Article 50 Extension Procedure

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Monday 18th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

In my brief time as a Minister, I have been very clear about the way to get out of the mess. The obvious way was to vote for the deal—a reasonable deal. The Opposition voted it down and now they turn around and have the effrontery to say, “What shall we do?” They have been totally negative. That is exactly why I have calmly set out the next steps for the extension of article 50.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

How onerous would the conditions for granting an extension have to be for the Government to desist from their intention to lay a statutory instrument before the House?

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

That ball is now rolling, I am afraid. My right hon. Friend is still trying to expand on the fantasy of no deal, but no deal has been taken off the table by this House, and that is why we are talking about extending article 50.

EU Withdrawal Agreement: Legal Changes

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Monday 11th March 2019 Commons Chamber

[Mr Walker]

The hon. Lady sets a deadline to which I cannot commit, but the Government will bring forward the motion as soon as we can based on the outcome of the negotiations, which are ongoing.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

The Government are formally seeking a legally binding text on the Malthouse compromise as an alternative to the backstop, aren’t they?

[Mr Walker]

My right hon. Friend is as pithy as always. I can confirm that the Government are seeking legally binding changes to address the House’s concerns about the backstop.

Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Thursday 28th February 2019 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Barclay]

I pay tribute, as the Prime Minister did, to the work that my right hon. Friend and a number of colleagues have done on taking forward the alternative arrangements work. He will be aware of the time pressure relating to the derogations required as part of that, and that is why this is seen as a phase 2 issue by the European Union. He can be reassured, however, that, as the Prime Minister has set out, there is a commitment to £20 million of funding to take that work forward, together with civil service resource. That shows the goodwill and intent of the Government in relation to progressing the alternative arrangements.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

Paul Flynn told me that I had star quality, but as my friend, I do not suppose that he was an objective observer. In the event of the withdrawal agreement being defeated a second time, the Government must be committed to voting in favour of a no-deal Brexit; otherwise, they will in effect have taken no deal off the table, won’t they?

[Stephen Barclay]

I am sure that the former Member for Newport West was not the only person to say that my right hon. Friend had star quality. The key issue is that we need to give businesses certainty and we need to secure the deal. Unlike my right hon. Friend, I am optimistic that there is an opportunity for the House to come together on the areas on which we agree. This is about the winding-down arrangements, but many of the issues on which there is further debate to be held relate to the future economic partnership. We have already signalled that we want to work much more closely across the House on taking that work forward.

Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Thursday 24th January 2019 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Barclay]

I think that the assessment in Whitehall is that Whitehall is more prepared than the devolved Administrations. We are looking to work closely with the devolved Administrations. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care has been very clear that medicines and medical products are our No. 1 priority for the supply of goods, and the extra ferry capacity has been purchased with that very much in mind.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

If the discussions were about the maintenance of frictionless trade, a customs union of itself will not deliver that, will it?

[Stephen Barclay]

My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. It is not just about what tariffs apply; it is also about what regulations apply on non-tariff barriers. Much of the debate in this place is about tariffs, but standards and regulations are also relevant.

EU Withdrawal Agreement: Legal Changes

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Monday 7th January 2019 Commons Chamber

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

The change required is one that will enable us to walk away from negotiations if the deal on offer proves unacceptable to us. As currently drafted, the agreement does not allow that possibility, does it?

[Stephen Barclay]

The scope to exit from the backstop—which is really at the heart of my right hon. Friend’s question—was explored in the House at length on, I think, 3 or 4 December, when the Attorney General spoke about that specific issue in great detail. The crux of what he said was that it involved a balance of risk, and that, ultimately, these were political decisions in relation to the ability of a sovereign state to be bound in the future. I know that my right hon. Friend is an assiduous follower of the Attorney General and his legal advice, and I commend that earlier debate to him.

