Contributions
464 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD Exiting the European UnionI do not think that any Minister is shy about coming before the House. The Attorney General is doing his job, which is to look at the texts that have been negotiated during the…11 Mar 2019HANSARD Exiting the European UnionWe would do whatever we could to achieve that. In that happy eventuality, discussions will open immediately through the usual channels to seek agreement on the swift passage of…11 Mar 2019HANSARD Exiting the European UnionThe hon. Lady should first read the document, which has either been laid before the House or will be laid shortly. It is absolutely clear that, in all the Government do, the…11 Mar 2019HANSARD Exiting the European UnionThe arbitration panel will have people appointed by each side—the European Union and the United Kingdom—with an independent chair.11 Mar 2019HANSARD Exiting the European UnionI am advised that the motion has been tabled. It is of course a matter for you, Mr Speaker, to determine which amendments are selected for debate tomorrow.11 Mar 2019HANSARD Exiting the European UnionThe straight answer to the hon. Lady is as set out in the resolution of the House last week about what, under such contingencies, would take place on Wednesday and Thursday of…11 Mar 2019HANSARD Exiting the European UnionI would dissent from that. The Government made it very clear in the White Paper published last summer what their objectives in that negotiation would be. The political declaration…11 Mar 2019HANSARD Exiting the European UnionThe arbitration panel and the arbitration process will exist to judge whether the parties have delivered on their legally binding obligations under the withdrawal agreement, which…11 Mar 2019HANSARD Exiting the European UnionThe normal international legal procedures would have to be followed were either party wanting to challenge whether the other had failed to carry out its obligations. What the…11 Mar 2019HANSARD Exiting the European UnionTo judge by the size of that document, it is probably a combined statutory instrument which brings together identical changes in regulatory arrangements that have to be reflected…11 Mar 2019HANSARD Exiting the European UnionI am not sure whether the hon. Lady was saying that she had objections to the backstop, or not, because there have been mixed messages from her side of the House. The risk with…11 Mar 2019HANSARD Exiting the European UnionI believe that the package of measures does deliver on the changes that this House has sought. I hope that the right hon. Gentleman, when he has had the chance to consider the…11 Mar 2019HANSARD Exiting the European UnionMr Speaker, I am informed that the text of the motion and the documents are now available to right hon. and hon. Members. It is only a few days since this House voted by an…11 Mar 2019HANSARD Exiting the European UnionThe texts of both the political declaration and the withdrawal agreement have been available to all right hon. and hon. Members since November last year, so Members of this House…11 Mar 2019HANSARD Exiting the European UnionI had hoped to be able to come to the House and give this statement a lot earlier this evening, but the reality is that the international negotiations went on longer than they had…11 Mar 2019HANSARD Exiting the European UnionI am not commenting on what might or might not have appeared on social media. I listed in my statement a number of illustrative cases where the legal status of the backstop had…11 Mar 2019HANSARD Exiting the European UnionIf I may, I will deal with some of the points that I know the hon. Gentleman and others—on his side and on my side of the House—have been concerned about. Obviously, the…11 Mar 2019HANSARD Exiting the European UnionThe House has considered these issues on a number of occasions and has passed various amendments. In particular, on 29 January, it passed the amendment tabled in the name of my…11 Mar 2019HANSARD Exiting the European UnionIt is always dangerous for anyone to speculate about what the history books will say, but I hope that, when those come to be written, they will acknowledge that this Government…11 Mar 2019HANSARD Exiting the European UnionFirst, of course, all parties agree that the backstop, were it ever to be used, is temporary. Indeed, article 50 is not a legal basis for any sort of permanent relationship…11 Mar 2019