29/03/2017

:00:00. > :00:00.most recently on the attack last Wednesday. We should not forget that

:00:00. > :00:08.day in day out emergency services work on our behalf and often put

:00:09. > :00:14.themselves in danger as a result. I have kept in touch as has my right

:00:15. > :00:17.honourable friend the Home Secretary with the security services and

:00:18. > :00:23.Metropolitan Police on the investigation taking place into the

:00:24. > :00:26.attack last week and I am looking forward to security arrangements and

:00:27. > :00:31.I can assure him they have the resources they need to carry out

:00:32. > :00:36.vital work. Of course we all pay tribute to the police for the work

:00:37. > :00:42.they do but there are some problems that between 2015 and 2018 there

:00:43. > :00:47.will be a real terms cut in central government funding to police forces

:00:48. > :00:50.of 330 million. Can the Prime Minister assure the house the police

:00:51. > :01:00.all over the country have the necessary resources to do the job? I

:01:01. > :01:05.would remind him that what we have done is protected that police budget

:01:06. > :01:10.and of course the former Shadow Home Secretary, his colleague, the right

:01:11. > :01:17.honourable member, prior to the... At the Labour Party conference said

:01:18. > :01:23.savings can be found. The police say 5-10% is just about doable. We have

:01:24. > :01:26.protected the police budget. I have been speaking to police forces and

:01:27. > :01:33.they are cleared the work they are doing has the resources they need.

:01:34. > :01:38.The Police Federation survey recently undertaken reveals that 55%

:01:39. > :01:45.of serving police officers say morale is low due to the way in

:01:46. > :01:51.which funding has been treated. Front line policing is vital in

:01:52. > :01:56.tackling crime and terrorism. Since 2010, there are 20,000 fewer police

:01:57. > :02:00.officers, 12,000 fewer on the front line. I asked the Prime Minister

:02:01. > :02:07.again, will she think again about the cuts and guaranteed policing on

:02:08. > :02:11.the front line will be protected so every community can be assured it

:02:12. > :02:19.has the officers it needs in their community? I said we have protected

:02:20. > :02:23.those police budgets including of course the precepts they raise

:02:24. > :02:30.locally. Let's think about what has happened since 2010. Since 2010 we

:02:31. > :02:34.have seen crime is traditionally measured by the independent crime

:02:35. > :02:41.survey falling by a third to a record low, and that is the work of

:02:42. > :02:46.hard-working officers up and down this country. They have been backed

:02:47. > :02:49.by this government. We have made them more accountable through

:02:50. > :02:53.directly elected Police and Crime Commissioners and there has been

:02:54. > :02:56.reform, including reform of the Police Federation that was

:02:57. > :03:00.necessary, but we have ensured police have resources to do their

:03:01. > :03:12.job and we see crime at a record low. The Royal air forces preparing

:03:13. > :03:18.to fly typhoons from my constituency to Romania, to support Nato allies

:03:19. > :03:23.on the border with Russia. This is as President Putin is locking up

:03:24. > :03:28.political opponents and crushing calls for democracy. Will my right

:03:29. > :03:32.honourable friend confirm that as we leave the EU, the United Kingdom

:03:33. > :03:37.will continue to lead Nato in defending this vital border, and

:03:38. > :03:47.will she paid tribute to the Armed Forces who safeguard our democracy

:03:48. > :03:52.at home and abroad? I am very happy to join my honourable friend in

:03:53. > :03:57.paying tribute to the men and women of our Armed Forces, they are the

:03:58. > :04:05.best in the world and they worked tirelessly to keep us safe and we

:04:06. > :04:09.open every gratitude. Our commitment to collective defence and security

:04:10. > :04:15.through Nato is as strong as ever. We will meet our pledge to spend 2%

:04:16. > :04:21.of GDP wand expense every year of the decade and we plan to spend 178

:04:22. > :04:25.billion on equipment. She referred to work done by the Royal Air Force

:04:26. > :04:31.in relation to Romania. With Nato we deploy a battalion to Estonia and

:04:32. > :04:38.squadron to Poland and I think that shows our commitment to our

:04:39. > :04:41.collective security and defence. We associate ourselves with the

:04:42. > :04:44.condolences of the Prime Minister and leader of the Labour Party and

:04:45. > :04:52.praise for the emergency and security services. After the

:04:53. > :04:57.appalling terrorist atrocity. Last year, the Prime Minister promised

:04:58. > :05:10.before she would trigger Article 50 on leaving the EU, she would secure

:05:11. > :05:15.a UK wide approach and agreement... Last year the Prime Minister did

:05:16. > :05:20.make that promise and promised there would be agreement with the

:05:21. > :05:24.governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland before triggering

:05:25. > :05:30.Article 50. The Prime Minister has now triggered Article 50 and she has

:05:31. > :05:38.done so without an agreement. There is no agreement. Why has she broken

:05:39. > :05:44.her promise and her word? I have been clear throughout and since the

:05:45. > :05:52.first visit that I made as Prime Minister to Edinburgh last July,

:05:53. > :05:55.which was we would work with the devolved administrations and develop

:05:56. > :06:00.a UK wide approach but in negotiations it would be a UK

:06:01. > :06:04.approach taken into the negotiations and it would be the United Kingdom

:06:05. > :06:08.government that took forward that position and I would remind him that

:06:09. > :06:22.Scotland is part of the United Kingdom. People will note the Prime

:06:23. > :06:26.Minister did not deny she would seek a UK wide approach and agreement

:06:27. > :06:32.with the governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and there

:06:33. > :06:36.is no agreement. The Scottish Government was elected with a higher

:06:37. > :06:40.percentage of the vote with a bigger electoral mandate than the UK

:06:41. > :06:46.Government. Yesterday the Scottish Parliament voted by 69 to 59 that

:06:47. > :06:54.people in Scotland should have a choice about their future. After the

:06:55. > :06:57.negotiations with the EU are concluded, there will be a period

:06:58. > :07:02.for democratic approval of the outcome. That choice will be

:07:03. > :07:07.exercised in this Parliament, in the European Parliament, and in 27

:07:08. > :07:13.member states of the EU. Given that everybody else will have a choice...

:07:14. > :07:24.Will the people of Scotland have a choice... ? I say to the right

:07:25. > :07:30.honourable gentleman that we are taking forward the views of the

:07:31. > :07:37.United Kingdom into the negotiations with the European Union on the

:07:38. > :07:49.United Kingdom exiting the European Union. The Scottish Nationalist

:07:50. > :07:54.party consistently talks... Order! This is unseemly heckling. You are a

:07:55. > :07:57.distinguished QC. You would not behave like that in the Scottish

:07:58. > :08:06.courts. You would be chucked out. Prime Minister. The SNP consistently

:08:07. > :08:11.talks about independence as the only subject they wish to talk about. I

:08:12. > :08:16.said to him and his colleagues that now is not the time to be talking

:08:17. > :08:25.about a second independence referendum. On today of all days, we

:08:26. > :08:35.should be coming together as a United Kingdom to get the best deal

:08:36. > :08:40.for Britain. Improving vocational and technical

:08:41. > :08:44.education is vital to closing our productivity gap so can the Prime

:08:45. > :08:48.Minister assure me vocational education will enjoy equal status

:08:49. > :08:52.with academic education so that as we leave the EU, our young people

:08:53. > :08:57.can be equipped to build the high skilled economy of the future? My

:08:58. > :09:04.honourable friend has raised an important issue. It is essential for

:09:05. > :09:09.young people we give vocational and technical education the right esteem

:09:10. > :09:14.and focus because it is essential in addressing the productivity gap. We

:09:15. > :09:19.want to deliver a world leading technical education system to create

:09:20. > :09:23.genuine options that are equal in esteem, two options for young people

:09:24. > :09:29.in esteem. In the budget, the Chancellor announced a significant

:09:30. > :09:34.package of investment to represent the most ambitious post-16 reform

:09:35. > :09:38.since the introduction of A-levels. We will invest an extra half ?1

:09:39. > :09:44.billion in Ingham's technical education and introduce maintenance

:09:45. > :09:50.loans or those studying high-level technical qualifications at

:09:51. > :09:55.institutes of technology. The Treasury Select Committee says that

:09:56. > :10:00.having to fill in a tax return every three months means that many smaller

:10:01. > :10:04.companies face disaster. The Federation of small business says

:10:05. > :10:10.the extra cost is likely to be annually ?2700 a year. This is

:10:11. > :10:18.another burden on business from this government. She got it wrong on

:10:19. > :10:19.national Insurance, is she going to backtrack now on tax returns, as

:10:20. > :10:27.well? Perhaps the honourable gentleman

:10:28. > :10:30.should have listened to the announcement the Chancellor made in

:10:31. > :10:34.the budget where he indicated he would be delaying the introduction

:10:35. > :10:39.of this for the smallest businesses below the VAT threshold for a year.

:10:40. > :10:42.But I think it is right that HMRC does try to move to a greater

:10:43. > :10:48.digitisation of the way in which it operates. I think that will enable

:10:49. > :10:51.it to give a better service to those people who are completing their

:10:52. > :10:57.forms, and we should always remember that aspect of what is being

:10:58. > :11:00.proposed. I welcome the additional money the Government has given for

:11:01. > :11:06.adult social care, but it is important we also look at long-term

:11:07. > :11:11.solutions for the. Will the Prime Minister look at issues with how the

:11:12. > :11:15.system works with Northampton county council and Northampton General

:11:16. > :11:22.Hospital? I say to my honourable friend but I'm grateful that he is

:11:23. > :11:26.welcome for the extra money, the ?2 billion going to social care and out

:11:27. > :11:31.by the Chancellor. This shows we have recognised the pressures and

:11:32. > :11:34.demands on social care, but it is also important that we ensure best

:11:35. > :11:39.practice is delivered across the whole of the country, it isn't just

:11:40. > :11:41.about money, so we are trying to find a long-term sustainable

:11:42. > :11:44.solution which will help local authorities to learn from each other

:11:45. > :11:47.and raise standards across the system, and we will bring forward

:11:48. > :11:51.proposals in a green paper later this year to put the state funded

:11:52. > :11:56.system on a more sustainable and long-term footing. As Home

:11:57. > :12:00.Secretary, the Prime Minister clearly didn't protect police

:12:01. > :12:07.budgets. Last week she told me four times, we have protected the schools

:12:08. > :12:14.budget. Does she still stand by that statement? We have protected schools

:12:15. > :12:21.budgets, and we are putting record funding into schools. Today, Mr

:12:22. > :12:26.Speaker, the Public Accounts Committee says the Department of

:12:27. > :12:30.Education that it does not seem to understand the pressures that

:12:31. > :12:36.schools are already under. And they went on to say that funding per

:12:37. > :12:41.pupil is reducing in real terms, and goes on to say schools budgets will

:12:42. > :12:51.be cut by ?3 billion, equivalent to 8%, by 2020. Is the Public Accounts

:12:52. > :12:57.Committee wrong on this? What we see over the course of this Parliament

:12:58. > :13:00.is ?230 billion going into our schools. But what matters is the

:13:01. > :13:06.quality of education that we see in our schools. 1.8 million more

:13:07. > :13:09.children in good or outstanding schools, and a policy from this

:13:10. > :13:14.Government to ensure that every child gets a good school plays. Mr

:13:15. > :13:20.Speaker, the daily experience of many parents who have children in

:13:21. > :13:25.schools is that they get letters from the schools asking for money.

:13:26. > :13:28.One parent, Elizabeth, wrote to me to say she has received a letter

:13:29. > :13:33.from her daughter's school asking for a monthly donation to top up the

:13:34. > :13:39.reduced funds that her school is receiving. This Government's cuts to

:13:40. > :13:42.schools are betraying a generation of our children. If the Prime

:13:43. > :13:48.Minister is right, then the parents are wrong, the teachers are wrong,

:13:49. > :13:54.the IFF is wrong, the National Audit Office is wrong, the education

:13:55. > :13:56.policy Institute is wrong and now the Public Accounts Committee, which

:13:57. > :14:01.includes eight Conservative members in it, is also wrong. So which

:14:02. > :14:06.organisation does back the Prime Minister's view on education

:14:07. > :14:10.spending in our schools? I would say to the right honourable gentleman

:14:11. > :14:14.that as I have just said to him, we said we would protect school

:14:15. > :14:17.funding, and we have. A real terms protection for the schools budget.

:14:18. > :14:24.We said we would protect the money following children into schools, and

:14:25. > :14:29.we have, it reaches ?42 billion as pupil numbers rise in 19/ 20. But it

:14:30. > :14:34.is also about the quality of education children are receiving.

:14:35. > :14:37.1.8 million more children in good or outstanding schools than under the

:14:38. > :14:42.Labour government. But I also say this, because time and time again,

:14:43. > :14:45.the gentleman stands up in PMQs and asks questions which would lead to

:14:46. > :14:50.more spending. Let's look at what he has done recently. On the 11th of

:14:51. > :14:56.January, more spending. On the 8th of February, more spending. On the

:14:57. > :15:01.22nd of February, more spending. On the first and the 8th of March, more

:15:02. > :15:06.spending. On the 15th and 22nd of March, more spending. Barely a PMQs

:15:07. > :15:12.goes by that he doesn't call for more public spending. When it comes

:15:13. > :15:16.to spending money that they haven't got, Labour simply can't help

:15:17. > :15:20.themselves. It's the same old Labour, spend today and give

:15:21. > :15:21.somebody else the Bill tomorrow. Well, we won't do that to the next

:15:22. > :15:37.generation. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I'm sure

:15:38. > :15:40.everyone in the House will want to join me in paying tribute to the

:15:41. > :15:45.thousands who worked in munitions factories in both world wars. Often

:15:46. > :15:48.in very dangerous conditions. And they produced a vital equipment for

:15:49. > :15:51.the Armed Forces that helped us to victory. I'm sure my honourable

:15:52. > :15:56.friend will recognise that for practical reasons it is not possible

:15:57. > :15:59.to pursue individual awards, but I know that the Department for

:16:00. > :16:02.Business would be happy to work with him to look at further ways to

:16:03. > :16:07.recognise the collective effort of former munitions workers. I thank my

:16:08. > :16:10.right honourable friend for that answer. These ladies found that the

:16:11. > :16:17.chemicals in the shells turned their skins yellow, and they were

:16:18. > :16:19.nicknamed canary girls. I know my right honourable friend is

:16:20. > :16:22.exceptionally busy at the moment, but could she find just a few

:16:23. > :16:26.moments in her diary to meet me and some of these canary girls to

:16:27. > :16:30.recognise their service? I would be very happy to do that. I would be

:16:31. > :16:35.very happy to meet some canary girls. As I said, they did work

:16:36. > :16:39.which was vital to the war effort. They did work which in one sense was

:16:40. > :16:42.absolutely routine, but in another sense was extremely dangerous, and I

:16:43. > :16:49.think we should recognise the efforts that they put in. Thank you,

:16:50. > :16:55.Mr Speaker. The Prime Minister will be aware that the Welsh Labour

:16:56. > :17:00.government has established a children's funeral fund. Many

:17:01. > :17:03.leading funeral providers have also indicated that there will be no

:17:04. > :17:08.charges for children and young people's funerals. I know the Prime

:17:09. > :17:12.Minister is a compassionate woman, and I know she understands the

:17:13. > :17:18.importance of a children's funeral fund. Will she agree to work with me

:17:19. > :17:23.to establish this fund to bring some comfort to bereaved parents in their

:17:24. > :17:26.darkest hour? I pay tribute to the honourable lady who has been

:17:27. > :17:32.campaigning tirelessly on this issue, and obviously it is not just

:17:33. > :17:34.a passionate campaign, but she has spoken on many occasions moving in

:17:35. > :17:40.this House about her personal experience which she has brought to

:17:41. > :17:44.bear on this issue. I welcome the decision taken by the co-operative

:17:45. > :17:47.funeral company to waive the fees on this. There is some financial

:17:48. > :17:51.support available, we are looking at this issue on the problems faced by

:17:52. > :17:55.parents, and at what more can be done through a cross government

:17:56. > :17:58.piece of work, and I ask the Minister for the Cabinet office who

:17:59. > :18:03.is meeting on that piece of work to meet with us and talk about the

:18:04. > :18:07.idea. As the Prime Minister will know, the budget gave an extra ?200

:18:08. > :18:10.million to the Welsh Labour government in order to provide

:18:11. > :18:14.business rate relief. Will the Prime Minister agree with myself and the

:18:15. > :18:18.leader of Monmouthshire council that Welsh Labour must now commit to

:18:19. > :18:22.spending that money on supporting Welsh businesses and giving the same

:18:23. > :18:28.level of support that has been provided in England by this

:18:29. > :18:32.conservative Government? I say to my honourable friend he is absolutely

:18:33. > :18:34.right. As he said at the budget, my right honourable friend the

:18:35. > :18:40.Chancellor announced a ?200 million boost to the Welsh budget. They will

:18:41. > :18:43.be able to use that money to support their own priorities, but the people

:18:44. > :18:46.of Wales can send a clear signal about these priorities by voting for

:18:47. > :18:51.Conservative councillors like Peter Fox on the 4th of May. And I have to

:18:52. > :18:56.say it is the UK Government actions to support working families

:18:57. > :19:02.throughout the country that will make sure Wales benefits. The

:19:03. > :19:06.Foreign Secretary jury be EU referendum campaign urged people to,

:19:07. > :19:12.and I quote, take back control of huge sums of money, ?350 million per

:19:13. > :19:18.week, and spend it on our priorities such as the NHS. The Prime Minister

:19:19. > :19:23.will trigger article 50 today. Can the Prime Minister confirm precisely

:19:24. > :19:26.when she wants to fulfil the promise made by her Cabinet colleagues who

:19:27. > :19:34.is sitting on the front page smirking at the British public?

:19:35. > :19:56.Order, order, Boris is sitting perfectly comfortably, there is an

:19:57. > :19:59.air of repose about the fellow! Prime Minister.

:20:00. > :20:05.I am very happy to tell the honourable lady that when this

:20:06. > :20:08.country leaves the European Union, we will have control of our budget

:20:09. > :20:15.and we will decide how that money is spent. With modification, schools in

:20:16. > :20:18.my constituency welcome the National funding formula, and given the

:20:19. > :20:23.Leader of the Opposition's intervention, I hope my next

:20:24. > :20:28.question doesn't land me on the naughty step, but given that

:20:29. > :20:32.Stockport schools and other schools have been at the bottom of the

:20:33. > :20:37.funding pile for years, and have less scope for efficiencies, would

:20:38. > :20:42.my right honourable friend consider giving immediate support to them? As

:20:43. > :20:47.my honourable friend is saying, what we are doing is aiming to end the

:20:48. > :20:52.postcode lottery of schools funding, and schools funding is at a record

:20:53. > :20:57.high. In relation to the minimum funding level, as I have said

:20:58. > :21:00.before, the DFE have heard representations on the issue on this

:21:01. > :21:05.national funding formula and will be considering those. There have been a

:21:06. > :21:10.lot of responses to that, but it is a historic and complex reform but

:21:11. > :21:14.there has been general agreement for many years that reform is needed, we

:21:15. > :21:21.want to get this right which is why we are carefully considering it.

:21:22. > :21:25.After nine months of this Prime Minister's approach to Brexit,

:21:26. > :21:29.Northern Ireland is deadlocked, the Welsh are alienated, Scotland is

:21:30. > :21:35.going for a referendum, the English are split down the middle and Brexit

:21:36. > :21:40.MPs are walking out of Commons committees because they don't like

:21:41. > :21:42.home truths. Has the Prime Minister considered in terms of invoking

:21:43. > :22:01.Article 50 that now is not the time? What the UK Government is doing in

:22:02. > :22:04.invoking article 50 is putting into practice the Democratic vote of the

:22:05. > :22:09.British people on the 23rd of June last year in a referendum. There was

:22:10. > :22:14.a referendum in 2014 in Scotland when the Scottish people voted to

:22:15. > :22:16.remain part of the United Kingdom. I suggest The right honourable

:22:17. > :22:24.gentleman and his colleagues put that into practice! Mr Speaker,

:22:25. > :22:29.three quarters of my constituent Umag voted to leave the European

:22:30. > :22:33.Union. Does the Prime Minister agree with me that as she triggers article

:22:34. > :22:38.50, it marks a watershed moment, not only for this country's control of

:22:39. > :22:42.immigration and our sovereignty, but also for listening to the views of

:22:43. > :22:50.people who were forgotten for far too long? I absolutely agree with my

:22:51. > :22:58.honourable friend. Not only are we putting into place the views of the

:22:59. > :23:02.British people as set out in that referendum on the 23rd of June last

:23:03. > :23:06.year, but crucially that was not just a vote about leaving the EU. It

:23:07. > :23:10.was a vote about changing this country for the future, and this

:23:11. > :23:13.Government has a clear plan for Britain that will change this

:23:14. > :23:17.country, that will see us with a more global outlook, a stronger

:23:18. > :23:29.economy, a fairer society and a more united nation. The people expect the

:23:30. > :23:33.Prime Minister to follow her party's manifesto and abide by a majority

:23:34. > :23:39.vote of this Parliament. So why does she say that the First Minister of

:23:40. > :23:48.Scotland should do the opposite? What I say is that at this point in

:23:49. > :23:57.time Dodge at this point in time as we face this historic moment of

:23:58. > :24:03.facing Article 50 and this country's relationship with the European

:24:04. > :24:09.Union, now is the time for us to pull together and not, part. On

:24:10. > :24:13.Friday, thousands of people will be up and down this country raising

:24:14. > :24:23.funds and awareness of brain tumour research. Many of these people will

:24:24. > :24:29.know people someone who have suffered from a brain tumour. It is

:24:30. > :24:33.a bigger cancer killer of children and adults under 40. Will the Prime

:24:34. > :24:36.Minister join me in commending all these people raising awareness and

:24:37. > :24:41.funds and see what more we can do to raise funding for brain tumour

:24:42. > :24:45.research? This is an important area, and I believe in this area the UK

:24:46. > :24:49.does have a good record of research on brain tumours, and that is

:24:50. > :24:54.important, but he is absolutely right. The people who are raising

:24:55. > :24:57.funds for this important cause should be commended, as he says many

:24:58. > :25:01.of them will have had personal experience in one way or another of

:25:02. > :25:05.brain tumours, and I think it is important that we recognise that

:25:06. > :25:10.there are many killers out there which don't often receive the

:25:11. > :25:12.publicity and support of others, and we should recognise their

:25:13. > :25:18.importance, and commend those who are raising funds.

:25:19. > :25:25.Can the Prime Minister said what she is doing to ensure national and

:25:26. > :25:30.local government prioritise the purchasing and buying of British

:25:31. > :25:40.goods and services, although the Home Secretary on police vehicles,

:25:41. > :25:44.does not give us cause for optimism. We have been encouraging the

:25:45. > :25:49.procurement of British goods and services. He asked what we can do

:25:50. > :25:55.for local authorities, if people want local authorities to take their

:25:56. > :26:01.best interests to heart, they should vote Conservative. Can I ask... I

:26:02. > :26:08.congratulate the Prime Minister and invoking Article 50. Does she agree

:26:09. > :26:13.this needs to be the end of the phoney war and posturing and focus

:26:14. > :26:16.now on the detail for every industry, centre and community to

:26:17. > :26:24.get a bespoke deal we can all get behind? I agree with my honourable

:26:25. > :26:28.friend. Now is the time to come together and be united across this

:26:29. > :26:36.House and country to ensure we work for the best deal for the United

:26:37. > :26:40.Kingdom and best future for us all. The Prime Minister has rightly

:26:41. > :26:44.emphasised her determination to deliver for all constituent parts of

:26:45. > :26:48.the United Kingdom on this historic day and while others are content to

:26:49. > :26:53.moan, we want to see that delivery happen and we are confident she will

:26:54. > :26:58.make that happen. In Northern Ireland, where some have walked away

:26:59. > :27:02.from responsibilities in terms of devolution, we want devolution up

:27:03. > :27:07.and running to have a functioning government and we have set no

:27:08. > :27:12.preconditions. If others continue to stay away from devolution and walk

:27:13. > :27:15.away, will she pledged to work more closely with those of us in this

:27:16. > :27:21.House to defend and protect the interests of Northern Ireland? We

:27:22. > :27:25.say that we all want to work together to ensure we can protect

:27:26. > :27:30.the best interests of Northern Ireland. I think that ensuring we

:27:31. > :27:34.have strong devolved government in Northern Ireland is important for

:27:35. > :27:38.the future and so we can build on the significant progress made in

:27:39. > :27:42.recent years for the people of Northern Ireland and I urge all

:27:43. > :27:47.parties to come to the talks with a view to finding a way through so

:27:48. > :27:52.that Northern Ireland once again can be restored to devolved government.

