Contributions
4,729 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDBrexit: Parliamentary Processes I agree with my noble friend. I think the Benn Act was designed to undermine our negotiating position by people who actually do not want to leave the EU but do not have the…03 Oct 2019HANSARDBrexit: Parliamentary Processes As I said to the noble Lord before, we are able to give him the reassurance that he needs that we already have all the necessary legislative framework in place that will allow us…03 Oct 2019HANSARDBrexit: Parliamentary Processes The great thing about this proposal is that it has attracted support from across the sector, including, I am delighted to say, from a number of Labour MPs who take quite a…03 Oct 2019HANSARDBrexit: Divergence from EU StandardsThe UK already goes beyond EU minimum standards in a number of areas, such as working rights and environmental protections. Our high regulatory standards are not dependent on EU…03 Oct 2019HANSARDBrexit: Divergence from EU StandardsI am not sure why this is such a difficult concept for the Liberal Democrats to grasp. There are EU minimum standards. In most of these areas—whether it be holiday pay, maternity…03 Oct 2019HANSARDBrexit: Divergence from EU StandardsAs always on these matters, my noble friend speaks great sense. I agree with the points that he has made. The ability to set our own regulations and to adopt a nimble and flexible…03 Oct 2019HANSARDBrexit: Parliamentary Processes Yesterday, the Government put forward a proposal for an amended protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland that means that we can leave the European Union without disruption. The…03 Oct 2019HANSARDBrexitTo move that this House takes note of the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union.02 Oct 2019HANSARDBrexitThe Government will obey the law.02 Oct 2019HANSARDBrexitWe will obey the law, as I have said on a number of occasions. The Benn Act is the law; we will obey the law.02 Oct 2019HANSARDBrexitMy noble friend knows what the Government will do in the circumstances. We will obey the law, and we will obey the Benn Act, which is the law.02 Oct 2019HANSARDBrexitMy Lords, the Motion before us today asks the House to once again consider the UK’s withdrawal from the EU—which will take place on 31 October, with or without a deal. Of course,…02 Oct 2019HANSARDBrexitThe situation is changing; that is why we need to agree new arrangements. We are leaving the European Union, the customs union and the single market, so clearly the arrangements…02 Oct 2019HANSARDBrexitThere were 51 noble Lords who spoke in the debate. I made an extensive set of notes and endeavoured to respond to as many of the points as possible. I will look again at my notes…02 Oct 2019HANSARDBrexitI am afraid that this is becoming a bit tiresome. I do not want to go any further than what I said in my speech. We are going to obey the law. The Benn Act is part of the law and…02 Oct 2019HANSARDBrexitI will check the figures; I am not sure that the noble Baroness is correct on that. I have laid out the ways in which the Government are working to deliver on that instruction and…02 Oct 2019HANSARDBrexitI am not going to take any more interventions on this. I do not wish to go any further. Noble Lords will draw the political conclusions they wish to from the answers that I have…02 Oct 2019HANSARDBrexitIf there are significant matters—of course we are still currently a member of the EU—then we are attending meetings, but not all EU meetings are to do with legislation. A lot of…02 Oct 2019HANSARDBrexitI am not going to get into providing interpretations of an Act that was not government legislation, which we advised against and which we said, in our view, had considerable…02 Oct 2019HANSARDBrexitThat is the political game as we all attach different names to it. The noble and learned Lord, Lord Goldsmith, also speculated on the use of the Civil Contingencies Act in…02 Oct 2019