Debates between Keir Starmer and Lord Field of Birkenhead during the 2015-2017 Parliament

Mon 13th Mar 2017

European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill

Debate between Keir Starmer and Lord Field of Birkenhead
Keir Starmer Portrait Keir Starmer
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The Secretary of State said that it was binding so far as he was concerned. That is not the same as a legal commitment, and Secretaries of State and Governments can change. That is why we need a commitment on the face of the Bill.

Let me fast forward to the second amendment. If there is really no problem with proposed subsections (1), (2) and (3), why not accept them along with proposed subsection (4) and put them on the face of the Bill? This is becoming an obsession with having a clean Bill: “Our Bill must not be amended, even when it is proper, right and decent to do so.”

Lord Field of Birkenhead Portrait Frank Field (Birkenhead) (Lab)
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How does my hon. and learned Friend answer the Brexit Secretary’s point that if and when we pass the Bill and it is given Royal Assent, the Government’s first priority will be to negotiate the rights both of people here who are from Europe and of our citizens abroad? Does my hon. and learned Friend not accept that if we pass this amendment and give those rights to European citizens here, there will be no incentive whatsoever for other European countries to concede those rights to our citizens?