:27:53. > :27:58.With the Prime Minister agree social media companies need to take action

:27:59. > :28:01.to remove extremist and hate material from platforms and to foot

:28:02. > :28:08.the Bill for the police who are currently doing their dirty work at

:28:09. > :28:12.the taxpayers' expense? This question of working with the

:28:13. > :28:16.companies to ensure extremist material is removed as quickly as

:28:17. > :28:21.possible is one that is not new. Through the counterterrorism

:28:22. > :28:27.internet referral unit we have the process to enable the police to take

:28:28. > :28:32.material down. 250,000 pieces of material have been taken down since

:28:33. > :28:37.2010 and there has been increase in that activity in the last couple of

:28:38. > :28:41.years. I know the Home Secretary will be meeting companies this week

:28:42. > :28:47.to talk to them about this important issue. We do not want extremist

:28:48. > :28:50.material on the internet, what we want to see is companies taking

:28:51. > :28:58.action to remove material encouraging hate and division. Late

:28:59. > :29:03.on Saturday night, a massive explosion devastated new ferry in my

:29:04. > :29:08.constituency. We are thinking of those who were hurt. It is a miracle

:29:09. > :29:13.more people were not injured. The community faces dereliction. All the

:29:14. > :29:17.Prime Minister join with me in thanking all of those who looked

:29:18. > :29:21.after my community over the weekend and recent days, and will she

:29:22. > :29:27.arrange a meeting with the Secretary of State who can discuss how the

:29:28. > :29:33.government can help us to rebuild New Ferry. I am happy to do those

:29:34. > :29:39.things. I commend and thank all of those who worked hard in the

:29:40. > :29:44.emergency services and others to support her community when this

:29:45. > :29:48.devastating explosion took place. That work will continue. There will

:29:49. > :29:53.be support I am sure being given to the community in the future and I am

:29:54. > :29:58.happy to ask the Secretary of State to meet her and discuss how that

:29:59. > :30:06.community can be rebuilt and overcome the impact of this

:30:07. > :30:20.explosion. Order. Statement, the Prime Minister.

:30:21. > :30:25.Thank you, Mr Speaker. Today, the government acts on the democratic

:30:26. > :30:32.will of the British people. It acts on the clear and convincing position

:30:33. > :30:36.of this House. A few minutes ago in Brussels, the United Kingdom's

:30:37. > :30:42.permanent representative to the EU handed a letter to the president of

:30:43. > :30:47.the European Council on my behalf, confirming the government decision

:30:48. > :30:51.to invoke Article 50. The Article 50 process is now under way and in

:30:52. > :30:58.accordance with the wishes of the British people the United Kingdom is

:30:59. > :31:04.leaving the European Union. This is an historic moment from which there

:31:05. > :31:08.can be no turning back. Britain is leaving the European Union. We are

:31:09. > :31:14.going to make our own decisions and laws. We are going to take control

:31:15. > :31:18.of things that matter most to us and we are going to take this

:31:19. > :31:21.opportunity to build a stronger, fairer Britain, a country our

:31:22. > :31:28.children and grandchildren are proud to call home. That is our ambition

:31:29. > :31:35.and our opportunity. That is what this government is determined to do.

:31:36. > :31:39.Mr Speaker, at moments like these, great turning points in our national

:31:40. > :31:45.story, the choices we make to find the character of our nation. We can

:31:46. > :31:49.choose to save the task ahead is too great, we can choose to turn our

:31:50. > :31:53.face to the past and believe it cannot be done, or we can look

:31:54. > :32:00.forward with optimism and hope and to believe in the power of the

:32:01. > :32:09.British spirit. I choose to believe in Britain and that our best days

:32:10. > :32:14.lie ahead. I do so because I am confident we have vision and plan to

:32:15. > :32:20.use this moment to build a better Britain. For leaving the EU presents

:32:21. > :32:25.us with a unique opportunity. It is this generation's chance to shape a

:32:26. > :32:29.brighter future, a chance to step back and ask ourselves what kind of

:32:30. > :32:37.country we want to be. My answer is clear. I want the United Kingdom to

:32:38. > :32:41.emerge from this period of change stronger, fairer, more united and

:32:42. > :32:47.more outward looking than ever before. I want us to be a secure,

:32:48. > :32:50.prosperous, tolerant country, a magnet for international talent and

:32:51. > :32:55.are home to the pioneers and innovators who will shape the world

:32:56. > :33:02.ahead. I want us to be a truly global Britain. The best friend and

:33:03. > :33:09.neighbour to our European partners, a country that reaches beyond the

:33:10. > :33:13.borders of Europe. Can I apologise for interrupting. Mr Boswell, calm

:33:14. > :33:24.yourself, you have to learn to behave in a statement --

:33:25. > :33:30.statesman-like fashion. I want all colleagues the chance to question

:33:31. > :33:33.the Prime Minister. This is an important statement and it is

:33:34. > :33:43.reasonable to expect the Prime Minister gets a courteous hearing.

:33:44. > :33:48.Mr Speaker, I want us to be a truly global Britain, the best friend and

:33:49. > :33:51.neighbour to our European partners that a country that reaches beyond

:33:52. > :33:56.the borders of Europe, a country that goes into the world to build

:33:57. > :34:02.relationships with new friends and allies alike. That is why I have set

:34:03. > :34:07.out a clear and ambitious plan for the negotiations ahead, a plan for a

:34:08. > :34:11.deep and special partnership between Britain and the European Union, of

:34:12. > :34:16.values, a partnership of interests, a partnership based on cooperation

:34:17. > :34:20.in areas such as security and economic affairs, and a partnership

:34:21. > :34:26.that works in the best interests of the United Kingdom, European Union

:34:27. > :34:34.and wider world. Perhaps now more than ever the world needs the

:34:35. > :34:55.liberal democratic values of Europe. Values... Perhaps...

:34:56. > :35:05.Perhaps now more than ever the world needs the liberal democratic values

:35:06. > :35:10.of Europe, values the United Kingdom shares and that is why while we are

:35:11. > :35:15.leaving the institutions of the European Union, we are not leaving

:35:16. > :35:18.Europe, we will remain a close friend and ally, we would be a

:35:19. > :35:24.committed partner and play our part to ensure Europe is able to protect

:35:25. > :35:29.its values and defend itself from security threats and we will do all

:35:30. > :35:33.we can to help the European Union prosper and succeed. In a letter

:35:34. > :35:37.delivered to resident Donald Tusk today, copies of which I have placed

:35:38. > :35:42.in the library, I have been cleared the deep and special partnership we

:35:43. > :35:46.seek is in the best interests of the United Kingdom and European Union. I

:35:47. > :35:50.have been clear we will work constructively in a spirit of

:35:51. > :35:55.sincere cooperation to bring this partnership into being. I have been

:35:56. > :35:59.clear we should seek to agree the terms of this future partnership

:36:00. > :36:04.alongside those of our withdrawal within the next two years. I am

:36:05. > :36:09.ambitious for Britain and the objectives set out for these

:36:10. > :36:13.negotiations remain. We will deliver certainty wherever possible so that

:36:14. > :36:19.business, the public sector and everybody has as much clarity as we

:36:20. > :36:25.can provide. Tomorrow we will publish a White Paper confirming our

:36:26. > :36:29.plans to convert it into British law so that everyone knows where they

:36:30. > :36:34.stand. It is why I have been clear the government will put the final

:36:35. > :36:38.deal agreed to a vote in both houses of parliament before it comes into

:36:39. > :36:41.force. We will take control of our laws and bring an end to the

:36:42. > :36:46.jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in Britain. Leaving the

:36:47. > :36:51.European Union will mean our laws will be made in Westminster,

:36:52. > :36:56.Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, and those laws will be interpreted by

:36:57. > :37:02.judges not in Luxembourg, but in courts across this country. We will

:37:03. > :37:10.strengthen the union of the four nations that comprise our United

:37:11. > :37:14.Kingdom. We will negotiate as one United Kingdom, taking account of

:37:15. > :37:19.the specific interests of every nation and region of the UK and when

:37:20. > :37:23.it comes to the powers we take back from Europe, we will consult on

:37:24. > :37:27.which powers should reside in Westminster and which should be

:37:28. > :37:31.passed on to the devolved administrations. No decision

:37:32. > :37:36.currently taken by the devolved administrations will be removed from

:37:37. > :37:38.them and it is the expectation of the government the devolved

:37:39. > :37:42.administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will see a sick

:37:43. > :37:47.that could increase in decision-making power as a result of

:37:48. > :37:51.this process. We want to maintain the common travel area with the

:37:52. > :37:56.Republic of Ireland, there shall be no return to the borders of the

:37:57. > :38:00.past. We will control immigration so we continue to attract the brightest

:38:01. > :38:05.and best to work and study in Britain, but manage the process so

:38:06. > :38:09.that our immigration system serves the national interest. We seek to

:38:10. > :38:13.guarantee the rights of EU citizens living in Britain and the rights of

:38:14. > :38:19.British nationals in member states as early as we can. That is set out

:38:20. > :38:25.clearly in the letter as an early priority for the talks ahead. We

:38:26. > :38:29.will ensure workers' rights are protected and maintained and under

:38:30. > :38:33.my leadership not only with the government protect the rights of

:38:34. > :38:37.workers, but we will build on them. We will pursue an ambitious free

:38:38. > :38:42.trade agreement with the European Union that allows for the freest

:38:43. > :38:45.trading goods and services between Britain and the EU member states.

:38:46. > :38:50.That gives British companies the maximum freedom to trade with and

:38:51. > :38:54.operate within European markets and let European businesses do the same

:38:55. > :38:59.in Britain, because European leaders have said many times we cannot

:39:00. > :39:04.cherry pick and remain members of the single market without accepting

:39:05. > :39:08.the four freedoms that are indivisible. We respect that

:39:09. > :39:12.position and as accepting those freedoms is incompatible with the

:39:13. > :39:18.expressed will of the British people, we will no longer be members

:39:19. > :39:22.of the single market. We will make sure that we can strike trade

:39:23. > :39:26.agreements with countries from outside the European Union. Because

:39:27. > :39:31.important though trade with the EU is and will remain, it is clear the

:39:32. > :39:36.UK needs to increase significantly its trade with the fastest-growing

:39:37. > :39:41.export markets in the world. We hope to continue to collaborate with

:39:42. > :39:46.European partners in science, education, research and technology,

:39:47. > :39:50.said the UK is one of the best places for science and innovation

:39:51. > :40:00.and we seek cooperation with our European partners in important areas

:40:01. > :40:02.such as crime, terrorism and foreign affairs and it is our aim to deliver

:40:03. > :40:05.a smoother quarterly Brexit, reaching agreement about future

:40:06. > :40:10.partnership by the time the Article 50 process has concluded and moving

:40:11. > :40:14.into a process of implementation in which Britain, EU institutions and

:40:15. > :40:19.member states prepare for the new arrangements that will exist between

:40:20. > :40:23.us. We understand that there will be consequences for the UK of leaving

:40:24. > :40:27.the EU. We know we will lose influence...

:40:28. > :40:33.We know that we will lose influence over the rules that affect the

:40:34. > :40:37.European economy. We know that UK companies that trade with the EU

:40:38. > :40:42.will have to align with rules agreed by institutions of which we are no

:40:43. > :40:47.longer part. Just as we do in other overseas markets. And we accept

:40:48. > :40:52.that. However, we approach these talks constructively, respectfully

:40:53. > :40:55.and in a spirit of Cisse Corporation, for it is in the

:40:56. > :41:00.interest of both the UK and the European Union that we use this

:41:01. > :41:04.process to deliver our objectives in a fair and orderly manner. Is it is

:41:05. > :41:06.in the interests of both the United Kingdom and the European Union that

:41:07. > :41:11.there should be as little disruption as possible, and it is in the

:41:12. > :41:15.interests of both the United Kingdom and the European Union that Europe

:41:16. > :41:20.should remain strong, prosperous and capable of projecting its values in

:41:21. > :41:23.the world. At a time when the growth of global trade is slowing and there

:41:24. > :41:29.are signs the protectionist instincts are on the rise in many

:41:30. > :41:33.parts of the world, Europe has a responsibility to stand up for free

:41:34. > :41:38.trade in interest of all our citizens. With Europe's security

:41:39. > :41:43.more fragile today than at any time since the end of the Cold War,

:41:44. > :41:47.weakening our Corporation and failing to stand up for European

:41:48. > :41:51.values would be a costly mistake. Our vote to leave the EU was no

:41:52. > :41:55.rejection of the values we share as fellow Europeans. As a fellow

:41:56. > :41:59.European country, we will continue to play our part in promoting and

:42:00. > :42:05.supporting those values during the negotiations and once they are done.

:42:06. > :42:10.We will continue to be reliable partners, willing allies and close

:42:11. > :42:13.friends. We want to continue to buy goods and services from the EU and

:42:14. > :42:18.sell them hours. We want to trade with them as freely as possible, and

:42:19. > :42:21.work together to make sure we are all safer, more secure and more

:42:22. > :42:25.prosperous through continued friendship. Indeed in an

:42:26. > :42:29.increasingly unstable world, we must continue to forge the closest

:42:30. > :42:33.possible security cooperation to keep our people safe. We face the

:42:34. > :42:38.same global threats from terrorism and extremism. That message was only

:42:39. > :42:43.reinforced by the Borren to tack on Westminster Bridge and this place

:42:44. > :42:47.last week. -- the abhorrent attack. So there is no reason why they

:42:48. > :42:52.should not be a special partnership between the UK and the EU that works

:42:53. > :42:57.for us all. Mr Speaker, I know that this is a day of celebration for

:42:58. > :43:00.some disappointment for others. The referendum last June was divisive at

:43:01. > :43:05.times. Not everyone shared the same point of view or voted the same way.

:43:06. > :43:09.The arguments on both sides were passionate. But Mr Speaker, when I

:43:10. > :43:13.sit around the negotiating table in the months ahead, I will represent

:43:14. > :43:18.every person in the United Kingdom, young and old, rich and poor, city,

:43:19. > :43:22.town, country and all the villages and hamlets in between. And yes,

:43:23. > :43:27.those EU nationals who have made this country their home. And it is

:43:28. > :43:30.my fierce determination to get the right deal for every single person

:43:31. > :43:34.in this country. For as we face the opportunities ahead of us on this

:43:35. > :43:41.momentum journey, our shared values, interests and ambitions can and must

:43:42. > :43:45.bring us together. We all want to see a Britain that is stronger than

:43:46. > :43:50.it is today. We all want a country that is fairer so that everyone has

:43:51. > :43:53.the chance to succeed. We all want a nation that is safe and secure for

:43:54. > :43:57.our children and grandchildren. We all want to live in a truly global

:43:58. > :44:01.Britain that gets out and build relationships with old friends and

:44:02. > :44:06.new allies around the world. These are the ambitions of this Government

:44:07. > :44:10.was my plan for Britain, ambitions that unite us so we are no longer

:44:11. > :44:15.defined by the vote we cast but by our determination to make a success

:44:16. > :44:20.of the result. We are one great union of people and nations with a

:44:21. > :44:25.proud history and a bright future. And now that the decision to leave

:44:26. > :44:29.has been made and the process is under way, it is time to come

:44:30. > :44:34.together. For this great national moment needs a great national

:44:35. > :44:39.effort. An effort to shape a stronger future for Britain. So let

:44:40. > :44:45.us do so together. Let us come together and work together. Let us

:44:46. > :44:49.together choose to believe in Britain with optimism and hope. For

:44:50. > :44:53.if we do, we can make the most of the opportunities ahead. We can

:44:54. > :44:59.together make a success of this moment. And we can together will

:45:00. > :45:02.they stronger, fairer, better Britain, a Britain our children and

:45:03. > :45:03.grandchildren are proud to call home. I commend this statement to

:45:04. > :45:16.the House. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I would like

:45:17. > :45:23.to thank the Prime Minister for an advance copy of her statement. Today

:45:24. > :45:27.we embark on the country's most important negotiations in modern

:45:28. > :45:30.times. The British people made the decision to leave the European

:45:31. > :45:36.Union, and Labour respect that decision. The next steps along this

:45:37. > :45:40.journey are the most crucial. If the Prime Minister is to unite the

:45:41. > :45:46.country as she says she aims to do, the Government needs to listen,

:45:47. > :45:55.consult and represent the whole country, not just the hardline Tory

:45:56. > :45:58.ideologues on our own benches. Britain is going to change as a

:45:59. > :46:05.result of leaving the European Union. The question is, how? There

:46:06. > :46:06.are Conservatives who want to use Brexit to turn this country into a

:46:07. > :46:21.low-wage tax havens. Labour is determined to invest in a

:46:22. > :46:25.high skill, high-tech, high wage future, to rebuild and transform

:46:26. > :46:32.Britain, so that no one and no community is left behind. Mr

:46:33. > :46:35.Speaker, the direction the Prime Minister is threatening to take this

:46:36. > :46:42.country in is both a reckless and damaging. And Labour will not give

:46:43. > :46:47.this Government a free hand to use Brexit to attack rights, protections

:46:48. > :46:52.and cut services, or create a tax dodgers' paradise. So let me be

:46:53. > :47:00.clear, Mr Speaker. The Prime Minister says that no deal is better

:47:01. > :47:08.than a bad deal. But the reality is, no deal is a bad deal. Less than a

:47:09. > :47:15.year ago, the Treasury estimated that leaving the European Union on

:47:16. > :47:26.World Trade Organisation terms would lead to a 7.5% fall in our GDP. And

:47:27. > :47:31.?45 billion lost in tax receipts. Has the Treasury updated those

:47:32. > :47:36.figures, or do they still stand? If updated, can they be published? If

:47:37. > :47:43.not, what deal could be worse than those consequences of no deal? It

:47:44. > :47:47.would be a national failure of historic proportions if the Prime

:47:48. > :47:55.Minister comes back from Brussels without having secured protection

:47:56. > :47:57.for jobs and living standards. So we will use every Parliamentary

:47:58. > :48:05.opportunity to ensure this Government is held to account at

:48:06. > :48:09.every stage of the negotiations. Mr Speaker, we all have an interest in

:48:10. > :48:14.ensuring the Prime Minister gets the best deal for this country. To

:48:15. > :48:19.safeguard jobs, living standards, we do need full access to the single

:48:20. > :48:24.market. The Secretary of State for exiting the EU seems to agree on

:48:25. > :48:29.this. He stated in this House on the 24th of January the Government plan

:48:30. > :48:34.is, and I quote, a comprehensive free trade agreement and a

:48:35. > :48:40.comprehensive customs agreement that will deliver the exact same benefits

:48:41. > :48:45.as we have. So that is what they pledged. So will the Prime Minister

:48:46. > :48:49.confirmed today that she intends to deliver a trade and customs

:48:50. > :48:57.agreement with the exact same benefits? The same goes for

:48:58. > :49:01.protecting workers' right and environmental standards, protecting

:49:02. > :49:04.Britain's nations and regions, protecting Britain's financial

:49:05. > :49:11.sector and services and making sure there is no return to a hard border

:49:12. > :49:16.in Northern Ireland. And when, Mr Speaker, does she expect to be able

:49:17. > :49:21.to guarantee the rights of all those EU nationals who live, work and make

:49:22. > :49:29.such a massive and welcome contribution to this country? And

:49:30. > :49:32.for those British and is who live in all parts of the European Union,

:49:33. > :49:43.including guaranteeing that they were a pensions will not be frozen

:49:44. > :49:47.post-Brexit. Brexit would be a huge task for any Government. But so far

:49:48. > :49:52.they seem utterly complacent about the scale of the task ahead. The

:49:53. > :49:56.Government Ministers cannot make up their minds about the real

:49:57. > :50:00.objective. The Foreign Secretary, he is here today, said in October, our

:50:01. > :50:08.policy is having our cake and eating it. How apposite from the Foreign

:50:09. > :50:13.Secretary. Today, the Chancellor on BBC Radio 4 said, we can't have our

:50:14. > :50:19.cake and eat it. Maybe they should get together and talk about it.

:50:20. > :50:22.These at one level Mr Speaker might seem like a flippant exchanges from

:50:23. > :50:28.Ministers, but they do reflect serious differences about Britain's

:50:29. > :50:34.negotiating aims. The Government must speak with a united voice.

:50:35. > :50:39.However, the Foreign Secretary is the same man who promised our

:50:40. > :50:46.National Health Service ?350 million a week once we left the EU. Now he

:50:47. > :50:52.believes that leaving the EU without a deal would be perfectly OK. It

:50:53. > :50:57.would not be perfectly OK, it would damage our economy and people's

:50:58. > :51:02.living standards. Will the Prime Minister confirmed that she rejects

:51:03. > :51:07.such complacency? Labour set out our tests for this Government 's Brexit

:51:08. > :51:12.negotiations, and we will use all means possible to make sure we hold

:51:13. > :51:15.the Government to this word. An full access to the single market, on

:51:16. > :51:19.protecting Britain from being dragged into a race for the bottom,

:51:20. > :51:24.and ensuring our future relationship with the European Union is strong

:51:25. > :51:27.and cooperative. A relationship where we can work together to bring

:51:28. > :51:33.prosperity and peace to our continent. If the Prime Minister can

:51:34. > :51:37.deliver aid Eildon meets our tests, that will be fine, we will backfire.

:51:38. > :51:42.More than ever, Britain needs a Government that will deliver for the

:51:43. > :51:45.whole country, not just a few, and that is the ultimate test of the

:51:46. > :51:51.Brexit deal, that the Prime Minister must now secure. I'm grateful to the

:51:52. > :52:11.right honourable gentleman. course we now enter the formal

:52:12. > :52:15.process of negotiation. It does seem the message he sent today has not

:52:16. > :52:20.got through to the whole of his front bench. I understand of the

:52:21. > :52:24.Cabinet met his shadow international trade Secretary tweeted a photo of

:52:25. > :52:28.me signing the letter, claiming I was signing away our country's

:52:29. > :52:31.future. I'm afraid that's what we see from Labour all too often,

:52:32. > :52:38.talking down Britain, desperate for the negotiations to fail and out of

:52:39. > :52:42.touch with ordinary working people. He's referred to the tests which

:52:43. > :52:45.I'll come onto. He asked me specifically about EU nationals. I

:52:46. > :52:51.have expressly referred to this in the letter to President Tusk and

:52:52. > :52:54.made it clear that I would hope we could deal with this issue of EU

:52:55. > :53:01.nationals here and UK nationals in other member states at as early as

:53:02. > :53:06.possible stage in the negotiations. I believe there is goodwill on both

:53:07. > :53:08.sides to do that. He mentioned the Labour Party tests which they've set

:53:09. > :53:13.out for negotiations. I've been looking at them. There are

:53:14. > :53:17.principles that the government has time and time again said we are

:53:18. > :53:20.determined to meet. He asks will the final deal ensure a strong and

:53:21. > :53:25.collaborative future with the EU. Yes. In my letter to President Tusk

:53:26. > :53:30.that's exactly what I set out our intention is to be. Will it deliver

:53:31. > :53:34.the same benefits we have? We've been clear that we want to get the

:53:35. > :53:42.best possible deal and free and frictionless trade. Will the deal

:53:43. > :53:47.protect national security? Yes. Will the deal deliver for all regions and

:53:48. > :53:51.nations of the UK? We've been very clear that we are taking all nations

:53:52. > :53:56.and regions into account as I said in a letter to President Tusk. As I

:53:57. > :54:01.said earlier in answer to questions in PMQs we expect that as powers are

:54:02. > :54:05.repatriated devolved administrations will see a significant increase in

:54:06. > :54:11.decision-making. His fifth test was Will the deal defend rights and

:54:12. > :54:15.protect from a race to the bottom? We've been very clear that workers'

:54:16. > :54:17.rights will be protected, it is not something up for negotiation under

:54:18. > :54:24.this government. He should perhaps listen to his own Mayor of London

:54:25. > :54:27.who has said" to give credit to the government, I do not think they want

:54:28. > :54:35.to change workers' rights. There has been some anxiety, I have seen no

:54:36. > :54:39.evidence that it is their aspiration or something they want to do". But

:54:40. > :54:42.there is a sixth test the Labour Party has set out which I don't

:54:43. > :54:45.think the honourable gentleman specifically mentioned and perhaps

:54:46. > :54:49.that is because of confusion in the Labour Party because the sixth test

:54:50. > :54:53.is will the deal ensure fair management of migration? What we see

:54:54. > :54:57.on that is a confused picture from the Labour Party. The Shadow Home

:54:58. > :55:02.Secretary says freedom of movement is a worker 's right and the Right

:55:03. > :55:07.Honourable gentleman himself said the following. Labour is not wedded

:55:08. > :55:12.to freedom of movement for EU citizens as a point of principle,

:55:13. > :55:16.but I don't want that to be misinterpreted, nor do we rule it

:55:17. > :55:17.out. Little wonder nobody has any idea what the Labour Party position

:55:18. > :55:27.on that issue is. To all those we should be coming

:55:28. > :55:32.together and exacting the ambition of our country for the future and we

:55:33. > :55:36.should not be talking down the negotiations as he does. We should

:55:37. > :55:39.set out our optimism and determination to get the best

:55:40. > :55:50.possible deal for everybody in the United Kingdom.

