:00:00. > :00:00.raise this with the Minister then. The secretary of state for exiting
:00:00. > :00:08.the European Union, secretary David Davis. With permission I wish to
:00:09. > :00:12.make a statement on the Government plans to exit the European Union.
:00:13. > :00:18.Today we are publishing a government white paper on the exit and a new
:00:19. > :00:21.partnership with the European Union. The Government has made clear it
:00:22. > :00:26.will honour the choice made by the people of the United Kingdom. On the
:00:27. > :00:35.23rd of June 2016, the United Kingdom will leave the European
:00:36. > :00:42.Union. Note that is wrong. By April of, on the 23rd of June 2016 the
:00:43. > :00:56.people voted for the leave of the European Union. This house... We
:00:57. > :01:01.have two years of this to go don't worry.
:01:02. > :01:03.LAUGHING This house is currently considering
:01:04. > :01:08.a straightforward bill which would give the Prime Minister at the
:01:09. > :01:11.authority to trigger article 50 of the European Union to begin the
:01:12. > :01:16.negotiations of our exit. It is not a bill about whether or not we leave
:01:17. > :01:23.the EU or if we do so but about implementing a decision taken of the
:01:24. > :01:28.UK. We always have said we would eat out these aims and seek to build a
:01:29. > :01:34.national consensus were possible. This paper sets those aims and the
:01:35. > :01:37.thinking behind it. It confirms the Prime Minister's vision of a truly
:01:38. > :01:42.global UK and Anna Bush 's future relationship with the European
:01:43. > :01:53.Union. This is based on the 12 principles which will guide the
:01:54. > :02:11.governments. Taking control of our own laws and statue book.
:02:12. > :02:16.Maintaining the Common travel area. And the rights of UK nationals
:02:17. > :02:20.living in the European Union. Protecting and enhancing existing
:02:21. > :02:24.workers' rights and ensuring free trade with European markets was
:02:25. > :02:31.forging a new strategic partnership with the European Union including a
:02:32. > :02:33.bold and ambitious agreement and a beneficial customs agreement.
:02:34. > :02:40.Forging free trade agreements with others across the world. Ensuring
:02:41. > :02:44.the United Kingdom is the best place and cooperating against crime and
:02:45. > :02:53.terrorism and finally delivering a smooth and orderly exit from the
:02:54. > :02:56.European Union. These amount to one goal, a new positive and
:02:57. > :03:01.constructive partnership with Britain and the European Union that
:03:02. > :03:08.works in our mutual interest. All of them are qubits lets me highlight
:03:09. > :03:14.some specific issues its reiterate our firm view that it is in the UK
:03:15. > :03:17.interest for the European Union to succeed politically and
:03:18. > :03:27.economically. That cannot be said to firmly. We want the EU to succeed
:03:28. > :03:32.politically and economically. We want to work to an outcome for our
:03:33. > :03:36.mutual benefit, we recognise the European union has principles for
:03:37. > :03:40.freedom so United Kingdom will leave the single market, instead we seek a
:03:41. > :03:44.new strategic partnership including a bold and ambitious free trade
:03:45. > :03:51.agreement and a mutually and vicious trade agreements that insurers
:03:52. > :03:56.free-trade and services as much as possible. That'll be to our mutual
:03:57. > :04:01.benefit. As the white paper notes, we export billions of goods to the
:04:02. > :04:10.EU while import billions from the EU every year. It also sets out how
:04:11. > :04:12.after we leave the UK will look to increase its trade with the
:04:13. > :04:20.fastest-growing export markets in the world. It cannot sign a new
:04:21. > :04:27.trade deals were being a Member, we are preparing the ground freight
:04:28. > :04:33.which means updating membership of the WTO. Modern free-trade
:04:34. > :04:36.agreements are to stop disputes on both sides of the white paper
:04:37. > :04:41.examines the precedence of this area and makes clear we will negotiate an
:04:42. > :04:44.arrangement that respects UK sovereignty, in terms of clarity and
:04:45. > :04:56.certainty will recognise the need to provide it wherever we can during
:04:57. > :05:00.the period when and is inevitable. This legislation will mean the
:05:01. > :05:04.repeal of the communities act or converting the existing EU law into
:05:05. > :05:11.domestic law. That means the position we start from, a Common red
:05:12. > :05:17.glittery framework is unprecedented. The negotiation will not be bringing
:05:18. > :05:22.two divergent systems together, it is about finding the best way of the
:05:23. > :05:27.comments to the Mac for the current system to trade with and operate in
:05:28. > :05:32.each other's markets to continue and we leave the European Union. The
:05:33. > :05:39.white paper also sets up that we will take control of our own laws,
:05:40. > :05:42.to ensure that we can control the number of people coming to the
:05:43. > :05:46.United Kingdom from the European Union. In a jurisdiction of the
:05:47. > :05:57.European Court of Justice, the UK will come to an end. ... I have
:05:58. > :06:02.stood at this dispatch box before and said there will be a number of
:06:03. > :06:06.votes on policy to that earned the white paper makes clear that we will
:06:07. > :06:11.bring forward separate legislation in areas such as customs and
:06:12. > :06:13.immigration. Delivering smooth and mutually beneficial exits and
:06:14. > :06:18.avoiding a disruptive cliff edge which will be the key. A
:06:19. > :06:23.never-ending transitional status is emphatically not what we seek. But a
:06:24. > :06:26.phase process of process of implementation of new process of
:06:27. > :06:32.immigration controls, custom systems, the way we operate and
:06:33. > :06:36.incorporate on civil justice matters and legal frameworks of business
:06:37. > :06:43.will be necessary for both sides. As the white paper says, this time may
:06:44. > :06:49.vary. One of the most important actors in Global Affairs, we will
:06:50. > :06:53.continue to work with the European Union to preserve the security,
:06:54. > :07:01.fight crime and terrorism and uphold justice. We must work more closely,
:07:02. > :07:07.not less in these areas. We will continue to seek to build a national
:07:08. > :07:12.consensus so we are talking another time to business, civil society,
:07:13. > :07:15.public services, representatives. We have engaged the devolved
:07:16. > :07:19.administrations and whilst part of the UK can have a veto, we are
:07:20. > :07:24.determined to live an outcome which delivers for the whole of the
:07:25. > :07:31.country. We continue to analyse the outcome of Brexit to shape our
:07:32. > :07:35.negotiating position and to conclude, the referendum result was
:07:36. > :07:40.not a vote to turn our back on Europe but was a vote of confidence
:07:41. > :07:44.in the UK's ability to succeed in the world that our best days are
:07:45. > :07:49.still to come, whatever the outcome of the negotiation we seek a more
:07:50. > :07:52.outward looking and ferry UK that works for everyone. The white paper
:07:53. > :08:01.is available on the Government website.
