New Partnership with the EU

Debate between David Davis and Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard

Tuesday 17th January 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Davis]

There is little point in modelling what is not going to happen. For many of the most important deals for us, the expectation is that we will get, as it were, an immediate transfer, and then we will start talking about improving the deals between us. Not all EU trade deals have been that beneficial for Britain, and we could certainly improve some of them.

[Tom Elliott (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) (UUP)]

I noted the Secretary of State’s assertion about controlling our own laws and ending the authority of the European Court of Justice in the United Kingdom, and I want to put it on the record that I support that proposal. When that takes place, what will be the authority or standing of any decision relative to the United Kingdom that has already been taken by the Court?

[Mr Davis]

I assume the hon. Gentleman is talking about the standing of case law. That will be frozen at the point when we leave, and whether we change that will then be up to us in this House.

Next Steps in Leaving the European Union

Debate between David Davis and Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard

Monday 10th October 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Davis]

First, there have been a number of consultations and discussions with those people. This whole exercise is an all-Government operation. That means that the individual Departments will deal directly with them. Secondly, the Treasury moved unusually quickly to ensure that they knew that their current round of funding was underpinned, for example under pillar 1 of the common agricultural policy. The Government are taking this matter extraordinarily seriously and they have no reason to worry.

[Tom Elliott (Fermanagh and South Tyrone) (UUP)]

I thank the Under-Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, the hon. Member for Worcester (Mr Walker) for coming to my constituency last week to meet businesses in Fermanagh and South Tyrone. I appreciate the Secretary of State’s point about an open border with the Republic of Ireland, given that four counties of the Republic of Ireland border my constituency, but how does he envisage stopping the smuggling that may take place after Brexit?

[Mr Davis]

That is a very good and difficult question. The simple truth is that we have to make a judgment, as is the case with all borders of that nature. Norway and Sweden have a good example of an open border, as do Canada and America. There are small-scale movements, but big-scale movements can be found and dealt with.