Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of his Department's preparations for the UK leaving the EU on 31 October 2019 without a deal.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
As a responsible government we have been preparing for the UK’s exit from the EU in all scenarios for nearly three years. A no deal exit remains the legal default at the end of the extension period on 31 October unless a deal is agreed.
DExEU has a vital coordination role to play in these preparations. We maintain a single picture of workstreams, policy proposals and delivery implications across government to inform policy development. This allows us to scrutinise domestic policy solutions and delivery plans that departments develop - ensuring coherence and recommending cross-cutting solutions to drive delivery forward.
Over 300 work-streams to prepare for ‘no deal’ continue to be advanced across Government, to minimise disruption to industry, to our vital services, and to the daily lives of the people of the United Kingdom. In light of the extension, departments are making sensible decisions about the timing and pace at which some of this work is progressing and what further action can be taken, but we will continue to prepare for all EU Exit scenarios.
We continue to make good progress - for example:
Since December 2018, HMRC has issued 74,000 new EORI numbers to traders (as of 23 June).
We have published approximately 750 pieces of communications on no deal since August 2018, including 106 technical notices explaining to businesses and citizens what they need to do to prepare.
The EU Settlement Scheme is now fully opened with over 800,000 applications so far.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will publish his Department's no deal preparation documents.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Government has published a number of documents to support public and parliamentary scrutiny of our preparations for leaving the EU.
The Government continues to report regularly to the House and its Select Committees in person and by responding fully to inquiries and reports. In addition to regular statements by the Prime Minister, DExEU Ministers have given evidence to a broad range of committees on 49 occasions and have made 187 written statements to both Houses.
In addition, the Government published a robust, objective assessment of how exiting the EU could affect the economy of the UK in November 2018, as part of its commitment to providing Parliament with appropriate analysis. In addition, all legislation is accompanied by explanatory documents. This information is available online.
We have also taken extensive steps to provide businesses and citizens with advice on helping them mitigate the potential impacts of a no deal exit, publishing approximately 750 pieces of communications on no deal since August 2018, including 106 technical notices explaining to businesses and citizens what they need to do to prepare.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions he has had with the Home Secretary on using Border Force technology to solve the customs issues when the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union regularly meets with Cabinet colleagues to discuss preparations for leaving the EU. Similarly, ministers and officials from the department meet regularly with other government departments to discuss a variety of issues.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what the Government's policy is on a second referendum on EU membership.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The Government has been clear that it does not support a second referendum. The priority of the Government is to deliver on the result of the first referendum by trying to find a deal that could command majority support in Parliament.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether mobile roaming charges will be reintroduced in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
In the event that we leave the EU without a deal, the costs that EU mobile operators would be able to charge UK operators for providing roaming services would no longer be regulated by the EU. This would mean that surcharge-free roaming when UK consumers travel to the EU, and EU consumers travel to the UK, could no longer be guaranteed. However, the four mobile operators - O2, EE, Three and Vodafone - have all stated they have no current plans to change their approach to mobile roaming for their customers roaming in the EU.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions he has had with his Irish counterpart on the Malthouse alternative plan for the backstop.
Answered by Robin Walker
Since the Prime Minister met President Juncker on 7 February to begin discussions on how we can address the concerns of Parliament, their respective teams have been holding talks to find a way forward that will work for both sides. She is also continuing engagement with the leaders of the other EU member states, including the Taoiseach.
Her message to those leaders, and to the leaders of the EU institutions, is the same: the UK wants to leave the EU as scheduled on 29 March with a guarantee that there will be no hard border in Northern Ireland, there is a majority in Parliament for a revised Withdrawal Agreement, and we need legally-binding changes to the backstop in order to secure that majority.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on visa-free holiday trips for (a) UK citizens to their countries and (b) citizens of EU countries to the UK; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Secretary of State meets regularly with EU counterparts to discuss issues related to our exit.
The Political Declaration makes clear that both the EU and the UK will aim to provide visa-free travel for short-term visits as part of our future relationship.
The European Commission proposed to grant UK nationals visa-free travel to the EU, even in the event of a no deal, subject to reciprocity from the UK. This proposal is currently passing through the EU’s legislative process. This would mean that UK nationals would not need a visa when travelling to the Schengen area for short stays of up to 90 days in every 180-day period. The UK has also said that we do not intend to require visas for tourists from the EU.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what position in the hierarchy of negotiators Olly Robbins holds.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Prime Minister retains personal overall responsibility for the negotiations on the UK side and is supported by her Europe Advisor, who heads up the official-level negotiating team.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many people were involved in negotiating the EU Withdrawal Agreement.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Negotiating the Withdrawal Agreement required a cross-government effort, supporting the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Exiting the EU in delivering the negotiations.
Asked by: David Simpson (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the UK is not forced to stay in a customs union by the EU.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The agreed Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, in the Withdrawal Agreement, guarantees that even in the event that the UK’s future relationship with the EU is not in place by the end of the Implementation Period, there will be no hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. The Withdrawal Agreement provides for a single customs territory between the UK and the EU. This ensures that Northern Ireland remains in the same customs territory as Great Britain, while meeting our commitments to the people of Northern Ireland to ensure no hard border on the island of Ireland. Both sides have been clear that the backstop is an insurance policy which we do not expect to use, and if needed, is explicitly temporary.
The Political Declaration is clear that there will be an economic partnership between the UK and the EU with no tariffs or quotas, with ambitious customs arrangements that build and improve on the Withdrawal Agreement. In building and improving on the arrangements in the Withdrawal Agreement, the Political Declaration is clear that the UK and EU will act in line with the objectives and principles of the agreement, including the development of an independent UK trade policy beyond the economic partnership with the EU.
Preparatory organisational work for the formal negotiations on the future relationship will begin as soon as the Withdrawal Agreement is concluded, and before the UK leaves the EU, focusing on key issues such as the development of alternative arrangements for ensuring the absence of a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland on a permanent footing.