Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between David Davis and Bob Blackman

Thursday 15th March 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr David Davis]

I do not recognise the document that the hon. Gentleman is talking about.

[Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)]

Will the Minister confirm that when we leave the European Union, it will be our policy to control our fishing waters, not to give free and unfettered access, as is currently demanded by the European Union?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between David Davis and Bob Blackman

Thursday 1st February 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr David Davis]

As I told the House earlier, every forecasting model of the post-referendum performance of the British economy by every major organisation—the banks, Government organisations and, indeed, international organisations—has proven wrong. One of the ways they have been proven wrong is because employment in this country has grown, despite all the forecasts, to record levels today. We will be seeking to do the best we can to ensure that that growth record is maintained.

[Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)]

rose—

--- Later in debate ---

[Bob Blackman]

Will my right hon. Friend confirm that we will be able to implement decisions during the transition period and not wait until the end to implement everything that is agreed?

[Mr Davis]

We will be able to do some of them, for example, our proposal to put in place a registration scheme and so on. We will also be able to sign trade deals, but not bring them into force.

EU Exit Negotiations

Debate between David Davis and Bob Blackman

Tuesday 5th December 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Davis]

Perhaps the hon. Gentleman wants to give advice to them about how they describe other people.

[Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)]

One of the big prizes to be gained from being free of the European Union is enabling us, as a United Kingdom, to negotiate our own free trade deals across the world. Will my right hon. Friend confirm that nothing in these agreements will fetter our ability to do that?

[Mr Davis]

Yes.

Leaving the EU: Parliamentary Vote

Debate between David Davis and Bob Blackman

Thursday 26th October 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Davis]

What we are doing is taking that power, but the power does not give us the right to overrule article 50, which takes us out of the European Union in March 2019.

[Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)]

Under the terms of withdrawal from the European Union, the Government have announced a series of measures—a series of eight Bills that will be brought before Parliament and go through the parliamentary procedures. One of those Bills, dealing with an important aspect, is the immigration Bill. Do the Government intend to take that Bill through its parliamentary stages before we vote on the final deal, or will that Bill be brought before Parliament after we have agreed a deal? That could affect our negotiation strategy.

[Mr Davis]

It will be before the deal—that is what I would expect anyway, unless it goes much faster than I expect. That is true not just of that Bill but of most of the other Bills my hon. Friend refers to.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between David Davis and Bob Blackman

Thursday 7th September 2017 Commons Chamber

[The Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union (Mr David Davis)]

We aim to get the right agreement for the United Kingdom and the European Union. Government officials are working at pace, and we have said repeatedly that both parties will need to demonstrate a dynamic and flexible approach in each negotiation round. Flexibility and creativity are needed from both sides, and we have already said that we are willing to meet as frequently as required. We want to reach an agreement about our future partnership by the end of March 2019. From that point, we believe that a time-limited interim period will be in the mutual interest of the United Kingdom and the European Union, allowing people and businesses in the United Kingdom and the European Union to adjust to the new arrangements.

[Bob Blackman]

I thank my right hon. Friend for his answer. Our future trade relations with the European Union are clearly vital, and it is good news that a queue of trade deals is potentially in the offing for when we leave. Given our unique position with the EU, it is surely perfectly possible to conclude a trade agreement by the time we leave in March 2019.

[Mr Davis]

Yes, my hon. Friend is exactly right. The Bill that we will debate later today is designed with exactly that in mind. The unique nature of the free trade agreement that we are seeking to agree with the European Union is that we all start from exactly the same standards. The previous question related to maintaining the same standards for labour law and other matters, but those standards are actually already better. My hon. Friend is right that our unique position is the key to getting a fast, effective and wealth-creating trade agreement.