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UK-EU Negotiations
16 June 2020
Lead MP
Michael Gove
Debate Type
Ministerial Statement
Tags
Migrants & BordersEconomyTaxationNorthern IrelandBrexitBusiness & Trade
Other Contributors: 41
At a Glance
Michael Gove raised concerns about uk-eu negotiations in the House of Commons. A government minister responded. Other MPs also contributed.
How the Debate Unfolded
MPs spoke in turn to share their views and ask questions. Here's what each person said:
Government Statement
Migrants & BordersEconomyTaxationNorthern IrelandBrexitBusiness & Trade
Government Statement
Yesterday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson met EU leaders to discuss progress in Brexit negotiations. Both sides agreed to intensify talks in July and seek an early understanding on principles underlying any agreement by the end of the month. The UK will manage its exit from the transition period in a flexible manner but opposes extending it beyond December 31, 2020. Gove emphasised that the UK's position is reasonable based on precedent and remains committed to securing a comprehensive free trade agreement with the EU without compromising sovereignty or accepting restrictions on legislative freedom. The minister highlighted the importance of protecting rights for citizens in both the UK and EU, addressing concerns around fishing waters, and ensuring clarity and understanding of positions despite challenging circumstances due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Rachel Reeves
Lab
Leeds West
Question
Will the Minister explain why a deal is better than leaving on WTO terms? Labour urges both sides to show flexibility required for an agreement in our national interest. What steps are being taken to ensure businesses have clarity and operational readiness?
Minister reply
The Government's position is that a deal is necessary to protect jobs, secure food supplies, and maintain citizen safety, contrary to leaving on WTO terms which would be detrimental. The UK remains committed to securing an agreement based on precedents set with other sovereign states while respecting sovereignty.
Rachel Reeves
Lab
Leeds West and Pudsey
Question
The hon. Lady thanked the Minister for an advance copy of his statement today. She mentioned concerns around farming, automotive industries, and other sectors affected by Brexit. She asked if a deal is better than leaving on WTO terms, and inquired about border controls and export rules. The shadow also questioned commitments to workers’ rights, environmental protections, security partnerships, the Good Friday agreement, and July as a serious proposal for negotiations.
Minister reply
The Minister thanked the hon. Lady for her questions. He stated that an oven-ready deal was prepared before 31 January. If no deal is achieved with the EU, the UK will trade successfully on its own terms. The Minister mentioned agriculture and manufacturing sectors, noting that speculation of job flight from the UK did not materialize as expected. On rights and protections, he emphasised non-negotiable commitments to workers, environment, and security. Regarding the Good Friday agreement, the Northern Ireland protocol is being implemented. The Prime Minister remains determined to conclude a deal for certainty.
Question
Can my right hon Friend assure me that the Cabinet Office has sufficient capacity to work intensively to strike a deal, notwithstanding other pressing matters?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is correct in his point. Taskforce Europe, led by David Frost and drawing on resources from across Government, including the Cabinet Office, is well capable of taking forward all strands in this negotiation.
Pete Wishart
SNP
Perth and Kinross-shire
Question
Expressed support for Scottish independence, criticised the Secretary of State's handling of Brexit extension requests from devolved Administrations.
Minister reply
Acknowledged mixed metaphors in response; emphasised continued engagement with devolved governments despite differences.
Question
Asked if the UK stands ready and able to trade with the world should a deal not be done with the EU.
Minister reply
Confirmed that the UK will be free to trade with other nations, regardless of an agreement with the EU.
Hilary Benn
Lab
Leeds South
Question
Asked why British businesses will be able to cope with checks and controls on exports to the EU from January.
Minister reply
Stated that UK's approach is pragmatic, contrasting it with Labour’s position.
Question
Asked for assurances regarding future fisheries negotiations post-Brexit.
Minister reply
Committed to annual negotiations and the status of an independent coastal state.
Angela Eagle
Lab
Wallasey
Question
Queried about progress in negotiations despite previous limitations.
Minister reply
Acknowledged limited progress but noted renewed impetus due to recent talks.
Question
Asked about pet passports and cross-channel travel for pets.
Minister reply
Sympathised with the issue, noting previous work done at DEFRA.
Rupa Huq
Lab
Ealing Central and Acton
Question
Inquired about financial services equivalence regime post-Brexit.
Minister reply
Stated that equivalency decisions are based on an objective rules-based process by the EU.
Question
Asked if rejecting transition period extension provides clarity for businesses.
Minister reply
Agreed, citing business needs and support from CBI's Carolyn Fairbairn.
Richard Thomson
SNP
Dumfries
Question
Questioned the wisdom of rejecting extension requests, emphasising potential for disaster.
