Oral Answers to Questions

Fiona Bruce Excerpts

Wednesday 16th May 2018 Commons Chamber

[Chloe Smith]

This sits with the theme to which I already alluded, which is that we think that the House of Commons should have rightful primacy. Indeed, that is where we see elected representatives of the British population who are able to carry forward—in the instance to which the hon. Gentleman refers—the will of the British people in leaving the European Union.

[Fiona Bruce (Congleton) (Con)]

4. What steps he is taking to preserve the integrity of the UK.

[The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office (Mr David Lidington)]

The constitutional integrity of the United Kingdom is vital to the security and prosperity of all four nations. That is why the EU (Withdrawal) Bill respects devolution, while allowing common approaches to be maintained to secure the common market of the United Kingdom.

[Fiona Bruce]

Yesterday the Scottish National party’s Brexit Minister said:

“There is no such thing as a single market in the UK.”

Does the Minister agree?

[Mr Lidington]

Mr Russell has always been perfectly constructive and sensible in his approach to negotiations, and I am obviously disappointed that so far the Scottish Government have not felt able to join the Welsh Government in agreeing to the sensible compromise that is on the table. What has been made very clear to me by Scottish businesses, however, is that the UK common market matters a great deal to their prosperity.