Oral Answers to Questions

Martyn Day Excerpts

Thursday 27th February 2020 Commons Chamber

[Penny Mordaunt]

My hon. Friend makes a very valid point. Obviously, the DFT is leading on the delivery of HS2. The IPA will continue to work with the DFT to support the delivery of this initiative, through expert advice and challenge in independent assurance reviews. The recent review of and recommendations on HS2 are very focused on ensuring that costs are controlled and that there will be no further delays.

[Martyn Day (Linlithgow and East Falkirk) (SNP)]

14. What discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for International Trade on the introduction of import controls on goods from the EU from 2021.

[The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office (Michael Gove)]

I have regular meetings with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Trade covering a number of issues, not the least of which is our border arrangements. Import controls are necessary to keep our borders safe and secure, and to ensure that we treat all partners equally, especially when it involves collecting the right customs, VAT and other excise duties.

[Martyn Day]

I am grateful to the Minister for answering this question. During the referendum, he said that we would be part of a

“free trade zone…from Iceland to the Russian border”,

with

“full access to the European market”.

However, this month he has been clear that we will lose frictionless trade, and that will introduce red tape and vast impacts on our businesses. How can businesses trust his future pronouncements? Will he clarify when he abandoned the idea of frictionless trade?

[Michael Gove]

The whole point of our negotiations with the European Union, now that we have left, is to ensure that we do have a comprehensive free trade agreement that will ensure there are no tariffs, quotas or quantitative restrictions. That is entirely consistent with the broader approach towards free trade, which does indeed exist from Iceland to the Russian border.