talked to people in the fishing industry they held up

:08:15.:08:20.

Norway as the model they wanted to emulate but that's no longer an

:08:21.:08:23.

option in this post-Brexit situation. The biggest risk now is

:08:24.:08:27.

the point I made to the Minister where our Government sells us down

:08:28.:08:31.

the river as was suggested might be happening in the Prime Minister's

:08:32.:08:37.

speech earlier today. It was my prif ledge both in opposition and in

:08:38.:08:42.

Government to work with Sir Jim Pace and he and I, although we may well

:08:43.:08:47.

have voted to remain in the European Union, had deep reservations about

:08:48.:08:50.

the common agricultural policy and desperately wanted the farming

:08:51.:08:53.

community to embrace the concept they would have to change the

:08:54.:08:58.

narrative, change the ask of Government, and to continue to

:08:59.:09:03.

accept words like subs tees as part of the lexicon of modern

:09:04.:09:06.

agriculture, it's something we have to deal with, we have to change the

:09:07.:09:10.

narrative. My message to ministers today is please be bold, what we do

:09:11.:09:18.

not want out of this is a son of CP, a CAP-plus. What we do not want is a

:09:19.:09:23.

system that perpetuates what has happened in the past. We want to

:09:24.:09:28.

look at this as April opportunity to see rural policy that can be an

:09:29.:09:31.

economic policy and an environmental policy and a social policy, as well.

:09:32.:09:36.

I would like to speak at great length - yes, certainly. Would he

:09:37.:09:41.

agree that there will still be need even after Brexit for support for

:09:42.:09:44.

hill farmers in places like Wales and in Scotland? I will come on to

:09:45.:09:49.

talk precisely on that. My honourable friend makes a very good

:09:50.:09:53.

point. I would like to have had the opportunity today to talk about the

:09:54.:09:59.

innovation that's happening in farming, innovations that see

:10:00.:10:01.

precision, satellite assisted farming is old news. Now with the

:10:02.:10:07.

internet of things and the development of incredible changes in

:10:08.:10:10.

technology we can see huge advances in agriculture and this is the

:10:11.:10:16.

opportunity for DEFRA to be at the heart of that change and to support

:10:17.:10:23.

the farming enterprise through that. The impact of globalisation and the

:10:24.:10:27.

machinations of the CAP has caused the number of smaller farmers to

:10:28.:10:34.

plummet. This is very bad news for the fabric of rural wrin, rural

:10:35.:10:36.

communities and the environment. It's a chance for us to avoid some

:10:37.:10:41.

of the failures that have afflicted rural policy-making for decades,

:10:42.:10:44.

grants to drain moorlands followed by a decade or two later grants to

:10:45.:10:48.

fill them in. Grants to rip out hedges followed a decade or two

:10:49.:10:52.

later by grants to replant them. Incentives to plant thousands of

:10:53.:10:57.

acres of spruce and pine in areas in northern Scotland. This list of

:10:58.:11:01.

lamentable policy-making goes on. Please can we get it right and can

:11:02.:11:05.

we get it right in the uplands? We need to be very worried about what

:11:06.:11:11.

is happening in the Lake District. Hill farming created the wilderness

:11:12.:11:17.

and pasture that still defines the Lake District landscape. Those that

:11:18.:11:22.

shepherd the flocks are as much part of the landscape. That's what

:11:23.:11:37.

Wordsworth loved about the lakes and what Beatrix Potter to save 14

:11:38.:11:42.

farms. She, like millions of people today expected us to protect these

:11:43.:11:48.

fragile social structures in rural landscapes, preserve the skills to

:11:49.:11:52.

sustain some of them the treasured landscapes. There is a vision that

:11:53.:11:56.

treats the sheep farmer as an enemy and aims to turn the fells into a

:11:57.:12:02.

petri dish for nature-free of human intervention. This sees the

:12:03.:12:05.

replacing of the unique blend of the wild and the pasture which has

:12:06.:12:09.

defined the Lake District for 2,000 years with something that is,

:12:10.:12:13.

frankly, shameful. Allowing ministers to recognise that small

:12:14.:12:17.

farms and particularly those in our uplands are the most economically

:12:18.:12:21.

fragile, arguably the most socially valuable, should be key to any new

:12:22.:12:26.

post-Brexit model of rural support. Being mindful to what our

:12:27.:12:29.

countryside is, seeking to protect and enhance the most stunning

:12:30.:12:34.

landscapes in the world, whilst assisting the industry to innovate

:12:35.:12:37.

and market responsive, this has to be the goal. I do urge ministers to

:12:38.:12:41.

take this opportunity to be bold and create something that's better than

:12:42.:12:45.

what we have had. Thank you. I rise to talk to the

:12:46.:12:49.

environmental audit committee's report which is tagged in this

:12:50.:12:53.

debate. The future of the natural environment after the EU referendum.

:12:54.:12:57.

I pay tribute both to the members for Bristol east and Taunton Deane

:12:58.:13:02.

in the chamber today. Our report, cross-party report from a

:13:03.:13:06.

cross-party group of MPs, found that changes from Brexit could put our

:13:07.:13:10.

countryside, farming and wildlife at risk. And that protections for

:13:11.:13:14.

Britain's wildlife and special places which are currently

:13:15.:13:18.

guaranteed under European law could end up as zombie legislation even

:13:19.:13:21.

with the so-called great repeal bill. We recommended therefore that

:13:22.:13:25.

the Government should safeguard protections for Britain's wildlife

:13:26.:13:30.

in places in a new, UK environmental protection act. And I want to talk a

:13:31.:13:37.

little bit about that today. I would like to look at the issues around

:13:38.:13:42.

agriculture and we found that farmers face a triple general tee

:13:43.:13:46.

from leaving the EU and let's not forget farms and farm businesses

:13:47.:13:52.

make up 25% of all of the UK's businesses. First, the CAP provides

:13:53.:13:58.

50-606% on average of UK farming incomes and for certain farmers that

:13:59.:14:03.

average will be much higher. So the loss of the CAP threatens the

:14:04.:14:10.

viability of some farms. The second jeopardy is the new trade

:14:11.:14:13.

agreements, could threaten incomes if they result in tariff or

:14:14.:14:17.

non-tariff barriers to export. At the moment 95% of lamb exports go to

:14:18.:14:22.

the EU and if we are exposed to a common EU customs tariff that could

:14:23.:14:28.

mean charges of up to 30% according to the country, land and business

:14:29.:14:31.

association. Third, any new trade deals with the rest of the world

:14:32.:14:36.

such as that proposed yesterday by MrTrump could lead to competition

:14:37.:14:41.

from countries with lower animal welfare, environmental and food

:14:42.:14:44.

safety standards. We have heard from the Secretary of State for exiting

:14:45.:14:48.

the EU that he will do everything necessary to protect the stability

:14:49.:14:51.

of the financial services sector and we have heard again reassurance to

:14:52.:14:56.

the car industry in the UK, there have been no such reassurances to

:14:57.:15:00.

the 25% of the UK's businesses that are classed as rural businesses and

:15:01.:15:07.

we have heard from the Secretary of State for environment, food and

:15:08.:15:10.

rural affairs at the Oxford farming conference that farm exports to the

:15:11.:15:15.

EU will decline post-Brexit. She also didn't give my committee any

:15:16.:15:19.

clarity over whether there would be future subs tees for farmers after

:15:20.:15:23.

we leave the EU and we would as a committee would want to see clearly

:15:24.:15:28.

defined objectives for future subsidies such as promoting

:15:29.:15:33.

biodiversity, preventing flooding and repairing peat bogs. I give way.

:15:34.:15:38.

When the Environment Secretary gave evidence to the economy she said up

:15:39.:15:42.

to a third of environmental legislation would not be covered by

:15:43.:15:45.

the great repeal act which means a huge vacuum in terms of

:15:46.:15:49.

environmental protections. ? Yes, my honourable friend is right and our

:15:50.:15:54.

committee discovered that copying EU legislation into UK law will not

:15:55.:15:57.

enough for up to a third of the UK's environmental protections so there

:15:58.:16:00.

is a risk that the legislation is transposed but is no longer updated

:16:01.:16:05.

because there is nobody to update it. It is not enforced because there

:16:06.:16:10.

is nobody with the legal duty to enforce it and it can be eroded

:16:11.:16:15.

through strat Torrey instruments with minimal parliamentary scrutiny

:16:16.:16:20.

and of course we have had calls from some parts of the Conservative Party

:16:21.:16:23.

to have a subset clause in the bill and that's again something that the

:16:24.:16:26.

Secretary of State did not distance herself from when she appeared in

:16:27.:16:31.

front of our committee which is why we want a new environmental

:16:32.:16:34.

protection act passed before we leave the European Union. If the

:16:35.:16:37.

Government's going to achieve its manifesto commitment to be the first

:16:38.:16:41.

generation to leave the environment in a better sthat tan it found it

:16:42.:16:45.

the Government must set out how it will provide an equivalent or

:16:46.:16:47.

helpfully better level of protection when we leave. The role of this

:16:48.:16:54.

House will be vital in providing clear scrutiny rather than

:16:55.:16:58.

cheerleaderboarding as that debate goes forward. Thank you. Last year,

:16:59.:17:02.

I received a letter from a local farmer. He had been informed that he

:17:03.:17:06.

could no longer grow cabbages because they were considered by the

:17:07.:17:13.

EU to be too similar to cally flowers for compliance with a rule.

:17:14.:17:18.

Turnips he was advised would be more acceptable. Agriculture and food and

:17:19.:17:21.

drink are great British success stories, yet for half a century they

:17:22.:17:26.

have been held back by this ceaseless meddling of brows sells

:17:27.:17:29.

self appointed vegetable police. Will there are three simple reasons

:17:30.:17:34.

why leaving the EU represents an opportunity for the rural economy

:17:35.:17:37.

and let me touch on CAP to start with. Every year, UK farmers receive

:17:38.:17:43.

about ?3 billion of payments from the CAP and some people act if this

:17:44.:17:48.

money is a gift bestowed upon us by Brussels. The truth is this money is

:17:49.:17:53.

the money of British taxpayers who every year make a net contribution

:17:54.:17:57.

of ?9 billion to the EU budget and with that money returned we could

:17:58.:18:01.

fund a British agricultural policy three times over. The difference

:18:02.:18:06.

will be that we have the freedom to provide funding for British farmers

:18:07.:18:10.

and the needs of British farmers without smothering them with a

:18:11.:18:12.

European regulations they don't need. The second benefit will be to

:18:13.:18:19.

our rural economy for the food industry and trade. Food demand is

:18:20.:18:24.

projected to grow 70% in the coming decades, a huge opportunity for

:18:25.:18:28.

British food producers. That demand is driven by China, Brazil, the US,

:18:29.:18:34.

India, all countries that the EU has entirely failed to sign a free trade

:18:35.:18:38.

agreement with. With British trade policy back in British hands, we can

:18:39.:18:43.

sign a new generation of free trade agreements allowing our companies to

:18:44.:18:45.

fulfil their enormous potential abroad.

:18:46.:18:51.

Lastly, they will gain enormously from the freedoms Brexit will give

:18:52.:18:58.

us to invest in infrastructure. After we leave the EU, bad box

:18:59.:19:02.

ticking bureaucracy, a covenant elected by the British people, will

:19:03.:19:07.

be able to find that broadband to rural areas with Al having to wait a

:19:08.:19:11.

DFI compliance with the European Union in flexible state rules. --

:19:12.:19:20.

that. -- wait for compliance. It is not beyond travails. As dramatic as

:19:21.:19:26.

Saville's orange groves are, they are not Dartmoor or Exmoor. Our

:19:27.:19:35.

rural... Seville. Outside of the EU, Legion design policies that work for

:19:36.:19:41.

our policies and use our new-found freedoms do create a rural economy

:19:42.:19:50.

more robust than ever before. I'll be as brief as I possibly can. Every

:19:51.:19:56.

single part of Scotland, bar by guile and beauty constituency, voted

:19:57.:20:01.

to remain. -- apart from Argyll and Bute. They said they wish the UK

:20:02.:20:10.

could maintain membership of the European Union to keep our seafood,

:20:11.:20:14.

whiskey and other groups having access to the biggest and, most

:20:15.:20:19.

valuable market. In return, we continue to welcome with open arms

:20:20.:20:22.

citizens of the European Union who wish to come, let and work in Argyll

:20:23.:20:32.

and Bute. As the guarantor has done with notable success, we would

:20:33.:20:36.

continue to promote Argyll and Bute as an excellent place of foreign,

:20:37.:20:40.

multi national companies to invest as they sought to secure entry into

:20:41.:20:44.

the European single market for their products. That's why we voted to

:20:45.:20:50.

remain and that is why Brexit would have a profound and damaging impact

:20:51.:21:01.

of my Argyll and Bute' economy. We boast 14 of the best whiskey

:21:02.:21:04.

distilleries in the world. I will give value the microwave. I thank

:21:05.:21:16.

him. We agree that the prospering businesses here are down to our

:21:17.:21:22.

environment prospering as well? I agree. The Providence and purity are

:21:23.:21:26.

essential and a great part of what Scotland's produce can offer. As of

:21:27.:21:36.

mass G8, Scotch Whisky, much of it produced in my constituency,

:21:37.:21:37.

contributed major lead to the UK economy. Removing us from the

:21:38.:21:44.

European Union damages that. I'm so surprised that the honourable member

:21:45.:21:47.

for South Northamptonshire seemed unaware of the fact that a huge

:21:48.:21:53.

percentage of Scott exported beyond in the EU still benefits from deals

:21:54.:21:58.

brokered by the EU. Control of Smoke Pollution Act Scotch. There is so

:21:59.:22:06.

much I like to say. If I make my work included by saying that I

:22:07.:22:09.

believe membership of the European Union has been good Argyll and Bute,

:22:10.:22:13.

and has been for Scotland. Our continued membership is vital to

:22:14.:22:20.

huge economic regeneration of our area. We need people in Argyll and

:22:21.:22:24.

Bute and the future plan for economic growth would fall by our

:22:25.:22:31.

council is predicated on attracting inward migration of EU citizens who

:22:32.:22:34.

want to come and work in our food and drink sector, forestry, farming

:22:35.:22:40.

and on other seas. We need people to come and work in our rural

:22:41.:22:44.

communities. We need EU National to come to our diet and Bute. We

:22:45.:22:50.

welcome EU nationals. -- to Argyll and Bute. There are almost 2000 EU

:22:51.:22:54.

nationals living in the constituency at the moment and it is a disgrace

:22:55.:22:59.

that this covenant will not guarantee their right to remain in

:23:00.:23:02.

the United Kingdom post Brexit. I wish the boot on wreckage -- to put.