:08:02. > :08:10.Mr Speaker, Norman Underwood thank the secretary of state that the
:08:11. > :08:15.statements is nothing. A week ago the Prime Minister said there would
:08:16. > :08:21.be a white paper, yesterday she said there would be a white paper
:08:22. > :08:25.tomorrow and the white paper has not been delivered until four minutes
:08:26. > :08:33.ago so we can meaningfully ask questions. For months we have been
:08:34. > :08:37.calling for a plan. That was refused on the basis they would not be a
:08:38. > :08:42.running commentary. Then the government agreed a plan but
:08:43. > :08:46.delivered a speech. Then they were forced to concede under pressure
:08:47. > :08:50.there would be a white paper. No white paper produced too late in the
:08:51. > :08:59.day for us to ask meaningful questions here. That is completely
:09:00. > :09:02.unacceptable. And the first fight about Brexit is great player, it is
:09:03. > :09:07.a fight about giving this house a meaningful role in holding the
:09:08. > :09:14.government to account. The government has been forced by the
:09:15. > :09:18.supreme court to involve parliament at all, it has been forced to
:09:19. > :09:22.produce a white paper and to concede a final vote. Before Christmas the
:09:23. > :09:27.Secretary of State refused to confirm there would be a vote in
:09:28. > :09:32.this house at the end of this exercise. The decision to leave was
:09:33. > :09:36.taken on June 23 but what matters now is the terms agreed under
:09:37. > :09:45.article 50 and the nature and extent of our new relationship with the EU.
:09:46. > :09:49.The Prime Minister adopted a risky approach, with gaps and
:09:50. > :09:52.inconsistencies and an unacceptable fallback position. We need time to
:09:53. > :10:00.debate this white paper properly and we need a vote on its content. And
:10:01. > :10:08.on the question of vote, flicking through the white paper IC at
:10:09. > :10:12.paragraph 1.12 is all that is said is that the final deal that is
:10:13. > :10:17.agreed will be put to a vote in both houses. We have amendments down next
:10:18. > :10:23.week seeking a meaningful vote. A vote in this house before a vote is
:10:24. > :10:26.taken in the European Parliament otherwise all honourable members
:10:27. > :10:31.will have to watch on their screens as the European Parliament debates
:10:32. > :10:34.are deal before we get to express any views on it. That is completely
:10:35. > :10:45.unacceptable and is demeaning of this house. Finally Mr Speaker I
:10:46. > :10:49.note there is nothing that progress is the position of EU nationals in
:10:50. > :10:53.this country. We have been calling for unilateral action to be taken
:10:54. > :11:03.before article 50 is triggered and yet the white paper disappoints on
:11:04. > :11:07.that front. Let me start with the purpose of the white paper, that is
:11:08. > :11:14.to inform all the debates, not just today, in the coming two years. The
:11:15. > :11:22.shadow Brexit spokesman is exactly right, what matters above all else,
:11:23. > :11:27.not the Labour Party or whatever, what matters are the terms we get
:11:28. > :11:32.for this negotiation. That is about the future of Britain, that is what
:11:33. > :11:39.this has should care about, first and foremost. Secondly he talks
:11:40. > :11:42.about the meaningful vote, I have not yet understood that. I have
:11:43. > :11:46.voted thousands of times in this house and I have never yet voted on
:11:47. > :11:56.something I considered not meaningful. Every vote in this house
:11:57. > :12:02.is meaningful. And there will be a meaningful vote at the end, he makes
:12:03. > :12:06.much of the time it took. I was saying for a long time to the select
:12:07. > :12:10.committee that it was inconceivable, the words are used, that we would
:12:11. > :12:21.not have a meaningful vote at the end of this process. His last point
:12:22. > :12:24.on the care of EU nationals, I also make you have got a track record of
:12:25. > :12:27.defending the interests of people who are under pressure and indeed
:12:28. > :12:32.the last thing pretty much the leader of his party did was go with
:12:33. > :12:35.me to Washington to get lost grip out of Guantanamo Bay. I am not
:12:36. > :12:39.going to throw people out of Britain and for him to suggest that is
:12:40. > :12:45.outrageous. But let me say this, the European Union nationals I want to
:12:46. > :12:50.see you have all the rights they currently have. But I also would sue
:12:51. > :12:58.British citizens have their rights. And we owe a moral responsibility
:12:59. > :13:00.and moral dared to EU nationals but also a moral and legal threats to
:13:01. > :13:09.citizens of Britain abroad and we will protest vote. -- I will see. Mr
:13:10. > :13:14.Speaker, I deeply welcome my right on and friend's statement and also
:13:15. > :13:17.the white paper which is most emphatically in our national
:13:18. > :13:22.interest. Tomorrow the heads of government of the 27 other member
:13:23. > :13:25.state will convene in Malta and they propose to make a declaration about
:13:26. > :13:31.their vision for the future of Europe. President task's letter of
:13:32. > :13:38.January 31 is not bode well. Will my right honourable friend encourage
:13:39. > :13:42.the 27 -- President Tusk. By promoting ever closer and more
:13:43. > :13:46.centralised political union they are creating the very circumstances
:13:47. > :13:54.which they claim they want to avoid and they are depriving themselves of
:13:55. > :13:57.the trust of the other citizens who they claim to represent? The
:13:58. > :14:04.effectively going in the wrong direction. Boyce my right honourable
:14:05. > :14:12.friend is labelled this issue for 20 years at least, and he has always
:14:13. > :14:17.said and honourable, straightforward and insightful view of the EU. On
:14:18. > :14:22.what we have said is that we are going to be full members until the
:14:23. > :14:25.moment we leave that means responsible members until the moment
:14:26. > :14:29.we leave. That means we will exercise our influence on what we
:14:30. > :14:34.think is the best interest of the EU until the moment we leave. Because
:14:35. > :14:39.we want to see a European Union strong, stable and effective. In
:14:40. > :14:48.this time of difficult international relations we need them as an anchor
:14:49. > :14:52.and that is what we will pursue. I thank the Minister for his
