Oral Answers to Questions

Nick Smith Excerpts

Thursday 19th July 2018 Commons Chamber

[Dominic Raab]

The hon. Lady is right to point to that issue, but she also mentioned the White Paper. She will know that we are committed to staying with a strong regulatory relationship with our EU partners, for precisely the reasons she gave.

[Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)]

Given that so many of his friends and colleagues want to bring down the Prime Minister, how will the Brexit Secretary get his withdrawal agreement through in the autumn?

[Dominic Raab]

The same way that we got the customs Bill through this week—by working hard, listening to all sides and delivering for the people of the United Kingdom.

--- Later in debate ---

[Nick Smith (Blaenau Gwent) (Lab)]

Famers say that crops are rotting in the ground because of a lack of European labour. When will we see a seasonal agricultural workers scheme?

[Dominic Raab]

The hon. Gentleman is right to raise the issue of mobility. We detailed some of the proposals in the White Paper and we will of course take forward the negotiations. As he will know, I am seeing Michel Barnier later today. It is crucial that we make sure that we have a balanced approach to immigration in which we control the numbers coming here and make sure that we fill the skills shortages in the way that the hon. Gentleman has described, while also making sure that we restore public trust by having proper control over our borders and immigration policy.