EU Exit Negotiations

Lord Butler of Brockwell Excerpts

Monday 13th November 2017 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan]

On the issue of the ECJ, I do not want to go any further than the Statement. We will end the direct application of the European Court of Justice in the UK. That is entirely right—we would not expect a foreign court in any other country or organisation to have effect on UK citizens or the UK judicial process. We expect the debate and vote on the withdrawal Motion to take place before the withdrawal Bill—but of course we cannot have a withdrawal Bill until we have an agreement to withdraw from.

[Lord Butler of Brockwell (CB)]

My Lords, I agree that the offer made by the Prime Minister in her Florence speech on the financial settlement was generous. Will the Minister confirm that any such settlement will be paid over a number of years, not as a capital sum, and must be contingent on satisfactory progress on other aspects of our future relationship?

[Lord Callanan]

The noble Lord makes a very good point from the benefit of his experience. These are matters that will be determined during the ongoing negotiation.