Draft EU-Canada Trade Agreement Order

John Redwood Excerpts

Tuesday 26th June 2018 Commons Chamber

[Dr Fox]

I will give way—for the last time, for the moment—to my right hon. Friend the Member for Wokingham (John Redwood),

[John Redwood (Wokingham) (Con)]

I am glad that the Secretary of State is now stressing to Labour Members, who do not seem to understand it, that the deal that the EU has done novates to us as well as to the rest of the EU. The EU that signed the agreement will not be in existence once we have left, so there is an equal opportunity for it to novate to us. There is no reason why it will not novate to us, and I am sure that my right hon. Friend will be able to improve on it subsequently.

[Dr Fox]

I have said twice that we have already had discussions with Canada to see how we can build on the agreement that we will inherit as we leave the European Union. It is not a question of choosing one or the other. The agreement will already be there for us—assuming, that is, that the House of Commons passes the trade legislation which is necessary to give our businesses, our communities and our workers the certainty of continuity as we leave the European Union.