Oral Answers to Questions

Alison McGovern Excerpts

Thursday 11th June 2020 Commons Chamber

[Anna McMorrin (Cardiff North) (Lab)]

What recent assessment he has made of the progress of negotiations on the UK’s future relationship with the EU.

[Alison McGovern (Wirral South) (Lab)]

What recent assessment he has made of the progress of negotiations on the UK’s future relationship with the EU.

[Robert Courts (Witney) (Con)]

What recent progress the Government have made on trade negotiations with the EU.

--- Later in debate ---

[Michael Gove]

We all want an agreement, and I am grateful for the support and help that the devolved Administrations have given. I talk regularly to them, as does my right hon. Friend the Paymaster General. We know how important Erasmus is to many, and we will continue to seek membership of those programmes across the United Kingdom.

[Alison McGovern]

The British people were promised an oven-ready deal, but given the speculation in recent weeks, what they have is half-baked. Will the Secretary of State therefore commit to no unpicking of the political declaration or the withdrawal agreement—the work of the past three years?

[Michael Gove]

Not only was an oven-ready deal secured, but we had that oven-ready deal delivered and agreed to by this House earlier this year, which is why we left the European Union on 31 January. Of course, we will always honour the withdrawal agreement and, as far as the political declaration goes, it commits the European Union to use its best endeavours to secure a zero-tariff, zero-quota arrangement, and we hope that the EU will do that.