:14:53. > :14:57.statement. He is not a man of few words but I a man of few meaningful
:14:58. > :15:04.words. This is just another panicked U-turn. It is not much of an
:15:05. > :15:09.achievement to be the second most chaotic party in this chamber when
:15:10. > :15:14.it comes to matters of Europe. They have only had seven months to pull
:15:15. > :15:20.it together and yet we only read it one minute before the minister got
:15:21. > :15:25.on his feet. The secretary of state is more experience than me, but it
:15:26. > :15:28.is very striking we get a white paper after the second reading and
:15:29. > :15:34.two sitting days before the committee stage. We got this before
:15:35. > :15:40.he got on his feet. The latter respect to Parliament we need to
:15:41. > :15:44.question him on it but I find it an astonishing disrespect to Parliament
:15:45. > :15:50.and one that the secretary of state would not put up with were he not on
:15:51. > :15:55.the front page. But what I find surprising is what are they afraid
:15:56. > :15:59.of? They do not want to give us the opportunity for scrutiny, they do
:16:00. > :16:03.not have the courage of their convictions. Maybe Mr Speaker the
:16:04. > :16:10.Secretary of State will tell us that since Scotland voted to remain, is
:16:11. > :16:16.the red, white and blue Brexit, civil servants having to pull
:16:17. > :16:20.together their approach and the secretary of state has said that
:16:21. > :16:24.legislators will face the Mexican changes to the statement. Does that
:16:25. > :16:28.mean that a legislative consent motion will now be required but not
:16:29. > :16:31.-- significant changes. This is a mess and it is going to have an
:16:32. > :16:39.impact on each and every one of us and people deserve better. Let me
:16:40. > :16:43.start by saying that we have been in the EU for 40 years, this is that
:16:44. > :16:50.reversing, not reversing but amending and dealing with 40 years
:16:51. > :16:53.of accumulated policy and law. As for the second reading, he is
:16:54. > :16:57.talking about the second reading of a bill to trigger the process, to do
:16:58. > :17:02.no more than put into effect the British people's decision of June
:17:03. > :17:06.last year. So I cannot see how he thinks that the white paper being
:17:07. > :17:11.after the second reading is problematic at all. There will be
:17:12. > :17:16.any number, any number of occurrences in this house when the
:17:17. > :17:20.50 odd SNP members will have a chance to hold the government to
:17:21. > :17:23.account, to make their views known on policy, to put the interests of
:17:24. > :17:28.Scotland forward, whether it is with the great repeal Bill or other
:17:29. > :17:31.legislation that follows from that. I do not think he can complain about
:17:32. > :17:38.matters of democracy in this respect. Whatever his extensive
:17:39. > :17:44.interest in the statement which I'm keen to come, that, to do so will
:17:45. > :17:48.require relative from back and front benches alike, especially in light
:17:49. > :17:53.of the subsequent business, which is very well subscribed and to which I
:17:54. > :17:57.have to have regard. If we could have short questions and answers
:17:58. > :18:01.that would help. Can I ask first of all commend the paper to my right
:18:02. > :18:06.honourable friend. The complaints about it not being detailed enough
:18:07. > :18:11.on about it only coming at the last moment are of course nonsense. The
:18:12. > :18:14.Prime Minister set out most of the elements of this in her 12 point
:18:15. > :18:20.speech so those who missed that need to go back and see that reflected in
:18:21. > :18:26.this comment. But can I ask my right honourable friend the key concern in
:18:27. > :18:28.areas like academia and the high added value low-volume areas are
:18:29. > :18:34.that they get a much earlier statement about how flexible the
:18:35. > :18:37.kind of permit system would be and I wonder if my right honourable friend
:18:38. > :18:41.would take it a little further and say that these errors themselves
:18:42. > :18:48.will see next to no change. It is below value and high-volume areas
:18:49. > :18:54.that we need to control? If you were not here at the start you should not
:18:55. > :18:57.be standing, that is an established part of proceedings. My right
:18:58. > :19:01.honourable friend is another member of this house who has spent a long
:19:02. > :19:05.time on this issue. The issue of migration is my job as it were to
:19:06. > :19:08.bring the decision back to this house. It is not my job to make the
:19:09. > :19:14.decisions thereafter but what is clear to me is that the policies of
:19:15. > :19:19.controlling migration after our exit would be ones designed to further
:19:20. > :19:25.our national interest. Britain is a science superpower, Britain is a
:19:26. > :19:31.leading scientific centre in Europe and as a result we will want to
:19:32. > :19:36.encourage petition for talent. In finance, and in engineering and
:19:37. > :19:40.medicine, all the areas where there are skills that are at a premium we
:19:41. > :19:47.will want to encourage the attraction of those people. So we do
:19:48. > :19:59.not expect a policy to have any deleterious effect on industry at
:20:00. > :20:03.all. The Secretary of State said we would have meaningful votes on a
:20:04. > :20:08.whole range of things. How can it be that paragraph 8.43 commits us to
:20:09. > :20:15.leaving the customs union, which will have a devastating effect on
:20:16. > :20:18.manufacturing without any analysis or impact assessment? There has been
:20:19. > :20:23.considerable analysis of this. They we just finished the point. The
:20:24. > :20:29.point that is made in the policy paper is that we want to have the
:20:30. > :20:34.customs grimmer. That will impinge directly as a result of the free
:20:35. > :20:40.trade area and if we are successful in the free trade agreement and get
:20:41. > :20:42.low or near zero tariffs, we should succeed in getting the customs
:20:43. > :20:51.agreement which reflect that and makes it very straightforward to
:20:52. > :20:56.continue trading. Can I say that I think we would be wise to get to the
:20:57. > :20:59.end of the negotiations before we draw conclusions on what we have
:21:00. > :21:05.come to. That would be the meaningful way, those who use the
