European Union (Withdrawal) Act

Alan Brown Excerpts

Tuesday 15th January 2019 Commons Chamber

[The Attorney General]

The right hon. Gentleman is of course right to say that I published that letter in the spirit of the conversation I had with him—in the spirit of the Government’s desire to make clear as much information as this House needs to make its judgments.

[Alan Brown (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (SNP)]

On the backstop, can the Attorney General confirm that fish from Northern Ireland will have tariff-free access into the EU and tariff-free access back to the UK, but fish from Scotland will be subject to tariffs going into the EU, and that therefore Northern Ireland is going to be treated differently from Scotland in the backstop? The Scottish Secretary talked about responsibilities. He said that he would resign if Northern Ireland were given different conditions from Scotland. Is that not the case, and should not the Scottish Secretary consider his position?

[The Attorney General]

As I understand what the hon. Gentleman said, he has misunderstood. The backstop does not deal with the question of fish at all. It has no policy arrangements—

[Alan Brown]

Will the Attorney General give way?

[The Attorney General]

I am willing to discuss it with the hon. Gentleman later.