Minister reply
Stated that UK has a clear negotiating position and will benefit from new opportunities post-Brexit.
Question
Asked about the impact of calling for an extension on unity within the country.
Minister reply
Emphasised clarity and certainty provided by not seeking an extension, contrasting with other parties' uncertainty.
Chi Onwurah
Lab
Newcastle upon Tyne Central and West
Question
The north-east is a great trading region. It is part of integrated supply chains—pan-European, just-in-time supply chains—which drive prosperity, jobs and economic growth. Previous Government modelling said that a no-deal Brexit would hit our economy by 10%. Talk of a no-deal Brexit may just be a negotiating position, but will the Minister promise to publish regional economic assessments so that we know who will pay the price for failed negotiations?
Minister reply
As the hon. Lady knows, my professional career started in the north-east of England, and I have enormous affection and respect for the way in which she champions the interests of her constituents. She is right that part of the north-east’s economic success depends on manufacturing and supply chains. That is why we will ensure that the north-east of England not just is safeguarded, but has its economic prospects enhanced, not least by the establishment—we hope—when we are outside the UK, of a free port in the north-east.
Kieran Mullan
Con
Bexhill and Battle
Question
Does my right hon. Friend agree that every time Opposition Members seek to find yet another way to keep us locked into EU bureaucracy to achieve their policy aims, they are actually saying, in a very clear sense, that they do not trust British voters to make those policy decisions for our country?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is right, and he reinforces the observation that I have come to: the louder the Opposition heckle, the truer the question from a Government Back Bencher.
Justin Madders
Lab
Ellesmere Port and Bromborough
Question
The parent company of Vauxhall Motors in Ellesmere Port is waiting for the outcome of these negotiations before it makes any investment decisions. To get a favourable decision, we need a guarantee that there will be no tariffs, fees, charges or quantitative restrictions in the automotive sector. Can the right hon. Gentleman give that guarantee?
Minister reply
That is the commitment to which the European Union has aligned itself in the political declaration, and we will hold it to that.
Question
Without repeating what many of my colleagues have said, businesses in the Black Country have one simple ask: they want clarity, and they want us to get this done. Will my right hon. Friend give a message to my businesses in Wednesbury, Oldbury and Tipton that rejecting an extension and getting this done, with the simple ask of a free trade agreement in line with what the EU has with every other country, will give them the clarity they deserve as we come out of these unprecedented times?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is right that in Wednesbury, Oldbury, Tipton and across the west midlands, businesses want certainty. That is what our announcements provide.
Chris Bryant
Lab
Rhondda and Ogmore
Question
Two industries in Wales are particularly interested in what will happen in relation to any trade agreement. The first is Welsh lamb, because there is a real danger that the Welsh lamb industry will collapse if we do not have a completely tariff-free arrangement with the EU. We hardly sell any Welsh lamb outside Europe. The second is the avionics industry, which is so important in my patch and across the whole of south Wales, where thousands of people are already in great uncertainty about whether their job will still be there later this year. They need to know whether BA, GE and many other companies will be able to flourish in the new environment.
Minister reply
The hon. Gentleman makes two important points. He is right that the avionics industry is a jewel in Wales’s and the United Kingdom’s crown, and everything we do in these trade negotiations will be intended to support it. He is also right that Welsh lamb is second to none—well, apart from Scottish lamb.
Question
I want to pass on to the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster the thanks of the 72% of people in Stoke-on-Trent North, Kidsgrove and Talke who overwhelmingly voted to leave and are delighted that we are not extending the transition period. I am sure that he has a fine collection of ceramics from Stoke-on-Trent in his home and office. Ceramics manufacturers such as Churchill China in my constituency are keen to see us get a really good free trade deal. Ceramics has been put at the heart of the international trade agenda of the Secretary of State for International Trade. I am sure that the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster will confirm that ceramics is at the heart of the free trade negotiation on manufacturing and will happily meet me and members of the British Ceramic Confederation.
Minister reply
I certainly will. Only last night, I was talking to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade about what more we can do to support the ceramics industry, which is so vital to the economic health of Staffordshire and is a source of pride for all of us across the United Kingdom. Whether it is Churchill China, Royal Doulton, Emma Bridgewater or others, we should do everything we can to ensure that there are new markets for UK ceramics. I know my right hon. Friend will also ensure that we have an appropriate trade remedies authority in the UK, so that inappropriate dumping of ceramics does not undermine UK production.
