Withdrawal Agreement: Legal Advice Debate

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Department: Attorney General

Withdrawal Agreement: Legal Advice

Carol Monaghan Excerpts
Thursday 29th November 2018

(6 years ago)

Commons Chamber
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Robert Buckland Portrait The Solicitor General
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My hon. Friend is absolutely right to say that if Law Officers, and indeed civil servants, cannot provide candid advice in an unencumbered way, the quality of decision making will deteriorate, as will its transparency. That is deleterious to good government.

Carol Monaghan Portrait Carol Monaghan (Glasgow North West) (SNP)
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But this is not normal government. This is an irrevocable vote, so given the importance of that vote, does the Solicitor General not agree that MPs are entitled to the full truth on behalf of the people they represent?

Robert Buckland Portrait The Solicitor General
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The hon. Lady will see on Monday a document setting out the Government’s legal position. She will be able to question the senior Law Officer about that and then, in the debate, she will be able to make further points if she views the information that she has received as somehow insufficient. Knowing my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney General, he will dilate at length if he is asked to.