Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Geoffrey Cox and Hannah Bardell

Thursday 3rd October 2019 Commons Chamber

[Hannah Bardell (Livingston) (SNP)]

11. What recent assessment he has made of the effect of the UK leaving the EU without a deal on the priorities for his office.

[The Attorney General (Mr Geoffrey Cox)]

The priorities of my office are set out in the published business plan for this year. The UK’s withdrawal from the European Union exercises the interest of my office in supporting the successful delivery of the Government’s objectives. We give legal and constitutional advice within the Government and throughout the Departments. Of course I am engaged in supporting preparations for future international co-operation between Law Officers’ departments and prosecution and other criminal justice organisations.

[Hannah Bardell]

It would be good to hear the Attorney General recognise the damage that a no-deal Brexit would create and the severe disruption that we know it would create across all Departments, instead of the language that we heard from him last week in the Chamber, when he said that this was “a dead Parliament” and that MPs had “no moral right” to be here. Will he apologise for those comments?

[The Attorney General]

Certainly not. I stand by every one of them. When this Parliament assumes its responsibilities to pass a withdrawal agreement, then I might reconsider them, but certainly not at the moment. We may soon have a chance to assume those responsibilities if we can get a deal from the European Union. I hope then to see the hon. Lady vote for it.