European Union (Withdrawal) Act

Debate between Henry Smith and Liam Fox

Monday 14th January 2019 Commons Chamber

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

rose—

[Dr Fox]

I will give way to my hon. Friend, and then I will give way on a number of occasions later on.

[Henry Smith]

Is it not also the case that the Government spent more than £9 million of taxpayers’ money on a leaflet to every UK household saying that the decision of the British people would be respected, so the claim that people did not know what they were voting for or what the outcome would be is nonsense?

[Dr Fox]

The very act of spending that £9 million, given the outcome of the referendum, shows quite how easy it is to waste Government money.

It is clear that there are three possible outcomes to our deliberations.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Henry Smith and Liam Fox

Thursday 12th October 2017 Commons Chamber

[Dr Fox]

I do not anticipate that that will happen. The hon. Gentleman clearly does not understand what the process is, or what a negotiation is. It is quite clear that our first offer is not the final thing that we expect to be accepted. For example, we have no agreement yet on what will happen with unused quotas or aggregate measures of support. Those issues will be dealt with during the negotiation—[Interruption.] I know that the hon. Gentleman likes to multitask, but being able to speak and listen simultaneously is not among his abilities.

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

T1. If he will make a statement on his departmental responsibilities.

[The Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade (Dr Liam Fox)]

The Department has three tasks: promoting UK exports to support a growing economy that serves the whole country; maximising opportunities for wealth creation, including through overseas direct investment; and negotiating the best international trading framework for the UK outside the EU.

I welcome Crawford Falconer to the Department as chief trade negotiation adviser—he brings a wealth of knowledge—and I can announce the convening of the Board of Trade today, which will ensure that the benefits of trade and investment are spread across the whole UK.

[Henry Smith]

The EU Commission seems hellbent on damaging the economies of the remaining member states through its Brexit negotiations, so will my right hon. Friend say what preparations are being made for no deal?

[Dr Fox]

The best thing for the whole of Europe is for us to reach a deep and comprehensive agreement on trade. We are committed to doing so, and we hope that our European partners will commit to move on to the second stage of negotiations as soon as possible, not least to remove any uncertainty to businesses and workers across Europe. However, if we are unable to do so, the Government have already undertaken a wide range of contingency plans.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Henry Smith and Liam Fox

Thursday 23rd March 2017 Commons Chamber

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

T5. What discussions has my right hon. Friend had with Commonwealth countries about trade and investment opportunities?

[Dr Fox]

Just over a week ago, we held our first conference with Commonwealth Trade Ministers. That gave us an opportunity to look at how we might maximise intra-Commonwealth trade and at the differences between our trading systems. That will help us to move towards greater consistency in the rules that we apply so that all in the Commonwealth can get even greater benefit from a system that is growing faster than the global economy and should be much more beneficial.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Henry Smith and Liam Fox

Thursday 15th December 2016 Commons Chamber

[Dr Fox]

We have repeatedly said that this Department is open to all businesses in the United Kingdom when it comes to seeking our support for exports, and I hope that the Scottish Government will encourage businesses in Scotland to work with the Department for International Trade, so that we can maximise that. We have made that offer, and we hope that they will take it up.

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

T7. What steps is my right hon. Friend taking to promote a global free trade agenda?

[Dr Fox]

We have repeatedly set out our worries about the slowdown in the growth of global trade. That has implications across the globe. It is worth making the general point that we need more free trade because it increases global prosperity. Increasing global prosperity leads to greater political stability, and greater political stability leads to greater global security. It is not possible to disaggregate those different elements.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Henry Smith and Liam Fox

Monday 14th March 2011 Commons Chamber

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

We are entering a time of increasing geomagnetic solar flare activity. Will the Secretary of State say what mitigating effects are being considered to protect military communications?

[Dr Fox]

This issue is being looked at globally. I may have responsibility for many things, but solar activity is not one of them.