Thursday Volume 650 6 December 2018 No. 219 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Thursday 6 December 2018 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2018 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 1035 6 DECEMBER 2018 1036 of our membership of the European Union and which House of Commons relate to about 70 countries. We were told that the EU has said that it intends to inform those countries that Thursday 6 December 2018 they ought to interpret those deals as continuing to apply to the UK during the transition period, but Mr Robbins said that that is “not the same” as a The House met at half-past Nine o’clock guarantee. What assurances can the Secretary of State give to businesses that trade under those arrangements in many parts of the world if our own negotiators say PRAYERS that there is no guarantee that the deals will continue to apply? [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] Stephen Barclay: I thank the right hon. Gentleman for his kind remarks. He is right—we did explore that issue in Committee—and the point is about the significant Oral Answers to Questions progress that has been made in our bilateral discussions with those countries. He is right to say that that is not an absolute guarantee—that was the point made by EXITING THE EUROPEAN UNION Mr Robbins—but significant progress is being made. Seema Malhotra (Feltham and Heston) (Lab/Co-op): The Secretary of State was asked— Further to the question from my right hon. Friend the Third-country Trade Agreements Member for Leeds Central (Hilary Benn), contracts in those trade agreements are worth more than £73 billion 1. Mr Ranil Jayawardena (North East Hampshire) of exports and about £74 billion of imports. That is a (Con): What recent discussions he has had with the serious matter for businesses in the Secretary of State’s Secretary of State for International Trade on the constituency, and mine, that might be trading under implications of EU withdrawal negotiations for potential those agreements. In the event of no deal, we will lose trade agreements with third countries after the UK has those agreements from 30 March next year. Is it time that he and the Government made a statement to the left the EU. [908036] House, to set out in detail the implications for UK The Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union businesses of losing access to those trade agreements, (Stephen Barclay): I have had a number of discussions which we have been part of negotiating over the past with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for 45 years? International Trade,as we build on the political declaration’s recognition of an independent free trade policy. As Stephen Barclay: The hon. Lady and I explored that with the withdrawal agreement, we will be free to negotiate, point in Committee, and it is not the case that in the sign and ratify free trade agreements during the event of no deal we would lose those agreements, because implementation period. we are having those bilateral discussions. She points to a wider point, however, which is that the deal on the Mr Jayawardena: On a personal level, may I welcome table from the Prime Minister is the way to deliver the my right hon. Friend to his new position? Britain must certainty that our country needs and what the business seize its amazing opportunity to forge a new role in the community wants. That is why it is the right deal, the world as a beacon of free trade, and an important part only deal and the deal the House should support. of that is implementing not only primary but secondary legislation. Will the Secretary of State update the House Mr Barry Sheerman (Huddersfield) (Lab/Co-op): I on the progress of primary and secondary legislation, welcome the Minister to his new post, and I hope he and say when some of it will come forward? stays around long enough to realise how complex the world is in terms of international trade. Will he look Stephen Barclay: My hon. Friend is correct to focus, forensically at what really happened with Bombardier, with his keen eye, on the importance of secondary which was part of a complex supply chain? He does legislation, and significant progress is being made. To realise—does he not?—that no deal is as good as staying date,we have laid before Parliament more than 220 statutory in the European Union. instruments out of a target of 700. Wehave made significant progress, and my hon. Friend is right also to look to the opportunity that we will have as an independent free Stephen Barclay: I feel that I should look to the hon. trade nation. Gentleman when it comes to sticking around, because he is a good model for many of us in the House. He is Hilary Benn (Leeds Central) (Lab): May I join the right to mention the importance of Bombardier. hon. Member for North East Hampshire (Mr Jayawardena) Notwithstanding points that have been raised from a in welcoming the Secretary of State to his first appearance constitutional perspective—I know colleagues in the at questions to the Department for Exiting the European Democratic Unionist party have raised that issue—the Union? When he and Oliver Robbins appeared before head of Bombardier in Northern Ireland made it clear the Exiting the European Union Committee on Monday, that the deal that the Prime Minister has secured from the question was raised about what will happen to the the European Union is the right deal for Bombardier 40 or so trade agreements to which we are party because and for Northern Ireland. 1037 Oral Answers 6 DECEMBER 2018 Oral Answers 1038 No-deal Legislation Mr Speaker: I gather that the hon. Lady was given the award of Labour MP of the year; I have a feeling that the relevant west London media organs will soon 2. Mr Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) (Lab): What be aware of this important fact, if it has not been estimate he has made of the volume of new legislation divulged to them thus far. required in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal. [908037] Joanna Cherry (Edinburgh South West) (SNP): If, or 9. Dr Rupa Huq (Ealing Central and Acton) (Lab): when, the withdrawal agreement is voted down next What estimate he has made of the volume of new week, no deal is not the only option. There is a third legislation required in the event that the UK leaves the option—to revoke article 50. Weknow what the Advocate EU without a deal. [908044] General said earlier this week. Is the Secretary of State aware that the Grand Chamber of the Court of Justice The Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union of the European Union will give its final opinion—the (Stephen Barclay): We continue to put the legislative opinion of 26 judges—on this issue at 8 am on Monday? building blocks in place to deliver our exit, and we have MPs will therefore have the answer to the question made good progress in passing the required primary whether article 50 can be unilaterally revoked. Can the legislation, including on nuclear safeguards and sanctions. Secretary of State confirm that he will be coming to the As I said earlier, we are laying exit-related statutory Chamber, in the wake of that decision, on Monday instruments before Parliament. afternoon, to make a statement about the implications of the judgment of the Grand Chamber? Mr Cunningham: Will the UK be ready for a no-deal Brexit by 30 March 2019 if the withdrawal agreement is Stephen Barclay: The hon. and learned Lady has voted down next week? discussed these issues with the Attorney General on a number of occasions. Obviously, I cannot prejudge the Stephen Barclay: Given that in politics one is sometimes court case, but the position of Her Majesty’s Government asked for short answers, I feel that I should stop my is very clear: we will not be revoking article 50, and answer with the word “yes”. Yes, we will be ready. This there is a reason for that. The Commission has a very is an opportunity to pay tribute to the work that the similar view: if someone could revoke, in essence they Under-Secretary of State for Exiting the European could go to the last day of a judgment and then revoke Union, my hon. Friend the Member for Daventry (Chris and retrigger the process. That would make a mockery Heaton-Harris), is doing on no-deal planning; a significant of the two-year period for article 50 and that is why we amount of work has been done. Let us not lose sight of do not think that is the right position. the fact that the situation will also be very challenging: there is a huge amount to do as part of that no-deal Matthew Pennycook (Greenwich and Woolwich) (Lab): planning. So yes, we will be ready, but significant work The Office for Budget Responsibility’s analysis of the will be required. recent Budget suggested that there could be an underspend of up to £400 million in the £1.6 billion Brexit funding Dr Huq: I thank you for hosting the Patchwork pot that the Chancellor allocated back in March to Foundation MP of the year awards last night, Mr Speaker; prepare for leaving the EU.