Contributions
1,299 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Article 50 Extension ProcedureThe hon. Lady gently reminds me of a couple of facts, and I will gently remind her of a couple of facts. We still face a choice. I do not share the assumption that the meaningful…18 Mar 2019HANSARD Article 50 Extension ProcedureThe best way to exit the EU is, dare I say it, to get a deal and to vote for that deal. In the event that does not happen, the SI is the means to enact what the House has voted…18 Mar 2019HANSARD Article 50 Extension ProcedureThe Prime Minister has set out a reason as to what we were going to do in the event of her deal being voted down, and that is exactly what I have spent an hour in this House…18 Mar 2019HANSARD Article 50 Extension ProcedureLet me reassure the hon. Gentleman that the Under-Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, my hon. Friend the Member for Worcester (Mr Walker), has met the Welsh…18 Mar 2019HANSARD Article 50 Extension ProcedureI know that the hon. Gentleman is an acute observer of debate and language, but let me assure him that the debate on the SI will be a full and ample one, as to the reasons at the…18 Mar 2019HANSARD Article 50 Extension ProcedureThis is a quirk of my personality. I am an optimist by nature and I still believe that, until the end of the game, we cannot decide who the winner is going to be. I still believe…18 Mar 2019HANSARD Article 50 Extension ProcedureThe idea that I or anyone else is treating this as a parlour game is completely irresponsible. In 2016, 17.4 million people, including many of the hon. Lady’s constituents, voted…18 Mar 2019HANSARD Article 50 Extension ProcedureNo.18 Mar 2019HANSARD Article 50 Extension ProcedureObviously, as I have said in other answers, the nature of the SI debate is something for business questions. I recommend that the hon. Gentleman asks the Leader of the House how…18 Mar 2019HANSARD Article 50 Extension ProcedureMy understanding was that the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster’s commitment related to the period after we had decided to extend the article 50 period—that was when potential…18 Mar 2019HANSARD Article 50 Extension ProcedureThe SI is not pointless at all because, as a matter of law, in the withdrawal Act, the exit day is 29 March. The hon. Gentleman will understand that, if we are going to extend the…18 Mar 2019HANSARD Article 50 Extension ProcedureI reject the assertion that we are going to run down the clock. We have made it explicit that we will seek an extension. I do not see what could be less running down the clock…18 Mar 2019HANSARDRegeneration of TownsMy hon. Friend, and I think everyone across this House who has an elementary grasp of arithmetic, will know that for every €20 that we put into the EU pot we got €10 back, so we…28 Feb 2019HANSARDRegeneration of TownsOf course, my hon. Friend will be well aware that leaving the EU creates fresh opportunities to allocate growth funding according to our own UK priorities, including the…28 Feb 2019HANSARDBioethanol IndustryAnd the regulations. I am determined to resist any idea of a second referendum, because that would extend the uncertainty and lack of clarity.28 Feb 2019HANSARDBioethanol IndustryThis issue definitely came up in the debates on the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 last summer, and it was very much the Government’s position at the time that we would try…28 Feb 2019HANSARDBioethanol IndustryAs the hon. Lady knows, I am of an open disposition. I am happy to meet representatives of any industry, particularly from her constituency. I make it clear that the political…28 Feb 2019HANSARDBioethanol IndustryOf course the Government have engaged extensively on EU exit with businesses and industries across all sectors of the economy and all regions of the UK. I am pleased to tell the…28 Feb 2019HANSARDWorkers’ RightsAs I think the hon. Gentleman understands, today the UK enjoys workers’ rights protections which in most cases exceed the EU minimum, and there is no reason why they should be in…28 Feb 2019HANSARDWorkers’ RightsAs I said in my earlier answer, the UK is currently a leader on workers’ rights, and there is no reason why that position should change after Brexit. My right hon. Friend the…28 Feb 2019