:21:06. > :21:09.word meaningful for times and speech are being rather meaningless. The
:21:10. > :21:12.key point is that what we're after is what in these circumstances the
:21:13. > :21:18.EU members will be after, which are arranged with that before then,
:21:19. > :21:24.before us and before world. Here's exactly right and that is the aim of
:21:25. > :21:26.our policy. He is right also that and be entered the house will be
:21:27. > :21:30.able to hold the government to account and make the meaningful
:21:31. > :21:34.decision about the policy. That will not be the only element, there will
:21:35. > :21:37.be many points along the way that will debate everything from customs
:21:38. > :21:41.grimaced through to immigration and other policies which arise out of
:21:42. > :21:47.this process. And the house will be very, very much in control. My
:21:48. > :21:52.honourable friend for Cockburn and St Pancras in the 60 seconds he had
:21:53. > :21:56.to look through the white paper was spot on to zone in on the
:21:57. > :21:59.obfuscation on page 11 about the lack of a meaningful vote for
:22:00. > :22:02.Parliament at the end of the process. There is no point in having
:22:03. > :22:09.a vote after he's already signed off with the EU, treating Parliament as
:22:10. > :22:16.some sort of afterthought. So can he rule out now the government showing
:22:17. > :22:20.such contempt for Parliament? This is now my sixth statement to this
:22:21. > :22:28.house in less than six months. Let me finish. The house will have the
:22:29. > :22:33.opportunity to vote on any number of pieces of legislation before we get
:22:34. > :22:35.there and it'll have the vote at the end to decide whether or not it's
:22:36. > :22:47.acceptable. On page 49 of the white paper, the
:22:48. > :22:50.Government says we have an open mind on how we implement the new
:22:51. > :23:02.arrangements with the European Union. For the avoidance of doubt,
:23:03. > :23:16.will the Secretary of State confirm... He will see we exclude
:23:17. > :23:21.ourselves... Can I welcome the principles in the white paper in
:23:22. > :23:23.particularly protecting and enhancing workers' rights, would he
:23:24. > :23:28.confirmed during the negotiations that there is nothing to negotiate
:23:29. > :23:31.with other EU countries on workers' rights and protection because we
:23:32. > :23:41.will be protecting them because they are already in our law and we must
:23:42. > :23:45.stop the people telling us that this will be threatened. She is
:23:46. > :23:51.absolutely right. The approach of the Government is to maintain every
:23:52. > :23:55.single piece of protection that is, which is incidentally much better
:23:56. > :24:04.than most European countries. And also to enhance that. Can I urge the
:24:05. > :24:08.Secretary to give priority to the matters in chapter six of the white
:24:09. > :24:14.paper in securing the rights of EU nationals, I have in mind one of my
:24:15. > :24:18.constituents who was in EU national and for many years she has been
:24:19. > :24:28.receiving a treatment for cancer and she wants to know if she will
:24:29. > :24:36.continue to have access to the NHS. It is not just residents write or
:24:37. > :24:44.talk about but access to health care. Thank you Mr Speaker, the end
:24:45. > :24:51.is not yet and the best is yet to be, which is what any presbyteries
:24:52. > :24:55.on the Ulster bench will welcome. Can I say I welcome the white paper
:24:56. > :24:59.that he has produced today and particularly the three chapters
:25:00. > :25:03.refer to the union, strengthening the relationship with the Republic
:25:04. > :25:06.of Ireland and the other chapter on combating terrorism. Is he familiar
:25:07. > :25:12.with the commentary of Ray Bassett, the former Irish ambassador and
:25:13. > :25:15.Irish diplomat who made it clear that Ireland's position should be on
:25:16. > :25:19.forging a new relationship with the United Kingdom because the other 26
:25:20. > :25:25.parts of the European Union don't listen to Ireland. I'm not familiar
:25:26. > :25:35.with the commentary he talks about but I welcome his views. It has been
:25:36. > :25:38.one of the most important part of the preparation which has been
:25:39. > :25:42.striking the relationship with Ireland which ensures we underpin
:25:43. > :25:49.the peace process, maintain stability, keep an open border and
:25:50. > :25:52.so on and I think it is incumbent on us because the Irish government in
:25:53. > :26:01.the most difficult position and that is what we are doing. The white
:26:02. > :26:06.paper paragraph eight point 43 makes it clear that we want to leave the
:26:07. > :26:11.customs union so we can negotiate free-trade agreements around the
:26:12. > :26:16.world, the actual position is if we leave the customs union then we will
:26:17. > :26:21.be bound by an external tariff unless we negotiate otherwise, is
:26:22. > :26:27.that the correct position? And WTO rules, this is the most favoured
:26:28. > :26:33.negotiation but you are allowed to make free-trade agreements at
:26:34. > :26:38.whatever level you seek. One of the things we seek to do is to ensure as
:26:39. > :26:47.many of the existing free-trade agreements carry straight over so
:26:48. > :26:52.that will also be lower. Given the old age dependency ratio and it's
:26:53. > :26:57.important for the public finances and the absence of any concrete
:26:58. > :27:00.information of paragraph 5.9 of this white paper, can the Secretary of
:27:01. > :27:08.State inform us what he anticipates the level of net migration to be
:27:09. > :27:12.across future years? It'll be a sustainable level, that is the
:27:13. > :27:16.policy but the point to understand here is that those decisions you
:27:17. > :27:27.make in a year by year basis because what is no part of the policy to
:27:28. > :27:32.make the British economy suffer, or any of the above, it is perfectly
:27:33. > :27:35.proper that the Government should control any migration property and
:27:36. > :27:44.not leave open ended. The solution to the problem is she cites is not
:27:45. > :27:50.just managing the problem. When the Government says its notice on the
:27:51. > :27:54.European Union under Article 50, will the Government take that
:27:55. > :28:01.opportunity to frame the negotiation by making it clear that we expect to
:28:02. > :28:06.agree the framework of our future relationship as a specifies an