:23:03.:23:18.

That every migrant working in Argyll and Bute is very welcome. -- record.

:23:19.:23:24.

I will do everything I can to support them staying post Brexit.

:23:25.:23:29.

Madam Deputy Seagate, I believe Brexit will be bad for the UK and

:23:30.:23:34.

bad for Scotland. And particularly harmful for rural communities, such

:23:35.:23:40.

as my own. Being a member of the European Union has been benefit from

:23:41.:23:44.

a constituency. The beneficial. That's why when asked last June, the

:23:45.:23:50.

people of Argyll and Bute overwhelmingly voted to remain.

:23:51.:23:57.

Madam Deputy Speaker, there is an active and very interesting debate

:23:58.:24:01.

going on in farming and agriculture in our rural communities. I was

:24:02.:24:04.

reminded of this last Friday when I had the privilege to visit the

:24:05.:24:09.

Clarence house farm to find out more about the dairy industry issues. We

:24:10.:24:16.

had a wide debate that captivated as for 90 minutes. I barely got to see

:24:17.:24:23.

the place that I went to visit. The cakes on the side of the kitchen

:24:24.:24:27.

table when on tops. These are the sacrifices they make. I recognise

:24:28.:24:33.

this is a time of uncertainty for farming. -- untouched. It's also a

:24:34.:24:38.

time of the opportunity. The Prime Minister was clear today that we are

:24:39.:24:43.

leaving the EU, but not Europe. There are ongoing trade

:24:44.:24:45.

relationships we have to define with the all but there are new

:24:46.:24:50.

opportunities in broader markets in this ambitious strategy that will

:24:51.:24:54.

have positive implications for all industrial sectors and will also

:24:55.:24:59.

benefit from UK farmers as well. There may be some who will want you

:25:00.:25:04.

have the relative certainty of the common agricultural policy are few

:25:05.:25:08.

would argue that it's a perfect system, far from it. Quite the

:25:09.:25:13.

opposite. All the hallmarks for too long of a system created in the

:25:14.:25:17.

1950s. Overly bureaucratic and designed for the needs of 28 states

:25:18.:25:23.

and not the UK National agricultural interests that we have to have in

:25:24.:25:28.

mind. That is the huge opportunity Brexit to us. The passing of CAP

:25:29.:25:35.

will not be mourned and we'll create a better approach. The Prime

:25:36.:25:39.

Minister said there will be protections for pillar one and there

:25:40.:25:45.

were two of until 2020. The agriculture section the Max factor

:25:46.:25:50.

is in good place. We can compete with the world. We need to recognise

:25:51.:25:56.

what is in front of us. It is not all bad Brexit, Brexit you'd be a

:25:57.:26:00.

spur to action to tackle long-standing action and recognise

:26:01.:26:06.

opportunities. -- alt Brexit. I have spoken viral -- rural

:26:07.:26:12.

diversification in my earlier intervention. The economy will be

:26:13.:26:17.

pivotal. I believe that outdoor recreation have a place in that

:26:18.:26:25.

particular debate. In my very last few remarks, I want to focus on the

:26:26.:26:28.

needs of helping young people to build careers in farming. To develop

:26:29.:26:35.

their livelihood in agriculture. I'm so impressed with the work I see at

:26:36.:26:40.

young farmers' while in and around Macclesfield and deemed too easy as

:26:41.:26:46.

they have been due farming. My dream would be, as the Secretary of State

:26:47.:26:52.

develops a green paper, please don't forget the other opportunities

:26:53.:26:56.

outside of Brexit. Rural diversification and prospects for

:26:57.:26:58.

our young farmers as they are pivotal for success in the future.

:26:59.:27:08.

Thank you. As a member of Kinross, I'm well aware of the policy for

:27:09.:27:15.

leaving the European Union. After the member for Maidenhead's speech

:27:16.:27:20.

today, it is now clear that it would be catastrophic. -- case that,

:27:21.:27:28.

Sutherland and Easter Ross. We must maintain membership of the single

:27:29.:27:33.

market. That is the best outcome, not just the people of Scotland but

:27:34.:27:36.

in the national interest of each country the UK. Scotland, in

:27:37.:27:46.

economic sectors of the economy, agriculture, fishing, manufacturing,

:27:47.:27:49.

wholesale, retail sectors, in the liberal areas like much of my

:27:50.:27:53.

constituency, to raise, accommodation and food and drink,

:27:54.:27:57.

including whiskey and gin, play a vital role also. Infrastructure has

:27:58.:28:03.

meant mending of new bridges and roads, shortening journey times and

:28:04.:28:08.

enabling remote communities to sustain themselves. Building on MS

:28:09.:28:11.

created employment and using them as created a tourist industry that has

:28:12.:28:21.

continued to thrive. -- them has. We have financial support for our

:28:22.:28:25.

farmers, access to the single market for goods and products and new

:28:26.:28:30.

skills and employees through free movement of labour. The Harbour

:28:31.:28:34.

Brexit announced today will be devastating for Scotland's rural

:28:35.:28:41.

economies with high target and was a financial support. -- hard Brexit.

:28:42.:28:45.

Using the projected food names. -- we face losing. Losing food safety,

:28:46.:28:53.

animal and Plant health standard anti-competitiveness we rely on

:28:54.:28:58.

through nontariff barriers to trade. -- and the competitiveness. We don't

:28:59.:29:01.

have the dues between the single market and the UK market. Scotland

:29:02.:29:06.

is the top destination for exports to the rest of the UK but the single

:29:07.:29:12.

market of the EU is Scotland's real growth market and eight times bigger

:29:13.:29:16.

than the UK market alone. As a man of the single market, Scotland

:29:17.:29:23.

doesn't just contribute to 5 billion people in Europe but we trade with

:29:24.:29:27.

the rest of the world through Europe as well. Today, we reiterate our

:29:28.:29:31.

request to seek common ground with the UK Government and to find a

:29:32.:29:35.

solution that will preserve the Scotland's membership of the

:29:36.:29:39.

European single market, and for the UK Government to seriously consider

:29:40.:29:48.

Scotland's place in Europe. Thank you. It's a pleasure to make a

:29:49.:29:52.

contribution to this debate. As someone who grew up in horticulture

:29:53.:29:58.

environment in Wiltshire, I see agriculture and horticulture as

:29:59.:30:02.

absolutely key to the rural economy and this is a time of uncertainty.

:30:03.:30:09.

If in a business, any business, 50-50% of your current income will

:30:10.:30:19.

end, we were told to 3-4 years. -- 50-60%. You would feel uncertainty.

:30:20.:30:22.

Against that, all the conversations I have had over the last five, six

:30:23.:30:28.

or seven years in and around Salisbury, there is a frustration to

:30:29.:30:36.

delay the CAP upgraded. Every time I met with farmers. -- operated. There

:30:37.:30:41.

was a difficulty that had not been ever comes. They wanted to see a

:30:42.:30:47.

change that was not happening. We must now grasp the opportunities

:30:48.:30:50.

that exist. -- overcome. Opportunities do exist and we must

:30:51.:30:57.

make good on them. We have to remember that 60% of all food eaten

:30:58.:31:02.

in the EU comes from this country. 70% of the UK a land mass is managed

:31:03.:31:06.

by those working in the rural economy. The rural economy

:31:07.:31:13.

contributes ?100 billion to the economy each year. These are

:31:14.:31:16.

significant sums and he have to be ambitious and the of reforms that we

:31:17.:31:25.

bring to the new funding mechanisms. -- sort of. We have been given

:31:26.:31:28.

reassurances over the years but we have evolved as Seattle evolved for

:31:29.:31:34.

the future agriculture to deliver more and demand more. We have to say

:31:35.:31:40.

to those that are frustrated with underfunding and under delivery of

:31:41.:31:44.

rural services that we can do more in return for more productive

:31:45.:31:52.

sector. I just wanted to mention the issue of access to the right skills,

:31:53.:31:56.

because it is absolutely clear to me when I visit, and I visited last

:31:57.:32:08.

year a fish gutting plant and none of the -- on the wall were in

:32:09.:32:15.

English, they were in peril because everyone there was brought up from

:32:16.:32:20.

Southampton. We need to make sure we do this well because despite great

:32:21.:32:24.

agricultural colleges in Hampshire and Wiltshire, we are not dividing

:32:25.:32:31.

the -- providing the skills needed to home-grown youths. We need to

:32:32.:32:35.

make sure we answer the question that many farmers are asking me of

:32:36.:32:40.

how to ensure access to the skills needed in this vital sector. They

:32:41.:32:44.

should be a time of optimism for the industry to release the burden of

:32:45.:32:50.

all those issues that have been so difficult for farming for so long.

:32:51.:32:58.

Thank you very much. Can I say, firstly, coming from the rural

:32:59.:33:04.

constituency, mainly rural constituency of the mana and south

:33:05.:33:10.

Tyrone in Northern Ireland, the European Union has provided a great

:33:11.:33:17.

support to the rural community. -- Fermanagh and South Tyrone. Many

:33:18.:33:23.

fishermen and business recognise this, but we have to ask, at what

:33:24.:33:30.

cost? Particularly in European regulation directive. I must say the

:33:31.:33:34.

additional paperwork and regulations, directives coming from

:33:35.:33:38.

Europe, many farmers and rural businesses are saying, is it worth

:33:39.:33:42.

it? Minister and serene, no, it is not. Simply because they add to --

:33:43.:33:57.

nosed are and serene -- most are answering no. I highlight this in a

:33:58.:34:02.

very proactive way. I thought it was very interesting as a prospect. When

:34:03.:34:06.

the accident the European Union, and we, and then and that the red tape

:34:07.:34:12.

and bureaucracy that has currently come with European regulation,

:34:13.:34:16.

particularly through the Common agricultural policy, is not followed

:34:17.:34:23.

through by the United Kingdom and indeed the devolved institutions. I

:34:24.:34:26.

do want to quote a view issues around this, and the most attractive

:34:27.:34:31.

report I have read comes from the Scottish Government in something

:34:32.:34:38.

that was published in August 2014. This indicates, we believe the

:34:39.:34:43.

European Union Commissioner and as a fair culture to be compliant with a

:34:44.:34:52.

complex set of regulations. That fair culture translates through the

:34:53.:34:56.

agencies where they hear the sound, the inspectors, where there is a

:34:57.:35:03.

fear of an fear. And they fear of various and penalties. I commend the

:35:04.:35:08.

Scottish Government from being so open, honest and true about the

:35:09.:35:14.

regulations and how it affects their farmers and rural communities, and

:35:15.:35:20.

it goes on to say... Sorry, it doesn't particularly crowded but

:35:21.:35:24.

they are hugely critical of the penalties is then that is imposed

:35:25.:35:27.

the common agricultural policy, mainly due to that fair culture that

:35:28.:35:30.

is imposed through the European Union commission.

:35:31.:35:37.

So I say, members and deputy Speaker, whatever happens when we

:35:38.:35:43.

exit with Brexit, the one thing I plea is to not follow through on

:35:44.:35:46.

those regulations and directives other countries in the European

:35:47.:35:50.

Union do not impose but we here in the United Kingdom have to impose

:35:51.:35:58.

them. Thank you. Thank you, Madame Deputy Speaker. It is a pleasure to

:35:59.:36:01.

make a contribution to this debate. It is clear from my perspective that

:36:02.:36:06.

our rural economy has not fared well during our time as a member of the

:36:07.:36:11.

EU. But there is one thing I would say that has been even worse for the

:36:12.:36:16.

rural economy than being part of the EU and that is 13 years of Labour

:36:17.:36:21.

Government, and it is quite laughable the front bench

:36:22.:36:23.

spokesperson on the other side suggested that rural Britain has

:36:24.:36:29.

something to fear from a Tory Government. I can tell you from

:36:30.:36:33.

Cornwall that 13 years of Labour did no favours for our rural economy

:36:34.:36:37.

whatsoever. You know, we need to understand leaving the EU presents

:36:38.:36:44.

us with some great opportunities for rural Britain. As has already been

:36:45.:36:49.

touched on, much of our rural economy is dominated by agriculture

:36:50.:36:53.

and indeed fishing and neither have been able to thrive the way I

:36:54.:36:56.

believe they are able to whilst we have been part of the EU. The "One

:36:57.:37:04.

size fits all" Common agricultural and fishing policy where we have to

:37:05.:37:08.

take into consideration all 28 member states simply does not work

:37:09.:37:11.

for Britain. The British countryside is unique. There is nowhere else

:37:12.:37:20.

like it in the EU, and leaving allows others to develop policies

:37:21.:37:25.

for agriculture, fisheries, and manage and invest in our countryside

:37:26.:37:29.

that will make it fit for the British countryside and rural

:37:30.:37:33.

communities and I believe that is a great opportunity we face now that

:37:34.:37:36.

we have decided to leave and we can make the most of that. One question

:37:37.:37:40.

I am often asked in terms of Cornwall, what will replace the

:37:41.:37:43.

European funding we have had? The hundreds of millions of pounds we

:37:44.:37:48.

have had from EU are not or should I say through the EU, that has come to

:37:49.:37:54.

Cornwall? Let's remember that money is British taxpayers' money recycled

:37:55.:37:57.

through the European Union and it comes with strings attached and a

:37:58.:38:06.

heavy bureaucracy we are not able to invest -- that means they cannot

:38:07.:38:09.

invest in the things we need to invest in. We will have a regional

:38:10.:38:13.

development fund set for the UK, fit for Cornwall, so we can spend on the

:38:14.:38:17.

things we want to spend on and the things Cornwall needs us to spend it

:38:18.:38:21.

on without the box ticking and bureaucratic form filling so many

:38:22.:38:23.

businesses find they have to do just to qualify for the grant. I am

:38:24.:38:28.

confident Cornwall and rural communities across Britain will have

:38:29.:38:31.

the opportunity to thrive, to trade with the world once again. You know,

:38:32.:38:36.

we seem to think when we leave you suddenly the EU. Wanting to buy our

:38:37.:38:40.

world-class produce. Of course the EU will still want Cornish clotted

:38:41.:38:47.

cream! And Cornish seafood, but it will give us the opportunity to

:38:48.:38:50.

trade with emerging markets around the world such as China where there

:38:51.:38:53.

is a growing demand so I am confident. I will happily give way.

