Oral Answers to Questions

Alex Burghart Excerpts

Thursday 6th December 2018 Commons Chamber

[Chris Heaton-Harris]

I always agree with my governmental colleagues.

[Alex Burghart (Brentwood and Ongar) (Con)]

16. What steps the Government are taking to prepare contingency plans for the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

[Steve Double (St Austell and Newquay) (Con)]

17. What steps the Government are taking to prepare contingency plans for the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

[Alex Burghart]

I welcome the Secretary of State, along with my great friend the Under-Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, the hon. Member for Spelthorne (Kwasi Kwarteng), who takes his rightful place on the Government Front Bench. Will the Minister set out specific examples of what the Government have done in their no-deal preparations? Does he agree that the actions he has outlined are far better than the zero pounds that the shadow Chancellor committed to prepare for no deal?

[Chris Heaton-Harris]

The whole House will be aware that we have passed a lot of critical legislation, including the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, the Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Act 2018 and the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018. We have signed key international agreements, including new bilateral nuclear co-operation deals with the US, Australia and Canada. We are recruiting new staff to prepare for the day the UK leaves the EU, including more than 600 new Border Force officers in addition to 300 officers deployed by the end of this year.