:55:51. > :55:55.Thank you, Mr Speaker. The Leader of the Opposition 's remarks were

:55:56. > :55:59.breathtaking. For decades, from Maastricht onwards, he voted with us

:56:00. > :56:04.over and over and over again and today, Mr Speaker, this is a

:56:05. > :56:08.historic day indeed. Can my right honourable friend reaffirmed that at

:56:09. > :56:12.the very heart of this letter lies the democratic decision in the

:56:13. > :56:17.referendum of UK voters, given to them by a sovereign act of

:56:18. > :56:24.Parliament by 6-1 in this house, enabling the British people to

:56:25. > :56:26.regain their birthright to govern themselves, for which people fought

:56:27. > :56:36.and died over generations? The referendum was then followed by a

:56:37. > :56:42.massive majority of 372 in this house on the third reading of the

:56:43. > :56:47.withdrawal bill itself. Trade and cooperation, yes. European

:56:48. > :56:51.government, no. I think I can give my honourable friend the reassurance

:56:52. > :56:55.that he seeks. If I just quote from the very opening paragraph of my

:56:56. > :56:59.letter to President task, the very first line is to reaffirm that on

:57:00. > :57:03.June 23 last year the people of the United Kingdom voted to leave the

:57:04. > :57:08.European Union but I go on to say that we do want the European Union

:57:09. > :57:11.to succeed and prosper. The vote was not a rejection of the values that

:57:12. > :57:17.we share as fellow Europeans, instead the referendum was about to

:57:18. > :57:28.restore as we see it, our national self-determination. It is important

:57:29. > :57:32.for everybody to remember on this day that on the referendum for the

:57:33. > :57:38.European Union the people of Scotland voted by 62% to remain in

:57:39. > :57:42.the European Union. Every single local government area in the country

:57:43. > :57:48.voted to remain in the European Union. Mr Speaker, this happened two

:57:49. > :57:54.years after Scottish voters were told that they had to voted no to

:57:55. > :57:59.Scottish independence to remain in the European Union, and yet

:58:00. > :58:04.ironically this is exactly what will happen now, because of the majority

:58:05. > :58:10.elsewhere in the United Kingdom, it will being imposed on the people of

:58:11. > :58:15.Scotland. Last year, Mr Speaker, I have raised repeatedly in this

:58:16. > :58:21.chamber the Prime Minister made a commitment to a UK wide approach and

:58:22. > :58:25.agreement with the governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern

:58:26. > :58:30.Ireland. Since then the Scottish Government has published a

:58:31. > :58:35.compromise suggestion. At its heart a plan that could satisfy people in

:58:36. > :58:44.Scotland and the rest of UK. The Prime Minister could have said that

:58:45. > :58:49.she would try, try to seek an agreement with European partners on

:58:50. > :58:53.the plan, which could have protected Scotland's place in the European

:58:54. > :58:58.market, but she did not. The Prime Minister could have taken the views

:58:59. > :59:02.of the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish governments seriously and she

:59:03. > :59:08.could have reached an agreement before triggering Article 50, as she

:59:09. > :59:13.promised. She did not and she does not... Order! I apologise for

:59:14. > :59:15.interrupting the gentlemen, we cannot have side exchanges taking

:59:16. > :59:21.place while the right honourable gentleman should have the floor.

:59:22. > :59:25.Yes, I'm perfectly capable of seeing whence the disruption hailed, but I

:59:26. > :59:28.hope it will not persist. The honourable gentleman has important

:59:29. > :59:32.responsibilities in the government Whip office and he is normally the

:59:33. > :59:38.embodiment of courtesy, to which I know he will now return. Mr Angus

:59:39. > :59:41.Robertson. Thank you, Mr Speaker. We on these benches has become

:59:42. > :59:44.accustomed to the views of members on the other side of the house being

:59:45. > :59:50.incapable of understanding that the people of Scotland voted to remain

:59:51. > :59:57.in the European Union. The Prime Minister promised, promised... The

:59:58. > :00:01.honourable gentlemen and ladies opposite should understand that we

:00:02. > :00:06.have televisions in Scotland and viewers in Scotland can see this

:00:07. > :00:13.discourtesy from the benches opposite. They don't like to hear it

:00:14. > :00:18.but listen they must. The Prime Minister promised an agreement.

:00:19. > :00:23.There is no agreement. She has broken her word, and as Scotland's

:00:24. > :00:28.members of Parliament, we have been sent here with a mandate to stand up

:00:29. > :00:36.for the people of Scotland, it is a mandate that the Prime Minister does

:00:37. > :00:44.not enjoy. 58 out of 59, 58 out of 59 MPs from Scotland voted against

:00:45. > :00:48.triggering Article 50. The Scottish parliament voted against the

:00:49. > :00:52.triggering of Article 50, the Scottish Government was against the

:00:53. > :00:56.triggering of Article 50 before an agreement, and what has this

:00:57. > :01:00.government done? It has carried on blithely, ignoring the views of

:01:01. > :01:05.people in Scotland and its democratically represented a lack --

:01:06. > :01:09.democratically elected representatives. Europe is watching

:01:10. > :01:12.and it is watching the way that this government treats parts of the

:01:13. > :01:17.European Union that voted to remain with Europe. Mr Speaker, the UK

:01:18. > :01:24.Government had a mandate to hold a Brexit referendum. We accept that.

:01:25. > :01:32.We accept the result to leave in the rest of the United Kingdom, and in

:01:33. > :01:36.that context... Again, Mr Speaker, the benches opposite do not seem to

:01:37. > :01:41.understand that the United Kingdom is a multinational state with four

:01:42. > :01:45.nations, and two of them voted to stay, and two of them voted to leave

:01:46. > :01:51.and all of the rhetoric from the government benches does not paper

:01:52. > :02:01.over the gaping chasm that there was not unity in this so-called United

:02:02. > :02:05.Kingdom. As Democrats we should all accept that the Scottish Government

:02:06. > :02:09.has a mandate, given that by the people of Scotland, in an election

:02:10. > :02:15.that we should have a choice after the negotiations have concluded. It

:02:16. > :02:19.should not be kicked into the long grass on that democratic choice

:02:20. > :02:23.tonight. Yesterday the Scottish Parliament voted by 69-59 that

:02:24. > :02:28.people and scholars should have that choice. Will the Prime Minister

:02:29. > :02:35.confirm that she will recognise the democratic right of the people to

:02:36. > :02:37.make their own choice after negotiations have concluded? Mr

:02:38. > :02:42.Speaker, the Prime Minister says that she thinks that Brexit will

:02:43. > :02:49.bring unity to the United Kingdom. It will not. On this issue it is not

:02:50. > :02:53.a United Kingdom and the Prime Minister needs to respect the

:02:54. > :02:58.differences across the nations of the United Kingdom. If she does not

:02:59. > :03:02.and she remains intransigent, and if she denies Scotland a choice in our

:03:03. > :03:17.future, she will make Scottish independence inevitable. Calm

:03:18. > :03:21.yourselves! You are an exceptionally over excitable individual,

:03:22. > :03:25.brandishing your order paper in a distinctly eccentric manner. Go and

:03:26. > :03:29.entertain yourself somewhere else if you can't calm yourself. The Prime

:03:30. > :03:33.Minister. The right honourable gentleman has said this afternoon on

:03:34. > :03:38.a number of occasions, as he has on many occasions in this House before,

:03:39. > :03:42.that Scotland voted to remain in the European Union and should therefore

:03:43. > :04:00.be treated differently. My constituency voted to remain in the

:04:01. > :04:05.European Union! The point is that we are one United Kingdom. It was a

:04:06. > :04:10.vote of the whole of the united Kingdom. What I hear from people

:04:11. > :04:16.outside of this chamber, and by the way the right honourable gentleman

:04:17. > :04:21.seems to forget that something like 400,000 SNP supporters voted to

:04:22. > :04:25.leave the European Union. What I hear from people outside this

:04:26. > :04:30.chamber, from individuals and businesses alike, whether they voted

:04:31. > :04:32.to remain or to leave, is that the vote, having been taken, the

:04:33. > :04:37.decision having been given to people, of the United Kingdom that

:04:38. > :04:44.we should now respect that vote and get on with the job of delivering

:04:45. > :04:49.for everybody across the whole of the United Kingdom. He refers to the

:04:50. > :04:54.issue of Scottish independence and its impact on membership of the

:04:55. > :05:02.European Union. It is the case, and the European union has reinforced

:05:03. > :05:05.the Barroso doctrine, that is Scotland were to... They seem to

:05:06. > :05:09.find it amusing but just to remind everybody that that is the doctrine

:05:10. > :05:15.that if Scotland were to become depends on the United Kingdom and if

:05:16. > :05:20.they had voted for independence in 2016 that they would have ceased to

:05:21. > :05:25.be a member of the European Union. We will be ensuring that the

:05:26. > :05:30.substance of the deal that we achieve, the substance of the deal

:05:31. > :05:34.that we achieve, and I am interested in the outcomes of this deal, will

:05:35. > :05:41.be the best possible deal for the people of the whole of the United

:05:42. > :05:43.Kingdom. He talks about democratic representation and democratic

:05:44. > :05:46.responsibility. Perhaps the Scottish Government might like to consider

:05:47. > :05:54.White has not passed a single piece of legislation in Holyrood in the

:05:55. > :05:59.past year. -- why the Scottish Government has not passed a single

:06:00. > :06:05.piece of legislation... I especially welcome that we want a special

:06:06. > :06:08.relationship with the EU, based on friendship and trade and many other

:06:09. > :06:12.collaborations once we are an independent country again. Would my

:06:13. > :06:16.right honourable friend confirm that the UK Government is offering tariff

:06:17. > :06:21.free trade with no new barriers to all of our partners in Europe, which

:06:22. > :06:26.must make enormous sense for them? My right honourable friend is

:06:27. > :06:29.absolutely right, we want to see that tariff free trade on a

:06:30. > :06:33.reciprocal basis with the other countries in the European union. I

:06:34. > :06:36.think it makes sense and we already operate on the same basis because we

:06:37. > :06:39.operate under the same rules and regulations and I think we should

:06:40. > :06:46.look to have that maxim of free trade between the two countries. I

:06:47. > :06:49.thank the Prime Minister for her statement and for advance sight of

:06:50. > :06:55.it but today the Prime Minister is not an the will of the people, she

:06:56. > :06:59.is at best interpreting that will, choosing a hard Brexit outside the

:07:00. > :07:04.single market, that was never on the ballot paper. This day of all days,

:07:05. > :07:12.the Liberal Democrats will not roll over, as the official opposition has

:07:13. > :07:17.done. Our children and our grandchildren will judge all of us

:07:18. > :07:20.for our actions during these times. I am determined that I will look my

:07:21. > :07:25.children in the eye and be able to say that I did everything to prevent

:07:26. > :07:30.this calamity that the Prime Minister has today chosen. We now

:07:31. > :07:34.face an unknown deal that will shape our country for generations. The

:07:35. > :07:38.deal will be signed off by someone and the only question is who. Will

:07:39. > :07:41.it be the politicians or should it be the people? Surely the Prime

:07:42. > :07:49.Minister will agree with me that the people should have the final say? I

:07:50. > :07:53.say to the right honourable gentleman, can I gently remind him

:07:54. > :07:55.that he talks about us enacting the decision of the referendum, of

:07:56. > :07:59.course, we're acting the decision that was taken by the people of the

:08:00. > :08:02.United Kingdom enough referendum that I might remind him that it is

:08:03. > :08:08.not that long ago that the Liberal Democrat party wanted a referendum

:08:09. > :08:16.on this and we gave it to the man we are abiding by it. The Prime

:08:17. > :08:21.Minister has made it very clear that immigration is her number one

:08:22. > :08:24.priority. As a result of that, we cannot accept the free movement of

:08:25. > :08:30.people and we cannot remain a member of the single market. But, Mr

:08:31. > :08:34.Speaker, that may change in the next two years, who knows what might

:08:35. > :08:40.happen? The EU may move away from that principle of the free movement

:08:41. > :08:43.of people. In that event, could the Prime Minister give an assurance

:08:44. > :08:49.that she has not turned her back on membership of the single market? It

:08:50. > :08:54.is what British business once and it would stay off Nicola Sturgeon and

:08:55. > :09:08.the SNP is outrageous demands for a second referendum, and... And these

:09:09. > :09:13.are serious matters that this United Kingdom faces. It would provide the

:09:14. > :09:20.solution to Northern Ireland as we now leave the European Union. Can I

:09:21. > :09:25.just gently say to my honourable friend she started her question by

:09:26. > :09:28.saying that immigration was the number one priority. What we have

:09:29. > :09:32.done is said that we want a comprehensive package which does

:09:33. > :09:36.enable us to control immigration and set our own rules on immigration but

:09:37. > :09:39.also has exactly the sort of free access to the single market that I

:09:40. > :09:43.think my honourable friend is talking about and businesses want to

:09:44. > :09:46.see and I believe that we can achieve that agreement and we should

:09:47. > :09:55.be optimistic and ambitious in achieving that agreement. There are

:09:56. > :09:57.all the freedoms that the European Unions leaders will quote in

:09:58. > :09:59.relation to full membership of the single market, such as the

:10:00. > :10:03.jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice and I think people voted

:10:04. > :10:07.to stop that jurisdiction last year and what matters to me is the

:10:08. > :10:11.outcome, not the structure by which we achieve that outcome, but will we

:10:12. > :10:14.have the free and frictionless tariff free access to the single

:10:15. > :10:15.market, and that is what we want to achieve and it is what we are

:10:16. > :10:23.working for. Can I thank the Prime Minister for

:10:24. > :10:28.her statement and congratulate her government on delivering on the will

:10:29. > :10:34.of the people of the United Kingdom and wish her well and her government

:10:35. > :10:38.in the negotiations that lie ahead. We are convinced that she is the

:10:39. > :10:47.right leader of our country for these challenges. And isn't the

:10:48. > :10:53.fundamental point this: that this United Kingdom, this union is far

:10:54. > :10:59.more important for the economic prosperity of all our people than

:11:00. > :11:04.the European Union? And can I also commend her for putting in article

:11:05. > :11:08.five in the principles she put out, Northern Ireland, the relationship

:11:09. > :11:12.of the Republic, and the way that has put forward. She will have our

:11:13. > :11:17.support in the coming months and years in this house to make that a

:11:18. > :11:21.reality. I thank the right honourable gentleman for his

:11:22. > :11:24.comments, particularly that we have recognised the particular

:11:25. > :11:27.circumstances of Northern Ireland and its relationship because of the

:11:28. > :11:31.land border with the Republic of Ireland. I recognised that in the

:11:32. > :11:37.letter to President Tusk. Can I agree with him when he says the most

:11:38. > :11:41.important union economically and for this United Kingdom in other ways is

:11:42. > :11:46.the United Kingdom. It is the case that for individual constituent

:11:47. > :11:49.parts it is the trading within the single market of the United Kingdom

:11:50. > :11:54.is far more important than trading with the European Union. Can I

:11:55. > :11:58.commend my right honourable friend for her constructive, positive and

:11:59. > :12:03.realistic tone she has set today with her statement and the letter to

:12:04. > :12:06.Donald Tusk. Can I also can't graduate her and her government for

:12:07. > :12:11.the use of the last nine months in order to prepare us for this point

:12:12. > :12:17.making up for the lack of preparation by the last

:12:18. > :12:20.administration for this moment. And can I also urge on herbal

:12:21. > :12:25.preparation that is implicit in this letter, that if it is impossible to

:12:26. > :12:29.get a deal home, that whilst that will be coped with by the United

:12:30. > :12:35.Kingdom and the European Union as it must be, that we are in the position

:12:36. > :12:40.to cope with it, should that happen. I thank my right honourable friend

:12:41. > :12:45.and it is important, we are approaching this in a realistic and

:12:46. > :12:48.pragmatic way, as he says. It is absolutely right of course

:12:49. > :12:52.government will be working across all departments to ensure that we

:12:53. > :12:57.have preparations in place whatever the outcome be. As I made clear in

:12:58. > :13:00.my letter to President Tusk, while both the European Union and the UK

:13:01. > :13:05.could cope with no agreement, that would not be the ideal situation, it

:13:06. > :13:10.is not what we would be working for and we should actively be working to

:13:11. > :13:14.get the right deal for both sides. Mr Speaker, the Prime Minister is

:13:15. > :13:19.right to say in her statement that this eventual deal must work for the

:13:20. > :13:22.48% as well as the 52%, because whether we were Remainers or levers

:13:23. > :13:30.we are in the same country together after Brexit. Can I emphasise to her

:13:31. > :13:35.that national unity must be earned and not just asserted. And it must

:13:36. > :13:39.be shown in deeds and not just in words. And we are a long, long way

:13:40. > :13:45.away from it and I think she will agree with that. As she reflects on

:13:46. > :13:49.the statement, can she say what she thinks she needs to do differently

:13:50. > :13:55.in the next 24 months to achieve that national unity which, frankly,

:13:56. > :13:58.eludes us at the moment. I think the most important thing that we can do,

:13:59. > :14:03.to things that we will be doing over the next 24 months as a government,

:14:04. > :14:07.one is putting in place our plan for Britain which is about ensuring that

:14:08. > :14:11.we see the United Kingdom where the economy works for everyone, where we

:14:12. > :14:15.see a much fairer society, where success is based on merit, not

:14:16. > :14:18.privilege. That's what is driving this government and that's what we

:14:19. > :14:22.will put into place domestic league. Also for the unity of the UK the

:14:23. > :14:27.most important relation to the negotiations with Europe is to get

:14:28. > :14:30.the best possible deal in terms of cooperation on security but also in

:14:31. > :14:35.terms of the free trade arrangement which will bring prosperity to our

:14:36. > :14:38.economy. Can I thank and congratulate my right honourable

:14:39. > :14:43.friend for resolutely sticking to her promise to the UK people to

:14:44. > :14:49.trigger Article 50. There will be celebrations all around the country,

:14:50. > :14:52.nowhere more so than coastal communities where the health and

:14:53. > :14:57.welfare of our fishing grounds has been trashed by the common fisheries

:14:58. > :15:04.policy. In order to fully re-establish our national control we

:15:05. > :15:07.will have to aggregate our meat membership of the London Convention

:15:08. > :15:12.on fisheries 1964 and that requires two years notice, as my right

:15:13. > :15:17.honourable friend intend to trigger that soon? My right honourable

:15:18. > :15:22.friend has always had an interest in the impact of common fisheries and

:15:23. > :15:24.it is an issue he has looked at. We are looking closely at the

:15:25. > :15:29.convention and what needs to be done. He is right it would require

:15:30. > :15:33.two years. Of course we expect to conclude the deal with the European

:15:34. > :15:36.Union within two years but there will be then periods of

:15:37. > :15:39.implementation periods beyond that period of time but we would hope to

:15:40. > :15:46.be able to say something about the fisheries convention soon. There are

:15:47. > :15:50.many across this house who are very aware of the sheer scale and

:15:51. > :15:54.complexity of the negotiations that will face our team and very

:15:55. > :15:59.conscious of the importance of getting those right. It has never

:16:00. > :16:02.been more true that the devil will be in the detail. As that detail

:16:03. > :16:06.emerges, will the Prime Minister ensure that everybody in her teens

:16:07. > :16:11.stops the practice which has been so prevalent of claiming that every

:16:12. > :16:18.awkward question is evidence of a desire to overturn the will of the

:16:19. > :16:22.British people? The right honourable lady is absolutely right that these

:16:23. > :16:28.will be very complex negotiations and I think it was right to wait for

:16:29. > :16:31.the nine months that we have done in order to invoke article 57 we have

:16:32. > :16:35.been able to do a considerable amount of preparation. There will be

:16:36. > :16:39.technical discussions to take place as well as the higher level

:16:40. > :16:43.discussions, and I can assure the right honourable lady that we

:16:44. > :16:48.consistently ask ourselves difficult questions to ensure that we are

:16:49. > :16:52.testing every approach that we put forward so that we get the best

:16:53. > :16:56.possible deal. May I reassure my right honourable friend that Donald

:16:57. > :17:02.Tusk has indeed received the letter, he tweeted about it one minute

:17:03. > :17:10.earlier which shows the keenness of our team. May I also told the Prime

:17:11. > :17:15.Minister that Donald Tusk has said that he is missing us already but

:17:16. > :17:20.that he recognises it is in the European Union's interest as well as

:17:21. > :17:23.that of the United Kingdom that we achieve an agreement that will

:17:24. > :17:32.benefit both sides in this negotiation. This is absolutely

:17:33. > :17:36.right. I'm pleased to hear that President Tusk has taken the view.

:17:37. > :17:39.This is not just about the United Kingdom for the future, it is about

:17:40. > :17:43.the European Union for the future and about the relationship that we

:17:44. > :17:46.will have with them. As I said in the letter we wanted deeper and

:17:47. > :17:55.special partnership to continue in the future. The Prime Minister has

:17:56. > :18:00.the goodwill of the country as she seeks a new relationship with our

:18:01. > :18:05.European allies. Will she confirmed that enshrines posing EU directives

:18:06. > :18:09.and regulations into UK law we don't transpose all the rulings of the

:18:10. > :18:12.ECJ. We do not have the EU Charter of fundamental rights imposed given

:18:13. > :18:18.that we have long-standing assurances that it will not have

:18:19. > :18:21.legal force in this country. I would say to the honourable gentleman that

:18:22. > :18:28.we will be publishing the great repeal Bill tomorrow which will make

:18:29. > :18:33.clearer how we are going to transpose the relevant judgments of

:18:34. > :18:37.the European Court of justice. This government has taken a very clear

:18:38. > :18:40.position that we don't think that the European Charter of fundamental

:18:41. > :18:50.human rights is something that is applicable. In her letter to

:18:51. > :18:54.President Tusk, the Prime Minister said in January, we are leaving the

:18:55. > :18:59.European Union, we are not leaving Europe. She will know that 16.1

:19:00. > :19:04.million people last June voted to do neither. But the result is as it is

:19:05. > :19:07.an needs to be honoured. Could my right honourable friend say how she

:19:08. > :19:10.will keep Parliament fully engaged, this Parliament, through that

:19:11. > :19:17.process, and also that she will do her utmost to secure a trade deal we

:19:18. > :19:21.can all support and not listen to the siren voices who seem to think

:19:22. > :19:25.that no deal is a good option? I'm very happy to give the reassurance

:19:26. > :19:29.to my right honourable friend. I want to secure a really good trade

:19:30. > :19:32.deal for the United Kingdom. I also want to secure trade deals with

:19:33. > :19:36.countries around the rest of the world. We do want to ensure and we

:19:37. > :19:40.start off from a good position because we are operating on the same

:19:41. > :19:45.rules and regulations as the European Union, that we get that

:19:46. > :19:47.really good trade deal with the EU. There will be significant

:19:48. > :19:52.opportunities for this house and Parliament to consider opportunities

:19:53. > :19:55.as we go through the next two years. The great repeal bill itself will be

:19:56. > :20:00.a matter foot of and consideration in this house. There will also be

:20:01. > :20:03.some subsequent pieces of legislation required as a result of

:20:04. > :20:07.the decision to leave the European Union which will come before this

:20:08. > :20:11.house and we will make every effort to keep this house informed as we go

:20:12. > :20:17.through. I've always said we will be clear and give clarity were able to

:20:18. > :20:24.do so. The Prime Minister will no doubt recall the referendum speech

:20:25. > :20:27.she made last April in which she said "The big question is whether in

:20:28. > :20:34.the event of Brexit we would be able to negotiate a new free trade

:20:35. > :20:37.agreement with the EU and on what terms". Given that the European

:20:38. > :20:44.Union appears to want to start the negotiations by talking only about

:20:45. > :20:47.money, given that there are about 18 months ago, how is the Prime

:20:48. > :20:51.Minister going to ensure that there is sufficient time to reach that

:20:52. > :20:56.agreement to provide tariff and barrier free trade and access to the

:20:57. > :21:00.European market for our services that she has promised Britain's

:21:01. > :21:08.businesses that she will bring back from the negotiations? Of course we

:21:09. > :21:10.don't yet know how the European Council will choose to friend the

:21:11. > :21:16.negotiations. I will be meeting on the 29th of April to determine that.

:21:17. > :21:20.There will be the two parts to the work going forward. One is the

:21:21. > :21:25.process of withdrawal and the terms of withdrawal and the other is what

:21:26. > :21:30.the future relationship will be. It's clear in Article 50 that the

:21:31. > :21:33.former should be done in the context of the latter. So I think it is not

:21:34. > :21:37.just reasonable but entirely right and proper that we look at those two

:21:38. > :21:41.issues alongside each other. As I've said in answer to other questions,

:21:42. > :21:47.the point about the comprehensive free trade agreement is that we will

:21:48. > :21:50.not be operating as a third party such as Canada for example when it

:21:51. > :21:54.started its negotiations with the European Union. We already operate

:21:55. > :21:58.on the same basis and already have that free trade between the European

:21:59. > :22:02.Union and the United Kingdom. I believe that sets us on a better

:22:03. > :22:04.basis on which to start those negotiations and that it will be

:22:05. > :22:11.possible to get that comprehensive free trade agreement. I thank the

:22:12. > :22:14.Prime Minister on her handling of the triggering of Article 50 and

:22:15. > :22:18.respecting the wishes of the British electorate at the referendum. Can I

:22:19. > :22:20.suggest there's another reason to make sure that guaranteeing the

:22:21. > :22:26.rights of EU nationals both living here and on the continent should be

:22:27. > :22:30.a very high priority. Not only is it the right thing to do and it

:22:31. > :22:34.establishes good intent but it would be clear to the world, should there

:22:35. > :22:40.be no agreement, that actually that would not be our fault, we would not

:22:41. > :22:45.be using EU nationals as bargaining chips? Well, I'm very clear in the

:22:46. > :22:50.letter I have sent to President Tusk that we intend to work on the rights

:22:51. > :22:54.of EU nationals and UK nationals living in the EU to be undertaken to

:22:55. > :22:58.be part of the negotiations at an early stage. As I've said before I

:22:59. > :23:04.genuinely believe there is goodwill to do that and I hope that we will

:23:05. > :23:07.be able to achieve that at an early stage of negotiations and give

:23:08. > :23:10.reassurance to both EU citizens living here and UK citizens living

:23:11. > :23:16.in the European Union of their future. The last Prime Minister did

:23:17. > :23:22.not want this day to come, although it did follow from many decisions he

:23:23. > :23:24.took over many years. And he will be remembered as the Prime Minister who

:23:25. > :23:31.unintentionally let Britain out of Europe. This Prime Minister, I know,

:23:32. > :23:36.does not want to see the break-up of the United Kingdom, but she will

:23:37. > :23:40.also note that holding us together requires more than just the rhetoric

:23:41. > :23:45.of unity. So can she say what she will do in both the content and

:23:46. > :23:51.style of her negotiations not to fuel further division, not to play

:23:52. > :23:55.into the hands of others, but to ensure voices from all over the

:23:56. > :23:59.country are genuinely heard in this debate so that she does not become a

:24:00. > :24:05.Prime Minister who unintentionally leads the break-up of Britain. Can I

:24:06. > :24:08.first of all say to the right honourable lady, she referred to the

:24:09. > :24:11.decision on the referendum as one of leaving Europe, it is leaving the

:24:12. > :24:17.European Union, it is not leaving Europe. We want at deep and special

:24:18. > :24:20.partnership with the European Union, and we will continue to be part of

:24:21. > :24:27.Europe and work with our friends and allies in Europe. As we go ahead we

:24:28. > :24:30.will continue to undertake discussions with not just the

:24:31. > :24:33.devolved administrations in the United Kingdom but with businesses

:24:34. > :24:39.across the United Kingdom, with other organisations across the UK,

:24:40. > :24:43.government departments are speaking with a whole range of sectors to

:24:44. > :24:46.ensure that all views and considerations are taken into

:24:47. > :24:49.account as we go forward in the negotiations. We want to make sure

:24:50. > :24:53.that we fully understand the concerns and interests people have

:24:54. > :24:56.and that's why we've already started talking widely with not just the

:24:57. > :24:59.devolved administrations but also others across the United Kingdom to

:25:00. > :25:05.ensure that we do get those views and take them into account.

