EU: Future Trade Agreement

Baroness D'Souza Excerpts

Wednesday 29th July 2020 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook]

I totally agree with my noble friend. That is what the Government are working on at this moment and will continue to work on until we get that agreement.

[Baroness D'Souza (CB) [V]]

My Lords, if, as seems increasingly likely, the UK leaves the EU under WTO terms, are the Government confident, given the unprecedented pressure of economic uncertainty and the degree of disarray in the organisation itself, that the WTO will be able to monitor adequately its own trade rules?

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook]

We are not going to leave with no deal. We left the EU with a deal—the withdrawal agreement—on 31 January 2010, and we are now in a transition period. The end of that period does not signify no deal and leaving on WTO terms. Preparations by government, businesses and citizens should be based on the guaranteed changes that are to come. The Government’s delivery programme ensures that the UK will be prepared for the end of the transition period at the end of December in all trading scenarios.