Business of the House

Nick Fletcher Excerpts

Thursday 17th September 2020 Commons Chamber

[Mr Rees-Mogg]

I am grateful to the hon. Gentleman for raising that point about timely ministerial responses. I will confess that I put in an envelope letters outstanding to one Ministry from April, May, June and July in the hope that I might get a reply to them. If I do not get a reply, I will, in due course, tell the House which Ministry it is, but at the moment I will keep that quiet. Remembrance Sunday is one of the great important national days. I have absolutely heard what the hon. Gentleman has said, and I will take it up with the relevant Secretary of State.

[Nick Fletcher (Don Valley) (Con)]

I am sure that my right hon. Friend will agree that our negotiating position has been strengthened as a result of the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill passing its Second Reading. That said, the European Union continues to act in bad faith, and the Government must be prepared for an orderly departure with or without a deal. So can the Leader of the House confirm that the Government have made all the necessary preparations in the event that an agreement is not reached next month?

[Mr Rees-Mogg]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right in what he says about the UKIM Bill strengthening our hand. We left with a deal in January, and planning for the end of the transition period is well under way, co-ordinated by the XO—Exit Operations—Cabinet Committee, to make sure that we are ready to seize the great opportunities of being outside the single market and the customs union. With the Bill going through Parliament, I can assure my hon. Friend that the Government will have full legal ability to maintain the sovereignty of our nation and the integrity of our internal market. We have launched a comprehensive communications campaign to make sure that people and businesses know what they need to do to prepare for the end of the transition period. That remains a central priority of the Government and Departments.