:25:06. > :25:11.Can I congratulate my right honourable friend on her resolve in

:25:12. > :25:15.carrying forward the Democratic out crumb of the referendum and no

:25:16. > :25:18.matter what the differences are crosses House I can assure her that

:25:19. > :25:24.every single member of this House would wish her well for the

:25:25. > :25:28.negotiations ahead. No matter how those negotiations progress over the

:25:29. > :25:33.coming months and years, can she confirm that the United Kingdom will

:25:34. > :25:37.continue to prioritise Corporation and the exchange of information with

:25:38. > :25:42.the other European countries, to ensure that our internal and

:25:43. > :25:48.external security is not compromised in any way whatsoever. I am happy to

:25:49. > :25:52.give my right honourable friend that assurance. The security cooperation

:25:53. > :25:56.that we have, the cooperation we have on justice and home affairs

:25:57. > :25:59.matters, is very important to us as well as the member states of the

:26:00. > :26:03.European Union. It is something I worked closely on as Home Secretary

:26:04. > :26:08.and I can assure her that we will be looking to ensure that corporation

:26:09. > :26:13.can continue. Now, as we look at the challenges we face, across the

:26:14. > :26:15.globe, now is not the time for less Corporation, now is the time to

:26:16. > :26:25.ensure that we continue to cooperate and build on that. Could I remind

:26:26. > :26:31.the Prime Minister that Northern Ireland voted 56% to remain? My own

:26:32. > :26:35.constituency voted almost 70% and could I, with respect, Prime

:26:36. > :26:40.Minister, warn you about the Trojan horse being pushed out to you in the

:26:41. > :26:47.form of honey words from the bench behind me. The Prime Minister says

:26:48. > :26:52.that the interests of all nations and regions of the UK have to be

:26:53. > :26:56.taken into account in the negotiations. What measures has she

:26:57. > :27:00.been able to put into place, or does she intend to put into place, to

:27:01. > :27:03.ensure that the Northern Ireland views, needs and special

:27:04. > :27:07.circumstances are taken into account in these negotiations going forward?

:27:08. > :27:10.Can I thank the honourable gentleman for his question and the point he

:27:11. > :27:22.made about the boat in Northern Ireland is one that I was attempting

:27:23. > :27:24.to show earlier, which is that different parts of the United

:27:25. > :27:27.Kingdom voted in different ways, some voted to leave and some to

:27:28. > :27:29.remain. The overall result of the referendum from the United Kingdom

:27:30. > :27:32.was that we should leave the European Union and it is what we

:27:33. > :27:34.will be doing. We have been maintaining contact with the

:27:35. > :27:39.Northern Ireland executive up until the point at which the executive

:27:40. > :27:43.ceased to exist and the election was taking place. We have been

:27:44. > :27:50.continuing to talk to political parties in Northern Ireland on this

:27:51. > :27:53.issue. The best result to ensure the voice of the devolved administration

:27:54. > :27:57.can be heard in these negotiations is for the parties to come together

:27:58. > :28:02.and for us to see a strong devolved government that will provide us with

:28:03. > :28:07.that dealer Kutcher. Since the vote the economic news has confounded

:28:08. > :28:11.expectations. Economists for free trade have told us how WTO rules

:28:12. > :28:19.with the right policies can cut consumer prices and raise GDP and we

:28:20. > :28:22.have heard every reason to believe that we will secure the right trade

:28:23. > :28:26.deal for us and we will liberate trade right around the world. Will

:28:27. > :28:35.the Prime Minister agree with me that the time for project fee is

:28:36. > :28:37.over? My honourable right -- my honourable friend is right.

:28:38. > :28:40.Obviously there were predictions of what happened to the economy of the

:28:41. > :28:44.United Kingdom voted to leave and his predictions have not proved to

:28:45. > :28:48.be correct and we see a strong economy. As we go forward we want to

:28:49. > :28:51.build on that we want to ensure we get those comprehensive trade

:28:52. > :28:54.agreements. I believe a comprehensive free trade agreement

:28:55. > :28:58.with the European Union should be our aim and it is what we will be

:28:59. > :29:02.working for and we will also be looking to promote trade around the

:29:03. > :29:06.rest of the world, as my honourable friend says, it is I think in the

:29:07. > :29:10.interests of everybody, not just the UK or the EU but also countries

:29:11. > :29:18.around the world that we stand up for the benefits of free trade and

:29:19. > :29:22.we promote it around the world. As has been said the Prime Minister

:29:23. > :29:27.said in her statement she was taking due account of the specific interest

:29:28. > :29:34.in every nation and region of the UK. Leading councils in Yorkshire

:29:35. > :29:40.have had no contact whatsoever from the government. Can the Prime

:29:41. > :29:44.Minister please work now with local government and local enterprise

:29:45. > :29:49.boards in all English regions to analyse the effect on jobs and trade

:29:50. > :29:55.and investment so negotiations can achieve, as was promised, not just

:29:56. > :29:58.an aspiration by the Secretary of State for Brexit but the exact same

:29:59. > :30:02.benefits, as we have for membership of the single market in the customs

:30:03. > :30:06.union. She sidestepped the question from the Leader of the Opposition.

:30:07. > :30:12.Can I ask again, does she believe the English regions can get the

:30:13. > :30:16.exact same benefits as before? The Right Honourable Lady has asked a

:30:17. > :30:21.number of questions there. I am very clear that we want to ensure that we

:30:22. > :30:24.get that free trade agreement, that comprehensive free trade agreement,

:30:25. > :30:29.which does give our businesses the benefits that they have had as

:30:30. > :30:33.members of the European Union. In relation to local authorities and

:30:34. > :30:47.Maher is my right honourable friend is talking to local Mayers and I had

:30:48. > :30:50.a roundtable of local authorities in Birmingham and we spoke to them so

:30:51. > :30:56.we're listening to voices across the regions. Like millions of others in

:30:57. > :30:59.the United Kingdom, I am proud of the European Union and the

:31:00. > :31:04.contribution the United Kingdom has made to the European Union during my

:31:05. > :31:08.political lifetime, and I am a little sad about today, but I do

:31:09. > :31:13.stand unequivocably with the Prime Minister as she calls for a united

:31:14. > :31:17.approach to a new future. Does my right honourable friend therefore

:31:18. > :31:23.agree with me that in order to make that national endeavour meaningful

:31:24. > :31:30.that her door and the door of her ministers should always be open to

:31:31. > :31:33.all parties in the House and all sides in this discussion because for

:31:34. > :31:36.a new script to be written for the European Union and the United

:31:37. > :31:39.Kingdom 's relationship, it should be written as much by those who

:31:40. > :31:45.value the European Union as those who have campaigned to leave it? I

:31:46. > :31:50.thank my right honourable friend for his question. As I stayed in my

:31:51. > :31:54.statement earlier there will be those who are celebrated and those

:31:55. > :31:57.who are sad and disappointed about the decision that has been taken

:31:58. > :32:00.back can I reassure him that as we move forward and we ensure we are

:32:01. > :32:03.getting the best possible arrangements for the future that we

:32:04. > :32:09.can I do want to listen and ministers do want to listen to all

:32:10. > :32:15.voices in this House, to those who were ardent on both sides of the

:32:16. > :32:22.campaign and as I just indicated we are listening to all parts of the

:32:23. > :32:25.United Kingdom. Today is the day that The Right Honourable member for

:32:26. > :32:30.Maidenhead has become the first Prime Minister in recent history to

:32:31. > :32:33.have to be reminded that Scotland is a country, not a constituency of

:32:34. > :32:42.England. The Prime Minister refused to reply... The Prime Minister

:32:43. > :32:45.refused to reply to the question of whether there had been an economic

:32:46. > :32:52.assessment of the impact of leaving the EU with no deal. Has there been

:32:53. > :32:56.such an assessment? Will she publish it at, and if that hasn't been hard

:32:57. > :33:01.as the former Home Secretary know it is perfectly OK? Can I said The

:33:02. > :33:08.Right Honourable gentleman I am well aware that Scotland is a constituent

:33:09. > :33:13.nation of the United Kingdom. The point is a very simple one and it

:33:14. > :33:17.was made from the bench behind him earlier, which is that different

:33:18. > :33:22.parts of the United Kingdom voted in different ways. Different

:33:23. > :33:25.constituencies voted different ways and Scotland Wales and Northern

:33:26. > :33:29.Ireland voted in different ways. Wales voted to leave Scotland and

:33:30. > :33:35.Northern Ireland voted to remain, but the overall response of the

:33:36. > :33:41.United Kingdom was a vote to leave the European Union and that is what

:33:42. > :33:44.we are putting into place. I say to The Right Honourable gentleman, that

:33:45. > :33:49.we are looking at the arrangements that need to be put in place

:33:50. > :33:54.whatever the impact and whatever the decision that is taken at the end

:33:55. > :33:59.but crucially what I am very clear about, and I am clearing my lesson

:34:00. > :34:02.to -- letter to President Tusk, that we should work to get that

:34:03. > :34:06.comprehensive free trade agreement so we are not in a position of

:34:07. > :34:13.having no deal but we have a deal to the benefit of everyone in the UK,

:34:14. > :34:16.including the people of Scotland. Could I congratulate the Prime

:34:17. > :34:20.Minister on the cool and constructive clarity and conviction

:34:21. > :34:23.she has brought to this momentous period in British politics and her

:34:24. > :34:29.commitment to to negotiate on behalf of everyone in this country, the 48

:34:30. > :34:34.as well as the 52. Does she agree that we must almost -- also double

:34:35. > :34:37.our commitment to domestic reform, the Conservative programme that is

:34:38. > :34:43.so key to skills and infrastructure and our post Brexit prosperity and

:34:44. > :34:46.the union that we want to succeed. She said to Donald Tusk that the

:34:47. > :34:51.task is momentous but it should be beyond us. Does she agree that that

:34:52. > :34:56.applies to the members of the House and direct the shrill voices of

:34:57. > :35:04.nationalism so that we pull together and not a part. My honourable friend

:35:05. > :35:07.is absolutely right. The question that people responded to in the

:35:08. > :35:09.referendum was about leaving the European Union but I believe that

:35:10. > :35:14.the vote to leave was also a vote for change in this country, for

:35:15. > :35:19.wider change in this country. That is why it is so important that we

:35:20. > :35:24.put forward and deliver on our plan for Britain, for the stronger and

:35:25. > :35:29.fairer society, a country that works for everyone, and it is important

:35:30. > :35:33.right now that we do pull together and we do recognise that the task we

:35:34. > :35:39.have ahead is about ensuring we get the right result for the whole of

:35:40. > :35:43.the United Kingdom. I think regardless of how people voted in

:35:44. > :35:48.the referendum I suspect there is an even bigger majority today for all

:35:49. > :35:51.of us to get on and get the best we possibly can. Can I asked the Prime

:35:52. > :35:56.Minister, because many businesses are worried, that in the triggering

:35:57. > :35:59.of Article 50 they feel that the clock is ticking and everything

:36:00. > :36:02.might need to be resolved within two years. She can she reassure those

:36:03. > :36:08.businesses that what we will have end of the two years is the

:36:09. > :36:10.headlines, that there will have to be transitional agreements to ensure

:36:11. > :36:15.the Devil in the detail is explored and this House can discuss about and

:36:16. > :36:19.we get it right for the businesses and the rest of Britain? The Right

:36:20. > :36:22.Honourable lady is right. Of course businesses want the certainty of

:36:23. > :36:26.knowing where they will stand so they can plan for the future. That

:36:27. > :36:32.is why I think two things are important, that we bring this into

:36:33. > :36:35.law through the UK repeal bill so that people know that every role

:36:36. > :36:40.does still apply and they know where they stand. It is also right that it

:36:41. > :36:44.is a tight timetable to get the agreement and there will need to be

:36:45. > :36:48.implementation periods so that we can ensure it is now put into

:36:49. > :36:55.practice in the way that makes practical sense for businesses and

:36:56. > :37:00.governments. Will the Prime Minister reaffirm that the defence of Europe

:37:01. > :37:06.does not depend upon the EU, but upon the deterrent effect of article

:37:07. > :37:11.five of the Nato treaty, which means that an attack on any European Nato

:37:12. > :37:18.member will involve the United States in its defence from the first

:37:19. > :37:23.hour of the first day, but in a spirit of unity will she join with

:37:24. > :37:28.me in congratulating two statesman on opposite sides of the Brexit

:37:29. > :37:31.debate, Sir John Major and Lord Tebbit of Chingford who may not

:37:32. > :37:41.share the same views on Europe but whose share the same birthday today.

:37:42. > :37:47.I am very happy to wish a happy birthday to members of the

:37:48. > :37:51.Conservative Party and do so indeed. Can I say to my honourable friend

:37:52. > :37:55.that he has obviously raised the important issue of Nato, the bedrock

:37:56. > :37:59.of our security and defence under article five lies at the heart of

:38:00. > :38:08.that security and defence. We remain, as I indicated in answer to

:38:09. > :38:13.my honourable friend, the member for Louth and Horncastle earlier, that

:38:14. > :38:16.Nato is that important bedrock of our security and defence and we will

:38:17. > :38:20.continue to contribute to Nato in the way we have done in the past and

:38:21. > :38:24.continue to encourage others to ensure that Nato is able to provide

:38:25. > :38:31.that security into the future as it has done in the past. I would remind

:38:32. > :38:35.the Prime Minister that defence is about more than weapons, it is about

:38:36. > :38:39.values and collective solidarity as well and there are two kinds of

:38:40. > :38:44.futures stemming from the process that is triggered today. The first

:38:45. > :38:49.is that we spend two years desperately trying to secure what we

:38:50. > :38:52.have already come in the secretary of States words, the exact same

:38:53. > :38:56.benefits that we have, while gaining control of immigration, which may

:38:57. > :38:59.make little difference to the numbers, as ministers have

:39:00. > :39:26.suggested, in which case people will ask

:39:27. > :39:30.what is the point? Or there is another future where we crash out

:39:31. > :39:32.without an agreement, defaulting to WTO rules, with all that would mean

:39:33. > :39:34.for industry, agriculture and services. In which case people will

:39:35. > :39:37.ask, what is the price? Which future does she think is the more likely?

:39:38. > :39:40.What's the point? Or what the price? I have to say to The Right

:39:41. > :39:43.Honourable gentleman that I think is throwing the question in the wrong

:39:44. > :39:45.way. When people voted to leave the European Union I believe that we

:39:46. > :39:47.still want to have that good trading relationship with the European Union

:39:48. > :39:50.but what people were overwhelmingly voting for was to be able to know

:39:51. > :39:53.that the UK Government was in control of key decisions which

:39:54. > :39:55.previously had been taken in the EU institutions. Yes, the issue of

:39:56. > :39:59.immigration laws was a part of that and about the spending of our budget

:40:00. > :40:03.was also part of it but also the relationship of UK courts to

:40:04. > :40:07.decisions being taken here in this Parliament and our ability to set

:40:08. > :40:10.our own laws and for those laws to be determined by our courts was

:40:11. > :40:14.underlying the vote that people took. This was not just a question

:40:15. > :40:15.about money, it was about values and the value of that

:40:16. > :40:23.self-determination. Can I join others in commending the

:40:24. > :40:28.Prime Minister on what I think is a clear, concise and very generous

:40:29. > :40:32.approach to negotiations in her statement today and her letter to

:40:33. > :40:36.President Tusk. She will know the reason we have a strong economy

:40:37. > :40:39.currently is partly due to decisions of the previous government and

:40:40. > :40:45.partly because nothing has changed other than the sharp appreciation in

:40:46. > :40:49.our currency. As we going to a period of really enhanced risk and

:40:50. > :40:53.uncertainty for our country, process which I think she will lead us

:40:54. > :40:57.admirably through, does she not agree it is time to start talking

:40:58. > :41:01.facts and sense to the British people rather than rhetoric and

:41:02. > :41:06.ideology? And in particular rejecting the idea that no deal and

:41:07. > :41:13.a reliance on WTO rules would somehow be OK. Like me I'm sure she

:41:14. > :41:17.has seen recent research from the research council that suggests that

:41:18. > :41:21.the WTO deal, despite all the trade deals we want to sign with China and

:41:22. > :41:28.Brazil and India and America would represent a loss of trade of a

:41:29. > :41:31.quarter to the British economy. We cannot do that to this country. I

:41:32. > :41:36.hope she will tell us we are not going to do that to this country.

:41:37. > :41:41.Can we start talking about trusting experts are little bit more? Well my

:41:42. > :41:45.honourable friend is absolutely right that the long-term economic

:41:46. > :41:49.plan which was put in by the Conservative led government and on

:41:50. > :41:52.which we all stood at the last election is the plan that has

:41:53. > :41:57.enabled our economy to have the strength that is necessary and we

:41:58. > :42:01.are pleased that we are able to maintain and build on that strength

:42:02. > :42:06.in our economy. She talks about the WTO arrangements. What I say in the

:42:07. > :42:09.letter to President Tusk is very clear, but if we leave without an

:42:10. > :42:14.agreement, the default position is that we would have to trade on World

:42:15. > :42:17.Trade Organisation terms. In this scenario the UK and EU would of

:42:18. > :42:23.course cope with the change but is not the outcome that either side

:42:24. > :42:28.should seek. We must therefore work hard to avoid that outcome. I'm

:42:29. > :42:30.clear we want the comprehensive free trade agreement with the European

:42:31. > :42:36.Union and that's what we'll be working for. On what is a genuinely

:42:37. > :42:41.historic day for our country can I pay tribute to the Prime Minister

:42:42. > :42:44.and indeed to the Brexit ministers for their determination and

:42:45. > :42:48.dedication to get to this stage today to implement the will of the

:42:49. > :42:51.British people. Would she agree with me that there is one area that we

:42:52. > :42:57.should be able to move forward very quickly on in negotiations and that

:42:58. > :43:08.is getting control of our fishing grounds back. I'd my right

:43:09. > :43:13.honourable friend, the former Environment Secretary, did raise the

:43:14. > :43:16.question of the London fisheries convention which we are looking at

:43:17. > :43:18.and hope to be able to say something soon.

:43:19. > :43:25.As we look at a whole raft in the negotiations that will be taking

:43:26. > :43:30.place, we will be looking at policies that affect agriculture and

:43:31. > :43:35.fisheries here in the United Kingdom and the other issues on Security and

:43:36. > :43:42.crime. But we will be looking particularly at the London fisheries

:43:43. > :43:45.convention in due course. The Prime Minister's letter to President Tusk

:43:46. > :43:50.is not one I ever hope to read but having done so I welcome the eight

:43:51. > :43:54.principles. But does the Prime Minister agree that to bring those

:43:55. > :43:59.to fruition it would be very helpful to include all of us in this

:44:00. > :44:06.process? Because of course even the most ardent pro-European is actually

:44:07. > :44:11.also incredibly ambitious about this country. I'm very happy to give that

:44:12. > :44:17.reassurance to my honourable friend. I think that what I hope we will see

:44:18. > :44:21.and is indicated we will see, people who were previously on both sides of

:44:22. > :44:24.this argument about leaving the European Union actually coming

:44:25. > :44:27.together with that ambition for the future and it's important we take

:44:28. > :44:34.all views into account as we develop that. In her letter and again in her

:44:35. > :44:39.statement today she has made clear that she believes it will be

:44:40. > :44:42.necessary to agree the terms of the divorce alongside the details of our

:44:43. > :44:48.future relationship with the European Union. If the other 27

:44:49. > :44:52.comeback in their reply and say they want to agree the terms of the

:44:53. > :44:58.divorce first including citizenship rights, our liabilities and the

:44:59. > :45:02.issue of orders, particularly Northern Ireland, how will she

:45:03. > :45:06.respond? The question will be that we will go into a negotiation with

:45:07. > :45:09.the European Union about the best way in which we take things forward.

:45:10. > :45:15.I have been putting forward the case, as have other ministers that I

:45:16. > :45:19.think it makes sense for everybody from a pragmatic point of view to

:45:20. > :45:22.ensure that at the end of the two years we have both of these

:45:23. > :45:27.decisions concluded. The withdrawal process and the future relationship.

:45:28. > :45:32.And that's because I don't think it's in anybody's interest for the

:45:33. > :45:34.UK to agree to withdraw to go on to one set of arrangements and then

:45:35. > :45:38.negotiate another set of arrangements which come into place

:45:39. > :45:42.at a later date. I think it makes much better sense for individuals,

:45:43. > :45:45.for businesses and for governments for us to be able to conclude those

:45:46. > :45:53.two parts of the negotiation at the same time. Some members on both

:45:54. > :46:00.sides of this house has been working all their political career to

:46:01. > :46:04.extract the United Kingdom from the European superstate. Sometimes we

:46:05. > :46:09.were isolated, sometimes we were ignored and sometimes we were

:46:10. > :46:14.insulted. But thanks to the British people today we are leaving the

:46:15. > :46:19.European Union. In the past when there has been a major change in our

:46:20. > :46:25.relationship with Europe it has happened through conflict, bloodshed

:46:26. > :46:32.and turmoil. Will the Prime Minister agree with me that the whole country

:46:33. > :46:38.can celebrate the fact that this change is happening peacefully and

:46:39. > :46:44.democratically? I'm very happy to endorse that and I think it is

:46:45. > :46:49.attributed to the way in which we in the UK have approached this issue.