:38:54.:39:02.

Order. The end of the three minutes. Thank you, Madam Speaker. The

:39:03.:39:10.

hardest of hide Brexits, and what will be remembered as perhaps the

:39:11.:39:14.

biggest act of economic self flagellation ever inflicted upon our

:39:15.:39:18.

nation, that is what this is. It will practically crucify the rural

:39:19.:39:23.

economy. If we are indulging in this hard Brexit as some sort of lofty

:39:24.:39:28.

ideal, tackling global injustice, trying to improve the conditions of

:39:29.:39:32.

the poorest in the world, I think we could just about -- I could just

:39:33.:39:37.

about stomach it. But, no, we are indulging in this self harm because

:39:38.:39:40.

the UK does not like immigrants. It is the one issue, the dominant

:39:41.:39:44.

issue, and it takes precedent over all others when it comes to exiting

:39:45.:39:49.

the European Union. We live in a global interconnected world where

:39:50.:39:53.

the movement of peoples has never been so profound, but the new global

:39:54.:39:57.

Britain is about to raise the drawbridge and ensure nobody comes

:39:58.:40:02.

in here. It is the Nigel Farages and the hard right of the Tory party,

:40:03.:40:06.

there are few and fishing, that we'll now inform this place about

:40:07.:40:12.

how the country will progress. And I am so proud that my nation voted

:40:13.:40:17.

overwhelmingly to remain within the European Union. I will do absolutely

:40:18.:40:22.

everything that I can to ensure that my nation's decision on that is

:40:23.:40:27.

respected and progressed, and I am proud of the people of North

:40:28.:40:29.

Perthshire who also voted overwhelmingly to remain within the

:40:30.:40:34.

EU. My constituency is practically totally rural. Some fine hill

:40:35.:40:39.

farming in Perthshire, some of Scotland's finest arable land, and

:40:40.:40:43.

Perth city was once the centre of the agricultural administration of

:40:44.:40:46.

Scotland. All of these activities are reliant on support from the EU,

:40:47.:40:52.

all of these industries depend upon international trade and European

:40:53.:40:55.

support. Farmers in my constituency have come to me very concerned about

:40:56.:41:06.

what is going to happen with their future, and the news that one in

:41:07.:41:08.

five Scottish farmers and crofters are intending to quit farming

:41:09.:41:10.

because of the concerns over Brexit should alarm and greatly concerned

:41:11.:41:13.

this House. I have the world renowned pressure dairy sector in my

:41:14.:41:15.

constituency, with no better strawberries raspberries or just

:41:16.:41:25.

anywhere in the world -- Purser Berry Sector. My fair for is to be

:41:26.:41:32.

put at ease by announcing the renewal of this team. I went around

:41:33.:41:38.

my hotel industry in Pitlochry, all of which are dependent on European

:41:39.:41:42.

workers to maintain their business and all are under severe threat and

:41:43.:41:45.

concerned about what will happen now. If England wants to indulge in

:41:46.:41:49.

this economic self harm, that is it to them. Our country in Scotland now

:41:50.:41:53.

has to be listened to. We have decided something else. Our view now

:41:54.:41:57.

has to be respected and listened to. We have alternatives, Madame Deputy

:41:58.:42:02.

Speaker, and I encourage the people of Scotland to have a close look at

:42:03.:42:08.

them now. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Looking at the statistics of the

:42:09.:42:11.

referendum it is evident the vast number of rural areas voted to leave

:42:12.:42:15.

the EU. A decision those of us in this place must respect, but we

:42:16.:42:18.

should also ask why that was, although I feel that is for another

:42:19.:42:24.

day. Now on the cost of triggering Article 50, I welcome the debate

:42:25.:42:27.

called by the members opposite. It indeed even agree with certain

:42:28.:42:32.

areas, that we must do all we can to support our vitally important rural

:42:33.:42:36.

areas -- I indeed even agree. We agree the rural economy is vital to

:42:37.:42:40.

the UK economy at large, that security is key, along with the

:42:41.:42:44.

rural way of life. But sadly it is here our past diverse. I read the

:42:45.:42:50.

motion tabled by the SNP and take umbrage literally at the first word

:42:51.:42:55.

of the title. What does it say about an opposition party that uses the

:42:56.:43:00.

word of friends when speaking about Brexit and the rural economy rather

:43:01.:43:04.

than the opportunities Brexit presents. It seems to want to do

:43:05.:43:09.

down the rural areas from the start -- the word offence. If nothing else

:43:10.:43:16.

Brexit presents opportunities for our rural economy and forestry -- on

:43:17.:43:25.

forestry, tourism, and other areas. A major issue I hear travelling

:43:26.:43:29.

around my constituency is the effect on the single farm payment of

:43:30.:43:32.

leaving the EU, but I cannot help but think there is a great

:43:33.:43:36.

opportunity here for Britain. Clearly, and I am sure the whole

:43:37.:43:40.

House agrees on this, that one thing is sure, there is nothing comment

:43:41.:43:42.

about the Common Agricultural Policy. So, Madame Deputy Speaker,

:43:43.:43:48.

time is against us and it is clear there are two sides to this debate

:43:49.:43:53.

and two alone. Those who want to do down our farmers as nothing more

:43:54.:43:56.

than a subsidy, and those who believe our farmers have the

:43:57.:44:00.

capacity to be more... To be the most innovative in the world. There

:44:01.:44:05.

are those who want to do down our rural areas as wholly reliant on the

:44:06.:44:09.

EU, and there are those who want to do it our rural areas as areas that

:44:10.:44:15.

can flourish, there are those who seek nothing but their own

:44:16.:44:19.

self-created negativity towards Brexit and there are those who see

:44:20.:44:24.

nothing else but the opportunity it will provide. Madame Deputy Speaker,

:44:25.:44:28.

after the Brexit vote last year, we are now in the possession of the

:44:29.:44:32.

ambition our American countries have held for over 300 years, but we can

:44:33.:44:39.

truly state Great Britain is the land of opportunity, and now is the

:44:40.:44:42.

time to capitalise on that. All that matters is we go into our

:44:43.:44:46.

negotiations with the right attitude and we protect our rural economy for

:44:47.:44:55.

the long-term. The Government amendment speaks of continuity and

:44:56.:45:00.

certainty, the 2020. That is two years away. People fear uncertainty

:45:01.:45:03.

and the rural communities I represent are afraid the certainty

:45:04.:45:07.

underpinning their way of life are to be swept away. -- the

:45:08.:45:13.

certainties. Farming is difficult, very difficult profession, requiring

:45:14.:45:16.

commitment to a lifestyle that is almost unmatched and yet the

:45:17.:45:19.

economic impact of farming in my communities is far wider than quite

:45:20.:45:23.

possibly appreciative. In Wales, upland farm profits fell last year

:45:24.:45:28.

to ?21,900. Meaning around 60% of farms either made a loss would have

:45:29.:45:33.

done so without support. Despite this last year, the 10,000 or so

:45:34.:45:37.

farmed businesses in Wales paid employees and other businesses are

:45:38.:45:41.

around three times as much as they made. Many Welsh communities are

:45:42.:45:47.

dependent on the rural economy for their year-round existence. The

:45:48.:45:51.

Welsh language and the culture and traditions of Wales are rigid in

:45:52.:45:59.

these communities -- are rooted in these communities, and their future

:46:00.:46:02.

is at risk. It brings me to my next point. The much maligned EU Common

:46:03.:46:07.

Agricultural Policy. Undoubtedly this financial support mechanism is

:46:08.:46:12.

not perfect. It's mechanism and a demonstration could clearly be

:46:13.:46:14.

improved but what we have heard so far from the Government does not

:46:15.:46:18.

offer us much hope of an improved model. Of course farmers do not want

:46:19.:46:22.

to have to rely on direct payments but a legacy of 60 years of

:46:23.:46:28.

policy-making in at cultivating a plentiful and secure food supply

:46:29.:46:31.

means the returns from the market are simply too low to sustain

:46:32.:46:35.

livestock businesses. If we slash and burn the support mechanisms we

:46:36.:46:41.

afford our already struggling farms we are not only risking our food

:46:42.:46:44.

supply but the future of our rural communities and the industries they

:46:45.:46:49.

support. Wales is around 5% of the UK population but the seas around

:46:50.:46:53.

12% of the EU funds flowing to the UK. Not only is this a result of its

:46:54.:46:58.

considerably more of rural society because of the less profitable

:46:59.:47:01.

livestock hill farming of wheels receiving a far greater share of CAP

:47:02.:47:06.

compared to southern England -- but it receives around 12%. They must

:47:07.:47:15.

receive guarantees now they will not suffer any loss of support. I would

:47:16.:47:18.

like to call on the Government to do something radical. I want them to

:47:19.:47:21.

slow down and think. Too close, policies must be evidence -based

:47:22.:47:24.

rather than the product of idealistic aspirations and clever

:47:25.:47:29.

sounding buzzwords. A clean Brexit chimes with a clean break but no

:47:30.:47:35.

rhetorical flourish chimes with those who will end up broken. I am

:47:36.:47:39.

therefore calling on the Government to maintain direct payments and

:47:40.:47:42.

budgets and ring fence the monies until we have found a realistic way

:47:43.:47:46.

of replacing them, and to guarantee there will be no power grab from the

:47:47.:47:50.

nation of Wales, as I was told recently if they want to do to the

:47:51.:47:53.

rural communities what they did to the minors, let them do so with

:47:54.:48:03.

their eyes open. -- the miners. My constituency voted more than any

:48:04.:48:06.

other to leave the European Union but what was not said in this debate

:48:07.:48:10.

is it is the rural parts of Wales that overwhelmingly voted to take

:48:11.:48:13.

back control. These are the parts of the country for whom democracy today

:48:14.:48:19.

is working. What the rural UK voted for, it is getting. If you remain a

:48:20.:48:24.

Remain, behind the times, it may be, it is appropriate to ask first what

:48:25.:48:31.

rural Britain voted for -- if you remain a Remainer. There are three

:48:32.:48:38.

things. Although rural committees have been powered by workers from

:48:39.:48:45.

the EU or Eastern Europe, the consensus of the British people was

:48:46.:48:51.

a key factor. By some estimates the third-largest population there is

:48:52.:48:53.

Eastern Europe, hard-working men and women in the main paying taxes and

:48:54.:48:56.

working hard in all weathers but that is not a change there then

:48:57.:49:00.

Labour Government plan for or that the constituency ever voted for, a

:49:01.:49:04.

key impact of voting to leave the EU should not make any individual feel

:49:05.:49:09.

unwelcome, as I have said many times in this House, but it should be the

:49:10.:49:14.

restoration partly in the rural economy of simple self determination

:49:15.:49:17.

for environment, regulation or the workforce. No party went to the

:49:18.:49:21.

country on a manifesto that said market towns across the East of

:49:22.:49:24.

England would see huge changes in numbers that would result in serious

:49:25.:49:27.

pressures on public services, and if they had they might not have won.

:49:28.:49:34.

Immigration was a key issue in my constituency but I hope one impact

:49:35.:49:37.

of Brexit will be the restoration of some form of seasonal work Visa

:49:38.:49:43.

scheme that replicates that which we had until relatively recently, that

:49:44.:49:47.

means people are able to come, work and pay taxes if the job is already

:49:48.:49:53.

lined up. Secondly, we should point out there has been an impact on the

:49:54.:49:59.

supply of labour already in constituencies such as mine. Already

:50:00.:50:04.

in my error there is not the abundance of minimum wage labour

:50:05.:50:09.

there once was -- in my area. I would beg to submit this will

:50:10.:50:13.

combine with the more than laudable impact of the national living wage

:50:14.:50:18.

to create a third condition, and that, I suspect, will be a renewed

:50:19.:50:25.

push for further mechanisation and automation as labour supply changes

:50:26.:50:27.

and technology gets more powerful. If you will forgive me, the Brussels

:50:28.:50:34.

sprouts in my constituency will become guinea pigs, for new research

:50:35.:50:37.

into how we make growing and picking them even more affordable for

:50:38.:50:42.

businesses often working on the Russia sleep tight margins thanks in

:50:43.:50:45.

part to our supermarkets. We will see a rise of the rural but -- rise

:50:46.:51:00.

of the rural robots. We have a huge potential to seize that industrial

:51:01.:51:03.

revolution and to take back the control my constituents voted for.

:51:04.:51:12.

Thank you for the opportunity. The one gallantry I think we can assume

:51:13.:51:19.

is that we will return to the issues again, again and again. Not least

:51:20.:51:25.

those of us who represent rural constituencies because I don't think

:51:26.:51:28.

anyone would down the passion on this debate of the issues, concerns

:51:29.:51:34.

and not least the issue of the hard Brexit we have heard about today.

:51:35.:51:41.

Farming is critical to the local economy and the sustainability of

:51:42.:51:43.

our rural communities. Live honourable friend, and the point

:51:44.:51:50.

from the SNP benches and that the loss of trade, the a lot of business

:51:51.:51:54.

on the broader, wider community should not be lost. Farming is

:51:55.:52:05.

crucial to Wales at' a colony. It is described as Wales' Alaska great

:52:06.:52:15.

economy. -- lasts. -- economy. 13% of the people in my constituency are

:52:16.:52:19.

employed in the land. It has a hugely significant effect on the

:52:20.:52:24.

broader economy. The UK's food and bring sector as a whole, the fourth

:52:25.:52:30.

largest in our country with over ?12 billion the year to our economy. 72%

:52:31.:52:36.

of exports go to the EU. The Welsh figures are somewhat higher. One

:52:37.:52:43.

thing to say, the Government will keep negotiating cards close to

:52:44.:52:48.

their chest, but this doesn't mean that we should not know the

:52:49.:52:53.

long-term plans. Some businesses need to plan for years and have a

:52:54.:52:57.

time. The concern and anxiety is order of the day amongst the small

:52:58.:53:04.

hill farmers I represent in my constituency operating on margins, a

:53:05.:53:07.

support regime. Not something they want to exist in the duty but they

:53:08.:53:12.

are concerned that they could be on the edge of a cliff face if the rod

:53:13.:53:18.

is pulled from believe their feet with huge impact. I could go in

:53:19.:53:25.

