Brexit: Free Trade Agreement

Lord Watts Excerpts

Tuesday 14th May 2019 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan]

I understood that I had just answered that question.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, are the Government prepared to compromise on the red lines that they set out, and if not, what is the point of the dialogue taking place between them and the Opposition?

Brexit: Date of Exit

Lord Watts Excerpts

Monday 8th April 2019 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan]

I think I need to apologise to the noble Lord: I thought I was here to answer questions on behalf of the Government, but apparently he thinks I am now here to answer questions on behalf of the ERG. I suggest that the best way for him to get answers to his questions is to pose them to the gentlemen who made those statements.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, when I suggested an extension, the Minister said that there was no need for one. Obviously, now there is. Can I suggest that he takes my advice and goes for a referendum to confirm any deal in the future?

[Lord Callanan]

I always value the advice of the noble Lord, but I think in this case we will not be taking that particular piece of advice.

Brexit: Financial Settlement

Lord Watts Excerpts

Tuesday 11th September 2018 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan]

Yes, that applies to us. It also applies to the European Union.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

Could the Minister follow on from the earlier question and give some indication of whether an assessment has been made of how much the liability will be for the UK Government if there is no deal?

[Lord Callanan]

We are confident that there will be a deal but, as I said, if there is no deal, the financial commitment agreed to in the context of a deal will no longer apply. As I said, we will meet our legal commitments.

Brexit: No Deal

Lord Watts Excerpts

Tuesday 11th September 2018 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan]

I thank my noble friend, but we have made it very clear to our EU partners that their version of the backstop, which would produce a customs border in the Irish Sea, is completely unacceptable to us. That is why the negotiations are still continuing on that matter.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, the Minister says that it is unacceptable, but is it not the case that unless a deal is agreed with the European Union, that is exactly what could happen?

[Lord Callanan]

I can confirm that unless a deal with the EU is agreed, we will have no deal.

Brexit: Parliamentary Processes

Lord Watts Excerpts

Tuesday 24th July 2018 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan]

I think there would be total uproar in this country if we did not implement the referendum vote. I am slightly confused about why this call for a second referendum is now being labelled a people’s vote, as if somehow the people did not get to vote in the first referendum.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, can the Minister say what the Government will do if Parliament rejects the deal?

[Lord Callanan]

We hope that Parliament will not reject the deal, but if it does, clearly the Government will have to contemplate that and come back to Parliament with a statement on how we proceed.

Brexit: European Commission Discussions

Lord Watts Excerpts

Monday 9th July 2018 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan]

I thought there was going to be a “but”, there, but obviously not. I thank my noble friend for his kind remarks. I was somewhat surprised to wake up this morning to find that the noble Lord, Lord Adonis, had apparently announced my resignation on Twitter overnight, which was perhaps wishful thinking on his part.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, can the Minister set out the difference between the existing system and the one now being advocated by the Government?

[Lord Callanan]

I am not sure what system the noble Lord is referring to, but if he waits until later in the week, we will be producing a White Paper, which I am sure will provide him all the details that he wishes to see.

Brexit Transition: European Parliament Membership

Lord Watts Excerpts

Thursday 7th June 2018 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan]

We will not be remaining as members. The Government think it is a waste to spend money on an election that would be pointless because we will not have Members of the European Parliament. We also think it is pointless for the Electoral Commission to spend money preparing for an election that will not happen, and we have made that very clear to it.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, the Minister says he is not going to make any preparations in case we do not leave in two years because we are going to leave in two years. Is it not the case that that would require the consent of the House of Commons? If it does not happen, he will not have a plan B.

[Lord Callanan]

We are leaving on 30 March 2019 because the House of Commons and this House agreed to the European Union (Notice of Withdrawal) Act under which Article 50 was notified, so the House of Commons has already agreed to it, as has this House.

Brexit: Transition Period

Lord Watts Excerpts

Monday 16th April 2018 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan]

We have said that we want to get the withdrawal agreement bottomed out and agreed by October and that we also want to agree future partnerships in as much detail as possible to provide that certainty. I accept the noble Lord’s point that this is a time of uncertainty. We are working at pace to try to provide that certainty.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, can the Minister explain why any country in the world would want to do a better trade deal with a country with a population of 50 million when it would have a chance of getting a better deal with the rest of Europe, which has a population of 500 million?

Brexit: Negotiations

Lord Watts Excerpts

Tuesday 30th January 2018 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan]

The analysis to which I believe the article refers is a preliminary attempt to improve on the flawed analysis around the EU referendum. It is there to test ideas and design a viable framework for the analysis of our exit from the European Union, and at this very early stage it considers only off-the-shelf trade arrangements that currently exist. We have been clear that those are not what we seek in the negotiations. It does not consider the desired outcome—the most ambitious relationship possible with the European Union, as set out by the Prime Minister in her Florence speech.

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords, is the Minister more worried about the sniping from this side of the Chamber or from his own?

[Lord Callanan]

I must apologise: I did not hear the question. Would the noble Lord mind repeating it?

[Lord Watts]

I asked whether the Minister was more worried about sniping from this side of the Chamber or from his own side.

[Lord Callanan]

One person’s sniping is another person’s constructive comments. I enjoy engaging with this House, sometimes on destructive comments, but we have considered appropriate contributions from all parts of this House.

Brexit: European Travel Information and Authorisation System

Lord Watts Excerpts

Wednesday 17th January 2018 Lords Chamber

[Lord Spicer (Con)]

My Lords—

[Lord Watts (Lab)]

My Lords—

[The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Evans of Bowes Park) (Con)]

My Lords, it is the turn of the Conservative Benches.

[Lord Callanan]

My Lords, I think that no agreement would be bad for both sides; that is why we want an agreement.

[Lord Watts]

My Lords, is it not the case that, in this and many other areas in which we are negotiating with our present partners, we are nowhere near completion? Should we not be trying to talk to our partners about extending the time to allow proper negotiation and proper solutions to the many problems that we face with Brexit?

[Lord Callanan]

As the noble Lord will be aware, the Article 50 process sets out the timescale, and we are very confident that we can reach agreement in the timescale set out.