Question
The joint statement from the Scottish and Welsh Governments said that meetings including the right hon. Gentleman have ‘simply been an opportunity for the UK Government to inform us of their views, not to listen or respond to ours.’ His reckless decision not to extend the transition period will cost thousands of jobs at precisely the worst point. Scotland did not vote for this. How many Scottish job losses will he see as a fair price to deliver Brexit on his timetable?
Minister reply
I and the Paymaster General have enjoyed long conversations with representatives of the Scottish Government. Mike Russell and other Ministers, including Fergus Ewing, are always a pleasure to engage with. They bring a wealth of experience and a light touch to our conversations, which I always enjoy, appreciate, am better informed by and benefit from. The real threat to jobs in Scotland would be a reckless decision to smash the United Kingdom after 300 years of shared prosperity.
Question
I am glad that you are able to hear me, Madam Deputy Speaker. Given that leaving the EU means that we can control our VAT rates and cut VAT, what progress has been made in taking back control of VAT rates so that we can cut our energy bills and the cost of living for hard-working residents in Harlow and across the country?
Minister reply
My right hon. Friend is an indefatigable campaigner not just for Harlow but for the hard-pressed citizens of this country. He is right that outside the European Union, once we have left the transition period, we will have full control of VAT rates. My right hon Friend the Prime Minister is dedicated to making sure that we can use that new-found independence to help precisely the constituents for whom my right hon. Friend the Member for Harlow fights so brilliantly.
Question
I am sure that the Minister agrees that all common-sense people now know that we want a deal and we want a good deal, because the health, wealth and prosperity of our constituents depend on it. Can he assure me that we will put real energy into that? It is all right to dig out a campaign for Esso petrol back in 1959, but we need some serious leadership. He must admit, surely, that the breakthrough came only when Prime Ministers at the top level talked about moving it forward. Can we make sure that we take it seriously and that the Prime Minister comes regularly to the House to report on future progress? We need a good deal and we need it soon, because turbulence lies ahead whatever deal we get.
Minister reply
I am amazed that the hon. Gentleman can recall an advertising campaign from 1959, because it must have occurred before either of us was born. Nevertheless, he makes an important point, which is that we need to accelerate progress in the talks. That is the Prime Minister’s aim and the EU’s aim. I look forward to updating him on our progress in weeks to come.
Question
The last round of talks finished with Michel Barnier waving around the declaration from last year. Does the Minister agree that he should wave it towards EU leaders and ask them to refine his mandate so that he has more chance of making a deal on state aid and fishing?
Minister reply
Yes.
Carla Lockhart
DUP
Upper Bann
Question
Can the Minister outline what further progress has been secured to ensure that no additional declaration forms will need to be completed when sending goods from Northern Ireland to Great Britain? Will the Government guarantee that, in all circumstances, no business will be required to fill out such paperwork, as set out in their recently published Command Paper? Will he commit to visit firms in my constituency that have concerns in that regard?
Minister reply
I would be delighted to visit Craigavon, Lisburn or anywhere in the hon. Lady’s beautiful constituency to reassure her that Northern Ireland will have unfettered access to the rest of the UK.
Question
Does the Minister agree that if the Government accepted the EU proposal of a skewed definition of a level playing field, the UK would be bound to questionable European courts indefinitely, which would be simply unacceptable to the British people, who voted again last year to restore British sovereignty?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is absolutely spot on. Of course we are not going to resile from our high standards; our standards will be higher than ever before when it comes to consumer protection, workers’ rights and the environment. What we can never accept—what no independent sovereign nation could ever accept—is the jurisdiction of a foreign court on those matters.
Alistair Carmichael
Lib Dem
Orkney and Shetland
Question
For years, the directors of Orkney Creamery have built an export market for a high-quality product. Will the Minister explain to them what he means when he says that if we do not get a deal, we will be trading on our own terms?
Minister reply
The right hon. Gentleman is an effective advocate for his constituency. He is absolutely right; it is better with tariff-free access to European and other markets.
Question
At present, the UK offers EU citizens visa-free travel for six months out of 12 while the EU offers 90 days in 180. Will my right hon. Friend update us on negotiations?
Minister reply
Yes. My hon. Friend makes a good point. We want to make sure that we have reciprocity in the way UK and EU citizens can enjoy sport, leisure and other activities.
Clive Efford
Lab
Eltham
Question
The covid crisis has demonstrated the need for international co-operation. Is it correct that the Department of Health argued we should remain part of the pandemic warning system?
Minister reply
I had not heard that, but I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for raising the issue and will ask my good friend the Health Secretary about it.
Question
Will my right hon. Friend assure my fantastic business community in Watford and the chamber of commerce that we are working hard to secure a deal?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. One of the reasons why the Prime Minister wanted to have the high-level meeting yesterday was precisely to accelerate progress towards securing a deal.