Roberts, he said careful precise statements are needed now more than

:53:26.:53:32.

ever. . Glynn Roberts. Yes, guarantees about funding until 2020

:53:33.:53:37.

but a three-year window to plan your business is inadequate. They need to

:53:38.:53:40.

be greater. We need far greater certainty is than that. Further to

:53:41.:53:47.

the crowd from Glynn Roberts, the livestock which makes up the vast

:53:48.:53:52.

majority of Welsh farmers rely on exports to the continent as we have

:53:53.:53:56.

made clear since the referendum that full, unfettered access is essential

:53:57.:54:00.

to Wales. He goes onto say that a deal being flouted with expediency

:54:01.:54:12.

and gaining a martyr with 4.5 billion -- gaining a market with 4.5

:54:13.:54:17.

million... Food and farming are central to our national identity and

:54:18.:54:21.

a key part of the UK's economy, generating ?10 billion per year and

:54:22.:54:24.

employing one in eight people across the country. Some of those are

:54:25.:54:30.

employed on the small but none the less any less important number of

:54:31.:54:37.

farms. -- none the less important. When debating farming and fisheries,

:54:38.:54:45.

in what is set out today before us, I think it's important that we

:54:46.:54:48.

recognise all farmers, the role that they play as a managing the

:54:49.:54:52.

countryside wherever that is in the UK and the way that they do. I come

:54:53.:54:57.

from a farming background. My dad worked in farming for about 40 years

:54:58.:55:02.

and he's probably never had a mention in this place before.

:55:03.:55:06.

Farming China is not a 9-5 job, Monday to Friday, for many. -- The

:55:07.:55:18.

farming I know. And it can be challenging. That's why the

:55:19.:55:23.

Government preparing tea leave the EU and guaranteeing that during

:55:24.:55:26.

levels of agricultural support will be maintained until 2020 is... I'm

:55:27.:55:32.

grateful. Does my honourable friend join me in being very pleased that

:55:33.:55:40.

agriculture will be at the centre future trade negotiations with the

:55:41.:55:42.

EU and US the world? Thank you. My hands it to that is short and

:55:43.:55:49.

simple. Yes. Going onto my point of agricultural support being

:55:50.:55:54.

maintained until 2020. -- answer. While a new agricultural policy is

:55:55.:55:59.

being developed, and by guaranteeing for their lifetime, any environment

:56:00.:56:02.

dealings in place already are agreed in the future, even if they run

:56:03.:56:08.

beyond our departure from the EU. Scheme. Anything we can do to help

:56:09.:56:13.

build a sense of fidelity will be good for the industry. One of the

:56:14.:56:18.

issues... I'm going to continue because I know we are short of time.

:56:19.:56:21.

One of the issues that local farmers have raised with me is that of

:56:22.:56:26.

workforce will not a need to attract the next generation which is why the

:56:27.:56:31.

stability matters. Although ensuring the agriculture sector has the

:56:32.:56:34.

workforce it need for delay and that is why it's so important to

:56:35.:56:38.

recognise what the PM has said in that she was to protect the stages

:56:39.:56:45.

of EU national already living here. Turning more directly to the nation

:56:46.:56:51.

in front of our today from the opposition, I do feel, mandated

:56:52.:56:53.

beauties DJ, that it is disappointing to read that the

:56:54.:56:59.

primary focus is on farming and fisheries. -- Madam Deputy Speaker.

:57:00.:57:06.

It is vital that the comments even today, let's not forget there is

:57:07.:57:13.

also true is in a rural economy. The many, many SMEes and sector is come

:57:14.:57:17.

together to form the backbone of our economy. -- SMEs. It is a part of

:57:18.:57:25.

economy as a whole and we, on the file house, continue to build and

:57:26.:57:28.

strengthen it further. In the Brexit a rare, I accept there will be

:57:29.:57:39.

challenges. -- on this side. Also there will be opportunities. Let's

:57:40.:57:43.

go out and find them. Can I just say, before I bring in NXT agenda

:57:44.:57:47.

after the next DJ, there a limit of two minutes. If does make

:57:48.:57:53.

intervention, obviously the last few remaining speakers and a not

:57:54.:58:03.

actually get in. Asthma after the next -- after the next. I was firmly

:58:04.:58:13.

out. I have been in families of fishing for generations. All that

:58:14.:58:16.

was what made me revolt against the EU. I've been jailed that we are

:58:17.:58:21.

seeing massive schools of fish but there is no fish by the Census for

:58:22.:58:28.

birds to ensure because they didn't meet EU standards. -- boats. This

:58:29.:58:32.

did not aid our crews to do their jobs. I've had a lot of British

:58:33.:58:37.

fishermen be prevented from working to ease the European and out fishing

:58:38.:58:45.

at will. There has not been a problem any sea, but in Europe. A

:58:46.:58:49.

decline from my counsel that a representative. Can I commend our

:58:50.:58:56.

negotiators, the Secretary of State and Minister of State, to have every

:58:57.:59:00.

faith in their ability to view the job we want and look forward to

:59:01.:59:05.

supporting them in their entirety. When the Brexit to take place, I the

:59:06.:59:14.

agri-food in our area and discussed a post Brexit market with them. The

:59:15.:59:19.

Minister knows it, I met and I want to put it on record. When the

:59:20.:59:26.

minister visited Northern Ireland, we stick about expanding with much

:59:27.:59:30.

success beyond our shores. Signing new contract again, an indication of

:59:31.:59:35.

how much they look forward to the future. Increasing market value,

:59:36.:59:42.

profits. All things from my area that may have had concerned, the ice

:59:43.:59:49.

cream parlour, places that will do well. The impact on rural economy

:59:50.:59:53.

will come down to our trading power and the fact that the import so much

:59:54.:59:59.

from the EU surely gives strength to ensure a fair return on our trade.

:00:00.:00:02.

The good things we will have when leaving the EU, when it comes to

:00:03.:00:07.

fishing and farming as well, these are the issues that will affect our

:00:08.:00:11.

rule economy. These are the factors they might consider and most

:00:12.:00:15.

importantly, the Brexit team must consider them as well. I know the

:00:16.:00:19.

team is under no illusion about the difficulty of finding the right plan

:00:20.:00:22.

for the majority of fishermen, farmers, producers, but this is an

:00:23.:00:28.

opportunity and it is one, whenever really the EU, that cannot be

:00:29.:00:32.

wasted, we can't look back and say we should have done it in a

:00:33.:00:35.

different way. Let us do right way now. The people have spoken across

:00:36.:00:40.

the United Kingdom collectively to leave the EU. We must now work on

:00:41.:00:46.

their behalf to bring a strong, rural community that benefits from

:00:47.:00:49.

the decision taken. This is our challenge. And we are two X? I

:00:50.:01:00.

believe we are. -- are really up to it? . Great market towns, the

:01:01.:01:03.

beautiful seaside, old-fashioned seaside towns. The stunning North

:01:04.:01:11.

York Moors National Park Llinos and beautiful in the land, I say. There

:01:12.:01:17.

is magnificent in landscapes Dimsdale farming, of course, but

:01:18.:01:27.

also foods and Malton festivals. -- conceal. Superb jazz to ice cream.

:01:28.:01:37.

Take and pork producers. -- gelato. Other businesses you may not expect,

:01:38.:01:41.

like precision engineering run by Christopher Shaw. Silotech. These

:01:42.:01:49.

people get up early, travelled the world, they are not lazy, they are

:01:50.:01:54.

hard-working and confident of taking their products to the world. The one

:01:55.:02:00.

thing they do want across the world is a level playing field. They are

:02:01.:02:04.

excited by the future but we need to be realistic in this country. Quite

:02:05.:02:12.

rightly, we have strong regulations on our businesses in terms of

:02:13.:02:15.

workplace, comment on the environment animal welfare. If we do

:02:16.:02:20.

trade deals elsewhere, we must feel that we are on a level playing field

:02:21.:02:28.

with businesses in other nations to make sure that our businesses are

:02:29.:02:34.

not at a competitive disadvantage. Also a level playing field in the

:02:35.:02:38.

United Kingdom. Our rural areas in North Yorkshire do not get the level

:02:39.:02:42.

of investment and infrastructure we see another part of the country.

:02:43.:02:47.

Around half on transport project and broadband. All I would ask, and a

:02:48.:02:52.

half of my constituents, they see the world as an opportunity but what

:02:53.:03:04.

a level playing field. -- wants. That is where any agreement with my

:03:05.:03:09.

Scottish colleagues ends, talking about the stuff that was made there.

:03:10.:03:14.

I represent Taunton Deane, a rule constituency, where farmers,

:03:15.:03:19.

umbrellas, rural businesses are the backbone of our economy. The farm

:03:20.:03:26.

business brings in ?7 million and 2200 people work in the food and

:03:27.:03:30.

drink trade. There was also the old aborted trade as well. Leaving the

:03:31.:03:36.

EU an enormous opportunity for all of these businesses, providing we

:03:37.:03:39.

have the framework and the right backing from this Government. I

:03:40.:03:43.

believe in the Prime Minister's statement today about 70, the new,

:03:44.:03:47.

global Britain and that we have been set on the right track. The

:03:48.:03:52.

south-west is perfectly placed to take advantage of these

:03:53.:03:57.

opportunities. Which region wins on exporting the mayors and having the

:03:58.:04:01.

next contract? Well, it is the south west. We are fully set to take

:04:02.:04:09.

advantage of leaving Europe. We will build on this. I agree, Madam Deputy

:04:10.:04:21.

Speaker, we must not... We must not re-form the CAP. The affiliates and

:04:22.:04:25.

a better place than we found it. We must build a framework at home that

:04:26.:04:29.

enables all businesses to be strong in this world aside from leaving

:04:30.:04:35.

Europe, if we can do that, we can build on a global market, which is

:04:36.:04:39.

why I applaud this Government's pouring money into infrastructure

:04:40.:04:45.

for Taunton Deane, the A358, rail projects, digital services. All of

:04:46.:04:51.

these things will help us to build an environment that works for

:04:52.:04:54.

everyone on a farm economy that works for everyone and a rural

:04:55.:04:57.

industry that, contrary to what we hear from the opposite benches, will

:04:58.:04:59.

thrive. I wanted to make a couple of

:05:00.:05:08.

remarks. I've sat through this whole debate and how the contributions but

:05:09.:05:12.

nobody on the SNP side actually thought that leaving the EU would a

:05:13.:05:18.

good thing, and that seems very interesting, because one of the

:05:19.:05:21.

curiosities of first past the post is that 38% of Scotland actually

:05:22.:05:30.

voted to leave the EU but because we have that process, which I have

:05:31.:05:34.

defended, the SNP were entirely negative about the prospect of

:05:35.:05:46.

leaving the EU, and they have and I think in Zimbabwe they would be very

:05:47.:05:49.

proud of. They are simply not representing the full range of

:05:50.:05:53.

Scottish opinion. In my brief time I want to make a very obvious point.

:05:54.:06:01.

For every pound we receive from the EU we put ?2 in, that is what being

:06:02.:06:08.

a net contributor means. Any basis on which leaving the EU is a bad

:06:09.:06:11.

thing in terms of subsidies, we can more than compensate from our own

:06:12.:06:15.

budget, and the point about that is that that is something we can decide

:06:16.:06:20.

for ourselves in this UK Parliament. The other thing I would say, the

:06:21.:06:24.

last comment, you would think British industry never had a British

:06:25.:06:31.

agricultural policy, that it never had a future before or really a

:06:32.:06:38.

thriving successful past before we joined the EEC in 1975. There was a

:06:39.:06:43.

British farming industry and business for a thousand years before

:06:44.:06:46.

that and actually if the party 's opposite knew their history, and I

:06:47.:06:50.

am surprised the Labour Party has not mention this, the Labour Party

:06:51.:06:54.

brought in an agriculture act in 1947 which actually was the

:06:55.:06:57.

underpinning of British agriculture, very successful act, before we

:06:58.:07:02.

joined the EEC, yet none of this is remembered and we just have doom and

:07:03.:07:05.

gloom from the Party brought in and agriculture act in 1947 which

:07:06.:07:07.

actually was the underpinning of British agriculture, very successful

:07:08.:07:09.

act, before we joined the EEC, yet none of this is remembered and we

:07:10.:07:12.

just have doom and gloom from the parties opposite. Thank you, Madam

:07:13.:07:14.

Speaker. I am delighted to represent a beautiful part of the constituency

:07:15.:07:18.

but it is incumbent on us all to remember although the country is

:07:19.:07:22.

beautiful it is not a museum. There are a very real jobs there, people's

:07:23.:07:27.

very real livelihoods, and that is extremely important. In the very

:07:28.:07:30.

brief time available to me I would like to make one point. The minister

:07:31.:07:35.

will no doubt remember there is a pioneering work going on in my

:07:36.:07:39.

constituency at Sunnydale farm she has visited with me, and only

:07:40.:07:46.

recently I went to visit a little bit in Milton under Wychwood which

:07:47.:07:50.

is taking this scheme to a very real and practical end. A partnership of

:07:51.:07:56.

local landowners, the community and the Environment Agency working

:07:57.:08:01.

together on upstream flood storage in the valley, and these measures

:08:02.:08:07.

include tree-planting, re-routing of streams to follow their natural

:08:08.:08:10.

causes, and I turned to this point for one good and clear purpose.

:08:11.:08:15.

There is an economic benefit to this as well as environmental. Fruit

:08:16.:08:19.

trees create the fruit industry, they create word that can be

:08:20.:08:24.

harvested for the local community, it enables local sustainable

:08:25.:08:28.

businesses to create jobs and money. Little stock book is essentially an

:08:29.:08:33.

open-air laboratory and the reason I mention it is because of the way the

:08:34.:08:39.

CAP is funded it makes it difficult for small community endeavours such

:08:40.:08:42.

as this to gain the funding they need because they tend to favour a

:08:43.:08:48.

very big schemes and land owners. Leaving the CAP gives us a golden

:08:49.:08:54.

opportunity to rework these schemes so it works for all. So the

:08:55.:08:57.

landowners in our communities are easily able to access the funding

:08:58.:09:01.

they need rather than having environmental schemes packed on as

:09:02.:09:06.

an afterthought. As the minister said earlier, these schemes can be

:09:07.:09:09.

at the heart of it from the very beginning. Thank you. Thank you,

:09:10.:09:16.

Madam Speaker. Before I begin I should declare an interest as an

:09:17.:09:19.

active crofter. Can I congratulate all of my honourable friends who

:09:20.:09:23.

have spoken so passionately about the threats to our rural economies.

:09:24.:09:28.

It is a real concern, about what the future holds for many of us. For us,

:09:29.:09:34.

