Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kwasi Kwarteng and Michael Fabricant

Tuesday 21st July 2020 Commons Chamber

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

As I said in my earlier answer, we are guided all the time by science and evidence and, as the science and evidence changes, we will calibrate our policy responses to that effect.

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

What steps his Department is taking to encourage home working; and if he will make a statement.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Kwasi Kwarteng and Michael Fabricant

Thursday 6th December 2018 Commons Chamber

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

As the hon. Gentleman has heard me suggest from the Dispatch Box, this is a good deal. It works for Britain and it is a very secure basis on which to provide the certainty from which our businesses can grow. With regard to the Northern Ireland backstop, it is not a situation that we want to be in; we hope to conclude a free trade arrangement before the backstop kicks in, and I have every confidence that we will manage to do so.

[Michael Fabricant (Lichfield) (Con)]

Can we have a little bit of honesty in this House? The Minister knows full well that as long as we remain in the backstop, we can talk as much as we like to the United States, and we can sign an agreement with them, but we cannot implement an agreement with them or indeed with anyone else as long as we remain in the customs union. Will my hon. Friend just get up to say, “Yes, that’s true actually”?

[Kwasi Kwarteng]

I think that my hon. Friend’s interpretation of the withdrawal agreement is slightly different from my own. The first thing I should say is that the backstop is a hypothetical situation; it is not a situation that the Government intend to be in. Let me repeat to the House: if we complete a free trade agreement, the backstop falls away—it is not something that we intend to pursue. [Interruption.] With respect to concluding trade deals, as he knows and as I have said, the withdrawal agreement states that we can sign those deals and they will be—[Interruption.]Forgive me—they will absolutely be concluded, or kick in, after the end of the implementation period.