Leaving the EU

Drew Hendry Excerpts

Monday 26th November 2018 Commons Chamber

[David Duguid (Banff and Buchan) (Con)]

In response to my right hon. Friend’s statement, the right hon. Member for Ross, Skye and Lochaber (Ian Blackford) claimed—predictably, I must say—that Scottish fishermen are being sold out somehow.

[Drew Hendry (Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey) (SNP)]

That is what the hon. Member for Aberdeen South (Ross Thomson) said.

[David Duguid]

Not in the document. According to the chief executive of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation, this deal does enable the UK to become

“an independent Coastal State with full, unfettered sovereignty over our waters and natural resources.”

Whom should I tell my constituents to believe?

--- Later in debate ---

[The Prime Minister]

I am happy to give my hon. Friend that confirmation. Businesses are very clear about the importance of maintaining those just-in-time supply chains. Similarly, of course, many constituents are concerned to ensure that we are able to make decisions for ourselves about who should be migrating to the United Kingdom without having that free movement. This deal delivers on both.

[Drew Hendry]

The Prime Minister repeats again and again that this is a good deal, but not only has she failed to convince this House but the National Institute of Economic and Social Research says that, under her plan, tax revenue would fall by 1.5% to 2% annually—that is £18 billion to £23 billion less for public services. How does she account for the gap between her side of a bus-plus-plus spending promises for the NHS and this reality?

[The Prime Minister]

The spending promises on the NHS were clearly dealt with at the Budget in November.