Europe and the Single Market is about opportunities for growth,

:09:35.:09:38.

investment and jobs. It is about the best opportunity to create

:09:39.:09:41.

sustainable economic growth, playing to our strengths, to benefit from

:09:42.:09:46.

the Single Market. Our opportunity to create a vibrant prosperous

:09:47.:09:50.

economy hinges on access to the Single Market. It is a foundation

:09:51.:09:56.

stone of our desire to enhance our productive potential and deliver

:09:57.:10:00.

strong sustainable growth. For Scotland to succeed, we need

:10:01.:10:05.

additional labour. This is no more so than in the Highlands. We need

:10:06.:10:09.

people who want to be part of our story and help us deliver that

:10:10.:10:13.

modern vibrant economy to stop we want free movement of people. Why

:10:14.:10:19.

would we want to remove ourselves from this opportunity? Sadly, I must

:10:20.:10:23.

apologise. I do not have time. What the Prime Minister should come clean

:10:24.:10:27.

about is that a hard Brexit means uncertainty for investment, it means

:10:28.:10:35.

a threat to jobs and for trading -- for those trading with the EU, it

:10:36.:10:39.

means a threat to that. Madame Deputy Speaker, sterling is down as

:10:40.:10:43.

a consequence of Brexit. Make no mistake. Inflation is on the rise

:10:44.:10:48.

and it is driven by a fall in sterling. We will have higher

:10:49.:10:52.

inflation as the cost of imports reflects the fall in the value of

:10:53.:11:00.

the pound. Inflation rose to 1.6%, the highest level since July 2014.

:11:01.:11:06.

Having seen real wages rise over the last couple of years, rising

:11:07.:11:13.

inflation is going to choke off any rise in real wage growth. The Prime

:11:14.:11:17.

Minister speaks of one thing to trade with Europe, but as a simple

:11:18.:11:21.

answer that the best route to trade with Europe is by retaining access

:11:22.:11:25.

to the Single Market. You cannot walk away from market access and

:11:26.:11:29.

expect to put a solution back on the table again quickly. There will be a

:11:30.:11:34.

cost, and that cost will be higher costs of participation and lost

:11:35.:11:41.

jobs. Let me take an industry that is important in Ross, Skye and

:11:42.:11:44.

Lochaber, salmon farming. As members of the Single Market we have tariff

:11:45.:11:53.

free access. At five of 2% and salmon sold into the Single Market

:11:54.:11:58.

as a consequence, but guitarist for nonmembers is 8% for access to

:11:59.:12:03.

Europe. That is the threat for our fish farming sector, if we're to see

:12:04.:12:06.

the ending of access to the single -- but a tariff for nonmembers. In

:12:07.:12:14.

2015 exports to the EU represented 69% of Scotland's overall food

:12:15.:12:18.

exports. There is clearly a threat to Paris to these exports. That is a

:12:19.:12:22.

price that is simply not worth paying. Why would we willingly seek

:12:23.:12:29.

to disadvantage Scottish seafood producers and farmers and crofters?

:12:30.:12:39.

-- a threat to tariffs. We have a plan to keep Scotland in the Single

:12:40.:12:42.

Market even if the rest of the UK weaves. The options brought forward

:12:43.:12:47.

by the devolved administrations, acknowledging Scotland delivered a

:12:48.:12:50.

clear message against leaving the EU and recognise that in our case we

:12:51.:12:57.

are demonstrating the importance of free movement and the Single Market

:12:58.:13:01.

to Scotland's economy. Our Government in Edinburgh is outward

:13:02.:13:04.

looking, internationalist and secure in seeing our destiny for Scotland

:13:05.:13:10.

as being part of the family in nations -- of nations in Europe was

:13:11.:13:13.

open, looking for people who stick to come to Scotland to work, study

:13:14.:13:18.

and invest, but critically to enrich our society from the contribution

:13:19.:13:22.

they can make as new Scots. Scotland looking outward whilst the UK wants

:13:23.:13:26.

to pull up the drawbridge. A UK where the welcome mat is no longer

:13:27.:13:30.

put out. I UK which is closed to Europe and European migration.

:13:31.:13:35.

Madame Deputy Speaker, it reminds me of the newspaper headline from the

:13:36.:13:41.

past. Fog in the Channel, continent cut off. The reality from hard

:13:42.:13:47.

Brexit is it will be the UK cut off, cut off from the Single Market, from

:13:48.:13:51.

European trade. Look at what the Prime Minister has said today and,

:13:52.:13:54.

you know, for the benches opposite it is a laughing matter, but there

:13:55.:13:59.

is a real threat to jobs and prosperity for people in Scotland.

:14:00.:14:03.

No access to the Single Market, it is the road to self-destruction.

:14:04.:14:09.

Contrast the inward looking turning your back on Europe message from the

:14:10.:14:12.

UK Government with the forward-looking document published

:14:13.:14:15.

by the Scottish Government in December. Scotland's place in

:14:16.:14:19.

Europe. A road map allowing us to work with the UK to achieve a

:14:20.:14:22.

settlement that respects the vote taken in the UK but seeks to protect

:14:23.:14:29.

our economic interests. A road map that respects the UK has voted to

:14:30.:14:33.

leave, but seeks an appreciation of our position that Scotland voted to

:14:34.:14:39.

remain. That is why when we see a UK Government that is so driven to take

:14:40.:14:43.

us out of the Single Market and to damage our rural economy that we

:14:44.:14:48.

say, not in our name. Let me be clear. Europe has been good for the

:14:49.:14:54.

Highlands and Islands. Europe recognised the importance of

:14:55.:14:57.

investing in the Highlands. Take the convergence funds, put in place in

:14:58.:15:03.

recognition of our more level support for Scottish farmers and

:15:04.:15:06.

crofters than was the case in most of Europe. Madame Deputy Speaker,

:15:07.:15:11.

223 million euros of extra funding are fair your period, granted to the

:15:12.:15:19.

UK, on a clear understanding -- a four year period. Understanding this

:15:20.:15:25.

would help Scottish crofters and farmers, but sadly the farming

:15:26.:15:28.

minister took a different view in 2014 and 2015. Scotland would only

:15:29.:15:32.

get a pro rata share, 16% of the total. Put simply, Scottish farmers

:15:33.:15:37.

and crofters were done out of funds by a Westminster Government that

:15:38.:15:41.

they failed to pass on, and the EU had met this to come to Scotland. It

:15:42.:15:46.

is not the Westminster Government, but it is fairness from Europe we

:15:47.:15:50.

were done out of. Europe wanted to help Scottish crofters and farmers

:15:51.:15:53.

but Westminster once again short-change them. They then farming

:15:54.:15:58.

Minister Owen Paterson promised a review of how the funds were to be

:15:59.:16:02.

allocated, and it was to take place in 2016. The honourable member, the

:16:03.:16:09.

current minister, confirmed this would take place after the devolved

:16:10.:16:12.

elections last May. Madame Deputy Speaker there has been no review. We

:16:13.:16:17.

need to say to the people of Scotland, you can contrast the

:16:18.:16:21.

behaviour of Europe and that sought by the Scottish crofters and

:16:22.:16:25.

farmers, that they were denied funds, not from Europe, but from

:16:26.:16:28.

Westminster. We were promised a review. It has not happened. It is

:16:29.:16:33.

little wonder we worry as to what will happen to our crofters and

:16:34.:16:36.

farmers post Brexit. Will the Minister guarantee to protect the

:16:37.:16:43.

existing CAP funding for Scottish farmers post 2020? Support from the

:16:44.:16:48.

CAP are meant to two third of total net farm income in Scotland. Between

:16:49.:16:54.

2014 and 2020 Scotland will receive around 4.6 billion euros in funding.

:16:55.:16:58.

We need an assurance that funding for farming and crofting will be

:16:59.:17:04.

ring fenced. In Scotland, 85% of our land is designated as less favoured

:17:05.:17:08.

areas, with a reliance on livestock production. We need to reassure

:17:09.:17:12.

farmers and crofters that active farming and crofting will be

:17:13.:17:18.

supported. Powers over farming and fishing must be devolved to the

:17:19.:17:21.

Scottish Parliament but it must come with a commitment to funding. We

:17:22.:17:27.

cannot be short-changed again. Creating sustainable communities,

:17:28.:17:29.

empowering communities of the Highlands and Islands, takes hard

:17:30.:17:33.

work. Our region is full of signs products ended by the EU -- project

:17:34.:17:41.

funded by the EU. Much infrastructure has benefited from

:17:42.:17:44.

the funding. The revival of the Gaelic language has been aided by EU

:17:45.:17:51.

funding, not least the college in sky. The Highlands Leader Funding

:17:52.:17:56.

Programme, ready to make contributions of 6.6 million into

:17:57.:17:59.

the Highlands this year. We need to know that will be supported. In

:18:00.:18:02.

summing up I should remind the Prime Minister the people of Scotland are

:18:03.:18:07.

sovereign. That has been the historic context for us. It is not

:18:08.:18:11.

parliamentary sovereignty but the sovereignty of our people. Will the

:18:12.:18:14.

Prime Minister work with us to protect Scotland's interests in

:18:15.:18:17.

retaining access to the Single Market? Let me say that. Failure to

:18:18.:18:22.

do so will mean the Union you cherish will be put to a fresh

:18:23.:18:27.

question. Respect Scotland, risk of the consequence that we will seize

:18:28.:18:31.

the day. A referendum on Scotland's future may be our only alternative

:18:32.:18:36.

if we are to protect Scotland from a hard Brexit.

:18:37.:18:41.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. It's been an interesting debate and I'm grateful

:18:42.:18:51.

for the contributions from the ruble members. I hope to cover all points.

:18:52.:18:58.

Currently, ?200 billion of contributed to the economy. The

:18:59.:19:02.

contribution of the sector is as big as it is in the urban economy. As

:19:03.:19:05.

highlighted today, the sectors of food farming, fishing and tourism

:19:06.:19:11.

play a huge role in building rural community and preserving and

:19:12.:19:14.

protecting the environment. In particular, in the countryside,

:19:15.:19:17.

there are very many small businesses which cover all sorts of industries,

:19:18.:19:21.

says we hired proportionally than other areas. The rural economy is

:19:22.:19:25.

vibrant and diverse, but not without its challenges. Productivity in

:19:26.:19:30.

predominantly rural areas is bigger than urban areas. While saffron's

:19:31.:19:38.

responsibilities lie with England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

:19:39.:19:45.

face similar challenges. -- Defra. That would be gay in the European

:19:46.:19:49.

Union and that is why we address them just now. We are trying to

:19:50.:19:53.

improve life opportunities for those living in rural areas. We have done

:19:54.:19:56.

much to support and who's the rural economy. Nine represent the mac

:19:57.:20:03.

enterprise zones were set up and more will be in April. This will get

:20:04.:20:12.

answers. -- enterprise zones. Funding development anyone got

:20:13.:20:16.

error. In the Autumn we doubled rural rate relief to 8% and little

:20:17.:20:19.

give a much-needed boost to 8% and little give a much-needed obesity

:20:20.:20:24.

businesses, saving them every year. We are... Many premises can now

:20:25.:20:30.

access to grow fat and broadband and it'll reach a higher level by next

:20:31.:20:36.

year. In addition to that, our universal service obligation of

:20:37.:20:39.

every premises and receiving 10 megabytes will be particularly

:20:40.:20:44.

important for the rural unity. Reform of the telecommunications

:20:45.:20:47.

Jerry is a key part of the Digital economy Bill going through

:20:48.:20:51.

Parliament and this is going to help increase rural coverage of mobile

:20:52.:20:53.

phones but also the provision of fibre. This will enable our industry

:20:54.:21:01.

to existing maths, grading and sharing equipment which will benefit

:21:02.:21:06.

mobile coverage in rural and the area is full of making it easier to

:21:07.:21:10.

work in rural areas. There are pilot programmes in Northumberland and

:21:11.:21:13.

Staffordshire providing 30 hours every child care for toddlers with a

:21:14.:21:20.

further roll-out set this year. Also through 30 hours free childcare, we

:21:21.:21:29.

will receive free funding raids, benefiting many rural areas. As my

:21:30.:21:32.

honourable friend from Macclesfield and Salisbury pointed out, there is

:21:33.:21:36.

a need to work on future skills and career farming is an attractive

:21:37.:21:39.

industry and provide the skills for employees. I can assure them of our

:21:40.:21:47.

Redmond to travel the number of apprenticeships to -- commitment to

:21:48.:21:55.

treble. Mr Speaker, my honourable friend, the Prime Minister, was

:21:56.:22:00.

clear today that we will pursue an ambitious devolved free-trade

:22:01.:22:02.

agreement with the European Union. It is important, she stated, that we

:22:03.:22:05.

are not seeking membership of the single market by the greatest

:22:06.:22:11.

possible access to it through a new, comprehensive, bold agreements. That

:22:12.:22:17.

Northern Ireland and England to make Northern Ireland and England to make

:22:18.:22:18.

sure they take full advantage of the economic opportunities we have

:22:19.:22:22.

today. There is been considerable discussion about devolution and, as

:22:23.:22:27.

the Prime Minister reiterated, this is important that the joint

:22:28.:22:32.

ministerial committee in EU negotiations has been established so

:22:33.:22:35.

ministers from each devolved administration can contribute to the

:22:36.:22:39.

process of planning our departure from the EU. As it has already been

:22:40.:22:42.

referred to, we have received a paper from the Scottish Government

:22:43.:22:45.

and will draw the receiving wantonly from the welsh common. Both will be

:22:46.:22:49.

considered. It's important to stress that our guiding principle is to

:22:50.:22:55.

ensure that, as the leave the EU, no barriers within our union are

:22:56.:23:00.

created and that means maintaining the necessary framework for our

:23:01.:23:04.

domestic markets, empowering the UK as an open, trading nation to strike

:23:05.:23:09.

the best trade deals around the world and protect our islands. As

:23:10.:23:12.

they do this, the Prime Minister has been absolutely clear that no

:23:13.:23:15.

decisions to be taken by the devolved administrations will be

:23:16.:23:19.

removed from them. It is very clear there will be no power grabbed. With

:23:20.:23:24.

regard to migrant workers, rated eight, as they drop plans to leave

:23:25.:23:28.

the EU, we are harnessing the industry's knowledge and experience,

:23:29.:23:32.

ensuring their voice is heard. As my honourable friend, the Secretary of

:23:33.:23:35.

