Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

End of Transition Period: National Security)

Monday 14 December 2020 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The safety and security of UK citizens remains the priority, with close work with operational partners for readiness.
  • Alternative arrangements are in place to transition cooperation to non-EU mechanisms if no-deal Brexit occurs.
  • The UK aims to remain a global leader on national security, with all agencies prepared for the transition period end.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Angela Crawley SNP
Brexit Community Security
Context

The question concerns the potential negative effects on national security following the end of the transition period, a critical issue for UK's safety and cooperation with EU partners.

Question

What recent assessment has she made of the potential effect of the end of the transition period on national security?

Answer from James Brokenshire (Minister of State for Security and Economic Crime)

The safety and security of our citizens remains our priority. We are working closely with operational partners to ensure we are ready for a range of scenarios at the end of the transition period. We will continue to co-operate with European and international partners to tackle shared security threats.

Partly answered

Not addressed: No specific contingency plans or measures were mentioned in response to the question about emergency plans.

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Q2 Angela Crawley SNP
Policing & Resources Crime & Law Enforcement Brexit
Context

Concerns have been raised about the impact of losing access to EU databases such as the Schengen information system, which could increase average conviction times from six days to 60 days. This scenario highlights a significant capability gap and potential security risks.

Question

The deputy assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan police has noted that losing access to EU databases like Schengen will extend criminal conviction time significantly, calling this a 'capability gap' with a 'massive impact'. In case of no-deal Brexit, what emergency contingency plans does the Department have in place?

Answer from James Brokenshire (Minister of State for Security and Economic Crime)

National security remains our absolute priority. This country is a safe country and will remain so after the end of the transition period. Alternative arrangements are in place if negotiations fail, transitioning cooperation to non-EU mechanisms by the end of the transition period.

Partly answered

Not addressed: No specific emergency plans or immediate actions were detailed beyond general statements about preparedness.

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Q3 Conor McGinn Lab
Community Security Parliamentary Procedure
Context

The Minister's letter to the MP stated that in a no-deal scenario, fallback arrangements would be used. However, concerns have been raised about these being 'slower and more clunky' and potentially leaving the country less safe.

Question

Does he agree with former National Security Adviser's comments that fallbacks are slower and less effective? Can he promise to deliver an agreement that retains or improves levels of co-operation, as called for by UK Counter Terrorism Policing?

Answer from James Brokenshire (Minister of State for Security and Economic Crime)

This country will remain one of the safest in the world. The UK is and will continue to be a global leader on national security, with all agencies prepared for the transition period end. I hope he notes our level of preparedness.

Not addressed: The effectiveness of fallback arrangements and specific commitments were not addressed directly; instead, assurances about continued leadership in security were provided.

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