Oral Answers to Questions

Philip Hollobone Excerpts
Tuesday 8th January 2019

(5 years, 2 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Greg Clark Portrait Greg Clark
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I hope the hon. Gentleman will agree that, as I have said, every Department should make preparations against the avoidable contingency of no deal. The Secretary of State will describe the procurement processes for which the Department for Transport opted, but it is fair to observe that not a penny of Government money has been paid to the company, and I understand that it will be paid only on receipt of services provided.

Philip Hollobone Portrait Mr Philip Hollobone (Kettering) (Con)
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Given that nearly all the roll-on/roll-off lorry traffic between the Irish Republic and the EU travels across the UK motorway network to Dover, what co-operation has been offered by the Republic to mitigate a no-deal Brexit?

Greg Clark Portrait Greg Clark
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My hon. Friend is right to point out that the impact of the Dover strait extends to our trade across the Irish sea. He knows that the negotiation has been with the European Commission and the European Council rather than through bilateral negotiations with individual member states, but I agree with him that the disruption that would occur would affect our trade across the Irish sea as well.