UK-EU Security Partnership

Lord Paddick Excerpts
Thursday 17th May 2018

(6 years, 6 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Callanan Portrait Lord Callanan
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I am sure that the Chief Whip has taken careful note of the noble Baroness’s comments.

Lord Paddick Portrait Lord Paddick (LD)
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My Lords, can the Minister confirm that there is no existing precedent for a non-EU member to be part of some of the most important aspects of the proposed security partnership? Germany would have to change its national written constitution to enable the UK to be part of the European arrest warrant if we left the EU. On a scale of one to 10, how likely does the Minister think that is?

Lord Callanan Portrait Lord Callanan
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There is no precedent for what we are proposing. That is why it is an unprecedented proposal for a new partnership. Indeed, there is no precedent for countries leaving the EU, apart from Greenland. These discussions will be difficult and complicated. There are a number of impediments to agreement but we are negotiating in good faith. We hope that many of these issues can be resolved and we are working to do so.