:46:50. > :46:52.Also the way in which our European partners have been willing to

:46:53. > :46:55.approach it and I think will be willing to approach it for the

:46:56. > :46:59.future. I think the eyes of the world will be on us as we go through

:47:00. > :47:11.this negotiation to see precisely how we conduct it and I wanted to be

:47:12. > :47:14.positively and respectfully. After the Brexit deal has been negotiated

:47:15. > :47:19.the European Union Parliament and every other member state in the

:47:20. > :47:24.European Union will have a say on whether to accept the deal. Can the

:47:25. > :47:28.Prime Minister not see that to deny the people of Scotland a say at the

:47:29. > :47:36.same time would show at a contempt for democracy in Scotland? We've

:47:37. > :47:42.been very clear that there will be a vote in this Parliament when we come

:47:43. > :47:46.back with a deal from the European Union, that will be in both houses

:47:47. > :47:50.of this Parliament, it will be before the deal comes into force and

:47:51. > :47:54.we expect that to be undertaken before the European Parliament has

:47:55. > :47:59.had an opportunity to debate and vote on this issue. Of course within

:48:00. > :48:06.this house there are representatives from all parts of the United

:48:07. > :48:12.Kingdom. Does my right honourable friend recalled the words of Francis

:48:13. > :48:20.Drake? There must be a beginning of any great matter, and the continuing

:48:21. > :48:24.to the end until it be thoroughly finished, yield the true glory. May

:48:25. > :48:28.I wish my right honourable friend good luck and good fortune in her

:48:29. > :48:39.negotiations until she comes to true glory and is welcomed back to this

:48:40. > :48:50.house as a 21st-century glory Anah. I think the answer to that is I

:48:51. > :48:53.thank my honourable friend. Mr Speaker, I wonder if the Prime

:48:54. > :48:59.Minister might clear up a bit of confusion about immigration policy

:49:00. > :49:03.on her own side. The Times reports that the International Trade

:49:04. > :49:11.secretary is now arguing for more immigration from countries that are

:49:12. > :49:16.outside the EU in return for striking new trade deals. Does the

:49:17. > :49:19.Prime Minister agree? The government has a clear position on the work

:49:20. > :49:27.that we aren't doing to reduce net migration into this country. Leaving

:49:28. > :49:30.the EU will to introduce rules in relation to people moving from

:49:31. > :49:34.European Union member states into the United Kingdom. But we continue

:49:35. > :49:37.to ensure that we are bearing down on abuse in our immigration system

:49:38. > :49:43.and having the rules that we believe are right to continue to bring the

:49:44. > :49:53.lightest and the best here to the UK. May I thank the Prime Minister

:49:54. > :49:58.for her statement and for being very clear that we are not leaving

:49:59. > :50:02.Europe. For being very clear that we seek to guarantee the rights of EU

:50:03. > :50:06.citizens. And when she says as early as we can, does the Prime Minister

:50:07. > :50:15.agree with me as a fellow European, as early as we can means today? We

:50:16. > :50:22.will be in terms of the negotiation because I want reciprocal rights it

:50:23. > :50:26.is not just about what we say, it will be for the European Union

:50:27. > :50:28.remaining 27 member states to negotiate with us on that. We need

:50:29. > :50:40.that represent a class I am hopeful we can start this at an

:50:41. > :50:45.early stage. Some members for the British people, isn't it important

:50:46. > :50:50.to recognise for the large majority of people in this country are not

:50:51. > :50:55.dogmatically for or against the UK being in the European Union. And if

:50:56. > :50:59.we want to bring the people together as the Prime Minister has said, that

:51:00. > :51:07.should be very much borne in mind. And the other aspect, if during the

:51:08. > :51:11.negotiations which her predecessor undertook there had been some

:51:12. > :51:17.flexibility from the European Union over the free movement of labour, is

:51:18. > :51:26.it not quite likely we would not be debating this issue now? I say to

:51:27. > :51:31.the honourable gentleman that David Cameron put an enormous effort, as

:51:32. > :51:34.did others across government into the negotiations he undertook for

:51:35. > :51:37.the deal he brought to the British people. But the assumption the

:51:38. > :51:42.honourable gentleman has made is that the only issue on which people

:51:43. > :51:45.voted on was free movement. I don't think that's right. I think it was a

:51:46. > :51:50.key issue in that people wanted control of borders. But I think it

:51:51. > :51:55.was about more than that. It was about control of our laws, control

:51:56. > :52:04.of our money and it was about self-determination. I think that was

:52:05. > :52:08.what was driving the decision. Many vegetable growers in South Rebel are

:52:09. > :52:12.reliant on migrant labour and easy access to European markets for their

:52:13. > :52:19.exports. Can my right honourable friend reassure my constituents that

:52:20. > :52:27.which is farming will be a priority in her negotiations? I can assure my

:52:28. > :52:29.honourable friend at the Secretary of State for the Department for food

:52:30. > :52:35.and raw affairs is working very closely with farming communities on

:52:36. > :52:38.the interests that they have for the future and the arrangements that

:52:39. > :52:44.will be put in place once we leave the common agricultural policy. Can

:52:45. > :52:51.I say that I welcome the triggering of Article 50 as it will make

:52:52. > :52:55.possible the democratic socialist future which I and many others have

:52:56. > :53:01.struggled for all our lives. The Prime Minister will be aware that we

:53:02. > :53:05.have a trade deficit with the EU of over ?60 billion a year, another

:53:06. > :53:13.deficit of around ?20 billion per year, and we pay in over ?10 million

:53:14. > :53:17.a year as our contribution, total of ?90 billion, a huge sum roughly

:53:18. > :53:23.equivalent to ?6,000 a year for a family of four. This has not put

:53:24. > :53:28.Britain in a strong position, specifically about trade? I think we

:53:29. > :53:34.are in a good position in relation to trade. I think that's because of

:53:35. > :53:40.the benefits of trade that companies in the European union member states

:53:41. > :53:45.see and I believe that there is a real benefit on both sides in this

:53:46. > :53:54.negotiation to get a good trade deal for both of us. May I wholeheartedly

:53:55. > :53:58.welcomed the Prime Minister's method of looking forward with optimism and

:53:59. > :54:03.hope. Without this kind of view I would certainly have never made it

:54:04. > :54:09.to this place. And today my heart is tinged with a little sadness but we

:54:10. > :54:12.must always aim for better and I welcome wholeheartedly the tone and

:54:13. > :54:16.spirit of the woods today. With this in mind would she agreed that it is

:54:17. > :54:20.crucial that all sectors are treated fairly in future negotiations and in

:54:21. > :54:25.the south-west where food, farming and agriculture are our biggest

:54:26. > :54:31.sector, this sector must not be sold or traded at the expense of other

:54:32. > :54:34.sectors. I say to my honourable friend we are working hard across

:54:35. > :54:37.all government departments to ensure that the interests of different

:54:38. > :54:43.parts of the United Kingdom are taken into account. We recognise the

:54:44. > :54:47.value of certain sectors and jobs varies according to different parts

:54:48. > :54:52.of the United Kingdom and there are parts in the south-west where food

:54:53. > :54:56.and farming are particularly important and I can assure her that

:54:57. > :55:05.we will be looking for a compromise package that will provide a good

:55:06. > :55:09.deal for everybody across the UK. In her letter to Donald Tusk, the Prime

:55:10. > :55:14.Minister says if we leave the European Union without agreement we

:55:15. > :55:18.would have to trade on WTO terms. In security terms of failure to reach

:55:19. > :55:23.agreement would mean our cooperation in the fight against crime and

:55:24. > :55:26.terrorism would be weakened. Is she really saying the security of our

:55:27. > :55:31.country will be traded like a bargaining chip in negotiations?

:55:32. > :55:37.It going to be trading the security of our country but have a

:55:38. > :55:41.relationship with the European Union. -- we are not going to be

:55:42. > :55:43.trading. There are certain parts of the European Union in Justice and

:55:44. > :55:49.home affairs that we are currently members of that leaving the European

:55:50. > :55:53.Union we would not be members of. We need to negotiate what that future

:55:54. > :55:58.membership would be. It is simple and pragmatic but the aim will be to

:55:59. > :56:02.ensure cooperation on these matters. May I welcome the Prime Minister's

:56:03. > :56:06.repeated use of the word pragmatic and her responses? Many of us

:56:07. > :56:10.believe that this country is at its very best when we are pragmatic

:56:11. > :56:13.rather than ideological. She mentioned the importance of

:56:14. > :56:18.cooperation in justice and home affairs. Was she also accept that

:56:19. > :56:24.cooperation in other aspects of judicial and legal services is also

:56:25. > :56:27.pretty important to underpin her priority with the financial services

:56:28. > :56:31.sector, so critical to any negotiation. My honourable friend is

:56:32. > :56:38.very right. The strength that our legal services have is an important

:56:39. > :56:41.part of the relationship and that is why the Lord Chancellor has been

:56:42. > :56:46.working with the judiciary to look at exactly those issues and how we

:56:47. > :56:52.can take those for to ensure the right level of cooperation the

:56:53. > :56:56.future. I thank the Prime Minister for a band site of the statement.

:56:57. > :57:01.She refers to the British spirit, and to a fairer and united Britain.

:57:02. > :57:08.But fairness is just that. The proper respect for all people from

:57:09. > :57:13.all parts of the islands. Not just taking into account specific

:57:14. > :57:16.incidents of nations and regions. Not just consulting about which

:57:17. > :57:21.powers should stay in Westminster and which should be whittled down as

:57:22. > :57:25.she drives through her extreme version of Brexit. As we leave the

:57:26. > :57:34.European Union, they must be a better way than just her way. He

:57:35. > :57:39.refers to my vision for Brexit. As I have made very clear, in this House

:57:40. > :57:43.this afternoon and elsewhere, we want to get that combines a free

:57:44. > :57:46.trade agreement, we want good security cooperation and good

:57:47. > :57:51.security on justice and home affairs matters. That is what is in the

:57:52. > :57:56.letter to President Task. I do not see that as an extreme view, I see

:57:57. > :58:00.that as a good deal for the United Kingdom. -- President Tusk. May I

:58:01. > :58:04.congratulate my right honourable friend on the very reasonable

:58:05. > :58:08.underlying tone in her letter to President Tusk today. My honourable

:58:09. > :58:14.friend will be aware that this is a day I have campaigned for 426 years.

:58:15. > :58:18.Will she with me that the dividend of restoring democracy to our

:58:19. > :58:22.institutions, in stopping a huge fiscal transfer to the EU and the

:58:23. > :58:28.potential for international trade deals are prizes that all across our

:58:29. > :58:35.country will benefit from in years to come. As I indicated earlier, I

:58:36. > :58:42.know that there are honourable honourable friend and others who

:58:43. > :58:47.have wanted this for a long time and he's absolutely right. What will

:58:48. > :58:51.delay the vote -- what underlay the vote was the feeling that the United

:58:52. > :58:55.Kingdom needed to have control of its budget and laws, control of

:58:56. > :59:04.immigration rules, and not just simply be subject to decisions taken

:59:05. > :59:10.in the EU. I am proud to be a member of the European Parliament, one of

:59:11. > :59:13.the first elected members in 1979 along with Boris Johnson's father,

:59:14. > :59:20.who I don't think shares the same views as Boris any longer. She has

:59:21. > :59:24.spoken about the role of the European Parliament this morning and

:59:25. > :59:28.I'm sure she will agree that it is one of three important institutions

:59:29. > :59:32.with whom negotiations will take place. At the end the European

:59:33. > :59:38.Parliament has the power of veto. And that is a very important power.

:59:39. > :59:43.-- at the end of the day, the European Parliament has. Is she

:59:44. > :59:47.agreeing that if the European Parliament invited her, as they do

:59:48. > :59:51.heads of state, to appear before the parliament to give her views and

:59:52. > :59:55.answer some of their questions, that she would agree to do so? The

:59:56. > :59:59.honourable lady is absolutely right, the European Parliament will play an

:00:00. > :00:03.important role in this. Obviously the structure of the negotiations

:00:04. > :00:05.that has been established is that the key negotiator will be the

:00:06. > :00:10.European Commission operating under the mandate of the EU Council, but

:00:11. > :00:13.the arrangements are made for interaction with the European

:00:14. > :00:21.Parliament as part of that as well. I know that heads of government are

:00:22. > :00:24.from time to time invited to address the European Parliament and were

:00:25. > :00:31.such an invitation to come, I would look at it very seriously. This is

:00:32. > :00:36.indeed a momentous day. On the half of all house, may I pass on our

:00:37. > :00:38.congratulations to our honourable friend the Member for Morley and

:00:39. > :00:46.Outwood on the birth of a baby boy this morning, Clifford George. The

:00:47. > :00:49.Prime Minister has spoken about more decision-making powers for the

:00:50. > :00:56.devolved assemblies. With that in mind, is now not the time to

:00:57. > :00:59.turbo-charge devolved powers to Yorkshire and the North and to put

:01:00. > :01:06.real backing into the northern powerhouse? I would like to

:01:07. > :01:14.congratulate the honourable member for Morley and Outwood on that great

:01:15. > :01:22.news. I would like to thank another honourable member who I think at

:01:23. > :01:31.some hand in the matter. LAUGHTER. WELL, HE HAD A ROLE, ANYWAY! . Thank

:01:32. > :01:36.you, Mr Speaker, I am glad I did not have to give clarification on your

:01:37. > :01:39.statement. I would like to thank both my honourable friend is on the

:01:40. > :01:42.birth of Clifford George this morning. I'm sure the whole house

:01:43. > :01:50.will send their best wishes to mother and father and to their baby

:01:51. > :01:57.son. It is of course, as others have indicated, important that we take

:01:58. > :02:03.consideration of the views of other part of United Kingdom. We an

:02:04. > :02:08.important deal around the country, devolution deals, with directly

:02:09. > :02:15.elected mayor is coming into place on the 4th of May. -- mayors. We

:02:16. > :02:18.will be looking to see how we can further boost the economy is around

:02:19. > :02:24.the whole of the United Kingdom, including the northern powerhouse

:02:25. > :02:30.and the Midlands engine. I was in Birmingham yesterday to discuss

:02:31. > :02:35.exactly that. I think it is time to hear Mr Phil Boswell from his feet.

:02:36. > :02:42.Having recently come from a Public Accounts Committee session about

:02:43. > :02:46.caring for people with learning difficulties, can the Prime Minister

:02:47. > :02:50.advise when the National Health Service will start receiving its

:02:51. > :02:55.extra ?350 million a week? I am pleased to say that of course we are

:02:56. > :02:59.putting more funding into the NHS and putting extra funding into

:03:00. > :03:02.social care as my right honourable friend the Chancellor announced in

:03:03. > :03:08.the budget. Decisions about how we spend our budget in the future, once

:03:09. > :03:11.we have completed this negotiation and left the European Union, will be

:03:12. > :03:19.decisions to be taken here in the United Kingdom. Mr Speaker, in less

:03:20. > :03:24.than half an hour, the Italian Foreign Secretary will be visiting

:03:25. > :03:29.Parliament to sign the book of condolence and lay some flowers on

:03:30. > :03:33.behalf of the Republic of Italy. Mr Speaker, can I warmly commend the

:03:34. > :03:37.Prime Minister's words in her statement. The first time that she

:03:38. > :03:42.said this to the House. Those other words that say, I will represent

:03:43. > :03:46.every person in the whole United Kingdom and yes, those EU nationals

:03:47. > :03:50.who have made this country their home. That includes my parents, my

:03:51. > :03:55.sister, some of my constituents and 3 million other EU nationals. I

:03:56. > :04:02.would like to thank the Prime Minister for using those warm words.

:04:03. > :04:06.Today marks a coming of age for her. She is showing this House and the

:04:07. > :04:13.country that she is the right leader at this moment is time for the

:04:14. > :04:18.country. I thank my honourable friend for his remarks. He has taken

:04:19. > :04:21.a particular interest in the position of EU citizens living here

:04:22. > :04:24.in the United Kingdom and I'm pleased to confirm that as I

:04:25. > :04:28.negotiate, I will be negotiating with everyone in the Kingdom

:04:29. > :04:35.including those EU citizens, and I have repeated in the letter to

:04:36. > :04:41.President Tusk, I hope will be able to at this issue of rights of

:04:42. > :04:45.citizens living here at an early stage of the negotiation. May I

:04:46. > :04:48.remind the Prime Minister that at one stage both she and I were

:04:49. > :04:55.remainders. I remain very much a Remainer. I am a passionate European

:04:56. > :05:00.and believe that she should take careful note that a large number of

:05:01. > :05:04.people this country valued European citizenship. Why? Because it

:05:05. > :05:09.delivered over many years peace, prosperity and security. Will she

:05:10. > :05:14.assure the House that those priorities will be maintained in all

:05:15. > :05:17.the negotiations going forward? I will suddenly say to the honourable

:05:18. > :05:21.gentleman that of course it is possible to be a passionate European

:05:22. > :05:26.without believing that the UK should be a member of the European Union.

:05:27. > :05:30.This is a difference in terms of the values that we share, working

:05:31. > :05:34.together cooperatively across Europe on the issues that he raises. And

:05:35. > :05:38.that is important. I believe, as these benches do, that the

:05:39. > :05:41.determinant for security and defence across Europe has been Nato. We

:05:42. > :05:49.continue to play a part in Nato but I recognise that those on the

:05:50. > :05:52.continent of Europe, that there are those on the continent reveal that

:05:53. > :05:55.the EU has been part of that process of delivering security and peace in

:05:56. > :05:58.the future. I want to ensure that we continue to work together so that we

:05:59. > :06:04.continue to see peace and security across our European continent. I

:06:05. > :06:12.think I will call the fellow wearing the Elgar tie. Although she did

:06:13. > :06:18.indeed support the Remainer side during the EU referendum campaign

:06:19. > :06:21.last year, nevertheless the Prime Minister has demonstrated

:06:22. > :06:30.outstanding leadership to our country in promoting the will of the

:06:31. > :06:33.British people. On this glorious day, recalling Edward Elgar, having

:06:34. > :06:38.campaigned to leave the common market myself in 1975, may I say to

:06:39. > :06:44.my old friend how much I salute her determination to unite the country

:06:45. > :06:48.in securing the very best deal, not only for the United Kingdom but for

:06:49. > :06:51.our European Parliament as well. I thank my honourable friend for his

:06:52. > :06:55.remarks and I know that he has been campaigning long and hard on this

:06:56. > :06:58.issue over the years. I think it is right that we come together now and

:06:59. > :07:05.get the best possible deal for the UK. I also want to put on record how

:07:06. > :07:08.proud I am of what we have achieved as members of the European Union,

:07:09. > :07:13.not just in terms of security and economy, but peace between our

:07:14. > :07:19.nations, which twice in the last century have been at war. We know

:07:20. > :07:22.there is more than one way to Brexit in the next two years will clearly

:07:23. > :07:28.be a big debate about the trade-offs we need to make. We know the Prime

:07:29. > :07:33.Minister wishes to ensure the future prosperity of Britain. So far, there

:07:34. > :07:35.have been no economic assessments of the government's plans. With the

:07:36. > :07:38.Prime Minister confirm that an economic assessment will be

:07:39. > :07:44.published with the final deal and that it will compare the outcomes

:07:45. > :07:49.expected, both with what we have now as with the prospect of no deal? The

:07:50. > :07:54.honourable lady ask me to make a comparison of what we have now. Of

:07:55. > :07:57.course we have decided to leave the European Union and therefore to

:07:58. > :08:00.change our relationship with the European Union. But we will make

:08:01. > :08:12.sure that when it comes to the vote in parliament that Parliament has

:08:13. > :08:15.the necessary information. This is a day for which neither I nor the vast

:08:16. > :08:18.majority of my constituents wanted to see but may I commend the Prime

:08:19. > :08:23.Minister for her statement and tone in a letter to President. I fully

:08:24. > :08:26.support the Prime Minister's objective in delivering a conference

:08:27. > :08:29.of free trade deal on goods and services with the EU and let's be

:08:30. > :08:34.clear, no deal would be a bad deal. What more can this House do to help

:08:35. > :08:42.deliver her aims in the interests of both Britain and the European Union?

:08:43. > :08:46.I think the task that this House will have of putting through

:08:47. > :08:50.necessary legislation, great repeal Bill and other legislation to be put

:08:51. > :08:52.through, will of course be an important part of that process of

:08:53. > :08:59.being able to deliver on the deal that we need at the end of this

:09:00. > :09:03.negotiation that we are entering into. I have every confidence that

:09:04. > :09:08.members from all parts of the House and all sides of the argument in the

:09:09. > :09:17.past will come together and will ensure that we work together to get

:09:18. > :09:22.the best possible deal. With a maximum now of 72 weeks to negotiate

:09:23. > :09:25.the UK EU trade deal, the future for Scotland is clear. It is

:09:26. > :09:30.independence in Europe or go it alone with Westminster. As the

:09:31. > :09:40.government thought of rejoining EFTA or will she go it alone and the

:09:41. > :09:43.original entity on its own, shared only with the Gulf of Guinea and

:09:44. > :09:50.some other countries. Because that is where she is taking the United

:09:51. > :09:54.Kingdom. I said right from the beginning that I believe that, given

:09:55. > :09:58.the position of the United Kingdom, we want to negotiate a deal that is

:09:59. > :10:02.right for the United Kingdom. That means not just ticking off the shelf

:10:03. > :10:05.an arrangement that other countries have, but actually asking what works

:10:06. > :10:09.for the UK and EU, given the relationship that we have that,

:10:10. > :10:12.given that we have been members of the European Union, given the size

:10:13. > :10:15.of our economy and given the benefits to us and the European

:10:16. > :10:19.Union of getting such a free trade deal.

:10:20. > :10:29.Can I warmly welcome the tone of the Prime Minister's letter to President

:10:30. > :10:35.Tusk and wish her every success in achieving free and frictionless

:10:36. > :10:38.trade, but when it comes to returning sovereignty to this

:10:39. > :10:46.parliament, will she undertake that she will limit entry Henry VIII

:10:47. > :10:52.powers and allow MPs to vote on legislation that will affect the

:10:53. > :10:59.future of their people? -- constituents? We will try to ensure

:11:00. > :11:04.we have the best way of putting legislation through the size to

:11:05. > :11:08.enable debate to take place. As we come to debates on the Great Repeal

:11:09. > :11:12.Bill that will be part of discussions but I also ask

:11:13. > :11:18.honourable members to recognise the many changes that need to take place

:11:19. > :11:23.that our technical changes that are not about policy but are necessary

:11:24. > :11:29.because of the intertwining of our legislation that if we are to ensure

:11:30. > :11:32.that when we come to leaving we can have that clean break and we have

:11:33. > :11:39.dealt with all the legislative consequences. I'm sure when the

:11:40. > :11:44.Prime Minister went to the polling station last June and cast her vote

:11:45. > :11:48.for Remain, she had at the forefront of her mind stability for British

:11:49. > :11:53.industry. In the recent bye election she wrote to thousands of my

:11:54. > :12:00.constituents highlighting the plan she said her party would have

:12:01. > :12:02.diverse ramekin industry. The ceramic factories in Stoke-on-Trent

:12:03. > :12:08.make the best pottery in the world but they need stability to reach

:12:09. > :12:13.their great targets, so can the Prime Minister confirm that our

:12:14. > :12:18.future relationship with the single market and the Customs Union will

:12:19. > :12:23.deliver exactly the same benefits as it does so when I return to

:12:24. > :12:29.Stoke-on-Trent I can give my major employers the confidence they need?

:12:30. > :12:35.The answer I give him will be the answer I have given the wrote the

:12:36. > :12:39.statement and in the past. We will be working for that comprehensive

:12:40. > :12:43.free trade agreement to allow the distance to trade freely with the

:12:44. > :12:49.European single market and in goods and services. That is what we want

:12:50. > :12:55.to achieve. I recognised the need for a business to have as much

:12:56. > :13:00.certainty as soon as possible. One thing in the latter which businesses

:13:01. > :13:05.have been asking for is the concept of the implementation period so they

:13:06. > :13:09.can put new arrangements in place and have notification of that, and

:13:10. > :13:16.that is what I suggested to President Tusk we should agree is a

:13:17. > :13:22.principle we abide by. A Canterbury knight, Sir Julian Brazier. In

:13:23. > :13:28.strongly welcoming my honourable friend's statement, could I welcome

:13:29. > :13:33.what she said about remaining good Europeans and will she agreed the

:13:34. > :13:38.fact we are committed to Nato and its 2%, we have troops deploying to

:13:39. > :13:45.neighbours in battle and we have troops fighting Daesh, shows just

:13:46. > :13:50.what a good European country we are? He makes an important point. It

:13:51. > :13:56.isn't about what we say but what we do and what we are doing in Nato,

:13:57. > :14:03.our commitments to eastern European allies and our work to counter Daesh

:14:04. > :14:08.are not just the military work but also our cooperation between

:14:09. > :14:12.intelligence services across Europe, all important symbols of our

:14:13. > :14:18.commitment to ensure we play our part in maintaining security in

:14:19. > :14:23.Europe. The Prime Minister stated she will not provide a running

:14:24. > :14:27.commentary on negotiations. Earlier this week in the Financial Times, it

:14:28. > :14:33.was stated that the unity of the 27th will be stronger aged on full

:14:34. > :14:38.transparency and debate, so what does it say about this so-called

:14:39. > :14:42.team approached that members of this Parliament and devolved governments

:14:43. > :14:48.across these islands are set to hear more about the outcome of those

:14:49. > :14:54.talks then those on -- from those on the other side of the negotiating

:14:55. > :14:59.table than from this Government? What I have said clearly is when we

:15:00. > :15:07.are able to provide clarity as we have until now, we will do so, but

:15:08. > :15:13.it is the case that if we're going to get the best deal for the UK, we

:15:14. > :15:19.should not reveal every detail of our hand at every stage in the

:15:20. > :15:25.negotiations. We will be looking to ensure that clarity and information

:15:26. > :15:30.are available where appropriate. Wyatts seeking to protect and

:15:31. > :15:35.enhance workers' writes, with the Prime Minister also seized the

:15:36. > :15:39.opportunity of ordered by leaving the EU for greater sectoral

:15:40. > :15:47.regulation, so businesses can create the prosperity we all need and on

:15:48. > :15:54.which our public services rely? At the point we leave, the key will be

:15:55. > :15:59.brought into UK law, to provide certainty but then it will be up to

:16:00. > :16:08.the UK Parliament to determine what regulations remain in place and what

:16:09. > :16:13.deregulation should take place? In her letter to Donald Tusk, the Prime

:16:14. > :16:19.Minister refers to the treaty of the EU and the atomic energy treaty. She

:16:20. > :16:25.makes no reference to the European economic area agreement which

:16:26. > :16:29.underpins our membership of the single market. When and how does the

:16:30. > :16:37.Prime Minister intend to withdraw us from the EEA? Membership of the EEA

:16:38. > :16:52.is linked to our member shot of the EU and start notification of leaving

:16:53. > :16:56.the EU covers also the EEA. Can I warmly congratulate my right

:16:57. > :17:01.honourable friend for carrying out the wishes of the majority of my

:17:02. > :17:09.constituents in Bury, Ramsbottom and Tottenham by triggering Article 50?