State, indicated, access to labour is an important part of our

:23:36.:23:39.

discussions and we are committed to working in your industry to make

:23:40.:23:42.

sure they have the right people with the right skills. Arab EU nationals,

:23:43.:23:48.

rated by Scottish members, the Prime Minister reiterated again today he

:23:49.:23:51.

desired he this issue resolved. -- around. To see this issue. Regarding

:23:52.:24:01.

CAP payments, we want farmers to have that certainty and we have said

:24:02.:24:05.

they will receive the same level of financial trouble until 2020. I love

:24:06.:24:08.

the double of many honourable and right honourable members on the

:24:09.:24:14.

opportunities brought on agricultural policy, this led to the

:24:15.:24:16.

needs of this nation. There will be a Green paper published in due

:24:17.:24:20.

course, which will give everyone the opportunity to offer people on our

:24:21.:24:24.

future design. I like the thought of my honourable friend from Newbury,

:24:25.:24:28.

Right Honourable friend, who I would expect to get a good thoughts on as

:24:29.:24:34.

my predecessor, his three pronged approach of thinking of the

:24:35.:24:37.

agricultural and social objectives on small farmers will get a lot of

:24:38.:24:43.

support. With regards to CAP pellet two, the Government will also

:24:44.:24:47.

continue to guarantee funding for structural investment fund projects

:24:48.:24:49.

at before we leave and continuing after we have left. This includes

:24:50.:24:54.

the rural development programme and the maritime fisheries programme.

:24:55.:24:57.

Funding for these programmes of the honoured where they provide good

:24:58.:24:59.

value for money and are in line with the nitty-gritty priorities. These

:25:00.:25:04.

conditions will be applied in such a way that the current pipeline --

:25:05.:25:09.

strategic. Environment schemes beginning this month. The devolved

:25:10.:25:12.

administrations will sign of the investment fund under the current EU

:25:13.:25:16.

allocation. The Government will make sure they are funded to meet these

:25:17.:25:20.

commitments. On the issue of fisheries, we are continued them are

:25:21.:25:26.

committed to acting on the common fisheries policy and putting in

:25:27.:25:30.

place a new regime. We want users opportunity to make sure our

:25:31.:25:34.

industry is competitive and profitable, and that the environment

:25:35.:25:38.

is improved for future relations. The Government will continue to

:25:39.:25:43.

deliver this. Working closely with indices on deciding future rules. --

:25:44.:25:51.

on delivering this. Including the law on EC and the UN agreement. In

:25:52.:25:57.

terms of leaving the EU, we want to make our own decisions about how to

:25:58.:26:00.

deliver the policy objectives previously targeted by EU funding.

:26:01.:26:04.

As pointed out by several honourable members today, we have to make sure

:26:05.:26:11.

that the EU funding is UK taxpayer funding and how that is spent in due

:26:12.:26:15.

course. We will consult closely with stakeholders to reveal all EU

:26:16.:26:20.

funding schemes and ensure that any ongoing commitment to best serve the

:26:21.:26:24.

national interest while having appropriate investor certainty. City

:26:25.:26:27.

deals and evolution have been a feature of improving local economies

:26:28.:26:31.

and we are seeing more rural economy is being business. In Scotland, the

:26:32.:26:35.

Government has given considerable support, ?2.3 billion worth, to the

:26:36.:26:42.

oil and gas industry in year alone. We guess that independence was made

:26:43.:26:45.

by the Scottish Government on the base of a high oil prices above the

:26:46.:26:49.

economy. It's a good job the union has also bought for the industry in

:26:50.:26:54.

the challenging times. -- pulled together to support. This has been

:26:55.:26:57.

an important debate, highlighting the importance of the rural economy.

:26:58.:27:04.

What can I say, Mr Speaker, what we heard from the honourable gentleman

:27:05.:27:08.

from Ross, Skye and Lochaber is that we are all doomed. Far from it. As

:27:09.:27:13.

the Prime Minister has said, Brexit means Brexit and we will make a

:27:14.:27:17.

success of it. We are determined to get the best deal on leaving the EU

:27:18.:27:22.

for the British people. We want a world leading food and farming

:27:23.:27:25.

industry and the healthiest environment for generations. We are

:27:26.:27:30.

clear that, when leaving the EU law into UK law, that is non-negotiable

:27:31.:27:35.

and we will make sure that the environment is protected, not

:27:36.:27:40.

enhanced for future generations. -- if not enhanced. I support the

:27:41.:27:49.

amendment. The question is that the original words and part of it. As

:27:50.:27:53.

many as are of the opinion, say "aye". To the contrary, "no".

:27:54.:27:57.

Division. Click the lobby. -- clear. As many as are of the opinion, say

:27:58.:30:29.

"aye". To the contrary, "no". The tellers for the eyes, Alan Johnson

:30:30.:30:34.

and Marion Fellows. Tellers for the noes, the Brian. -- ayes. -- Steve

:30:35.:30:46.

Brian. The ayes to the right, 212. The noes

:30:47.:41:30.

to the left, 287. The ayes to the right, 212. The noes to the left,

:41:31.:41:35.

287, so the noes have it. The noes have it. Unlock. Order. We now come

:41:36.:41:46.

to the question that the proposed words be there added. As many as are

:41:47.:41:49.

of the opinion, say 'aye'. To the contrary, 'no'. I think the ayes

:41:50.:41:57.

have it. The ayes have it. The situation is I declare the question

:41:58.:42:04.

as amended to be agreed to. We now come to the second opposition Day

:42:05.:42:09.

motion in the name of the leader of the SNP. Point of order, indeed. I

:42:10.:42:18.

inadvertently referred to the my remarks in the last debate the

:42:19.:42:21.

registry and I hope this is a means of drawing the House's attention to

:42:22.:42:26.

that fact and drawing attention to my mission. I am grateful to the

:42:27.:42:30.

honourable gentleman both for his good grace and pettiness in

:42:31.:42:32.

communicating the point which I think we'll have been warmly

:42:33.:42:36.

received by colleagues across the House. We now come to the second

:42:37.:42:40.

opposition day motion in the name of the leader of the Scottish National

:42:41.:42:46.

Party and the effect for the Department for Environment, Food

:42:47.:42:49.

Rural Affairs policies on low income households. I informed the House has

:42:50.:42:51.

selected the amendment in the name of the Prime Minister. I also take

:42:52.:42:55.

this opportunity to remind the House that this debate can run only until

:42:56.:43:02.

beta clock. -- until 8pm. There are 17 colleagues were -- wishing to

:43:03.:43:09.

speak from the backbenches and I know those speaking from the front

:43:10.:43:12.

bench will jealously guard the rights and interests of those

:43:13.:43:18.

wishing to speak from the back, therefore the frontbenchers should

:43:19.:43:21.

absolutely not exceed ten minutes each in their speeches, and if they

:43:22.:43:24.

can speak for less time than that they will be addressing a grateful

:43:25.:43:29.

nation. As many as are of the opinion, say 'aye'. To the contrary,

:43:30.:43:32.

'no'. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I stand to move the motion in my name and

:43:33.:43:36.

that of my honourable friend. According to the UK Government

:43:37.:43:41.

universal credit was supposed to bring fairness and simplicity and I

:43:42.:43:45.

ask you to hold that thought and share the experiences of some of my

:43:46.:43:48.

constituents, the experiences of people trying to help them, and even

:43:49.:43:53.

those of DUP staff trying to negotiate through the -- navigate

:43:54.:43:57.

them through universal credit. We are suffering the better effects and

:43:58.:44:01.

chaos of the full service roll-out earlier in other areas. It is

:44:02.:44:04.

hurting people who need help the most, and I know if honourable

:44:05.:44:09.

member is the chamber could see the grief it causes at first hand they

:44:10.:44:13.

would understand why I am passionate about this. Mr Speaker, before I

:44:14.:44:18.

sure some of the experiences of my constituents I want to tell

:44:19.:44:21.

honourable members of my recent meetings with their Citizens Advice

:44:22.:44:30.

officers, who have experience dealing with some of the most

:44:31.:44:34.

challenging situations we could imagine. Fork at the end of their

:44:35.:44:37.

tether and sometimes even at the end their lives -- folk at. When I met

:44:38.:44:45.

with them last week, they were moved to tears telling me about their

:44:46.:44:48.

universal credit caseload. They told me of the suffering they were

:44:49.:44:51.

witnessing, they told me this roll-out is a shambles and that

:44:52.:44:53.

nobody in the system communicate with each other. Mr Speaker, they

:44:54.:44:58.

told me the process simply does not work. They see neither fairness nor

:44:59.:45:05.

simplicity. The transitional protection is limited and will not

:45:06.:45:09.

protect new claimants. It also will be lost if the household undergoes

:45:10.:45:13.

changes in circumstances and it does not protect people against the

:45:14.:45:17.

anguish and suffering that lengthy delays are causing people. Once

:45:18.:45:22.

again, the disabled are some of the hardest hit by the move to universal

:45:23.:45:27.

credit. The loss of the Severe Disability Premium has taken almost

:45:28.:45:31.

62... I will make some progress because other members wish to take

:45:32.:45:37.

part. The loss of the Severe Disability Premium has taken almost

:45:38.:45:41.

?62 per week out of the pockets of the most critically disabled. Cuts

:45:42.:45:47.

to the disabled child admission mean 100,000 disabled children stand to

:45:48.:45:51.

lose up to ?29 per week. Severe disability cuts mean disabled

:45:52.:45:57.

parents with young carers stand to lose ?50 a week, and around ?30 a

:45:58.:46:03.

week will be lost to those -- ?58 a week, and around ?38 a week will be

:46:04.:46:06.

lost to those... I will give way, very briefly. Thanks for giving way.

:46:07.:46:14.

I wonder if he shares my concern at the lack of information and data at

:46:15.:46:18.

the DWP have on their own activities, particularly with the

:46:19.:46:21.

most vulnerable claimants. I asked the department on the 10th of

:46:22.:46:25.

January to give me the number of people who have had their benefits

:46:26.:46:28.

withdrawn or suspended in the process of transforming leader

:46:29.:46:35.

transferring -- transferring, and they go back and said they did not

:46:36.:46:40.

know. Is that not shocking? it is, and once again disabled people have

:46:41.:46:46.

been found unfit for work and I still expected to take steps towards

:46:47.:46:49.

finding work. This group includes those who have suffered serious

:46:50.:46:56.

injuries. In the early stages of progressive conditions such as

:46:57.:47:00.

multiple sclerosis and those with learning difficulties. Disability

:47:01.:47:03.

employment is a long-standing unique issue of the process of universal

:47:04.:47:07.

credit is creating more barriers for them in the workplace. The Prime

:47:08.:47:13.

Minister has been speaking about Jam, the so-called just about

:47:14.:47:17.

managing. Thanks to universal credit, for many families their

:47:18.:47:20.

income is about to be tossed. I suggest the Prime Minister comes to

:47:21.:47:24.

Inverness and speaks to my constituents about our shared

:47:25.:47:29.

society, those families with children up ?236 per -- ?230 per

:47:30.:47:34.

year worse off according to the Children's Society. To the Lone

:47:35.:47:40.

parents, losing ?15 a week. To that young people and their families who

:47:41.:47:43.

will be pushed further into poverty because of reductions in the

:47:44.:47:47.

standard allowances. The four-year freeze on support for children will

:47:48.:47:51.

see the value of the children's benefits cut by 12% by the end of

:47:52.:47:54.

the decade. Universal credit will not only failed to lift children out

:47:55.:47:59.

of poverty. It will push them further into poverty. Citizens

:48:00.:48:03.

Advice has said universal credit is failing to live up to its promise.

:48:04.:48:09.

From the outset, people have experienced problems. Delays to

:48:10.:48:13.

claims and errors to payments. The Public Accounts Committee found the

:48:14.:48:17.

systems were underdeveloped and said there was increasing pressure on DWP

:48:18.:48:22.

staff. My team and I see it every day, day in, day out. Only yesterday

:48:23.:48:27.

a constituent Laura Shepherd got in touch, at the end of her tether. Her

:48:28.:48:31.

20-year-old son Douglas has severe autism and has been on the waiting

:48:32.:48:36.

list for a work capability assessment since the end of

:48:37.:48:40.

September. During this time they have had no disability support. Just

:48:41.:48:44.

the minimum level of universal credit, only ?200 a month. Quite

:48:45.:48:56.

understandably the family are trying to get this sorted out, get their

:48:57.:48:58.

claim backdated to cover a period when they were incorrectly given

:48:59.:49:00.

child tax credits instead of universal credit. Universal credit

:49:01.:49:02.

team cannot even give her dates for disability work assessment for her

:49:03.:49:07.

son. His assessment of that nature are done by an external contractor.

:49:08.:49:12.

They actually told her, in writing, to contact me as her MP because they

:49:13.:49:18.

were at a loss of what to do. The wife of an officer serving in our

:49:19.:49:21.

army has now been waiting five months for assistance with childcare

:49:22.:49:26.

costs. Five months with no payments. Suffering a catalogue of errors and

:49:27.:49:31.

very sporadic communication, she could not get her problems sorted

:49:32.:49:36.

out because even the DWP staff on universal credit are not allowed to

:49:37.:49:39.

speak to the service centre or claims manager. Everything has to be

:49:40.:49:43.

duplicated by e-mail, leading to confusion and lost information.

:49:44.:49:46.

Also, this so-called helpline. Who Also, this so-called helpline. Who

:49:47.:49:49.

on earth thought it was a great idea to make this a premium calling? It

:49:50.:49:56.

is shameful that people with no money are being made to spend their

:49:57.:50:01.

last pennies on premium wines. What do they do if they have no credit on

:50:02.:50:06.

their mobile phones? That is if it has not had to be pondered to make

:50:07.:50:09.

up for the money they are not getting through waiting for their

:50:10.:50:15.

payments. -- if it has to be pawned. When they call the helpline they are

:50:16.:50:20.

left on hold whilst DWP staff try to sort out errors for more than 20

:50:21.:50:25.

minutes. We asked them to monitor calls and they found none were under

:50:26.:50:30.

the Government's stated waiting time of three minutes 27 seconds. In fact

:50:31.:50:36.

all 36 the logs were for longer. The longest, a staggering 54 minutes and

:50:37.:50:40.

17 seconds. Sometimes they are offered a Colback, and if they are

:50:41.:50:45.

lucky and get to their telephone on time, if it happens at all they will

:50:46.:50:50.

get it -- offered a call back. But they only get one shot at that. It

:50:51.:50:58.

is like a universal credit version of Catch-22. The transfer to the

:50:59.:51:00.

