Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: Northern Ireland Office

Oral Answers to Questions

Andrew Murrison Excerpts
Wednesday 21st March 2018

(6 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Karen Bradley Portrait Karen Bradley
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I presume that the hon. Gentleman wrote his question before the announcement in Brussels by Michel Barnier and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union. The transitional arrangements will end in December 2020. The United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, and leaving the European Union means leaving the single market and the customs union—that is what we will do.

Andrew Murrison Portrait Dr Andrew Murrison (South West Wiltshire) (Con)
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I am sure that my right hon. Friend has every sympathy with the Irish Government. They did not want Brexit, and there are lots of risks for Ireland and no upside. Will my right hon. Friend nevertheless impress on her interlocutors in Dublin that the option presented in the draft withdrawal agreement is wholly unacceptable and that they should work with us to ensure that option 1 in the December joint report goes ahead?

Karen Bradley Portrait Karen Bradley
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Both the UK Government and the Irish Government have stated that they would like to address the issue of the Irish border through the overall UK-EU relationship, as set out in option 1 in the joint report.