Tuesday 5th December 2017

(6 years, 11 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.

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David Davis Portrait Mr Davis
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If by alignment my hon. Friend means mechanisms such as mutual recognition, yes, I agree entirely.

Lucy Powell Portrait Lucy Powell (Manchester Central) (Lab/Co-op)
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I am slightly confused now. Yesterday, the Government seemed to accept the principle that the only way to achieve no border or a soft border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland was through regulatory alignment. Does that principle still stand today? Do the Government accept that that is the only way to deliver the frictionless border?

David Davis Portrait Mr Davis
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I can understand the hon. Lady’s confusion if she has not been listening for the past half hour. The simple truth is that we will need to establish arrangements whereby we get the same or similar outcomes for some areas of industry and service—no more, no less.