:17:10. > :17:14.Does she agree that while inevitably after 40 years of membership there

:17:15. > :17:19.could be difficult negotiations ahead, what matters is the big

:17:20. > :17:24.picture, but we are taking back control for this Parliament, control

:17:25. > :17:32.of our borders and of our contributions? There will be

:17:33. > :17:37.detailed negotiations but we must always remain and keep as our vision

:17:38. > :17:41.that big picture as he describes it that this is about control of our

:17:42. > :17:52.laws, borders and budgets, that is what people voted for. Michel

:17:53. > :17:56.Barnier, who will be involved in negotiations, has put Northern

:17:57. > :18:00.Ireland top of his agenda because he was involved in the negotiations to

:18:01. > :18:07.achieve a special European programme. Can the Prime Minister

:18:08. > :18:11.outlined how she will ensure the protections of our fragile economy

:18:12. > :18:14.in Northern Ireland to ensure there is Tara free access and continued

:18:15. > :18:22.access to the single European market which is vital to the growing

:18:23. > :18:28.economy on the island of Ireland? In overall terms negotiating a

:18:29. > :18:34.comprehensive free trade agreement with what we want to achieve, are

:18:35. > :18:39.free trade with the European single market, will cover the whole of the

:18:40. > :18:43.UK including Northern Ireland, but we are conscious because of the land

:18:44. > :18:49.border with the Republic that we have to look carefully at customs

:18:50. > :18:54.arrangements. We want to be have trade agreements with other

:18:55. > :18:58.countries around the world, that has implications in relation to the

:18:59. > :19:02.Customs Union that we are working with the Irish government to ensure

:19:03. > :19:07.arrangements can be put in place to maintain that the economy in

:19:08. > :19:10.Northern Ireland, and as the Taoiseach and others have said, we

:19:11. > :19:20.do not see a return to the borders of the past. May I commend my right

:19:21. > :19:25.honourable friend on the comments she made regarding the need for all

:19:26. > :19:31.of us to work together to secure the best possible need for our country

:19:32. > :19:36.at this momentous time? She will be aware of the decision by the Supreme

:19:37. > :19:40.Court, the unanimous decision that matters relating to relations with

:19:41. > :19:47.the EU are to be dealt with exclusively by the UK Government and

:19:48. > :19:53.UK Parliament and not a matter for the devolved in situations. Given

:19:54. > :19:57.that as a country we regularly speak to the rest of the world about the

:19:58. > :20:02.need to respect the rule of law, which she agree with me that it is

:20:03. > :20:11.oughtn't that politicians from all four nations of our country

:20:12. > :20:16.themselves respect the rule of law? I'm grateful to my honourable

:20:17. > :20:21.friend. It is indeed the case that the Supreme Court found there would

:20:22. > :20:24.be no veto for the devolved administrations but it is

:20:25. > :20:29.interesting that I understand we have an argument from the SNP that a

:20:30. > :20:35.decision to remain in the EU either Scottish voters should be dealt

:20:36. > :20:42.within a different way from the overall result of the referendum. In

:20:43. > :20:48.2014 when we had the referendum on membership of the UK in Scotland,

:20:49. > :20:54.the SNP argued the opposite, that the result as a whole was the only

:20:55. > :20:58.one that counted and if there were parts of Scotland like Orkney and

:20:59. > :21:05.Shetland who voted differently, that should not be taken into account.

:21:06. > :21:10.The Prime Minister has rightly spoken of in the day. Could she say

:21:11. > :21:17.specifically how she will respect and give voice to those people who

:21:18. > :21:24.have extreme anxiety and businesses about the direction the country is

:21:25. > :21:29.now embarked? We do want to give certainty to businesses and others

:21:30. > :21:34.as soon as possible on the arrangements that will be put in

:21:35. > :21:38.place but this will be a negotiation and there will be uncertainty, and

:21:39. > :21:43.we cannot take that uncertainty completely away, but we can't give

:21:44. > :21:51.clarity at stages where we are able to do so, as we have been in the

:21:52. > :21:54.last few months. I welcome the approach my right honourable friend

:21:55. > :22:02.is taking to secure a positive outcome. Does she agree that Brexit

:22:03. > :22:05.is a spur to action to tackle long-standing economic challenges

:22:06. > :22:11.about productivity, skills and export performance, and will then

:22:12. > :22:18.modern industrial strategy help in achieving these objectives? The vote

:22:19. > :22:22.was not just about leaving the EU but changing the way the country

:22:23. > :22:27.works for ever, getting that stronger economy, ensuring everyone

:22:28. > :22:34.plays by the same rules, ensuring it works for everyone and we see growth

:22:35. > :22:39.in every part of the UK, it is an important part of our plan for

:22:40. > :22:47.Britain and dark industrial strategy is at the heart of delivering that.

:22:48. > :22:53.Could the Prime Minister explain why in her long and detailed letter to

:22:54. > :22:59.President Tusk, which clearly took weeks to prepare, she somehow forgot

:23:00. > :23:08.to mention Gibraltar? Is it a case of out of sight, out of mind? We're

:23:09. > :23:11.absolutely steadfast in our support of Gibraltar and its people and the

:23:12. > :23:17.economy. Our position has not changed. We have been firm and our

:23:18. > :23:21.commitment to never enter arrangements under which the people

:23:22. > :23:26.of Gibraltar would pass to sovereignty of another state against

:23:27. > :23:31.their wishes, or enter into negotiations with which they are not

:23:32. > :23:38.content? The letters of negotiation in relation to our with drawing,

:23:39. > :23:45.Gibraltar is not a separate member of the EU nor is it part of the UK

:23:46. > :23:50.with reference to EU law but it is covered by our exit negotiations, we

:23:51. > :23:55.are committed to involving them and have been having regular discussions

:23:56. > :24:02.with the Government of Gibraltar and will work with them for the future.

:24:03. > :24:06.As a representative of a give the constituency which voted

:24:07. > :24:11.overwhelmingly to leave, I would like to congratulate the Prime

:24:12. > :24:19.Minister on her leadership on this historic day. Much of my beautiful

:24:20. > :24:23.constituency is rural farmland and the local farmland would like

:24:24. > :24:27.reassurance that their livelihoods will be protected as we leave the

:24:28. > :24:32.EU. Can my right honourable friend confirm she will do all she can to

:24:33. > :24:40.support British farming in the process of these negotiations? We

:24:41. > :24:43.have already been able to give some reassurance to farmers by the

:24:44. > :24:49.commitment we have in terms of funding until 2020, then we need to

:24:50. > :24:57.look at arrangements post the UK leaving the EU, but I can assure my

:24:58. > :25:00.honourable friend that the Secretary of State for the environment, Food

:25:01. > :25:04.and Rural Affairs is working with farmers in all parts of the UK to

:25:05. > :25:13.look at arrangements for the best way ahead. There is a big economic

:25:14. > :25:16.challenge ahead. Does the Prime Minister recognised that securing

:25:17. > :25:22.anything like the barrier free access to the single market will

:25:23. > :25:23.require some compromise to be found on the question of free movement of

:25:24. > :25:31.people? The decision was taken on the 23rd

:25:32. > :25:34.of June in relation to free movement was that it should be the free

:25:35. > :25:39.government -- UK Government that determines the free migration of

:25:40. > :25:43.people from the European Union to the United Kingdom. We will be

:25:44. > :25:46.pitching for proposals to this House in due course as to what the

:25:47. > :25:49.arrangements for the future should be but I have every confidence,

:25:50. > :25:52.because we are not going to stop immigration from the European Union

:25:53. > :25:59.coming into the United Kingdom, we recognise there will still be a need

:26:00. > :26:01.for people to come from the EU into the United Kingdom. But the

:26:02. > :26:06.important point will be that the rules governing that will be

:26:07. > :26:12.determined by the UK Government. Mr Speaker, the Prime Minister is right

:26:13. > :26:17.that the UK is leaving the institutions of the European Union,

:26:18. > :26:21.not Europe itself. She's also to talk of this country as global

:26:22. > :26:27.Britain. This nation is one of the world's leading aviation powers and

:26:28. > :26:31.a trading nation. Can I seek assurances that the importance of

:26:32. > :26:37.aviation, as we increasingly become a conduit between the rest of the

:26:38. > :26:40.world and Europe, will be paramount. Obviously the arrangements for

:26:41. > :26:46.aviation will be a key element of the negotiations as we take them

:26:47. > :26:50.forward. Both in terms of ensuring that we see no disruption to the

:26:51. > :26:54.aviation arrangements, but they are still able to continue to fly

:26:55. > :26:58.between the UK and other parts of the European Union in the way that

:26:59. > :27:01.they have done here and elsewhere in the world. But we recognise the

:27:02. > :27:05.importance of our aviation industry not just in terms of the airlines

:27:06. > :27:11.themselves and the work that they do, and our airports, but also the

:27:12. > :27:15.manufacturing that we have here in relation to the aviation industries

:27:16. > :27:24.is also important. There must be some relief from the toil of being a

:27:25. > :27:30.whip. The Prime Minister talked grandly about self-determination.

:27:31. > :27:40.Why is she so determined to not allow the Scottish people to

:27:41. > :27:43.exercise that very right? As I have said before, I think now is not the

:27:44. > :27:45.time to be talking about a second independence referendum and I would

:27:46. > :27:51.simply remind the honourable gentleman that in 2014 the SNP were

:27:52. > :28:01.clear that that was a once-in-a-lifetime vote. This is

:28:02. > :28:09.truly a red white and blue letter day. Shut up. It represents all of

:28:10. > :28:17.the constituent parts of United Kingdom including Scotland. Sending

:28:18. > :28:21.an ambassador was a nice touch, Brown Minister. In the letter you

:28:22. > :28:25.talk about the Brexit plans, the EU citizens living in the UK and the

:28:26. > :28:29.British citizens including Scots who live and work in other parts of the

:28:30. > :28:33.European Union. Another Prime Minister has said she will not give

:28:34. > :28:35.a running commentary on the negotiations but will she give an

:28:36. > :28:43.assurance that once a deal is reached, as far as the expats, she

:28:44. > :28:49.will inform them to ease the anxiety they are currently feeling. The

:28:50. > :28:53.point of trying to achieve a deal at an early stage is precisely so we

:28:54. > :28:56.can tell people the nature of that deal. So that they can have the

:28:57. > :29:02.reassurance and will not have to worry about their future. On days

:29:03. > :29:06.such as this, the prime ministers should speak for the whole country.

:29:07. > :29:11.She has chosen to speak for little more than half. Beyond empty

:29:12. > :29:15.rhetoric, what reassurances can she give to the 70% of my constituents

:29:16. > :29:19.who voted to remain and the one in six who are citizens of other EU

:29:20. > :29:27.countries who have real fears for their livelihoods, their businesses

:29:28. > :29:33.and their security? On the issue of EU citizens, as I have just

:29:34. > :29:36.indicated in answer to my right honourable friend, the question of

:29:37. > :29:41.the status of EU citizens living here and citizens living in the

:29:42. > :29:44.member states will be one that we hope to address at early stages of

:29:45. > :29:48.the negotiations so that we can give people that security and assurance

:29:49. > :29:50.of their future. And of course for businesses I recognise there will be

:29:51. > :29:55.a degree of uncertainty until the future arrangement has been

:29:56. > :29:59.concluded and they know what the future arrangement is going to be.

:30:00. > :30:02.We can give them, I hope, certainty that there will be able mentation

:30:03. > :30:05.periods so that there will not be a cliff edge for them but what they

:30:06. > :30:08.can be assured of is that we are going to try to ensure that we get

:30:09. > :30:15.the most brands of free trade deal possible. -- comprehensive free

:30:16. > :30:18.trade deal. Many people voted to leave the EU because they felt

:30:19. > :30:24.disengaged with politics and the institutions did not work with them.

:30:25. > :30:27.Over the next 18 months will the Prime Minister work to ensure that

:30:28. > :30:32.we retain a place in the world but also to deliver on our domestic

:30:33. > :30:37.agenda to ensure that people feel that our government is working for

:30:38. > :30:46.them? My my honourable friend makes an important point which is that

:30:47. > :30:49.holder will be important negotiations, it is important that

:30:50. > :30:53.the government will be putting together a domestic agenda for a

:30:54. > :30:57.stronger economy and fairer society, and that global outlook for the

:30:58. > :31:06.United Kingdom. The work we will be doing around the world will be an

:31:07. > :31:12.important part of that. Mr Speaker, the Prime Minister told us that

:31:13. > :31:15.Brexit meant Brexit. But now we see the Scottish Parliament voting for a

:31:16. > :31:24.second Scottish referendum will the Prime Minister realise and

:31:25. > :31:29.acknowledge that Scotref means Scotref and agreed to an application

:31:30. > :31:33.for a section 30. If we're going to make a success of Brexit, we need to

:31:34. > :31:37.pull together at this time and make sure we're getting the best possible

:31:38. > :31:44.deal for the United Kingdom. Scotland voted in September 2014 to

:31:45. > :31:49.remain a member the United Kingdom. I will draw members to my

:31:50. > :31:54.declaration of interest. I welcome the Prime Minister's statement and

:31:55. > :31:59.the tone, embracing the whole of United Kingdom, and emphasis on

:32:00. > :32:03.pursuing a Brexit that works for everyone. Can I seek reassurances

:32:04. > :32:08.that the agriculture and environment, so closely linked, will

:32:09. > :32:13.not become a sacrificial lamb in any future negotiations going forward,

:32:14. > :32:16.any future trade negotiations. We will in our trade negotiations with

:32:17. > :32:21.the European Union, but also with others around the world, we will be

:32:22. > :32:26.very conscious of the need to ensure that we respect the requirements

:32:27. > :32:30.both for the environment and also for our agriculture, food and

:32:31. > :32:34.farming industry here in the United Kingdom. I ensure my honourable

:32:35. > :32:40.friend that we will continue to maintain our commitment to both

:32:41. > :32:44.those issues. Can I congratulate the Prime Minister on her stamina in

:32:45. > :32:51.being at the dispatch box for two and a half hours. And that is only

:32:52. > :32:54.halfway through. At least at the home affairs committee we give a

:32:55. > :32:57.chair to sit down throughout the sessions. Anyway, the first of all

:32:58. > :33:06.congratulate her congratulate her on her appointment for a new national

:33:07. > :33:10.security adviser. Can I pressed her on the issue of policing and

:33:11. > :33:15.security issues? I know there are headlines in the letter to Donald

:33:16. > :33:19.Tusk but throughout these negotiations, will we remain a full

:33:20. > :33:23.member of Europol and will we have access to the criminal databases of

:33:24. > :33:29.the EU? And is that one of her ambitions, to retain that access

:33:30. > :33:32.when we leave the EU? While we remain a member of the European

:33:33. > :33:36.Union we will continue to have access and membership arrangements

:33:37. > :33:42.that we currently have for the various issues that the honourable

:33:43. > :33:44.gentleman the to. It will certainly be my expectation that we will be

:33:45. > :33:52.looking to negotiate continued access for information, in various

:33:53. > :33:55.ways like which we are currently sharing information with the

:33:56. > :33:58.European Union. That is not just in our interests, it is in the

:33:59. > :34:02.interests of the European Union. This is a great day for our country.

:34:03. > :34:11.As we take back full control of our national destiny. Historically, we

:34:12. > :34:14.have been a free trading nation am outward looking with a global

:34:15. > :34:21.perspective. Does the Brown Minister agree that that which is historic in

:34:22. > :34:25.our national DNA will stand us in good stead as we are going through

:34:26. > :34:30.these critical negotiations. -- does the Prime Minister. I absolutely

:34:31. > :34:33.agree and that is why I am optimistic and ambitious for our

:34:34. > :34:38.future. I think that outward looking spirit that we have always had will

:34:39. > :34:42.stand us in good stead. Can the Prime Minister confirm her

:34:43. > :34:47.understanding of what will need to happen on the European side to

:34:48. > :34:51.ratify the New Deal with the UK which we all want to see? Will there

:34:52. > :34:54.be a decision as part of the exit negotiations by the Council of

:34:55. > :34:57.Ministers and the commission or will it be something that requires

:34:58. > :35:03.ratification by every single remaining EU member state, sometimes

:35:04. > :35:06.including regional parliaments? Because clearly that could cause

:35:07. > :35:11.absurdity of one member state or poses the terms that we have

:35:12. > :35:16.negotiated for our exit. The extent to which any part of the deal

:35:17. > :35:19.requires full ratification from every single member state and from

:35:20. > :35:25.every constituent part of the European Union will vary according

:35:26. > :35:33.to the nation of the asset of the deal. Overall, it will be necessary

:35:34. > :35:37.for members of Parliament to ratify. For those of us who campaigned and

:35:38. > :35:44.voted for Brexit, not just last year but also in 1975, this is indeed a

:35:45. > :35:50.great day and one for celebration. 70% of my Cleethorpes constituents

:35:51. > :35:54.and in neighbouring Grimsley voted for Brexit last June. In part that

:35:55. > :35:58.was the continuing anger and resentment at the sell-out of the

:35:59. > :36:01.fishing industry in the original negotiations. The Brown Minister has

:36:02. > :36:11.reassured me that the fishing industry will be looked after but

:36:12. > :36:17.the associated seafood industry is very much dependent on the fishing

:36:18. > :36:20.industry. I have already met with industry leaders in my constituency

:36:21. > :36:25.who see both opportunities and concerns. Can she reassured me that

:36:26. > :36:31.the seafood processing industry will indeed be a key part of the

:36:32. > :36:34.negotiations? I can give my honourable friend the assurance that

:36:35. > :36:37.we don't just want to ensure we get a good future for the fishing

:36:38. > :36:40.industry, we want to ensure that the parts of the industry that rely on

:36:41. > :36:48.fishing will also have a good future here in the United Kingdom and we

:36:49. > :36:54.will be taking that into account. Thousands of EU nationals do

:36:55. > :36:58.essential and useful jobs in our agriculture and fishing sector. They

:36:59. > :37:03.still do not know what their status is going to be two years from now.

:37:04. > :37:08.The UK Government's position, is it so weak that they need to use these

:37:09. > :37:10.people as bargaining fodder in their negotiations? Why won't the Brown

:37:11. > :37:16.Minister make a goodwill gesture and guarantee their rights? -- the Prime

:37:17. > :37:23.Minister. As the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and as the

:37:24. > :37:27.Parliament of the United Kingdom, I think we should all have cared not

:37:28. > :37:31.just for citizens living here but for United Kingdom citizens living

:37:32. > :37:40.in the EU. We want to ensure reciprocal arrangements guaranteeing

:37:41. > :37:43.rights on both sides. I welcome the Prime Minister's clear commitments

:37:44. > :37:47.to a positive, constructive and respectful approach to the

:37:48. > :37:51.negotiations that lie ahead. Can I pressed her further, on behalf of

:37:52. > :37:54.the fishing community in my constituency and around the United

:37:55. > :37:58.Kingdom. She will know that in the past they have been badly let down

:37:59. > :38:04.during negotiations, so can she give an equally clear commitment that the

:38:05. > :38:11.fishing community will receive a sufficiently high priority during

:38:12. > :38:13.the negotiations ahead? I can confirm to my honourable friend that

:38:14. > :38:19.we are very conscious of the needs of the fishing industry. DEFRA has

:38:20. > :38:21.been talking with the fishing industry and the secretaries of

:38:22. > :38:28.state and others has been looking carefully at the arrangements and

:38:29. > :38:31.needs of the fishing industry, which will be an important part of our

:38:32. > :38:36.considerations in future. A number of people are very distressed and

:38:37. > :38:44.sad that we are leaving the European Union. Many did not vote for it,

:38:45. > :38:47.many did not even get a say in this decision, but they are the

:38:48. > :38:52.generation most greatly affected by it. What will the Prime Minister do

:38:53. > :38:56.to ensure that she listens to and engages with the next-generation? I

:38:57. > :39:00.think the honourable lady makes an important point because the

:39:01. > :39:04.decisions we take now about how we leave the European Union, about what

:39:05. > :39:08.our arrangements are in the future, how we do what we do here in the

:39:09. > :39:11.United Kingdom in terms of our industrial strategy and technical

:39:12. > :39:15.education, are about the next generation. I want to ensure that we

:39:16. > :39:18.are ambitious for the whole of the country and ambitious to ensure a

:39:19. > :39:24.bright future for the next generation. That is what the

:39:25. > :39:28.government will be working for. Can I thank my honourable friend for the

:39:29. > :39:32.resonant way she has pushed through the will of the British people. Does

:39:33. > :39:36.she agree with me that invoking Article 50, the logical conclusion

:39:37. > :39:42.to that will be regaining control of our destiny? That means that all the

:39:43. > :39:49.rules and regulations made to govern our lives will be made in this place

:39:50. > :39:54.or on these islands, and not by unelected bureaucrats in Brussels. I

:39:55. > :39:57.think my honourable friend has put his finger on the issue which a

:39:58. > :40:01.thing led to many people voting to leave the European Union, which is

:40:02. > :40:05.what they wanted was to feel that decisions were being taken here in

:40:06. > :40:08.the United Kingdom about their future and not being taken in

:40:09. > :40:12.Brussels. From the ranks of the boisterous bunch of the SNP, I think

:40:13. > :40:19.we should hear a voice of serenity and good conduct.

:40:20. > :40:30.Thank you, Mr Speaker. The chair of the EU Constitutional committee has

:40:31. > :40:36.spoken clearly and I quote, we have also taken note of the fact that UK

:40:37. > :40:39.citizens vivid differently in Scotland and Northern Ireland and

:40:40. > :40:46.also in Gibraltar, nicking it clear the majority wish to be in the

:40:47. > :40:50.union, and it is difficult to imagine those differences could be

:40:51. > :40:56.ignored and discarded in the process of Brexit, so can I ask how our

:40:57. > :41:00.friends and partners in Europe are so clear about making our voices

:41:01. > :41:08.heard and the honourable member complete the ignores them? The

:41:09. > :41:14.Government is not completely ignoring and discarding voices. We

:41:15. > :41:20.are focusing on the best possible outcome for the whole UK and that

:41:21. > :41:27.best possible outcome, I look at it in terms of the events we want to

:41:28. > :41:32.achieve, that free trade agreement, I understood that was what the

:41:33. > :41:40.Scottish Government wanted to see, a comprehensive free trade agreement,

:41:41. > :41:43.and we will be working four. The food and drinks manufacturing sector

:41:44. > :41:49.is the largest manufacturing sector in the UK. It is innovative, a

:41:50. > :41:57.significant exporter and employs a lot of people, and it is also an

:41:58. > :42:00.area affected by EU law, so in the forthcoming negotiations will the

:42:01. > :42:04.Prime Minister is sensitive to the needs of the sector and ensure it

:42:05. > :42:12.can't compete on a level playing field? I can assure my honourable

:42:13. > :42:17.friend that we are listening to the voices of industrial sectors around

:42:18. > :42:21.the country to ensure we take account of the concerns they have as

:42:22. > :42:26.we look ahead to leaving the EU because we want to ensure we build

:42:27. > :42:31.on the success we have, he talks about innovation, we want to build

:42:32. > :42:38.on that so we will take those interests in account. The Prime

:42:39. > :42:43.Minister's letter to President Tusk states in security terms a failure

:42:44. > :42:48.to reach agreement would mean our cooperation in the fight against

:42:49. > :42:52.crime and terror would be weakened. Could she clarify, is she still

:42:53. > :42:59.threatening to walk away with no deal if she doesn't get the economic

:43:00. > :43:03.deal she wants? I go on to make it clear that not having agreements on

:43:04. > :43:08.these issues would not be in the interests of the UK and the EU and

:43:09. > :43:16.we should work to ensure we secure a deal. Can I thank the Prime Minister

:43:17. > :43:20.for her statement and will she confirmed that during the Brexit

:43:21. > :43:26.negotiation she will play attention to the concerns of people in

:43:27. > :43:29.Gibraltar, maintain the effective working border with Spain and these

:43:30. > :43:37.negotiations will not be used as a back door to discussions about

:43:38. > :43:40.sovereignty, given that Gibraltarians, unlike some, want to

:43:41. > :43:47.respect the result of the referendum? I can't give an

:43:48. > :43:52.assurance to my honourable friend, we have set a Joint Ministerial

:43:53. > :43:56.Council with the Government of Gibraltar to discuss their

:43:57. > :44:02.particular issues to make sure the concerns are taken into account as

:44:03. > :44:06.we enter these negotiations and we are committed to continue engaging

:44:07. > :44:12.with Gibraltar. The honourable member is a jovial jackanapes, let's

:44:13. > :44:29.hear from the fella. I do apologise. hear from the fella. I do apologise.

:44:30. > :44:34.No, once is enough. Enough! Even an ardent Remainer like me recognises

:44:35. > :44:39.we now have a golden opportunity to reshape immigration policy. The

:44:40. > :44:46.Prime Minister spoke of a truly global Britain so will she apply

:44:47. > :44:49.that principle and at the earliest opportunity remove international

:44:50. > :44:55.students from net migration targets and sent out a message we are

:44:56. > :45:00.welcome information, and also stem the plummeting tide of EU

:45:01. > :45:05.applications to our universities? Whether or not students are included

:45:06. > :45:12.in the net migration target is not a message about our country and how

:45:13. > :45:16.welcome people. We welcome students to this country but what we do in

:45:17. > :45:21.statistics is abide by the international definition which is

:45:22. > :45:26.used by countries around the world. We want to ensure the brightest and

:45:27. > :45:35.the best can come to the UK and get the value of our education. Could I

:45:36. > :45:38.welcome the Prime Minister's seven principles in her letter, especially

:45:39. > :45:45.the first about constructive and respectful engagement and about the

:45:46. > :45:49.importance of the relationship with the Republic of Ireland and the

:45:50. > :45:54.Belfast Agreement. Which she agree that to achieve the best possible

:45:55. > :46:01.outcome for all constituents, there should be a minimum of red lines and

:46:02. > :46:05.the maximum flexibility? A agree it's important to be flexible but

:46:06. > :46:13.the key thing is that in everything we do we put the British national

:46:14. > :46:17.interest first. I don't know that the Prime Minister is aware of the

:46:18. > :46:24.draft resolution published by the European Parliament which includes a

:46:25. > :46:28.recognition that a large number of UK citizens, including a majority in

:46:29. > :46:35.Scotland and Northern Ireland, voted to remain in the EU. It doesn't

:46:36. > :46:38.mention Maidenhead, perhaps because the people of Maidenhead did not

:46:39. > :46:44.have a referendum where they were told that voting to remain in the UK

:46:45. > :46:52.would also mean remaining in the EU. The SNP cannot have it all ways

:46:53. > :46:58.because they wanted to leave the UK, which would have meant leaving the

:46:59. > :47:03.EU. I welcome how the Prime Minister has taken forward the will of the

:47:04. > :47:08.British people, including my constituents. In relation to

:47:09. > :47:16.fighting extremism, in 2014 there were 20 Daesh inspired terror acts

:47:17. > :47:21.around the world and in 2015 there were 60 such events. The UK has

:47:22. > :47:27.always had open intelligence sharing with our partners around the world,

:47:28. > :47:31.and there is a moral obligation for every international partner where

:47:32. > :47:35.they have that information to prevent a terror attack to provide

:47:36. > :47:42.that to their partner because we are all in it together. We are working

:47:43. > :47:48.together to fight terror and many of the exchanges on terrorism matters

:47:49. > :47:55.are not part of EU structures. Agriculture is devolved to the Welsh

:47:56. > :48:00.Government. Can the Prime Minister confirm whether any repeat region to

:48:01. > :48:08.powers in this area will also transferred to the Welsh Government?

