Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Marion Fellows and Steve Barclay

Thursday 27th June 2019 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Barclay]

I will not dwell on the specific merits of the hon. Gentleman’s private Member’s Bill, but he will be aware that health is a devolved matter, and we are working closely with the Scottish Government in our planning. In terms of immigration, which goes back to the point made by the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Mr Sheerman), of course it is important that we retain staff. We are working to do that, and if we look more widely at staff figures, we see that there are 5,200 more EU citizens working in our NHS since the referendum—the numbers are up, not down.

[Marion Fellows (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP)]

4. What assessment he has made of the UK’s level of preparedness for leaving the EU on 31 October 2019 without a deal.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Marion Fellows and Steve Barclay

Thursday 4th April 2019 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Barclay]

That is an odd response, if I may say so. The hon. Gentleman started by saying he was disappointed by my answer, in which I said I will follow the law and the ministerial code—I thought the Opposition would have expected that. He then said that he had “no doubt” that the Lords will pass the Bill, which was carried in the Commons by just one vote. That is pretty condescending to the other place. By having no doubt that their lordships will simply approve the Bill, he takes for granted the scrutiny process in the other place. Given the many constitutional experts there are in the other place, I would have thought that their lordships would want to scrutinise this Bill, which was passed in haste with its constitutional flaws.

[Marion Fellows (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP)]

11. What recent steps he has taken to prevent the UK from leaving the EU without a deal.