:28:07. > :28:11.article 50 otherwise we are negotiating in the dark about the
:28:12. > :28:18.divorce arrangements and indeed I don't think the European Union will
:28:19. > :28:22.be have a sincere cooperation. What my right honourable friend conferred
:28:23. > :28:27.tee refers to is the need to negotiate in parallel the ongoing
:28:28. > :28:33.departure relationship and article 50 refers to having regarding the
:28:34. > :28:39.ongoing relationships you cannot include negotiation departure before
:28:40. > :28:45.concluding the ongoing arrangements. I've made this point already, I
:28:46. > :28:49.think the Prime Minister has made the point already to a number of her
:28:50. > :28:52.opposite numbers around the European Union, this'll be the first issue
:28:53. > :29:01.that we need to resolve at the beginning of negotiations. Will
:29:02. > :29:03.Parliaments get a vote on the Government's intended final deal
:29:04. > :29:17.before they deal is struck with the European Union? I suspect the final
:29:18. > :29:26.vote here... Their ratification process is much lower than ours. I'm
:29:27. > :29:29.extremely pleased that the white paper is being published and I would
:29:30. > :29:32.like to say thanks to him and his team as well for listening to
:29:33. > :29:37.honourable friends on the side of the House in our calls for a white
:29:38. > :29:45.paper, but would heal so join in sending a message to my constituents
:29:46. > :29:52.at their views. Willie also clarify if they will report for me back to
:29:53. > :30:02.the House? I'm not sure what well overall friend means by former
:30:03. > :30:10.reporter this is my sixth statement to the House, I have said at every
:30:11. > :30:15.opportunity what is going on, there will be substantial debates policy,
:30:16. > :30:19.there will undoubtedly be other Brexit debates, we have more plans
:30:20. > :30:26.already there is no question that the House will not be fully
:30:27. > :30:32.informed, this an illusion we have given them a white paper and as we
:30:33. > :30:36.said we have given them the answer on customs union and an answer on
:30:37. > :30:43.single markets. I don't know how much more open and Booth without
:30:44. > :30:47.being dissected. This government seems to be in a constant state of
:30:48. > :30:51.delayed reaction, we finally do have a paper on strengthening trade with
:30:52. > :30:55.the world that reads the retreat, a conspicuous amount of the space is
:30:56. > :31:01.totally blank, does that reflect the thinking on Brexit. The Government
:31:02. > :31:04.thinking on Brexit is very clear, one of the problems is when you
:31:05. > :31:08.disagree with it, it doesn't mean it doesn't exist and that is the
:31:09. > :31:17.problem the SNP have had all the way through, they don't like it. I think
:31:18. > :31:23.it occurs in every book I own. In welcoming this white paper I hope it
:31:24. > :31:28.heralds both unity in the party and the approach in leaving the European
:31:29. > :31:31.Union. May I commend all members the speech of the right honourable
:31:32. > :31:38.friend from North East Bedfordshire who yesterday spoke as the epitome
:31:39. > :31:44.of grace. I agree with him entirely on both accounts. Does Secretary of
:31:45. > :31:51.State except that the best way for the benefits of the common system
:31:52. > :32:01.and framework that enable UK and EU businesses, would be to stay in a
:32:02. > :32:05.single markets, there will need to be mechanisms to ensure UK
:32:06. > :32:11.regulations don't diverged from EU regulations and can explain what
:32:12. > :32:23.happens to sovereignty. The answer to the first question
:32:24. > :32:32.is no in terms of what the best relationship, we have laid this out
:32:33. > :32:40.in the paper and bearing in mind we are starting from a position of
:32:41. > :32:53.identity. He makes a good point we will publish that in due course, it
:32:54. > :33:03.is perfectly possible without reject to. Could my honourable friend
:33:04. > :33:08.inform the House so what the House will do to ensure the Gibraltar
:33:09. > :33:14.position and the free trade deal between passenger brothel which
:33:15. > :33:17.could happen before we leave? My honourable friend was giving
:33:18. > :33:26.evidence at the House of Lords on precisely this. We will protect
:33:27. > :33:30.their interests rigorously. The Secretary of State observes that the
:33:31. > :33:34.UK was a founding Member of the WTO but forgets that we were the driving
:33:35. > :33:39.force behind the completion of the single market. Does he understand
:33:40. > :33:44.how angry British businesses are that he should abandon that before
:33:45. > :33:49.negotiations even start. There is a lot of conflation that goes on
:33:50. > :33:55.between membership of single market and access to single markets. What
:33:56. > :33:58.British business wanted unfettered access, what German, French and
:33:59. > :34:17.Italian businesses want our unfettered access to our markets.
:34:18. > :34:26.In... Almost by definition because of coming out of the union that will
:34:27. > :34:34.happen, that is not to say we will not be making your, -- new
:34:35. > :34:41.arrangements, will be making arrangements with very clear in our
:34:42. > :34:51.mind to keep terrorism, crime under control but we will no doubt protect
:34:52. > :34:54.them. The local government Association has been asking for
:34:55. > :34:57.meetings with ministers about the impact on these processes on
:34:58. > :35:03.councils and how more powers can be devolved yet in the speech today I
:35:04. > :35:07.didn't a single reference to a local council and I can't see a single
:35:08. > :35:11.reference in the white paper having read it through quickly, or the
:35:12. > :35:14.Secretary of State now commit that the Government will have meaningful
:35:15. > :35:21.discussions with the LPGA and commit to the principle of subsidiarity as
:35:22. > :35:27.well. In a limited statement there is only so much you can do. The
:35:28. > :35:34.Minister of State in the department has already met with the LGA and has
:35:35. > :35:46.said he cancelled the local councils. I said I am willing to
:35:47. > :35:50.meet the mayors in the next round of elections so we're not putting the
:35:51. > :35:56.regions to one side, the very first meeting I heard after became
:35:57. > :36:05.secretary of state was in Blackburn talking to people in Lancashire.