European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018: Statutory Obligations on Ministers

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Tuesday 11th December 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Walker]

To have a suggestion from the Liberal Democrats of assurances not being worth the paper they are written on is quite strong. The House has already voted, many times, on a second referendum, and every time the idea has been defeated, because clearly the majority of Members of this House want to respect the people’s vote that we had in 2016.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

After we get the vote and vote for the agreement, at what stage can we subsequently walk away from trade negotiations should the terms prove sufficiently unattractive?

Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Thursday 6th December 2018 Commons Chamber

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

Those are my hon. Friend’s figures, and I know what his views on the subject have been over many years. The deal under consideration will be a sure footing on which we can grow the economy. I think the scare stories are misplaced and we have a bright future ahead, particularly in relation to our exports and our trade policy.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

Why would the world’s eighth largest manufacturer want to leave 20% of its economy subject to the acquis?

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

My right hon. Friend has well-known views about these issues. Many manufacturers and businesspeople in Britain seek an assurance that they will be able to trade freely with the EU, and I think the acquis communautaire is something that they value.

Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Thursday 25th October 2018 Commons Chamber

[Dominic Raab]

We had an extended Cabinet session last month. We looked at a whole range of action points right across the piece, including some of the IT issues to which the hon. Gentleman refers. We want to make sure we are in the best position to manage, avoid or mitigate any risk in a no-deal scenario, but of course we are striving for the best deal with our European partners.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

A very significant number of automotive parts enter the UK and the European Union from third countries for just-in-time delivery. It seems to work, doesn’t it?

[Dominic Raab]

My right hon. Friend will know that that is one of the reasons the White Paper proposals deal with the kind of customs arrangements and co-operation with our EU partners which will not just prevent friction at the border, but, particularly in relation to just-in-time manufacturers, provide them with the frictionless trade they need.

--- Later in debate ---

[Dominic Raab]

Through our White Paper proposals, we are absolutely committed not just to secure and build on our brilliant trading relationship with the EU, but to take advantage of the growth opportunities globally. We are also committed—not just through the EU withdrawal Act, but through the legislation that will be coming forward—to ensuring that we leave the country in an environmentally stronger position for the next generation.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

If anyone were to cut up rough at the borders, what is the significance of our being a signatory to the World Trade Organisation trade facilitation agreement?

[Dominic Raab]

The WTO rules provide some legal checks in relation to discrimination and other aspects, but the reality is that there would be disruption at the border. We can mitigate to a large degree, but not wholly; that will depend on the response from our EU partners and friends. The French, the Belgians and the Dutch are co-operating with us constructively with regard to Eurotunnel. My hon. Friend will have heard what the Minister for no deal planning said about the French approach. We are confident that there would be a constructive approach on both sides in the case of a no-deal scenario, but we do need to prepare for all eventualities.

EU Exit Negotiations

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Tuesday 9th October 2018 Commons Chamber

[Dominic Raab]

True.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

Any decision to exit a backstop agreement must be one for Her Majesty’s Government, must it not?

[Dominic Raab]

My right hon. Friend is absolutely right that we could not allow any third party—in this case, the EU—to have a lock on the process and that it could not last indefinitely.

Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Thursday 19th July 2018 Commons Chamber

[Dominic Raab]

I thank the hon. Gentleman. Of course, many of the banks and people in the City are already preparing and are very confident that they can withstand any of the uncertainty in relation to Brexit negotiations. We have been preparing for some time now. I pay tribute to my hon. Friend the Member for Wycombe (Mr Baker) for all the preparatory work that he has done. We will be starting to step up some of those preparations. Some of that will become more publicly facing in the weeks and months ahead. That is necessary, and any responsible Government would have to do it. We will obviously set out the details of that shortly.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

But all our manufactures will have to be produced in full accordance with the acquis, will they not?

[Dominic Raab]

I understand my hon. Friend’s concern, but the common rulebook relates only to those particular rules that relate to the border, to enable frictionless trade. We will ensure, through technical-level consultations, that we have a voice in the formation of those rules. Ultimately, it will be for this House to say yes or no to whether those rules become the law of the land.