Digital has already been halted and the halfway house emerging is right

:51:01.:51:05.

for confusion. People can make online claims some of the time get

:51:06.:51:08.

me to take the original copy of letters to the job centre at their

:51:09.:51:12.

own cost. A report detailing the impact of the new scheme in Glasgow

:51:13.:51:16.

not only that claimants are struggling but that the

:51:17.:51:18.

controversial scheme is putting services and jobs at risk as well.

:51:19.:51:22.

There is a lack of and explanation as to the general reasons for a

:51:23.:51:29.

claim and those with special needs are often left to struggle and face

:51:30.:51:32.

the sanctions following. Where is the furnace, where is the

:51:33.:51:37.

simplicity? The system is manufacturing debt and despondency

:51:38.:51:38.

-- where is the fairness? Am ?25 per night at ?100 per week.

:51:39.:51:51.

One of my constituents, Gavin, has been living in homeless

:51:52.:51:58.

accommodations. He would have been awarded ?168 housing benefits,

:51:59.:52:02.

leaving him ?7 to pay out of his other entitlement. Under Universal

:52:03.:52:07.

Credit, he has the same housing cost but have yet ?63 per week. Meaning

:52:08.:52:12.

you have to pay ?115 per week promised allowances. Only doesn't

:52:13.:52:17.

get ?115 per week. Even if he gave up food, heat, light and everything

:52:18.:52:20.

else and that everything Penny, he would still be short. Of course,

:52:21.:52:25.

Gavin and others will always be in arrears. It is flawed by design.

:52:26.:52:32.

Very briefly. Does he not agree with me that the rise in inflation will

:52:33.:52:38.

hit poorest families hardest and the Government you tried to counter the

:52:39.:52:42.

effects given the fall in sterling following the Brexit strategy?

:52:43.:52:51.

Absolutely. I have people on waiting three with three months Universal

:52:52.:53:00.

Credit. It is a hound council left carrying the death of money Gavin

:53:01.:53:06.

and others simply don't have. -- Ireland. The Government has accrued

:53:07.:53:11.

extra debt of ?180,000 from Universal Credit. According to a

:53:12.:53:16.

City Council, 73 homeless people in Glasgow are now on the benefit. The

:53:17.:53:21.

City Council. And have racked up thousands of pounds of arrears

:53:22.:53:25.

between them. A management organisation and the ordination in

:53:26.:53:32.

relation for candle housing, representing Haslam homes in

:53:33.:53:37.

England. There are people in readily is. -- Council homes. -- rent

:53:38.:53:46.

arrears. Who don't receive Universal Credit. The average arrears total is

:53:47.:53:56.

now increased to ?616. The SNP Scottish Government have done

:53:57.:54:00.

everything it can to mitigate Tory welfare cuts. New devolved powers

:54:01.:54:08.

will include disability benefits. With these wanted new palace, we

:54:09.:54:12.

will seek to build a Scottish social tissue releases them with dignity

:54:13.:54:18.

and respect at its heart. -- social security system. It is wrong that

:54:19.:54:21.

the Government and the council should foot the bill in the cup.

:54:22.:54:27.

It's also true that the proposal to cut 50% of job centres in Glasgow is

:54:28.:54:32.

a bad idea. A subject I know my colleagues will speak again shortly.

:54:33.:54:37.

That's not get, these proposals come on the back of last year's

:54:38.:54:44.

announcement drew close 108 M RC offices across the UK. Several HMRC

:54:45.:54:51.

offices. With job losses. There is a college in the in the indignity and

:54:52.:54:56.

a crushing drive towards increased poverty in the Universal Credit

:54:57.:55:01.

system. Long delays in payment, what payments, value to respond, mixed

:55:02.:55:05.

signals, confusion between departments, crushing morale for the

:55:06.:55:08.

poor job centre plus staph and inability to respond to common sense

:55:09.:55:18.

are rife. -- staff. We have to think about those he need our help rather

:55:19.:55:21.

than those who stand to profit from austerity. The questionnaires as on

:55:22.:55:32.

the order paper. -- the question Thank you. As the Prime Minister has

:55:33.:55:37.

said, the Prime Minister wants to build a country that works for

:55:38.:55:39.

everyone, not just the privileged few. There is a key role in

:55:40.:55:47.

delivering this job centre. We want to deliver a modern and effective

:55:48.:55:50.

welfare system. Providing professional, tailored support. For

:55:51.:55:55.

those hundreds of thousands of people already in receipt of

:55:56.:56:01.

Universal Credit, we ensure they work and progressing of work will

:56:02.:56:04.

always pay. What we have had to make difficult decisions on his welfare

:56:05.:56:07.

spending, but we have never lost sight of the fact that the most

:56:08.:56:11.

sustainable route out of poverty and just managing to get into work.

:56:12.:56:16.

Universal Credit lies at the heart of this. Transforming the welfare

:56:17.:56:21.

system to make sure with holidays, it pays to participate, and to

:56:22.:56:25.

progress. This, in contrast to the system before 2010, of which in work

:56:26.:56:31.

poverty increased between 1998 and 2010 between wealth are, despite

:56:32.:56:37.

wealth are increasing. We are building a fairer system that will

:56:38.:56:41.

mirror the world of work and we eradicate the complexities in the

:56:42.:56:47.

old system. There are no Alice, rules or cliff edges in Universal

:56:48.:56:53.

Credit as there are in tax credits. . On occasion, working working

:56:54.:56:57.

again. Universal Credit also have the need to switch between the

:56:58.:57:01.

benefit of claimants switched to and on in work. Sybil Viney says and

:57:02.:57:06.

ensuring for claimants. Our approach is working. The claimant count has

:57:07.:57:12.

dropped from 1.5 million to around 800,000 from 2010. We are at near

:57:13.:57:19.

record levels of employment across the country. Once fully rolled out,

:57:20.:57:26.

leaving Universal Credit will generate ?7 billion we benefit every

:57:27.:57:30.

year and boost employment by up to 300,000. We are not done yet. We

:57:31.:57:34.

believe that making work pay and opening up opportunities for people

:57:35.:57:37.

to realise their potential are essential to building an economy

:57:38.:57:40.

that works for all. By reducing Universal Credit, further improving

:57:41.:57:49.

the incentive, households. It is an clear that many disabled people, the

:57:50.:57:52.

barriers to work are still too high. We need to continue to review and

:57:53.:57:56.

reform our support given what we know works. We will build on the

:57:57.:58:00.

success of Universal Credit and provide more personalised employment

:58:01.:58:04.

support by consulting on further reform for the workplace mobility

:58:05.:58:08.

assessment. Our green pepper on work. Catherine Green paper. We'll

:58:09.:58:16.

go further in marching -- Green paper will govern enlarging this. It

:58:17.:58:21.

is designed to encourage and support claimants to return to work. We have

:58:22.:58:25.

allocated ?330 million for new ones abroad for people with limited

:58:26.:58:29.

capability for work over 40 years, starting from April 2017 and an

:58:30.:58:34.

extra ?50 million to top up the existing flexible support for the

:58:35.:58:42.

Indo 2018, 2018 -- 2017-2018 and 2018-2019. Looking at our benefit

:58:43.:58:49.

reforms in isolation, failure to appreciate the wider work of the

:58:50.:58:52.

Government in providing support for those on lower income, the thing

:58:53.:58:59.

single most important thing has been what it has facilitated. People are

:59:00.:59:03.

sharing in their proceeds. Average as all incomes are at an all-time

:59:04.:59:08.

high, incoming equality has fallen and paying bottom 5% in society is

:59:09.:59:14.

up 6.2% year-on-year. The higher rise since the series began in the

:59:15.:59:22.

year 1997. I do not have time to list all the other advances we've

:59:23.:59:28.

made because time is short but we must acknowledge the most

:59:29.:59:29.

transformational. We've introduced the national living wage. Increased

:59:30.:59:36.

the best of all backgrounds to ?11,000. The Didcot taxpayer pays

:59:37.:59:40.

less tax than 2010. We've we've introduced the triple lock so

:59:41.:59:45.

pensioners with a full state pension received over ?1100 a year more than

:59:46.:59:49.

at the start of the last Parliament. -- typical taxpayer. We want to hear

:59:50.:59:57.

the SNP's opinion on this. Free childcare from 15 hours up to 30

:59:58.:00:01.

hours as well as introducing 15 hours of free childcare for

:00:02.:00:07.

disadvantaged two-year-old as well as free school meals for all

:00:08.:00:12.

infants. Tackling child poverty and disadvantage, delivering real social

:00:13.:00:14.

reform, is a key priority for the Government. Only by tackling the

:00:15.:00:20.

root causes, not just the symptoms, Willie Mae gaining even though --

:00:21.:00:26.

will we make a meaningful difference. For these reasons that

:00:27.:00:29.

we introduced two new statutory measures. Tackling children's

:00:30.:00:35.

education attainment. We know that can make a big difference to

:00:36.:00:38.

disadvantaged children. The forthcoming Green paper on social

:00:39.:00:42.

Justice will build on these measures and set out how we identified and

:00:43.:00:46.

tackle the root causes of property. Alongside our policy targeted at

:00:47.:00:51.

helping people progress in that and potential, we are also committed to

:00:52.:00:54.

continuing to modernising and professional writing the services

:00:55.:00:59.

and supporting our job centre's of. -- that our job centres offer. We

:01:00.:01:06.

need to make the most of the opportunities offered. I'm pleased

:01:07.:01:10.

that the honourable members cabaret star plans for the job centre is

:01:11.:01:13.

made as they are one of the best examples of how we are in fact doing

:01:14.:01:24.

this. After 20 years, Labour's PFI contract covering many DWP offices

:01:25.:01:33.

is nearing an end and expires at the end of March 20 18. This gives us an

:01:34.:01:36.

opportunity to review how the department delivers modern services

:01:37.:01:41.

and ensure that gets the best deal. As I've already mentioned, revolves

:01:42.:01:47.

like Universal Credit, our universe revolutionising this. This better

:01:48.:01:53.

suits to the of claimants. I give away. Thank you. I wonder if he

:01:54.:01:58.

would comment regarding the disability employment gap because

:01:59.:02:01.

surely closing job centres actually makes obtaining employment less

:02:02.:02:05.

accessible people with disability and increases the hurdles they face

:02:06.:02:13.

in doing so. As you know, at the house knows, reducing the disability

:02:14.:02:16.

employment gap is absolute priority for the Government and I'm pleased

:02:17.:02:19.

to see that it is now narrowing and we're making progress but there is a

:02:20.:02:22.

great deal more to do. Nvidia denies that. We have to make sure there are

:02:23.:02:26.

more opportunities available to people with disabilities, including

:02:27.:02:31.

through our network. Nobody denies that. We have to make sure we have

:02:32.:02:36.

the resort is in place to have all the people, facilities and causes

:02:37.:02:40.

that can help support those people. -- courses. The paint has dropped

:02:41.:02:49.

from 1.5 million to 800,000 now. We are using only a small percent of

:02:50.:02:56.

the floor space. That's 20% of the value of 100% of the. Every penny we

:02:57.:03:02.

spend on space under this Labour PFI is money that could be back in the

:03:03.:03:09.

public purse helping to protect vital services and... I have to ask

:03:10.:03:11.

his forgiveness. Those services and the board include our own because

:03:12.:03:18.

they are expanding what region. We expect to have over 2000 more were

:03:19.:03:24.

cages in 201890 to date. In deciding what changes it is reasonable to

:03:25.:03:29.

make the VSA, we consider the impact on claimants, including travel time.

:03:30.:03:34.

We think it's reasonable to ask somebody to attend a new job centre

:03:35.:03:38.

less than three miles, 20 minutes by public transport, Wayne. Many

:03:39.:03:47.

claimants -- away. Many travel considerably further, as the many

:03:48.:03:56.

people in work. The UK, and has devolved powers were ?2.7 billion to

:03:57.:04:00.

the Scottish Government. Scotland can top up benefits and it can

:04:01.:04:06.

create new benefits. With that comes the corresponding responsibility and

:04:07.:04:11.

accountability and I was interested to note that the guy Scottish

:04:12.:04:15.

Government is to return to fortnightly payments and direct

:04:16.:04:19.

payments to landlords. We believe we should minimise the difference

:04:20.:04:21.

between the out of work welfare support system and the will of work

:04:22.:04:26.

to facilitate people's transition into work. Few employers paid

:04:27.:04:31.

fortnightly and even fewer have a direct relationship with your

:04:32.:04:35.

landlord. We need to arrange alternative payment arrangements and

:04:36.:04:41.

that is not the right approach was that we appreciate the Scottish

:04:42.:04:43.

Government has a different view and it'll be interesting to see how the

:04:44.:04:49.

duo deliver. This Government's record speaks for itself. Poverty is

:04:50.:04:53.

down, child poverty is down, the deficit is down. The fastest growing

:04:54.:05:02.

G7 economy in 2016 and there are more people in work. The welfare

:05:03.:05:05.

system is supported and effective. Work for those who can, help for

:05:06.:05:10.

those who coo, care for those who can't. Taking together Universal

:05:11.:05:16.

Credit and our reform of jobs in the past to provide the modern,

:05:17.:05:18.

effective and compassionate welfare system we need to be able to

:05:19.:05:22.

continue to deliver on this promise. An economy and society which works

:05:23.:05:23.

fall. The question was as on the order

:05:24.:05:34.

paper, since when an amendment was proposed as on the order paper. The

:05:35.:05:37.

question is that the original words stand part of the question. Before I

:05:38.:05:41.

call the Labour spokesperson, I inform the House formerly, and some

:05:42.:05:45.

colleagues have been notified privately, that there will be a time

:05:46.:05:49.

limit on backbench speeches of three minutes in my attempt to ensure...

:05:50.:05:55.

And if the honourable gentleman listens he will learn... That

:05:56.:05:59.

everyone who sought to speak has the opportunity to do so. Fairness and

:06:00.:06:06.

equality, Mr McDonald. Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. The Minister

:06:07.:06:12.

paints such a rosy picture, and yet we had the SNP spokesmen giving his

:06:13.:06:18.

cases from what he has experience and I could give cases, and I am

:06:19.:06:23.

sure members on the Government benches can also give cases they

:06:24.:06:27.

have been dealing with, whether in relation to work capability

:06:28.:06:29.

assessment, whether in relation to other cuts they have experienced. It

:06:30.:06:36.

is absolutely right we debate this very important point. The minister

:06:37.:06:43.

started expressing the commitment that the Prime Minister has made to

:06:44.:06:49.

a country that works for everyone. We need to scrutinise exactly those

:06:50.:06:53.

words. And, more to the point, if they are actually true. In

:06:54.:06:59.

particular, in relation to the Social Security policies and their

:07:00.:07:03.

impact on low income households, but, Mr Speaker, to understand the

:07:04.:07:09.