:36:06. > :36:08.Thank you Mr Speaker. There are three British ambassadors in
:36:09. > :36:12.Brussels, can I ask my right honourable friend if he thinks our
:36:13. > :36:16.ambassador to the European Union will have his staff enhanced or
:36:17. > :36:24.indeed might he be scrapped after we leave the European Union? I assume
:36:25. > :36:29.he is talking about the upper ambassador and has 120 brilliant
:36:30. > :36:34.staff who will work for me. I don't know what the arrangements will be,
:36:35. > :36:41.what he refers to is an ambassador to Belgium, the Nato I assume and to
:36:42. > :36:44.our crab, the UK representation. We will undoubtedly have close
:36:45. > :36:47.relationships with the European Union and thereafter so it will be a
:36:48. > :36:56.pretty sizeable embassy I would think that it's won't be what it is
:36:57. > :37:00.now. Our current membership of the single market is governed by the EEA
:37:01. > :37:06.agreement and a note is the Government contention we are a
:37:07. > :37:11.Member by virtue, that may may not prove to be the case but can the
:37:12. > :37:16.Secretary of State be clear about the implications of our own domestic
:37:17. > :37:22.legislation in this regard, specifically the act of 1993, is the
:37:23. > :37:30.Government going to repeal it, if so when and will we get a vote? The EEA
:37:31. > :37:35.as it stands, once we are outside the European Union, whether we
:37:36. > :37:42.automatically cease to be a Member or not, as far as I'm concerned, it
:37:43. > :37:46.becomes an illegal empty vessel so we will look at that and if we do
:37:47. > :37:54.propose to withdraw will come back to the House.
:37:55. > :38:00.When European subjects have come to my surgery about their rights they
:38:01. > :38:05.have left an agreement that those rights must go hand-in-hand with
:38:06. > :38:10.UK's subjects living in their own countries. I hope he's got the
:38:11. > :38:15.message. I've got the message and so, incidentally, have the leaders
:38:16. > :38:19.of most of the countries. They also understand we have to protect
:38:20. > :38:23.British rights at the same time as we protect their citizens' rights.
:38:24. > :38:27.There is no question this is going to happen, it is a question of when
:38:28. > :38:34.and we are doing it as quickly as possible. We welcome the White Paper
:38:35. > :38:39.today and links with Ireland and trade and security and the wish for
:38:40. > :38:41.unfettered access. At the Northern Ireland affairs committee this week
:38:42. > :38:46.a custom specialist said the Irish for trading in goods would have to
:38:47. > :38:49.have board appoints either between Northern Ireland and Ireland, or
:38:50. > :38:52.much worse between Scotland and England and the island of Ireland.
:38:53. > :38:58.With the Minister guarantee we will not have hard borders of that type?
:38:59. > :39:03.We will not have hard borders. Two different levels, first the Common
:39:04. > :39:07.Travel Area exists already and has existed since 1923. In that respect
:39:08. > :39:12.nothing will change. In terms of goods there will be the softest and
:39:13. > :39:17.most invisible and frictionless border we can find. There is lots of
:39:18. > :39:21.technology these days ranging from a NPR ranging through to tagging of
:39:22. > :39:25.containers and trusted trade arrangements across borders, these
:39:26. > :39:30.things operate in Norway and Sweden, the US and Canada and so on,
:39:31. > :39:34.countries with very amicable relationships and open borders and
:39:35. > :39:41.we will do the same with Ireland. Doctor Andrew Mieres and. I thank
:39:42. > :39:46.the Secretary of State, the Venn diagram on page 48 is particularly
:39:47. > :39:49.insightful. People will know the European Union has concluded that
:39:50. > :39:54.stomach pathetically small numbers of free-trade agreements with other
:39:55. > :39:57.countries but there are some. Will he confirm there will either be a
:39:58. > :40:01.continuity arrangement with those countries on Brexit, or that that
:40:02. > :40:07.agreement will be the basis for an accelerated relationship with those
:40:08. > :40:09.very few countries? Yes, my Right Honourable friend, the Secretary of
:40:10. > :40:12.State for International Trade, has already been in touch with the most
:40:13. > :40:16.important ones, South Korea and others like that, and they seem very
:40:17. > :40:19.keen, both to maintain as it were grandfather rights, but also to
:40:20. > :40:24.improve on the deal and make it very much more tailored and specific to
:40:25. > :40:28.both our interests. Mr Speaker, I wanted to ask the question about the
:40:29. > :40:35.so-called Great Repeal Bill. The White Paper says it will preserve EU
:40:36. > :40:39.law which stands at the moment that we leave the European Union but goes
:40:40. > :40:42.on to say it foresees two pieces of primary legislation being brought
:40:43. > :40:49.forward. Then it goes on to say: they will be a problem with
:40:50. > :40:55.secondary legislation of the great repeal Bill, deficiencies. What
:40:56. > :41:00.deficiencies does he have in mind? Because the Great Repeal Bill will
:41:01. > :41:03.pass through in its official wording it were referred to Europe
:41:04. > :41:09.institutions or British institutions where necessary also it may refer
:41:10. > :41:12.to, for example, local government has to publish its procurement
:41:13. > :41:18.contracts in the European Journal. That would no longer be appropriate.
