Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Draft Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, published on 14 November, what steps they have taken to provide representation for both political communities in Northern Ireland on the proposed specialised committee on issues related to the implementation of the protocol on the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland under Article 165(c).
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Withdrawal Agreement establishes a number of forums in which the Protocol will be considered or overseen: a Joint Committee, a Specialised Committee on the Northern Ireland Protocol, and a Joint Consultative Working Group.
The Joint Committee, the Specialised Committee and the Joint Consultative Working Group will be comprised of representatives of the UK and the EU. Their detailed rules of procedure have not yet been finalised. While the formal representation of the UK in international forums is and will continue to be a matter for the UK Government, we fully recognise the importance of reflecting the interests of the whole of the Northern Ireland community on issues relating to the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Explainer for the agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union, published on 14 November, which established practices and conventions they will seek to follow in regard to seeking the consent of devolved legislatures; and who will determine whether such action is deemed to be relevant.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The EU (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill is an essential part of our preparations for a smooth and orderly exit from the EU. The Bill will implement our international commitments - set out in the Withdrawal Agreement - into UK law. Certain provisions of the Bill are likely to engage the conventions and practices under which the UK Government will normally seek the legislative consent of the devolved legislatures. Although the Bill is still developing, we will seek legislative consent for those provisions in the Bill if they engage these conventions and related practices.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Draft Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, published on 14 November, whether, under Article 169, the Scottish and Welsh Governments may be regarded as a party wishing to commence consultations.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK Government will represent all parts of the UK in all discussions at the Joint Committee, this includes any consultations as set out in Article 169. The UK Government remains committed to engaging with the devolved administrations on EU Exit. Ministers have regular discussions with the Welsh and Scottish governments, including through the Joint Ministerial Committees and the Ministerial Forum on EU Negotiations.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Draft Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, published on 14 November, what discussions they have had with the Welsh and Scottish Governments concerning their representation in the proposed Joint Committee provided by Article 164.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK Government has been clear from the start that the devolved administrations should be fully engaged in the process of our Exit from the European Union and we remain committed to this.
Regular discussions are held between the UK Government and the Welsh and Scottish Governments on EU Exit. There have now been fifteen meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations. It met most recently on 19 November 2018 and continues to meet on a monthly basis.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the definition of "economic activity" for the purposes of article 9 of the draft agreement on the withdrawal of the UK from the EU.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Article 9(a)(b) of the draft Withdrawal Agreement provides a definition of ‘frontier workers.’ “Frontier workers” are persons who pursue an economic activity in accordance with the provisions set out in Article 45 or 49 TFEU (Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union) in one or more States in which they do not reside.
Economic activity is activity provided for remuneration. For the purposes of Article 9, economic activity must be in accordance with the provisions set out in Articles 45 or 49 TFEU.
To be exercising an economic activity as a worker in accordance with Article 45 TFEU a person must be a ‘genuine and effective’ worker and the work must not be on such a small scale so as to be ‘purely marginal or ancillary’
Article 49 TFEU provides for the freedom of establishment. A person is established in a particular state if they are participating ‘on a stable and continuous basis’ in the economic life of that State. If a person is providing temporary services they will not fall within the definition in Article 9(a)(b).
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether residents of Northern Ireland who work in the Republic of Ireland for less than half of the working week would be classified as frontier workers, as defined by article 9(b) of the draft agreement on the withdrawal of the UK from the EU.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Withdrawal Agreement provides for the maintenance of the Common Travel Area arrangements, so British and Irish citizens will continue to be able to live and work in each other’s state just as they do now.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish staff turnover figures for the Department for Exiting the European Union, set out by quarter, since June 2016.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We can confirm that we do not plan to publish staff turnover figures for the Department for Exiting the European Union, set out by quarter, since June 2016. We do however already provide monthly turnover figures to the National Audit Office which are published in their reports.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to publish a Brexit impact study on the Welsh economy; and if so, when.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
As part of our work preparing to make a success of our departure from the European Union, we are carrying out a broad range of analysis, as you would expect a responsible Government to do.
This analysis covers a variety of sectors from across the UK economy, including Wales. However, as Parliamentary Under Secretary Robin Walker said in his opening remarks to the House on 1st November, the Government has not produced a series of sectoral impact assessments. The sectoral analysis which has been conducted is a wide mix of qualitative and quantitative analysis contained in a range of documents developed at different times since the referendum.
The Government is engaging extensively with the Welsh Government, along with Welsh organisations and institutions and in order to secure a deal that works in the interests of not just Wales, but the whole of the United Kingdom.
Asked by: Lord Wigley (Plaid Cymru - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are planning to publish any legal advice they have received on whether or not the UK has the right to withdraw the Lisbon Treaty Article 50 notification before the two year time-limit has elapsed if negotiations to leave the EU under the provisions of Article 50 lead to unacceptable conditions for Brexit.
Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley
A clear majority of the UK electorate voted to leave the EU and we will respect the will of the people. The Government's position is that once given, our notification will not be withdrawn.
Our efforts will be focused on getting the best deal possible for the UK in the negotiations with the EU.