Government's attacks on the poor, and how they are so damaging, it is

:07:10.:07:13.

not just to understand how the experienced this but it is also

:07:14.:07:16.

about how damaging it is to the country as a whole, and we need to

:07:17.:07:20.

understand that in the context of inequalities. Now, I worked on this

:07:21.:07:27.

for over 20 years before I entered this House six years ago and I

:07:28.:07:32.

particularly focused on the effects of inequalities in income and wealth

:07:33.:07:36.

and on our health, and there is overwhelming evidence from the last

:07:37.:07:42.

30 years that shows the risk of prove health and lower life

:07:43.:07:44.

expectancy increases from high to low income groups -- the risk of

:07:45.:07:51.

poorer health. My dear friend Frank Dobson said there is no greater

:07:52.:07:55.

inequality, than knowing you will die sooner because you are badly

:07:56.:08:01.

off. This pattern of illness is systematically produced and

:08:02.:08:05.

universal. It is not about the individual, or biological factors.

:08:06.:08:15.

It is about this inherent systematic socially reproduced inequality. They

:08:16.:08:18.

are not inevitable. They can be changed, and for that we should all

:08:19.:08:24.

have hope. We know from pioneering work from professors Richard Wilson

:08:25.:08:29.

is in Chapecoense -- Richard Wilkinson and call that these do not

:08:30.:08:41.

affect... The also affect mental health, crime, happiness, and even

:08:42.:08:43.

trust between communities. The simple truth is the smaller the gap

:08:44.:08:48.

between rich and poor the better we all do. So when the Prime Minister

:08:49.:08:54.

claims she wants to tackle these burning injustices I have to ask

:08:55.:08:58.

her, where has she been? These injustices have been burning while

:08:59.:09:03.

she was a senior member of Government. Now she is Prime

:09:04.:09:05.

Minister, what is she doing to address them? And again I will go on

:09:06.:09:13.

to say, not a lot. This week, as the World Economic Forum gets underway

:09:14.:09:17.

in Davos, we hear the same warnings we heard from the IMF in 2015, that

:09:18.:09:22.

widening inequalities is the most defining challenge of our time. Last

:09:23.:09:27.

week we heard yet again of obscene pay ratios with top executives now

:09:28.:09:31.

earning 130 times more than the average employee takes on.

:09:32.:09:35.

Yesterday, Oxfam published the breathtaking figure that eight

:09:36.:09:40.

individuals have a combined wealth of more than half - half of the

:09:41.:09:59.

bottom... And the publishing of inequalities in the UK showed that

:10:00.:10:02.

pre-tax pay between high and low earners has risen. Since 2010

:10:03.:10:05.

working people on low incomes, particularly families with children,

:10:06.:10:08.

have lost proportionally more of their income than any other group.

:10:09.:10:13.

As a net result of tax and social security changes. This Government

:10:14.:10:19.

has glossed over this problem with the use of divisive rhetoric.

:10:20.:10:22.

Repeatedly they have fled poverty and inequality are the pathology of

:10:23.:10:27.

the individual rather than the result of structural flaws of their

:10:28.:10:31.

economic and public policies, particularly their social security

:10:32.:10:35.

policies. We have heard from the Minister that work is the route out

:10:36.:10:45.

of poverty. Contrary to this diverse of -- divisive narrative, why is it

:10:46.:10:49.

we more have people -- why is it we have more people in work in poverty

:10:50.:10:52.

than ever before? 7.4 million people. Three out of the four

:10:53.:10:56.

million children are living in families where they are working. How

:10:57.:11:00.

can this be a success story of this Government? When will the Government

:11:01.:11:06.

start to look at the structural issues in the labour market and the

:11:07.:11:11.

productivity crisis rather than victimising the poorest. Four out of

:11:12.:11:17.

the five people on low income now will still be on low income ten

:11:18.:11:20.

years later. What has this Government done about that? The

:11:21.:11:26.

motion raised some important questions hanging over the

:11:27.:11:29.

Government's flagship programme, universal credit. We supported the

:11:30.:11:33.

original principles of universal credit to make sure were always

:11:34.:11:38.

pays, by allowing people to work more hours without fear of being

:11:39.:11:42.

made worse off. Universal Credit had the potential to address inequality

:11:43.:11:47.

by targeting employment to support to those on low pay, reducing the

:11:48.:11:54.

cliff edge associated with other supports, such as tax credits, as

:11:55.:11:58.

the Minister said. We are a world away from the project initially

:11:59.:12:02.

lauded by this Government. We have been through seven delays in

:12:03.:12:07.

implementation, reset by the major authority, criticism from the

:12:08.:12:11.

National Audit Office, and costs spiralling out of control. Despite

:12:12.:12:15.

this, many practical issues of the programme, they have yet to be

:12:16.:12:20.

sorted out and a full working delivery is still a distant

:12:21.:12:24.

prospectors of our key flaws in the design. -- a distant prospect. There

:12:25.:12:35.

are key flaws in the design. As you can imagine, many people do not know

:12:36.:12:40.

how to reapply so it comes as a rather unpleasant surprise when the

:12:41.:12:44.

department then refuses them support. Can the Minister update us

:12:45.:12:50.

on progress and dealing with the issue of weekly payments? Perhaps we

:12:51.:12:54.

should look at the impact of Universal Credit's so-called long

:12:55.:12:58.

hello. The Guardian showed the weight of a shocking 42 days to

:12:59.:13:05.

receive the first payment said claimants to the banks, and in terms

:13:06.:13:09.

of the bank use, that was spiralling. One survey of landlords

:13:10.:13:14.

responsible for 3000 households and universal credit friend eight out of

:13:15.:13:17.

ten credits were in arrears. Will the minister commit to immediately

:13:18.:13:22.

reducing this waiting can? -- found that eight out of ten tenants were

:13:23.:13:31.

in arrears. And see to reducing the two-week delay. On sanctions, I am

:13:32.:13:35.

pleased the Government is finally seeing all the evidence for what it

:13:36.:13:38.

is, how damaging it is and its impact in getting people off. The

:13:39.:13:49.

impact on sanctions cannot be underestimated. But for the

:13:50.:13:52.

regulations for 2014, the Government is able to sanction people in work

:13:53.:13:56.

on low pay. We are now starting to see more people who are already

:13:57.:14:00.

working, doing the right thing, are being sanction because they are not

:14:01.:14:05.

working hard enough. They are on zero our contracts, the million

:14:06.:14:09.

people and zero our contracts, who are potentially under threat by

:14:10.:14:20.

this, -- zero-hour contract. I am happy to take it outside, gentle

:14:21.:14:23.

men, but people will not get enough time to speak so it... For a lower

:14:24.:14:29.

income families, most important has been the slashing by this

:14:30.:14:33.

Government, significantly undermining the principle that work

:14:34.:14:36.

will always pay under the scheme. Cuts to work allowances will mean an

:14:37.:14:46.

average claimants receive ?2000 a year less than if they were on

:14:47.:14:49.

universal credit. There was no impact in terms of the Autumn

:14:50.:14:56.

Statement on this. The gentle man, the honourable gentleman, has

:14:57.:14:59.

already mentioned about the impact of this Government's horrendous cuts

:15:00.:15:04.

to disabled people. Almost ?30 billion of cuts to people...

:15:05.:15:12.

Definitely going to see more than the 5 million people pushed into

:15:13.:15:15.

poverty, the 5 million disabled people. We also heard about the job

:15:16.:15:19.

centre closures as well. But what I would like to say, it seems, Mr

:15:20.:15:26.

Speaker, universal credit programme will no longer make work pay. It was

:15:27.:15:30.

built by a Government who believes the best we can help people into

:15:31.:15:35.

work is by shutting job centres. We believe that like our NHS the Social

:15:36.:15:42.

Security system should be based on principles of dignity, inclusion and

:15:43.:15:48.

support and Labour will do this. Thank you. Three minute limit now to

:15:49.:15:53.

apply. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Given it to the minute I will not take any

:15:54.:15:58.

interventions, so I shall continue. I stood on a platform of getting

:15:59.:16:01.

Britain working again, reforming the welfare system. That is failing some

:16:02.:16:07.

of the most vulnerable people in this country and in my constituency.

:16:08.:16:11.

For too long people were on welfare and remained on it and it is worth

:16:12.:16:14.

noting that long-term unemployment doubled between 2008 and 2010. Major

:16:15.:16:21.

changes to things that sold directly affect people in their day-to-day

:16:22.:16:25.

lives are never easy, or necessarily popular. But our welfare system

:16:26.:16:30.

needed changing and I am delighted that our Government is taking it so

:16:31.:16:34.

seriously. I am determined to make sure those who want work, and those

:16:35.:16:39.

who cannot work as well, are supported, and that is what we need,

:16:40.:16:42.

and that help is at hand from this Government. So far we have seen

:16:43.:16:46.

monumental change. It is not easy. As a former member of the work and

:16:47.:16:52.

pensions committee are always welcome the Department's attitude to

:16:53.:16:54.

universal credit, in terms of rolling it out then considering the

:16:55.:16:59.

changes and seeing the impact, then changing and adapting and rolling it

:17:00.:17:04.

out again, and I welcome the pace of delivery of Universal Credit,

:17:05.:17:07.

because we are listening, looking at evidence and performing as we go,

:17:08.:17:10.

the correct way to do it in my opinion. The single best thing any

:17:11.:17:14.

Government can do for low income families is to ensure we have a

:17:15.:17:20.

strong economy. Since that 2010 election I am delighted this

:17:21.:17:23.

Government has put that at the heart of what we are doing. Unemployment

:17:24.:17:29.

is now at the joint lowest rate of 4.8% over the ten years. With 2.7

:17:30.:17:33.

million more people in work over the last six years. With more women,

:17:34.:17:37.

older workers and ethnic minorities in work than ever before. The annual

:17:38.:17:44.

average income of the poorest fifth of households has risen in real

:17:45.:17:48.

terms compared to 2007 and 2008, that is the bottom fifth of

:17:49.:17:54.

households income up ?700. This House has heard on many occasions

:17:55.:17:57.

the benefit of work and improved our social networks, with the increasing

:17:58.:18:03.

happiness and health. I am proud of the Government's achievement in

:18:04.:18:07.

getting more and work. And this is in stark contrast to the Opposition

:18:08.:18:14.

and their rhetoric. And part of this change in Universal Credits, the

:18:15.:18:18.

biggest change in welfare in this country for a generation, it has

:18:19.:18:21.

been welfare claimants become much more likely to move into work,

:18:22.:18:25.

compared to those on jobseeker's allowance. I would like to end, Mr

:18:26.:18:29.

Speaker, given I will be timed, and that is that working age adults in

:18:30.:18:37.

working families are four times more likely to be living on low income.

:18:38.:18:44.

The report in 2015 found that 74% of workless families moving into

:18:45.:18:47.

full-time employment exited poverty, and that is terrific. Mr Speaker, I

:18:48.:18:53.

will know sit down. Thank you. Before we proceed to the next

:18:54.:18:56.

Speaker, we come to the seven o'clock motion. I beg to move, Mr

:18:57.:19:05.

Speaker. Thank you. You have indeed Julie moved. Thank you, Mr Speaker

:19:06.:19:13.

-- you have indeed duly moved. The question is as the order paper. As

:19:14.:19:18.

many as are of the opinion, say 'aye'. To the contrary, 'no'. I

:19:19.:19:20.

think that ayes have it. Stuart McDonald... That is way above my pay

:19:21.:19:25.

grade, but I thank you nonetheless, Mr Speaker. I have to take my hat

:19:26.:19:30.

off to the Minister and his colleagues at the Department of Work

:19:31.:19:32.

and Pensions because he has managed to do something I never thought

:19:33.:19:37.

possible, he has managed to unite Scottish Labour politicians and SNP

:19:38.:19:41.

politicians against the job centre closure plan, which will be the

:19:42.:19:48.

focus of my remarks. If he will listen, I will educate him. Can I

:19:49.:19:52.

say to the Minister has plan has gone down like a bucket of cold sick

:19:53.:19:58.

not just amongst my constituents, but amongst trade unions, the

:19:59.:20:01.

Catholic Church, the Church of Scotland and in Glasgow City

:20:02.:20:05.

Council. The city I represent that has the highest unemployment rate in

:20:06.:20:11.

Scotland, and that is not a bad I am proud of. I would want to work with

:20:12.:20:14.

the Minister to improve that, but I do not see how you can improve that,

:20:15.:20:20.

Madame Deputy Speaker, by reducing the number of job centres from 16 to

:20:21.:20:27.

eight, a 50% cut in what is supposed to be a 20% reduction elsewhere.

:20:28.:20:30.

Glasgow being targeted by the Tories yet again. I will take no muttering

:20:31.:20:36.

from the backbenches of the Tories either. Let me invite each and every

:20:37.:20:42.

one of them who will vote for the Government to come to Castlemilk.

:20:43.:20:44.

They will meet some of my constituents who will be expected to

:20:45.:20:49.

do an eight mile round trip, opted three buses. But of course ministers

:20:50.:20:55.

would not know about any of this because they have relied on Google

:20:56.:21:01.

maps in order to put this proposal together. Google, is not the new

:21:02.:21:08.

Britannic isolation I would have expected. But let me say this. Let

:21:09.:21:15.

me add this. Where is the Scottish secretary on these plans? Why have

:21:16.:21:19.

we not heard anything from our Secretary of State in fighting for

:21:20.:21:24.

Glasgow and standing up for Scotland against these proposals? And let me

:21:25.:21:28.

say that the honourable lady muttering from a sedentary position,

:21:29.:21:32.

the Minister was asked by me, how many people in Langside and

:21:33.:21:35.

Castlemilk job centre in my constituency claim disability living

:21:36.:21:38.

allowance? The answer back was that they do not know. Jobseeker's

:21:39.:21:43.

allowance, they do not know. How many people are disabled that use

:21:44.:21:46.

Glasgow job centres across the city? They do not know. So what of the

:21:47.:21:52.

public sector equality duty? How confident is the Minister that he is

:21:53.:21:58.

not going to breach the obligations he has under the 2010 equality act,

:21:59.:22:03.

because we still have no equality impact assessment?

:22:04.:22:05.

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