Legislating for UK Withdrawal from the EU

Chris Bryant Excerpts

Thursday 30th March 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Davis]

I am going to seek your protection, Mr Speaker. That is two people who have finished my career today—I am being called “pragmatic” as well. The simple truth is that when we come to do the trade and other deals, there will be relationships between us, as there are with other countries, to ensure that we maintain common standards—the point the ex-leader of the Liberal party, the ex-Deputy Prime Minister, made about data protection and so on. There will be things that we will negotiate, but my hon. Friend would be surprised if I talked those negotiations out in this place at this time.

[Chris Bryant (Rhondda) (Lab)]

I do worry, because the Secretary of State says in his White Paper:

“Existing parliamentary procedures allow for Parliament to scrutinise as many or as few statutory instruments as it sees fit.”

That is simply untrue. In 2014-15, nine negative statutory instruments were prayed against by the Leader of the Opposition; only one was allowed a debate, and that was not on the Floor of the House, so it could not be on a fatal motion. In 2015-16, 19 were prayed against by the Opposition and only five were allowed debates, again only in Committee. Not a single one was allowed a vote in the House. This is not bringing back control to this House, and we will be worried unless the Government change the process.

[Mr Davis]

We of course start by obeying the conventions that apply to the House, and I am afraid that we do have an SI procedure, which is both affirmative and negative, which has effects and influence. If the hon. Gentleman wants to come and talk to us about how he thinks we can improve that, I will be happy to see him.

[Chris Bryant]

At half-past 2?

[Mr Davis]

I am happy to see him, but not at half-past 2.