:41:19. > :41:21.Not on the government website and so on. It's that sort of concern we
:41:22. > :41:26.principally aimed the secondary legislation at. The major areas of
:41:27. > :41:32.policy change will be primarily in primary legislation and that's why
:41:33. > :41:35.we cited both examples. I welcome my Right Honourable friend's
:41:36. > :41:41.constructive approach and in that light could I draw his attention to
:41:42. > :41:53.a report by the European Parliament, highlighting Europeans' reliance,
:41:54. > :41:57.and urged negotiators to approach it in a constructive fashion. We intend
:41:58. > :42:01.to do so and it's in the interest of ourselves and European Union we do
:42:02. > :42:04.so. We don't want anything which causes instability in the Eurozone
:42:05. > :42:11.anymore that anything that damages the city. Margaret Ferrier.
:42:12. > :42:17.Remarkably the White Paper does not contain a single reference to
:42:18. > :42:22.Eurojust or any real indication of our future cooperation with the EU
:42:23. > :42:25.on criminal justice matters. It begs the question if something is so
:42:26. > :42:30.significant has been omitted what else is missing? Never mind a White
:42:31. > :42:35.Paper, this is a lightweight paper. She worked very hard to get her
:42:36. > :42:40.sound bite out. There is a whole section on justice and home affairs
:42:41. > :42:45.and we have made it very plain, over and over again, that we intend to
:42:46. > :42:49.maintain close Corporation, I even said in my statement at the
:42:50. > :42:52.beginning, closer cooperation with Europe, not less cooperation with
:42:53. > :42:57.Europe on matters of security and crime and intelligence. Understand
:42:58. > :43:01.that Europe has a great deal to gain from this. We are the intelligence
:43:02. > :43:05.superpower in Europe, we have the most powerful intelligence agencies,
:43:06. > :43:08.and therefore in things like crime and terrorism we are very important
:43:09. > :43:17.to them, as we think they are to us too. Glyn Davies. Thank you, Mr
:43:18. > :43:21.Speaker, my hearing is a bit defective. There has already been
:43:22. > :43:25.significant discussion between the Prime Minister and Welsh government
:43:26. > :43:29.following the referendum last June. And discussion within the Welsh
:43:30. > :43:33.Parliament. I welcome this. In the interests of UK unity wells's
:43:34. > :43:38.interests must be taken into account, including discussion of
:43:39. > :43:41.this White Paper -- Wales's interests. Can you guarantee the
:43:42. > :43:46.involvement of Wales and continued to feature in our discussions,
:43:47. > :43:50.accepting that there can be no veto? He is absolutely right and that has
:43:51. > :43:54.been the approach we have taken. We have had a number of meetings of the
:43:55. > :43:59.joint Mysterio committee, two shared. Mike Cherry by the Prime
:44:00. > :44:01.Minister and three of them by me -- joint ministerial committee. We have
:44:02. > :44:06.been to Wales to see the Welsh government and talk about some of
:44:07. > :44:11.these issues. My Right Honourable friend is appearing before the Welsh
:44:12. > :44:16.Parliament, Welsh committee, sorry, on the 14th. We are taking the
:44:17. > :44:22.interests of Wales extremely seriously. We will operate this
:44:23. > :44:27.negotiation so that no part of the United Kingdom loses. That's the
:44:28. > :44:32.aim. Madeleine Moon. If we are leaving the Single Market and
:44:33. > :44:41.Customs union, can the Secretary of State guarantee that my workers who
:44:42. > :44:49.make the steel for Nissan cars, two thirds of which are exported to the
:44:50. > :44:53.European Union, will have tariff free access to the European Union
:44:54. > :45:04.markets, or is it only promise to negotiate and seek? If she reads the
:45:05. > :45:09.White Paper she will see it lays out the European export of goods and
:45:10. > :45:17.services is 290 billion and hours to them is 230 billion so they clearly
:45:18. > :45:21.have a strong interest from as we do, in a tariff free goods access.
:45:22. > :45:28.For them goods are a much bigger part of it as well. This disparity
:45:29. > :45:31.is over 60 billion. There is every reason to expect we will succeed in
:45:32. > :45:37.what we want to do which is to protect jobs. Martin Vickers. My
:45:38. > :45:42.Right Honourable friend will recall last week at promised questions I
:45:43. > :45:47.asked about the seed sector that sector will be pleased with the
:45:48. > :45:51.comment in paragraph 8:1.6 giving full support but he will also be
:45:52. > :45:54.aware of the long-standing grievance of the fishing communities
:45:55. > :45:58.up-and-down the country following their sell-out in the original
:45:59. > :46:07.negotiations. Can he reiterate once again that that will not occur on
:46:08. > :46:13.this occasion? Yes. Martin Docherty-Hughes. Thank you, Mr
:46:14. > :46:17.Speaker. The Secretary of State makes much of the process and joked
:46:18. > :46:21.that we might be at this for another two years, yet in that time the
:46:22. > :46:25.unelected and unaccountable House of Lords will have more influence on
:46:26. > :46:28.the implementation of the White Paper and the negotiations in
:46:29. > :46:31.relationships we must forge for trade agreements than the
:46:32. > :46:36.governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. How does that
:46:37. > :46:42.strengthen the union? It's simply not the case. As I just said to my
:46:43. > :46:45.honourable friend, we have regular monthly meetings with the Scottish
:46:46. > :46:51.Government, the Welsh government, the Northern Irish executive when
:46:52. > :46:54.they are in play and we are taking what they say very seriously. We
:46:55. > :46:58.won't agree with everything they say, as you well know. We had the
:46:59. > :47:04.Scottish Government's paper presented at the last meeting and
:47:05. > :47:09.there were areas of agreement on employment protection, areas of
:47:10. > :47:15.agreement on environmental to. There were disagreements over the concept
:47:16. > :47:18.of a carve out of the Single Market and a discussion on the question of
:47:19. > :47:24.how devolution will work. That is hardly not paying attention to the
:47:25. > :47:28.Scottish Government. Mr Speaker, thank you. I welcome the White Paper
:47:29. > :47:31.and I am glad the government has listened to members and may I say
:47:32. > :47:36.that EU nationals play a vital part in a university's workplaces. Can I
:47:37. > :47:40.ask the Secretary of State while I support the need for some control of
:47:41. > :47:44.freedom of movement, will he ensure in negotiations that workers,
:47:45. > :47:48.students, family members find that our borders remain open if they are
:47:49. > :47:52.from the EU? After all, control does not mean arbitrary restrictions?
