EU Withdrawal Agreement: Legal Changes

Paul Masterton Excerpts
Monday 7th January 2019

(5 years, 5 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Steve Barclay Portrait Stephen Barclay
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As I set out in my earlier remarks, there will be a business motion on Wednesday, when these issues will be discussed—as they are being discussed, prior to that, through the usual channels—and the House will have an opportunity to debate them in much more detail.

Paul Masterton Portrait Paul Masterton (East Renfrewshire) (Con)
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The Secretary of State was kind enough to meet me before Christmas to discuss some of my concerns about the withdrawal agreement, and particularly about the fact that the role for the Northern Irish institutions set out in the December joint report was not carried across into the withdrawal agreement. Can he confirm that in the discussions that took place over the Christmas break, the role of the Northern Irish institutions and the question of future regulatory divergence were on the agenda?

Steve Barclay Portrait Stephen Barclay
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My hon. Friend raises a very important point, and it is one that we have been looking at. I think it is part of a wider question: as we move into phase 2, how do we give a greater role to Parliament and the devolved Assemblies? We are actively looking at those issues, and I pay tribute to my hon. Friend’s work in bringing them to the fore.