European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill

Debate between Michael Gove and Mark Harper

Committee: 1st sitting: House of Commons
Monday 6th February 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Harper]

I have taken the hon. and learned Lady’s intervention and I will now make some progress.

[Michael Gove (Surrey Heath) (Con)]

Will my right hon. Friend give way?

[Mr Harper]

Of course.

[Michael Gove]

My right hon. Friend might not have had the chance to follow the Scottish independence referendum as closely as some of us. During that referendum the current SNP First Minister said that if the UK remained, the NHS in Scotland would be privatised. So if anyone should apologise for misleading the public, Nicola Sturgeon should.

[Mr Harper]

As ever, my right hon. Friend hits the nail on the head.

Let me move relatively briefly through the other provisions. New clauses 139 and 140 would both, in effect, give a veto to different parts of the UK, and therefore are unacceptable.