:48:09. > :48:13.There are powers devolved to the administrations, if they are subject

:48:14. > :48:19.to decisions taken in the EU, so once we leave those would come to

:48:20. > :48:23.the UK. We want an open discussion with devolved administrations to

:48:24. > :48:30.ensure we keep a single market operating in the EU -- in the UK,

:48:31. > :48:36.but it is our expect patient that we will see significant increased

:48:37. > :48:42.decision-making powers moving to the devolved administrations when we

:48:43. > :48:48.leave. Today we embark on a journey which is undoubtedly motivated in

:48:49. > :48:52.part by a desire to control immigration but as we sit here,

:48:53. > :48:58.entire swathes of our country, public services and the economy, are

:48:59. > :49:04.dependent on hard-working EU migrants to function. In seeking to

:49:05. > :49:08.control immigration many people here want to seek lower levels of

:49:09. > :49:12.immigration but it will not be possible in practice until we reform

:49:13. > :49:16.our welfare state and education system so we can replace our

:49:17. > :49:25.reliance on foreign Labour with more local talent. We need to ensure that

:49:26. > :49:30.people in the UK have the skills and incentives to take up the jobs

:49:31. > :49:36.available, so bidders is here to not find it so necessary to rely on

:49:37. > :49:42.people from abroad. We recognise the valuable contribution that EU

:49:43. > :49:47.citizens are making to society here and we want to take the interests of

:49:48. > :49:55.business into account as we shape our immigration laws for the future.

:49:56. > :49:59.The Prime Minister's letter refers to doing nothing to jeopardise the

:50:00. > :50:04.peace process and the need to uphold the Belfast Agreement. Though she

:50:05. > :50:10.recognised the Belfast Agreement exists in several strands, including

:50:11. > :50:14.a framework for all Ireland cooperation, North-South joint

:50:15. > :50:18.implementation in key areas that presumed that would all happen in

:50:19. > :50:23.the context of common membership of the EU, so if that strength is not

:50:24. > :50:29.to be diminished and the agreement not damaged, how will the Government

:50:30. > :50:32.do that well saying there can be no differential treatment for Northern

:50:33. > :50:39.Ireland either inside the UK or by the EU? They cannot put that red

:50:40. > :50:45.line down in respect of Northern Ireland's prospects. We are

:50:46. > :50:51.conscious of the arrangements in the Belfast Agreement and the practical

:50:52. > :50:56.issues arising from the UK leaving the EU because of that land border

:50:57. > :51:01.with the Republic of Ireland. We're conscious of the work across border

:51:02. > :51:07.between Northern Ireland and the Republic, across a variety of areas,

:51:08. > :51:11.so we are working closely with the Irish government to ensure we can

:51:12. > :51:16.preserve the developments that have taken place and the progress made in

:51:17. > :51:19.Northern Ireland and we recognise the importance of the Belfast

:51:20. > :51:27.Agreement in that peace process and the future of Northern Ireland. Not

:51:28. > :51:33.to be last on these benches is a great honour indeed. Would my right

:51:34. > :51:39.honourable friend join me in thanking all those who have done so

:51:40. > :51:44.much to increased the prosperity and liberty of the European continent

:51:45. > :51:49.over 40 years? We should remember the change we have seen is so great

:51:50. > :51:53.that the president of the EU was a man born under tyranny who now leads

:51:54. > :52:00.an impressive union which we have chosen to leave, but like the great

:52:01. > :52:05.democrat he is, he has taken the will of the British people quietly

:52:06. > :52:07.and sensibly and is working with our government to ensure the Prime

:52:08. > :52:13.Minister can deliver what people voted for. Will she join me in

:52:14. > :52:19.hoping that this town of friendship which she has shown today and in her

:52:20. > :52:23.letter and that President Tusk has demonstrated in his reception of it,

:52:24. > :52:30.will continue through both negotiating teams and all ministers?

:52:31. > :52:37.I agree it is important that they're looking at this negotiation in every

:52:38. > :52:41.letter, it is important we maintain that positive approach, I think that

:52:42. > :52:48.is the best way of getting a good agreement at the end of it. On the

:52:49. > :52:53.23rd of June my constituency were not asked if they wanted to leave

:52:54. > :52:59.the single market or the Customs Union. In the event of not reaching

:53:00. > :53:03.a camera free trade agreement with the EU, why does she agree

:53:04. > :53:11.membership of the EU market and Customs Union is better than no Deal

:53:12. > :53:14.or a bad deal? Constituents were asked whether they wanted to remain

:53:15. > :53:20.members of the EU with everything that membership entails. The

:53:21. > :53:28.majority of people across the UK decided to vote to leave the EU.

:53:29. > :53:32.That has an of consequences and we want to negotiate that comprehensive

:53:33. > :53:37.free trade agreement which will provide for continuing free trade

:53:38. > :53:44.between the UK and the EU that it will be a different relationship in

:53:45. > :53:48.future. I am sure there is no dishonour in being last on these

:53:49. > :53:55.benches. Last week a new car factory was opened in my constituency with a

:53:56. > :54:02.?300 million new investment to build a new London taxi. Will the Prime

:54:03. > :54:06.Minister ensure that the outcome of Article 50 negotiations will allow

:54:07. > :54:12.the UK to secure this kind of valuable inward investment? I'm

:54:13. > :54:17.pleased to say we have seen significant commitments to inward

:54:18. > :54:25.investment both in the automotive industry over recent months and in

:54:26. > :54:30.things like the Softbank takeover of Arm and in the UK and Qatar business

:54:31. > :54:37.investment conference, Qatar is committing to setting up a ?5

:54:38. > :54:46.million fund to invest in our infrastructure in the UK. Can I say

:54:47. > :54:51.respectfully to the Prime Minister that she talks about self did

:54:52. > :54:54.termination, what's good for the goose is good for the gander and

:54:55. > :55:01.will the Prime Minister please respect that the people of this

:55:02. > :55:06.couple and voted to remain within Europe? Are democratically elected

:55:07. > :55:11.parliament has now voted and is seeking a section 30 agreement from

:55:12. > :55:15.this Government so that people of Scotland, on the basis we are being

:55:16. > :55:22.dragged out of the EU against our will, have our right to say, and to

:55:23. > :55:25.quote back to bust the 2014 referendum is disrespectful because

:55:26. > :55:30.we were told our place in Europe was secure. Do the right thing, allow

:55:31. > :55:38.the people of Scotland to have their say. I assume the honourable

:55:39. > :55:47.gentleman was voting to leave the UK in that referendum and that would

:55:48. > :55:52.have been a vote to leave the EU. While benefiting from free trade in

:55:53. > :55:56.goods and services come we also benefit from free flow of data

:55:57. > :56:02.across borders. In the nightmare scenario of Brexit without a data

:56:03. > :56:06.agreement in place, British businesses would have to renegotiate

:56:07. > :56:11.millions of contracts with the EU, so is it the Prime Minister's

:56:12. > :56:18.understanding that we could not begin those negotiations until we

:56:19. > :56:24.Brexit, so is preparing for those negotiations key for the British

:56:25. > :56:28.economy? We recognise that the exchange of data is an issue we have

:56:29. > :56:33.to address because it underpins so much that happens, as she won't know

:56:34. > :56:39.the right new arrangements being brought into place in the EU in

:56:40. > :56:44.terms of the directive. We will have to ensure that when we leave we have

:56:45. > :56:49.arrangements in place to enable the necessary flow of data and I expect

:56:50. > :56:56.that to be part of negotiations going forward. The European

:56:57. > :57:03.Commission has confirmed into solutions will be complete by autumn

:57:04. > :57:07.2018 and the Brexit resolution includes acknowledging that a

:57:08. > :57:13.majority of people in Scotland voted to stay in the EU. The will of the

:57:14. > :57:17.Scottish people was expressed for the transfer of powers to hold a

:57:18. > :57:24.legal referendum, compatible with the Prime Minister, the EU and the

:57:25. > :57:32.First Ministerspublicly expressed timetables. We have seen the EU

:57:33. > :57:36.figures and institutions in respect to Scotland's Democratic voice, so

:57:37. > :57:44.when will this Prime Minister respect them? I can only repeat what

:57:45. > :57:50.I said, now is not the time for a second independence referendum. It's

:57:51. > :57:54.important we work together to ensure we get the best possible deal for

:57:55. > :58:02.everyone across the UK, including the people of Scotland. The Prime

:58:03. > :58:07.Minister expresses confidence that a free trade agreement with the EU

:58:08. > :58:11.would be secured or she will know any trade agreement requires a

:58:12. > :58:15.mechanism to resolve disputes. She doesn't like the European Court of

:58:16. > :58:21.Justice, so what did she want to put in its place and how much will it

:58:22. > :58:27.cost? If you have a free-trade agreement it is important to have a

:58:28. > :58:35.resolution body in place, and this will be part of negotiations. In her

:58:36. > :58:39.letter, the Prime Minister promised that negotiations will take due

:58:40. > :58:45.account of the specific interests of every region of the UK, so can she

:58:46. > :58:51.tell us who's advice she will listen to two inch she is fully appraised

:58:52. > :58:56.of the specific interests of the region of which my constituency

:58:57. > :59:02.forms a part? We will work with the devolved administrations but also

:59:03. > :59:09.listen to businesses and others across the UK as they make clear to

:59:10. > :59:12.us their interrupts. I supported the remain campaign in the referendum

:59:13. > :59:18.but unlike the Prime Minister I'd have been consistent in my view of

:59:19. > :59:23.how damaging Brexit will be, while she carriers towards hard Brexit,

:59:24. > :59:30.presumably a prisoner of the ideological Brexiteers on her own

:59:31. > :59:34.benches. Can I ask about agencies that there will need to be

:59:35. > :59:39.established, has she identified how many we will need to have up and

:59:40. > :59:46.running and whether we will have the capacity to staff them? His role in

:59:47. > :59:51.the premise when he says the Government is going for a hard

:59:52. > :59:58.Brexit. We are not. I was clear in my statement today and in everything

:59:59. > :00:02.in this chamber, we are looking for a comprehensive free trade agreement

:00:03. > :00:10.with the EU. I believe we can achieve that. When will Scotland

:00:11. > :00:16.receive the enhanced powers including over emigration promised

:00:17. > :00:26.by the dense Secretary of State for Justice? In terms of powers that

:00:27. > :00:30.have been repatriated to the UK from Brussels, we will enter discussions

:00:31. > :00:35.with the devolved administrations about how those powers should best

:00:36. > :00:39.be dealt with, whether they should remain in terms of UK frameworks or

:00:40. > :00:44.be further evolved, but there will be significant decision making

:00:45. > :00:51.powers coming to the devolved administrations? Eye with the Prime

:00:52. > :00:57.Minister well in these negotiations. She carries a heavy burden on her

:00:58. > :01:01.shoulders, the hopes of millions of people across the UK who look

:01:02. > :01:07.forward to a bright future outside the EU, free from the Dick patient

:01:08. > :01:12.of how our laws come and how our money is spent, and can I welcome

:01:13. > :01:16.the fact her ministers have spent so much time on dealing with the issue

:01:17. > :01:22.of the border between Northern Ireland and the Republic, but during

:01:23. > :01:30.these negotiations we may not have worked in Northern Ireland Assembly.

:01:31. > :01:32.Can she tell us how the interrupts of Northern Ireland will be

:01:33. > :01:41.represented during the ongoing negotiations? I would hope we can

:01:42. > :01:46.ensure we do have a Northern Ireland Assembly in place, so we are able to

:01:47. > :01:52.have that interlocutor in Northern Ireland as we go forward and take

:01:53. > :01:57.the views of Northern Ireland Ford, and it's in all our interests to

:01:58. > :02:01.work for that devolved government, not just for that reason but because

:02:02. > :02:06.I think it is right for Northern Ireland. In the absence of such a

:02:07. > :02:10.government we will continue to talk to political parties in Northern

:02:11. > :02:17.Ireland would also take wider views from businesses and others about

:02:18. > :02:25.their concerns for their interests within Northern Ireland and other

:02:26. > :02:29.parts of the UK. For weeks the Prime Minister May it abundantly clear she

:02:30. > :02:34.did not want the Scottish Parliament to vote in favour of a referendum on

:02:35. > :02:38.independence, no one could have been left in any doubt as to her position

:02:39. > :02:45.in this matter, but given that the Scottish parliament last night by

:02:46. > :02:49.unambiguous majority in favour of a referendum on independence,

:02:50. > :02:57.regardless of her personal preference and recognising her

:02:58. > :03:00.commitment for constructive and respectful dialogue, will the Prime

:03:01. > :03:09.Minister now respect that democratic decision? He is right, the Scottish

:03:10. > :03:15.parliament was clear when it came to consider this issue, and as he says

:03:16. > :03:20.there was a majority in favour of Article 30 but I was clear that now

:03:21. > :03:26.is not the time for a second independence referendum, now is the

:03:27. > :03:33.time for the UK to come together and focus on the historic decision that

:03:34. > :03:38.we have taken and the negotiations we now have to ensure the right deal

:03:39. > :03:45.for the whole UK, including the people of Scotland. The Prime

:03:46. > :03:50.Minister said in July at the same time as promising a UK wide

:03:51. > :03:55.agreement that she wanted to make this country work for everyone. This

:03:56. > :04:01.week we see cuts to disability support in the shape of employment

:04:02. > :04:06.allowance, so can she explain how Brexit Britain will be in need

:04:07. > :04:12.different in delivering the socially just society she keeps promising? I

:04:13. > :04:18.have set out my plans for a fairer society and looking ahead to the

:04:19. > :04:24.various things we will put in place to ensure we have a society where

:04:25. > :04:27.people can succeed on merit not privilege, a stronger economy where

:04:28. > :04:34.people played by the same rules that he mentions welfare, powers relating

:04:35. > :04:42.to welfare have been given to the Scottish Government and I understand

:04:43. > :04:48.they have yet to use them. This morning I witnessed a construction

:04:49. > :04:56.worker telling some eastern European workers that you lot can go home

:04:57. > :05:00.now. Without guarantees to EU national friends, colleagues and

:05:01. > :05:07.family, this is behaviour and rhetoric will only increase. So it

:05:08. > :05:13.does the Prime Minister agreed that this is the time to show leadership

:05:14. > :05:18.in granting unilaterally the rights of our EU national friends asked

:05:19. > :05:26.Mike xenophobic behaviour. None of us want to see xenophobic saviour in

:05:27. > :05:31.the UK, EU citizens have worked alongside us and contribute to our

:05:32. > :05:36.economy and society, but then looking ahead I want to ensure a

:05:37. > :05:42.reciprocal agreement for EU citizens here, the honourable lady shakes her

:05:43. > :05:51.head. We have a duty to have a care for EU citizens. The Prime

:05:52. > :05:58.Minister's commitment to get the best possible deal for the UK offers

:05:59. > :06:02.little reassurance to rural Scotland because they're experienced from the

:06:03. > :06:08.allocation of convergence, farm payments, two Scottish fishing being

:06:09. > :06:14.expendable, shows where they are on a Conservative government priority

:06:15. > :06:19.list. We understand the need for EU frameworks but could she offer

:06:20. > :06:22.reassurance by confirming the powers over Scottish agriculture and

:06:23. > :06:26.fishing will go to the Scottish parliament and that Scottish

:06:27. > :06:36.officials will represent Scottish interests in negotiations? We want

:06:37. > :06:42.to ensure we have a single market continuing within the UK, but as has

:06:43. > :06:49.been clear from the honourable gentleman speaks up for Scottish

:06:50. > :06:55.fishing, and I can assure him that agriculture and fishing will be

:06:56. > :07:02.issues we take into account, recognising their importance for the

:07:03. > :07:08.whole UK. Given the Prime Minister earlier compared the nation of

:07:09. > :07:13.Scotland to the kids of Maidenhead, does she understand the UK is

:07:14. > :07:19.composed of four nations and not one? Can she outline for us today

:07:20. > :07:25.what practical concessions the UK Government has made to the devolved

:07:26. > :07:30.government's concerns as part of the UK wide approach to article 54 is it

:07:31. > :07:36.a case of lemmings unite as we leap off the Brexit cliff together?

:07:37. > :07:42.There is a very simple point which is that across the United Kingdom

:07:43. > :07:47.people voted in different ways at the referendum, but the majority of

:07:48. > :07:51.the United Kingdom electorate voted to leave the European Union and the

:07:52. > :07:55.government is respecting that vote. And we will continue to work with

:07:56. > :07:59.the devolved administrations. We have taken into account that there

:08:00. > :08:02.are many areas where we have common ground with the Scottish Government

:08:03. > :08:06.in wanting a copper hands of access to the European single market. In

:08:07. > :08:10.wanting to protect workers' rights and recognise the importance of

:08:11. > :08:13.science and innovation. In all those, we have had common ground

:08:14. > :08:17.with the Scottish Government but it is unfortunate they do not seem to

:08:18. > :08:23.recognise where we do have common ground with them and are unable and

:08:24. > :08:28.unwilling to acknowledge that. Today's statement is full of

:08:29. > :08:32.cliches, platitudes and jingoism but no answers. When will the government

:08:33. > :08:38.of Scotland, democratically elected to represent the nation of Scotland,

:08:39. > :08:42.a nation devoted to remain in the EU, be given an opportunity to

:08:43. > :08:47.contribute to supplying the facts and figures that are so lacking. He

:08:48. > :08:54.has had one vacuous vowel and we do not need another one. -- vacuous

:08:55. > :08:58.vow. He talks about representation in Scotland and he and his

:08:59. > :09:05.colleagues represent Scottish constituencies in the UK Parliament

:09:06. > :09:09.of which he is a constituent part. In an act of self determination, the

:09:10. > :09:13.Scottish Parliament yesterday voted to hold an independence referendum.

:09:14. > :09:16.The Prime Minister has repeatedly said, no will not be the time.

:09:17. > :09:24.Nobody is planning to hold a referendum now. If I may paraphrase

:09:25. > :09:31.Ruth Davidson, or part of now does she not understand? -- what part of

:09:32. > :09:33.now. I will say to the honourable gentleman that I have answered

:09:34. > :09:40.questions on this thread this afternoon and my position has not

:09:41. > :09:45.changed. Thank you, Mr Speaker, while the Prime Minister was

:09:46. > :09:48.deliberate killing -- delivering her Battenberg addressed earlier, she

:09:49. > :09:52.indicated that she would continue to ignore Scotland but is she aware of

:09:53. > :09:56.the comments of Tory SMP Annie Welles who says she does not respect

:09:57. > :10:01.the sovereignty of the Scottish Parliament? And will she distance

:10:02. > :10:04.herself from those remarks? Can I say to the honourable gentleman that

:10:05. > :10:08.I did not say I would ignore the views of Scotland. In fact, in the

:10:09. > :10:11.letter sent to President Tusk, we make it clear that the views of all

:10:12. > :10:19.constituent parts of the UK will be taken into account in our

:10:20. > :10:25.negotiations. As the Prime Minister has had difficulty with

:10:26. > :10:27.constitutional issues, let me ask another question about workers'

:10:28. > :10:33.rights. Can the Prime Minister pledged that employment rights for

:10:34. > :10:36.women, that derive from EU legislation and ECJ rulings in

:10:37. > :10:40.relation to equal pay, pregnancy, maternity and protection against

:10:41. > :10:44.termination, will be retained and if so, can she outline the process is

:10:45. > :10:49.to maintain those protections? In the speech that I set out in

:10:50. > :10:55.Lancaster house, that I gave in January, I set out the key part of

:10:56. > :10:59.our negotiations and workers' rights was a key part of that speech. In

:11:00. > :11:02.further statements today and at other times, I have been clear that

:11:03. > :11:09.this government wants to protect workers' rights and enhance workers'

:11:10. > :11:12.rights. Many thanks, Mr Speaker. Ploughing on regardless, does the

:11:13. > :11:16.Prime Minister simply feel that she can ride roughshod over the will of

:11:17. > :11:21.the Scottish people on the EU and now the mandate of the Scottish

:11:22. > :11:28.Government? Is the Prime Minister in denial or is this a deliberate

:11:29. > :11:31.policy of disrespect? There is no question of riding roughshod over

:11:32. > :11:35.the votes of anybody in the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom held a

:11:36. > :11:35.referendum. This Parliament agreed that

:11:36. > :11:44.the decision of leaving the European Union or not should be given to the

:11:45. > :11:48.British people, people across all of the United Kingdom. They were given

:11:49. > :11:51.that referendum and they chose to vote to leave the European Union and

:11:52. > :12:02.the government is now respecting the result that referendum. Despite

:12:03. > :12:07.having a majority in this House, there are a few facts are Prime

:12:08. > :12:12.Minister needs to remember. In 2015, firstly the Tories only got 36% of

:12:13. > :12:19.the vote in the UK. They got less than 15% of the vote in Scotland and

:12:20. > :12:22.only one MP. Their worst performance since 1855. Last year, in the

:12:23. > :12:27.Scottish Parliament election, the Ruth Davidson party was still only

:12:28. > :12:30.third in the constituency votes. By contrast, the SNP government was

:12:31. > :12:39.re-elected with the biggest vote share of any government in the

:12:40. > :12:48.Europe. Within the manifesto, a to hold a referendum in Scotland. Why

:12:49. > :12:52.then, and she says she has answered this question, does she think that

:12:53. > :12:54.she can continue to stand at the dispatch box with no mandate in

:12:55. > :13:02.Scotland and take control of the timing of the referendum? This is

:13:03. > :13:05.the United Kingdom Parliament, and as the banister of the United

:13:06. > :13:10.Kingdom, I have said and I continue to say that I think that now is not

:13:11. > :13:15.the time for a second independence referendum. -- as the Prime Minister

:13:16. > :13:19.of the United Kingdom. What we should be focusing on at this time

:13:20. > :13:26.is working to ensure that we get the best deal for the whole of the

:13:27. > :13:31.United Kingdom as we leave the EU. In both her statement today and in

:13:32. > :13:34.her letter to President Tusk, the Prime Minister speaks of the

:13:35. > :13:37.expectation that devolved government powers will be increased. I am sure

:13:38. > :13:41.she will want to honour the promises made to win the referendum so can

:13:42. > :13:45.she confirmed that one of the powers devolved to Scotland will include

:13:46. > :13:50.immigration as promised by the Justice Secretary during the

:13:51. > :13:52.campaign or is now not the time? The honourable gentleman will be aware

:13:53. > :13:56.that the issue of immigration was one that was looked at in the Smith

:13:57. > :14:01.Commission and it is not determined to be one of the issues that was

:14:02. > :14:05.delegated. But I repeat what I have said in a letter and I have said

:14:06. > :14:09.here again today, that as a result of the repatriation powers we will

:14:10. > :14:12.see significant decision-making powers being given to the devolved

:14:13. > :14:26.administrations over and above what they have today. The stated position

:14:27. > :14:32.of the UK Government was that the UK is a family of nations, a

:14:33. > :14:36.partnership of equals. Why, then, is the UK Prime Minister and her

:14:37. > :14:40.Secretary of State for Scotland so disrespectful to the people and

:14:41. > :14:48.Parliament of Scotland, and why are they running so scared of a Scottish

:14:49. > :14:52.referendum 18 months to two years down the line? There is no

:14:53. > :14:55.disrespect for anybody. But the raises respect for putting into

:14:56. > :15:05.place a vote that was taken by the people of the United Kingdom on the

:15:06. > :15:09.23rd of June last year. Last year, the Prime Minister gave her word

:15:10. > :15:12.that she would seek an agreed United Kingdom approach on Brexit with the

:15:13. > :15:18.devolved administrations. In order to assist us in making a judgment

:15:19. > :15:23.about what the word is worth, can I ask her to give this House a single

:15:24. > :15:26.example of a suggestion or request made by the Scottish Government

:15:27. > :15:33.which she has taken on board? A single one, anyone. I have already

:15:34. > :15:37.set out that there are many areas of issues that the Scottish Government

:15:38. > :15:44.has raised in their paper on which we agree. As will become clearer

:15:45. > :15:52.when we respond to that paper. Order. Patience rewarded. Thank you,

:15:53. > :15:55.Mr Speaker. I wonder how the Prime Minister would have responded if

:15:56. > :16:01.Donald Tusk and simply said that now is not the time. -- if Donald Tusk

:16:02. > :16:04.had simply said. I think the honourable gentleman with his

:16:05. > :16:07.background will know that the Treaty on the European Union enables the

:16:08. > :16:10.member states to trigger Article 50 in the way that we have done and it

:16:11. > :16:18.is then for the European Union to respond to that by sitting out the

:16:19. > :16:21.basis -- setting out of the basis of two years of negotiation. Order,

:16:22. > :16:25.order. We will come to a point of order in a moment but first of all

:16:26. > :16:29.can I thank all 113 backbench members to question the Prime

:16:30. > :16:33.Minister and can I thank the Prime Minister, who has been with us for

:16:34. > :16:40.the last three hours and 21 minutes, attending to this statement for the

:16:41. > :16:44.last two hours and 46 notes. I think in the name of courtesy, we ought to

:16:45. > :16:51.say a big thank you to the Prime Minister. Point of order, Mr Tom

:16:52. > :16:54.Brady. Mr Speaker, the Liberal Democrats believe that Brexit will

:16:55. > :16:58.cause untold damage to the UK's economy and influence in the world.

