Oral Answers to Questions

Gordon Banks Excerpts

Tuesday 4th December 2012 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

We are obliged to the Minister.

[Gordon Banks (Ochil and South Perthshire) (Lab)]

5. What recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on protecting the integrity of the single market.

[The Minister for Europe (Mr David Lidington)]

I regularly discuss the single market with my counterparts both at bilateral meetings and in formal sessions of the Council.

[Gordon Banks]

With the Prime Minister increasingly marginalised and nobody believing a word that comes out of the Scottish First Minister’s mouth, what can the Minister do to protect the £9.7 billion of exports from Scotland to the EU, and to ensure that there is a credible single market in future?

[Mr Lidington]

I fear that the hon. Gentleman wrote his question before he saw the outcome of the European Council at the end of last month. Given the emphasis he places on trade, I am sure he will have warmly welcomed our Prime Minister’s intervention to secure the free trade agreement between the EU and South Korea, which is already delivering opportunities for British businesses. I am sure he will also welcome the British Government’s strong support for the opening of trade negotiations between Europe and Japan, which was agreed last week.