Question
At the general election, the Tories promised 'no tariffs, fees, charges or quantitative restrictions across all sectors'. Does that commitment still stand?
Minister reply
That is the commitment in the political declaration to which both the UK and the EU are working.
Luke Evans
Con
Hinckley and Bosworth
Question
I am pleased to hear that there will be no extension, but some of my constituents, particularly businesses in Bosworth, are concerned about how to prepare for the future. What steps are the Government taking?
Minister reply
Businesses in Leicestershire and elsewhere will have access to an additional £50 million of Government support to ensure they can export effectively into the EU and beyond.
Question
The Northern Ireland protocol is there to protect the Good Friday Agreement. Does the Minister recognise that in the event we fail to secure a deal, the impact down the Irish sea will be more severe?
Minister reply
It is the case of course that we wish to secure a deal, but under the protocol, Northern Ireland remains part of the UK politically and also part of the UK customs territory.
Question
To put minds at rest in the aviation sector and especially among my South Derbyshire constituents who work at Rolls-Royce in Derby, will he confirm that after 31 December the skies will still be open?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend is absolutely right. We need to make sure that we promote their expertise not just in our relationship with the European Union but in our relationship with other countries.
Rushanara Ali
Lab
Bethnal Green and Stepney
Question
Last week, the Paymaster General admitted that the Government are making preparations for a no-deal Brexit. What preparations has the Minister made to prevent stockpiling?
Minister reply
The Cabinet Office and others constantly review at all points what we need to do, but I think the spectre that the hon. Lady invokes is not one that should bother her or others.
Question
Does my right hon. Friend agree that the Leader of Her Majesty’s Opposition is beginning to develop a reputation for going to ground on the most contentious issues?
Minister reply
I can absolutely confirm to my hon. Friend that we have informed the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee that we will not extend. That is settled.
Claire Hanna
SDLP
Belfast South and Mid Down
Question
There is a deep and growing unease in Northern Ireland at the prospect of no trade deal exit. Specifically within the no-deal preparations, what measures are the Government taking to protect contact tracing?
Minister reply
The hon. Lady raises a very important issue. Data equivalence is separate from these negotiations but it is important on the island of Ireland that we continue to share information.
Question
Fisheries seem to be a major stumbling block in the negotiations, with the EU seeking to uniquely link fishing rights to a wider free trade agreement. Does my right hon. Friend agree?
Minister reply
My hon. Friend tempts me but we will leave and be an independent coastal state.
Andrew Gwynne
Ind
Gorton
Question
As we know, serious crime knows no borders and we will still need to co-operate on these issues once the transition period ends. Will the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster give assurance that UK will still have access to data?
Minister reply
We are negotiating to achieve precisely that goal.
Munira Wilson
Lib Dem
Twickenham
Question
If the tiger turns out to be a pussycat and we do not end up with a deal, when will the right hon. Gentleman provide advice and guidance so that people of Northern Ireland can continue to legally receive medicines?
Minister reply
There will be no question, no impediment and nothing to prevent the citizens of Northern Ireland from securing access to vital medicines or any other goods after we leave the European Union.
Mark Harper
Con
Question
First, I commend my right hon. Friend and our chief negotiator, David Frost, for their resolve in ensuring that we deliver our promise to end the transition period at the end of this year. Can my right hon. Friend confirm that it remains the intention of the Government to negotiate a security arrangement outside the ambit of the European Court of Justice that will ensure that we remain protected from foreign criminals coming into Britain and that we stop criminals escaping the jurisdiction of our courts so that we can bring them to justice?
Minister reply
My right hon. Friend was a very effective Home Office Minister, and he speaks with great authority on these questions. He is absolutely right. We need to be outside the ambit of the ECJ, but we need to ensure that we have security, criminal justice and other forms of co-operation, precisely in order to ensure that we keep our citizens safe and work with the EU to keep its citizens safe.
Shadow Comment
Rachel Reeves
Shadow Comment
Labour's Rachel Reeves urged the government to secure a deal that aligns with the political declaration. She expressed concern over potential negative impacts on small farms, the automotive industry, and other sectors if negotiations fail. She questioned the timeline for an 'oven-ready' deal by July and criticised the lack of clarity around border controls and trade rules. Reeves also highlighted promises in the Conservative manifesto regarding no tariffs or charges across all sectors, workers’ rights protection, a comprehensive security partnership, respect for the Good Friday agreement, and operational readiness for businesses. She warned that delays could harm jobs, food supplies, and citizen safety.
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