:16:59. > :17:03.But the government has triggered Article 50 so we will do all in our

:17:04. > :17:08.power to ensure that it is a success. Mr Speaker, if it is not a

:17:09. > :17:16.success, what guidance can you give me on how those responsible for any

:17:17. > :17:21.such damage, the Prime Minister, the secretary straight for common

:17:22. > :17:26.affairs, and exiting the EU, will truly be held to account in this

:17:27. > :17:30.House for their actions and for their failure, and that the blame

:17:31. > :17:36.will simply not be shifted to the Remainer is, the European Union or

:17:37. > :17:39.anybody else they choose to blame? I do not wish to be unkind to the

:17:40. > :17:43.right honourable gentleman who has served as a deputy leader of this

:17:44. > :17:49.has no less. Possibly say to the honourable gentleman, two things,

:17:50. > :17:53.first of all I am not all wary of entertaining hypotheticals, and at

:17:54. > :17:58.the moment, the right honourable gentleman, perfectly legitimately,

:17:59. > :18:02.is using the ruse of a point of order to raise a hypothetical. That

:18:03. > :18:05.is the first point. The second point is, and the right honourable

:18:06. > :18:09.gentleman knows this, all members of this House have not only a right

:18:10. > :18:14.but, frankly, a responsibility on whichever side of the House they

:18:15. > :18:20.sit, to hold the executive to account. That is a primary function

:18:21. > :18:23.of a member of Parliament, and all I can say to the right honourable

:18:24. > :18:31.gentleman is that however this situation evolves, he can rest

:18:32. > :18:42.content that those who seek to hold the executive to account will always

:18:43. > :18:46.have a friend in the chair. Point of order, Mrs Cheryl Gillan. Mr

:18:47. > :18:51.Speaker, you and I and several other members of this House have taken

:18:52. > :18:55.more than a passing interest in a project which is one of the largest

:18:56. > :19:02.infrastructure projects in Europe, called HS2. And it has been brought

:19:03. > :19:12.to my attention on the wires this afternoon that... On the wires? The

:19:13. > :19:15.press Association, I believe it is known as the wires to those of us

:19:16. > :19:22.who have been around as long as I have. Seriously, the engineering

:19:23. > :19:30.firm that was handed ?170 million last month to develop phase two of

:19:31. > :19:39.HS2 has announced that it is pulling out of that section of the project,

:19:40. > :19:44.amid alleged conflicts of interest. CH2M is also the firm that has been

:19:45. > :19:50.awarded a ?350 million deal to develop phase one of the line from

:19:51. > :19:58.London to Birmingham. In the comments that came from the CH2M

:19:59. > :20:01.spokesman, allegedly on the wire, it says that the protracted delays and

:20:02. > :20:06.ongoing speculation risk further delays to this critical national

:20:07. > :20:12.infrastructure, thereby increasing costs to UK taxpayers as well as to

:20:13. > :20:16.the firm. It goes on to say that it is fully committed to delivering

:20:17. > :20:25.phase one on time and within budget, Mr Speaker, this is a pretty amazing

:20:26. > :20:30.announcement from one of the main contractors on HS2. I wondered if

:20:31. > :20:32.you had had any indication at all from the Department for Transport

:20:33. > :20:39.that a minister was intending to come here to the House and explain

:20:40. > :20:43.this extraordinary state of affairs, because after all, this now raises

:20:44. > :20:48.questions over large amounts of taxpayers money that are being sunk

:20:49. > :20:52.into this project, and I think that this House needs to be the first to

:20:53. > :20:57.know and not to read it on the press Association wires. I am grateful to

:20:58. > :21:02.the honourable lady for her point of order to which I respond as follows.

:21:03. > :21:04.First, very much in the margins of what the right honourable lady had

:21:05. > :21:09.to say, this seems to be some for old browse. And moderately noisy

:21:10. > :21:14.reactions to her reference to what she had heard on the wires. It seems

:21:15. > :21:16.to be a fairly unexceptional observation that the right

:21:17. > :21:20.honourable lady made. She will recall that the father in the House

:21:21. > :21:28.-- the father of the House in the last Parliament would account to the

:21:29. > :21:33.House what he had heard on the wireless that morning, by comparison

:21:34. > :21:36.to which the right honourable lady's statement is positively modern.

:21:37. > :21:41.Secondly I will say to her that this was news to me until a few moments

:21:42. > :21:45.ago. It is certainly a significant element involving a large-scale

:21:46. > :21:49.contractor and very significant sums of public money. I have received no

:21:50. > :21:52.indication from a minister of any intention to make a statement on the

:21:53. > :21:56.matter and that may be because there is so much -- no such intention or

:21:57. > :22:00.it may be the courtesy of ministers not wanting to approach me while I

:22:01. > :22:04.am attending to my duties in the chair. I feel that it may be a

:22:05. > :22:07.triumph of optimism over reality but it is possible that may explain the

:22:08. > :22:11.situation. I will say to the honourable lady that if memory

:22:12. > :22:14.serves me correctly, we have questions to the Secretary of State

:22:15. > :22:18.for Transport tomorrow and if the record is anything by which to

:22:19. > :22:22.judge, which I expect it is, the right honourable lady will be in her

:22:23. > :22:25.place and will almost certainly be an opportunity to raise this matter

:22:26. > :22:29.with the Secretary of State. I look forward to that exchange with eager

:22:30. > :22:38.anticipation, as I am sure does the House. If there are no further

:22:39. > :22:42.points of order, we come now to the next business. In a moment I will

:22:43. > :22:45.call Neil grade to make an application for leave to propose a

:22:46. > :22:48.bait on a specific and important matter that should have urgent

:22:49. > :22:53.consideration under the terms of standing order number 24. The

:22:54. > :22:59.honourable gentleman has up to three minutes in which to make such an

:23:00. > :23:02.application. Mr Neale Graver. Thank you, Mr Speaker, I take leave to

:23:03. > :23:06.propose that the House should debate the specific and important matter

:23:07. > :23:12.that should have urgent consideration, namely mitigating

:23:13. > :23:22.support for the support allowance work group. We have known about this

:23:23. > :23:24.that happening for some time. I have raised this issue in collaboration

:23:25. > :23:28.with others on a cross-party basis on a number of occasions. The cut is

:23:29. > :23:34.unanimously opposed by disability charities and disabled peoples

:23:35. > :23:36.organisations -- disabled People's organisations. Next week the cut

:23:37. > :23:39.comes into force on the House has not been given the information it

:23:40. > :23:43.was promised about what the government is going to do to ensure

:23:44. > :23:46.that the recipients, new and existing, are not financially

:23:47. > :23:49.penalised. I will use the couple of minutes that I have to appeal to the

:23:50. > :23:59.House for a fuller debate but also to the government. Next week, a cut

:24:00. > :24:04.of one third to the income of recipients of ESARAG will begin,

:24:05. > :24:09.?170 down to ?70 a week. That means that many disabled people found

:24:10. > :24:13.unfit to work will be ?30 a week worse off, money desperately needed

:24:14. > :24:16.to pay bills, stay healthy and undertake work-related activity such

:24:17. > :24:22.as volunteering or attending courses. We already know that a

:24:23. > :24:25.large proportion of those currently in receipt of ESARAG are struggling

:24:26. > :24:32.to make ends meet on what they receive now. With that extra ?30 a

:24:33. > :24:39.week we have no idea what the impact will be on them when ESARAG is cut

:24:40. > :24:45.back. These are people with disabilities or mental health

:24:46. > :24:51.conditions who want to work. They want to work but they are currently

:24:52. > :24:54.unable. Bridging and deeper into poverty will hinder, not help, any

:24:55. > :24:59.move towards employment. They are being faced with a double indignity,

:25:00. > :25:03.Mr Speaker, of wanting to work but being unable to find a job and then

:25:04. > :25:06.being told that the level of financial support that they are

:25:07. > :25:11.struggling to live on is a disincentive to work. That should

:25:12. > :25:17.shame cars. In November, MPs from eight Botaka parties plus

:25:18. > :25:20.independents helped to unanimously carried emotion that are brought to

:25:21. > :25:23.the House asking for the government to oppose these cuts. We were

:25:24. > :25:26.promised that mitigations would be in place before next week but there

:25:27. > :25:31.has been no oral statement, no written statement or announcement,

:25:32. > :25:34.just a vague commitments to social tariffs and hardship funds. That is

:25:35. > :25:38.no way to treat people desperate for support. I have been asking

:25:39. > :25:43.questions. I did so on Monday and I do not take the lack of a proper

:25:44. > :25:46.response personally as as the expert charities themselves have been

:25:47. > :25:50.seeking this information only to receive the same vague responses. I

:25:51. > :25:55.know that time is tight this week of all weeks. I understand that. But

:25:56. > :25:59.time is not on the side of people who desperately need this board.

:26:00. > :26:03.That is why I made this request of you, and why I am grateful to have

:26:04. > :26:07.had some time to appeal to the government. It is not too late for

:26:08. > :26:11.them to publish the support they have secured which they promised

:26:12. > :26:16.will make up for the cut of the ?30 a week. This is the last chance that

:26:17. > :26:21.we have to discuss this issue which has united members from across

:26:22. > :26:25.Pliskova bides, before it is too late, before there is nothing to be

:26:26. > :26:29.done. -- from across political divides. I hope ministers hear this

:26:30. > :26:32.and please react. The honourable member asks leave to propose a

:26:33. > :26:36.debate on a specific and important matter that should have urgent

:26:37. > :26:41.consideration, namely mitigating support for employment support

:26:42. > :26:43.allowance activity group. I have listened carefully to the

:26:44. > :26:47.application from the honourable gentleman but I am afraid that I am

:26:48. > :26:51.not persuaded that this matter is proper to be discussed,

:26:52. > :26:54.understanding order number 24. As the honourable gentleman and his

:26:55. > :26:58.colleagues will doubtless be aware, the standing order does not permit

:26:59. > :27:04.me to give my reasons to the House. That said, and double certainly

:27:05. > :27:07.today was the last opportunity for the honourable gentleman to seek

:27:08. > :27:12.such a debate before we depart for the recess, the may well be an

:27:13. > :27:19.opportunity for this matter to be debated in another way upon our

:27:20. > :27:25.return. And I am sure that the honourable gentleman will eagerly

:27:26. > :27:29.seize any such opportunity. If there are no further points of order we

:27:30. > :27:32.come now to the ten minute rule motion which the honourable

:27:33. > :27:38.gentleman the Member for Lee has been so patiently -- so patiently

:27:39. > :27:43.waiting. Thank you, Mr Speaker, I beg to move that leave be given to

:27:44. > :27:46.bring in a bill to set a requirement on public institutions, public

:27:47. > :27:50.servants and officials, that those carrying out functions on their

:27:51. > :27:54.behalf to act in the public interest and with candour and frankness, to

:27:55. > :27:57.define the public law duty on them to assist courts, official quarries

:27:58. > :28:02.and investigations to enable victims to enforce such duties, to great

:28:03. > :28:04.offences for the breach of certain duties, to provide funding for

:28:05. > :28:10.victims and the relatives in certain proceedings before the courts and at

:28:11. > :28:12.official enquiries and investigations, and for connected

:28:13. > :28:18.purposes. Mr Speaker, next month marks the 28th anniversary of the

:28:19. > :28:22.Hillsborough disaster and the first anniversary of the historic verdict

:28:23. > :28:28.of the second inquest. Whatever the sense of relief felt a year ago, it

:28:29. > :28:32.will never wipe away the pain of the 27 Wilderness years between those

:28:33. > :28:39.two events, and the intangible toll on thousands of lives. We await

:28:40. > :28:45.accountability for that. All those years, the evidence sat in official

:28:46. > :28:49.files, but our political, legal and colonial systems did not uncover it.

:28:50. > :28:54.Nor did the media. Worse, they actively colluded in a cover-up,

:28:55. > :29:00.advanced in the committee rooms of this House. I said again and I it

:29:01. > :29:05.again today, Hillsborough must be a watershed moment in this country, a

:29:06. > :29:09.point in history when the scales of justice are tipped firmly in favour

:29:10. > :29:17.of ordinary families fighting for loved ones. This is what the public

:29:18. > :29:23.authority accountability Bill, or Hillsborough Law, seeks to achieve.

:29:24. > :29:26.It is a powerful Bill proposed and supported by all of the Hillsborough

:29:27. > :29:29.families, and both the Hillsborough Family Support Group and the

:29:30. > :29:33.Hillsborough Justice campaign. It has been developed with the help of

:29:34. > :29:38.their lawyers and I pay particular tribute to Peter Weatherby QC in

:29:39. > :29:41.this regard. As an aside, Mr Speaker, it happens to be the last

:29:42. > :29:48.bill that will be prepared by Mr Glenn McKee from the public Bill

:29:49. > :29:53.office, who, after 34 years here, retires tomorrow. I am sure that

:29:54. > :29:59.colleagues on both sides will join me in paying tribute to an

:30:00. > :30:03.exceptional servant to this House and to our democracy. The bill has

:30:04. > :30:09.formidable backing from other justice campaigns, including

:30:10. > :30:13.Inquest, many in the legal profession and honourable member is

:30:14. > :30:16.on both sides. Its aim is simple, to protect other families from going

:30:17. > :30:19.through what the Hillsborough families went through and from a

:30:20. > :30:28.similar miscarriage of justice. It empowers victims to ensure

:30:29. > :30:30.disclosure of crucial information and prevent public authorities lying

:30:31. > :30:35.to them or hiding the truth by making that an imprisonable offence.

:30:36. > :30:40.-- and imprisonable offence. It empowers police officers to stand up

:30:41. > :30:43.to seniors trying to make them stick to a misleading corporate lie. It

:30:44. > :30:47.makes it an offence for such a line to be peddled to the media.

:30:48. > :30:51.Crucially, it reached a level legal playing field at inquests for

:30:52. > :30:54.bereaved families so that finally inquests become what they should

:30:55. > :31:01.always be, a vehicle to get to the truth. After last year's verdict,

:31:02. > :31:04.the chair of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, Margaret Aspinall,

:31:05. > :31:07.came here to speak of her experience in the early 1990s. I don't think

:31:08. > :31:12.anyone who was at that meeting will ever forget her talking about her

:31:13. > :31:18.pain when she was sent a Kalimantan official letter with a cheque for

:31:19. > :31:24.?1226 which was supposed to represent compensation for James'

:31:25. > :31:27.life. She spoke about how she was forced to cash against her will

:31:28. > :31:33.because she could not find the money to pay it against ?3000 share of the

:31:34. > :31:36.families' legal costs. She said, making a mother like myself accept a

:31:37. > :31:41.pittance to fight to cars, the guilt this has lived with me for the past

:31:42. > :31:44.28 years. It would be at least something if we could say that this

:31:45. > :31:49.would not happen today. But sadly we cannot. Since the Hillsborough

:31:50. > :31:54.verdict, the families of those who died in 1974 in the Birmingham pub

:31:55. > :31:59.bombings have, quite wrongly and unbelievably, been made to beg for

:32:00. > :32:04.legal aid. There are thousands of other hidden individual cases where

:32:05. > :32:07.bereaved families are denied legal representation while the public

:32:08. > :32:13.bodies that they are up against in court spend public money like water

:32:14. > :32:20.hiring the best QCs in the land, as cuts to legal aid bite -- in the

:32:21. > :32:26.land. As cuts to legal aid bite, the problem gets worse. There was a

:32:27. > :32:31.young boy who died as part of the national cuts in 2014. His parents

:32:32. > :32:34.believe that the problem was caused by contaminated landfill. Scientists

:32:35. > :32:38.were called onto the site and the case was discussed at Cobra. Despite

:32:39. > :32:42.this, the family were denied legal aid. They arrived at the inquest to

:32:43. > :32:46.find themselves up against a phalanx of top QCs and left feeling as

:32:47. > :32:50.though they had been put on trial. They are still fighting for and

:32:51. > :33:10.today as to what happened to their child. Consider the

:33:11. > :33:14.experience of distracting the force from the Milly Dowler investigation,

:33:15. > :33:18.an accusation with no foundation. My wife and I were made to feel that we

:33:19. > :33:22.were on trial and our families undermined at every opportunity, he

:33:23. > :33:26.said after the verdict. The brutal and uncomfortable truth is this, Mr

:33:27. > :33:31.Speaker. Bereaved families are not just denied legal assistance, they

:33:32. > :33:35.have their character questioned and denigrated by lawyers or public

:33:36. > :33:38.bodies. They are thrown into courtrooms, roll with grief, pitched

:33:39. > :33:44.into an adversarial battle and effectively put on trial. -- raw

:33:45. > :33:48.with grief. How long will we in here led vast sums of public money be

:33:49. > :33:52.used to torment families in this way? If the state can cover up 96

:33:53. > :33:57.deaths at a football match, shouldn't we be concerned of what it

:33:58. > :33:59.might do to individuals? The Hillsborough Family Support Group

:34:00. > :34:04.has asked me to say this to the House today. For the good of the

:34:05. > :34:07.nation there should be a level playing field of inquests. The

:34:08. > :34:11.grief, pain and heartache is enough for families to deal with. They

:34:12. > :34:14.should not have to deal with money worries or beg for public funds to

:34:15. > :34:21.get to the truth. Their powerful call for quality of arms has support

:34:22. > :34:25.including from Peter Thornton QC, the former chief coroner. To those

:34:26. > :34:29.who say it will add costs, I disagree. The practical effect of

:34:30. > :34:32.clause four would be to create a new incentive for public bodies to limit

:34:33. > :34:36.of their own legal expenditure. And by making them come clean at the

:34:37. > :34:40.outset, the bill will cut the length of inquests and enquiries, thereby

:34:41. > :34:43.making considerable savings. It would promote good public

:34:44. > :34:48.administration and promote public confidence in the police. Most

:34:49. > :34:51.importantly, it will rebalance our legal system in favour of ordinary

:34:52. > :34:55.people. Until then, the true lesson of Hillsborough will not have been

:34:56. > :34:59.learned. What has disappointed me most are in the last year is to see

:35:00. > :35:01.how things have reverted to business as usual, for the establishment

:35:02. > :35:04.teams that Hillsborough was the one that got away rather than what it

:35:05. > :35:10.should have been, the catalyst for change. I see this with sadness as I

:35:11. > :35:13.truly hope it would be the latter, but of elements over the last year

:35:14. > :35:18.suggest otherwise. Alongside the shoddy treatment of the Birmingham

:35:19. > :35:22.families we have the refusal of an enquiry into Orgreave on the basis

:35:23. > :35:26.that nobody died. If that is now the Home Secretary's benchmark for the

:35:27. > :35:30.wrongdoing can be investigated, God help us all. Nobody died at

:35:31. > :35:33.Orgreave, true, but innocent people were wrongly and maliciously

:35:34. > :35:37.prosecuted in the country should know how that came to be. Nobody

:35:38. > :35:40.died during the building workers dispute of the early 1970s, either,

:35:41. > :35:43.but it does not mean that we should not be told the truth about the

:35:44. > :35:46.politically motivated Shrewsbury show trial and what I believe was a

:35:47. > :36:05.serious miscarriage of justice. Then there

:36:06. > :36:07.is the treatment of victims of contaminated blood. Arguably the

:36:08. > :36:10.greatest injustice of all. They had been led up to the top of the hill

:36:11. > :36:13.only to be let down once again. As with Hillsborough, clear evidence of

:36:14. > :36:15.serious wrongdoing is there if only people care to look for it. I have

:36:16. > :36:17.seen evidence that medical records were altered without people's

:36:18. > :36:19.consent and false entries included. That is potentially a criminal

:36:20. > :36:22.matter. Next month, I hope to persuade you to allow me to use the

:36:23. > :36:24.adjournment to present a dossier of such evidence, just as amended

:36:25. > :36:25.police statements reopened Hillsborough. I believe that

:36:26. > :36:29.evidence of amended medical records must reopen the contaminated blood

:36:30. > :36:38.scandal. The fact that these victims remain in the darkest of

:36:39. > :36:42.wildernesses show that Hillsborough has not changed our country yet but

:36:43. > :36:46.I am hopeful that it will do so. If this bill becomes law, it will trade

:36:47. > :36:51.a permanent legislative legacy for the 96 people who died on April 15

:36:52. > :36:55.1989. Last year, the Prime Minister has the right reverend bishop James

:36:56. > :36:58.Jones to conduct a review of the experience of the Hillsborough

:36:59. > :37:02.families. On the half of the House I would like to thank the Bishop for

:37:03. > :37:06.his incredible service to those families and everybody affected by

:37:07. > :37:11.the tragedy and respectfully ask him to consider adopting this bill as

:37:12. > :37:16.part of his recommendations. In this country, we like to talk of

:37:17. > :37:21.ourselves as a paragon of democracy and the rule of law. But I finish,

:37:22. > :37:26.Mr Speaker, by asking this of every member in this House. Think of the

:37:27. > :37:31.constituents that you have met and your surgeries who have spent years

:37:32. > :37:36.fighting for justice. Picture now the lines on their faces, the black

:37:37. > :37:41.shadows beneath their eyes. Then ask yourself this, is this country they

:37:42. > :37:45.to people who, through no fault of their own, find themselves fighting

:37:46. > :37:49.for loved ones? We all mouldy answer. No. The fight is too hard

:37:50. > :37:53.and it takes too great a tall, is too hard and it takes too great a

:37:54. > :37:59.tall, it grinds people down. To claim. -- it takes too great a toll.

:38:00. > :38:04.There is a possibility that I will not be in this House long enough to

:38:05. > :38:09.see this bill become a law, but I have enough faith in the humanity of

:38:10. > :38:12.both sides that one day it will. The question is that the right

:38:13. > :38:19.honourable member have leave to bring in the bill. As many as are of

:38:20. > :38:24.that opinion say aye. The contrary, no. The ayes have it, the ayes have

:38:25. > :38:29.it. Who brings in the Bill? Steve Rotherham, Maria legal, Derek Twigg,

:38:30. > :38:37.Alison McGovern, the Leicester seven, Sir -- Sir Peter Bottomley,

:38:38. > :38:39.Jess Phillips, Tim Farron, Mark Durkin, Christopher Stevens,

:38:40. > :38:53.Caroline Lucas, Alec Shelbrooke and myself, Mr Speaker.

:38:54. > :39:26.Public authority accountability bill. Second reading what they?

:39:27. > :39:28.Friday 12th of May. Order. We now come to the emergency debate under

:39:29. > :39:40.Standing Order number 24. Debbie Abrahams. Thank you, Mr Speaker, and

:39:41. > :39:43.thank you for granting this vital debate on the new personal

:39:44. > :39:48.independence payment regulations. While I welcome the chance to debate

:39:49. > :39:53.this issue, it's highly regrettable the Government has had to be dragged

:39:54. > :39:58.to the House to take account for this nasty piece of legislation. The

:39:59. > :40:05.Government has ignored to urgent questions on this matter, and early

:40:06. > :40:10.day motion signed by 179 members calling on these punitive

:40:11. > :40:16.regulations to be annulled, and over 185,000 people who signed the

:40:17. > :40:21.petition asking the Government not to make these changes. When pushed

:40:22. > :40:25.at business questions last Thursday, the Leader of the House said there

:40:26. > :40:29.would be a debate but not when, and last night it became clear that the

:40:30. > :40:35.19th of April has now been scheduled. What kind of arrogance or

:40:36. > :40:40.disregard for democracy is the Government revealing? This does not

:40:41. > :40:47.go well for a accountability to this place in future negotiations. For

:40:48. > :40:52.the record, today's debate does not allow a substantive vote on the

:40:53. > :40:57.regulations and big cars the Government has not allowed a debate

:40:58. > :41:02.before the EDM period comes to an end on the 3rd of April, they will

:41:03. > :41:08.not be automatically revoked should the House vote against them on the

:41:09. > :41:12.19th. I would be grateful for an explanation as to why when we rose

:41:13. > :41:18.twice this week the Government could not find time for this debate before

:41:19. > :41:21.the Easter recess. By delaying the debate the Government hopes the

:41:22. > :41:29.objection to these regulations will be kicked into the long grass but it

:41:30. > :41:31.will not. Let's remind ourselves how these emergency regulations were

:41:32. > :41:39.introduced and what they'd changed. I will. I'm grateful to her for

:41:40. > :41:43.giving way and thank her own behalf of many of my constituents for

:41:44. > :41:48.bringing about this motion does she agree that the least we owe it to

:41:49. > :41:52.people who through no fault of their own have found themselves in

:41:53. > :41:55.difficult circumstances is to tell them whether the appalling impact on

:41:56. > :42:03.their incomes of decisions made clear were voted for? He makes an

:42:04. > :42:07.excellent point, and this is what we have been trying to do since these

:42:08. > :42:15.of urgency regulations were laid down. These regulations laid down

:42:16. > :42:19.before the House on the 23rd of February and amended the legislation

:42:20. > :42:23.by which people with a chronic condition are to be assessed for

:42:24. > :42:29.eligibility to personal independence payment. They came into force two

:42:30. > :42:36.weeks ago. The new regulations followed to tribunal rulings, the

:42:37. > :42:40.first judgment in November 2016 held that needing support to take

:42:41. > :42:45.medication and monitoring a health condition should be scored in the

:42:46. > :42:50.same way as needing support to monitor therapy like dialysis at