Oral Answers to Questions

Anna McMorrin Excerpts

Monday 18th February 2019 Commons Chamber

[John Mc Nally (Falkirk) (SNP)]

7. What contingency planning his Department has undertaken for the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

[Anna McMorrin (Cardiff North) (Lab)]

12. What recent assessment he has made of his Department’s preparedness for the UK leaving the EU without a deal.

[The Secretary of State for Defence (Gavin Williamson)]

The Ministry of Defence has conducted extensive planning and preparation to ensure that defence is ready for a range of scenarios including that of a no-deal EU exit. We continue to work closely with other Government Departments, key suppliers and industry partners.

[Gavin Williamson]

The work that we are doing on cyber-security is done not through the European Union, but through NATO or bilateral agreements with other countries, so I cannot see that having any impact on our continued work on cyber-security.

[Anna McMorrin]

May I just echo your words about Paul Flynn, Mr Speaker? He was a brilliant, radical and reformist politician and will be greatly missed.

A “No-deal Brexit will make tracking terrorists harder and British public less safe”. Those words are from the Minister for Security and Economic Crime, and this weekend we have heard another Defence Minister threaten to vote against the Government if they fail to rule out no deal. Will the Secretary of State put this country’s security first, and before his own leadership ambition, and rule out no deal here and now, today?

[Gavin Williamson]

The hon. Lady had an opportunity to vote for a deal just a few weeks ago, but she did not seem to bother.