:47:53. > :47:57.Absolutely, control does not mean slamming the door. As I said before,
:47:58. > :48:04.it's in the UK interest to actually keep attracting talent, and when you
:48:05. > :48:07.attract talent you attract their families. That goes without saying.
:48:08. > :48:10.This is one of the things, I was asked if I could promise something
:48:11. > :48:13.earlier to be negotiated, this is something we will decide in this
:48:14. > :48:20.House for the first time in a couple of years' time. One crucial, I think
:48:21. > :48:24.reasonable, question for the Secretary of State, is how does he
:48:25. > :48:29.seek frictionless, unfettered trade with the EU continuing after we have
:48:30. > :48:31.signed free-trade deals with other countries? Surely, Secretary of
:48:32. > :48:34.State, the greater the divergence between ourselves and Single Market
:48:35. > :48:37.in terms of external tariffs and standards the greater their need at
:48:38. > :48:43.some point to impose customs duties on us. We seek to maintain some kind
:48:44. > :48:47.of standard parity, whether it is by a measure of equivalence or whatever
:48:48. > :48:51.depending on the product. The area where the deals outside and the
:48:52. > :48:55.deals with the European Union conflict, if you like, is in the
:48:56. > :49:01.area of rules of origin. We will have to have a good rules of origin
:49:02. > :49:05.scheme, just as any other free-trade area has. For example, if you look
:49:06. > :49:09.at the Canadian treaty it has specific rules of origin and we will
:49:10. > :49:12.need to do the same. That is a very small burden by comparison with the
:49:13. > :49:18.sort of things people are worrying about if we get the customs
:49:19. > :49:22.agreement we seek. Thank you, Mr Speaker. When does my Right
:49:23. > :49:25.Honourable thing, if ever, the European Union will issue an
:49:26. > :49:30.equivalent White Paper setting out with equal clarity the agreed
:49:31. > :49:39.negotiating objectives of the 27 other members? Well, his question
:49:40. > :49:44.sort of answers itself. But I hope, I hope, once they have received the
:49:45. > :49:48.Article 50 letter from us in April or May, in their case they will
:49:49. > :49:53.receive it in March and respond in April.
:49:54. > :49:57.Thank you, Mr Speaker. I know that today is Groundhog Day, but why are
:49:58. > :50:02.we exiting the customs union in order to recreate the customs union?
:50:03. > :50:08.It is to create a customs agreement, in order to enable us to develop
:50:09. > :50:12.free-trade agreements with that huge portion of the world where there is
:50:13. > :50:23.very fast growth and where we have a strong market presence. 40%, as much
:50:24. > :50:24.of our trade now is with areas where we don't have
:50:25. > :50:27.as it is with the European Union. It is a very large area and it is
:50:28. > :50:34.growing, sometimes twice as fast, as the EU is. That's why we have to
:50:35. > :50:37.talk about the implications of the referendum are young people. The
:50:38. > :50:41.biggest application is the prospect of jobs in the future and many of
:50:42. > :50:49.those will come from global markets, not just European ones. Nigel Evans.
:50:50. > :50:52.Lots of the politicians in EU states say they are against torture but
:50:53. > :50:56.don't they recognise the fact they are not willing to come to a deal
:50:57. > :50:59.with him about EU citizens being allowed to stay, live and work here
:51:00. > :51:05.and British citizens being allowed to live and stay and work in the EU
:51:06. > :51:08.countries is a form of mental trauma and torture they are perpetrating
:51:09. > :51:11.upon them? Will he redouble his efforts to get the deal done as
:51:12. > :51:15.quickly as possible and make the announcement as quickly as possible.
:51:16. > :51:18.If there is only one or two countries holding out for whatever
:51:19. > :51:21.reason, will he be prepared to name and shame them in order that The
:51:22. > :51:26.Citizens here can bring pressure upon them to get a deal done? I will
:51:27. > :51:30.certainly do the first half, I will redouble my efforts, though they are
:51:31. > :51:34.pretty intense anyway, to ensure that this happens quickly. He's
:51:35. > :51:40.right, it's just a few, and I suspect their reasoning is the sort
:51:41. > :51:43.of community reasoning of not starting anything before the
:51:44. > :51:49.negotiations start and I hope that will be rapidly resolved thereafter.
:51:50. > :51:52.Doctor Julian Lewis. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Doesn't the fact that so
:51:53. > :51:57.many honourable members on both sides of the House who wanted us to
:51:58. > :52:02.remain in the European Union, but nevertheless last night voted to
:52:03. > :52:07.trigger Article 50, set a fine example that members of the
:52:08. > :52:14.unelected upper house would do very well to follow? Mr Speaker, I am
:52:15. > :52:18.sitting here calculating whether his question today was longer than his
:52:19. > :52:24.speech yesterday. I think it was. Yes, I hope they pay attention.
:52:25. > :52:30.Look, this Bill is a manifestation of the will of the people. Nearly
:52:31. > :52:33.17.5 million people. I would expect the upper house, it has its place
:52:34. > :52:38.and it has its rights quite properly, but I would expect the
:52:39. > :52:43.upper house to respect that will. SPEAKER: I'm grateful to the
:52:44. > :52:47.Secretary of State and two colleagues. We come now to the
:52:48. > :52:51.Select Committee Statement. In a moment the chair of the public
:52:52. > :52:54.administration and Constitutional affairs Select Committee of the
:52:55. > :53:00.House, Mr Bernard Jenkin, will speak on his subject for up to ten minutes
:53:01. > :53:06.during which time no interventions may be taken. At the conclusion of
:53:07. > :53:11.his statement the chair will call members to put questions on the
:53:12. > :53:16.subject of the statement and call Mr Jenkin to respond to these in turn.
:53:17. > :53:24.Members can expect to be called only once. Interventions should be
:53:25. > :53:28.questions and should be brief. The front bench may take part in
:53:29. > :53:29.questioning. I call the