Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether he will announce the future dates of Joint Ministerial Committee meetings with the devolved administrations on Exiting the EU between now and the triggering of Article 50.
Answered by Robin Walker
Dates for the Joint Ministerial Committee are agreed by consensus across the four governments. Dates of JMC(EN) meetings are not usually publicised in advance.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether he plans to establish an agreed UK position involving the devolved administrations before triggering Article 50.
Answered by Robin Walker
We are committed to working closely with the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive to ensure that we get the best possible deal for all parts of the United Kingdom. This is exactly why we have set up a Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations, which brings together the UK Government and devolved administrations to develop a UK-wide approach. All of the devolved administrations have outlined to the Government their priorities for our future relationship with the EU. We welcome all proposals and are committed to carefully considering the options put forward. But we have been clear that no part of the UK will get a veto.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, with reference to the Scottish Government's report entitled, Scotland's Place in Europe, published on 20 December 2016, whether he plans to accept any of the proposals of that report within his future negotiating framework.
Answered by Robin Walker
The UK Government's White Paper sets out the basis for the Government's 12 negotiating objectives to build a global UK with a strong new partnership with the EU after our exit.
The third chapter of this White Paper sets out that as we leave the EU we strengthen the precious union between the four nations of the United Kingdom. To this end we are working to ensure we get the best possible deal for the whole of the UK.
The Scottish Government set out their position in their Brexit paper just before Christmas and it was formally presented to the Joint Ministerial Committee on EU negotiations in January. The Secretary of State has also met with Michael Russell, Scottish Government Minister on Scotland's Place in Europe, to discuss the report.
We continue to look closely at their proposals and the evidence underpinning their position - and there are a number of areas where we are in agreement - on ensuring access to the Single Market for goods and services, securing UK nationals' status in the EU, protecting workers rights, and ensuring that Scottish and other British universities should continue to have access to the best of European talent, and research collaboration. But our guiding principle must be to ensure that, as we leave the European Union, no new barriers to living and doing business within our own Union are created.
The White Paper also sets out that no decisions currently taken by the devolved administrations will be removed from them and we will use the opportunity of bringing decision making back to the UK to ensure that more decisions are devolved.
We will continue to engage all of the devolved administrations, including the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament, throughout the process. At the January plenary session of the Joint Ministerial Committee, ministers agreed to intensify their work ahead of the triggering of Article 50 and to continue at the same pace thereafter.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions he has had with the Prime Minister and other Cabinet colleagues on the content of Scotland's plan for the UK leaving the EU, Scotland's place in Europe, published on 20 December 2016.
Answered by David Jones
The paper will be discussed in detail at the Joint Ministerial Committee on EU Negotiations (JMC(EN)) taking place on Thursday 19 January.
JMC(EN) has been set up to discuss each government’s requirements for the future relationship with the EU as we seek to agree a UK approach to the negotiations, and is chaired by the Secretary of State for Exiting the EU.
Discussions on the proposals have also taken place on a bilateral basis with the Scottish Government following the publication of the paper, and in line with our objective to seek a deal that works for all parts of the UK.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what the Government's policy is on maintaining the provisions of European Commission Directive 2008/94/EC on the protection of employees in the event of the insolvency of their employer; and what assessment the Government has made of the effect the UK leaving the EU will have on the operation of the Pension Protection Fund.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Government has clearly stated that the UK does not need to be part of the EU to have strong protections for workers' rights. At every step of these negotiations we will work to ensure the best possible outcome for the British people, seizing opportunities to make Britain a country that truly works not just for a privileged few, but for everybody.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what steps his Department is taking to secure the free movement of volunteer workers from the EU.
Answered by David Jones
The Prime Minister has been clear that free movement cannot continue as it has in the past and one of the opportunities of Brexit is that we will be able to control the number of people coming to Britain from the EU. The precise way in which the Government will control the movement of EU nationals, including volunteers, is yet to be determined. We will be considering all options available to us based on the best available evidence.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether his Department plans to protect the free movement rights of volunteers coming to the UK from the EU after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by David Jones
The Prime Minister has been clear that free movement cannot continue as it has in the past and one of the opportunities of Brexit is that we will be able to control the number of people coming to Britain from the EU. The precise way in which the Government will control the movement of EU nationals, including volunteers, is yet to be determined. We will be considering all options available to us based on the best available evidence.
Asked by: Richard Arkless (Scottish National Party - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether his Department has estimated the number of EU citizens who come to the UK each year to take up voluntary work.
Answered by David Jones
The Prime Minister has been clear that free movement cannot continue as it has in the past and one of the opportunities of Brexit is that we will be able to control the number of people coming to Britain from the EU. The precise way in which the Government will control the movement of EU nationals, including volunteers, is yet to be determined. We will be considering all options available to us based on the best available evidence.