Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Robin Walker and Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick

Thursday 27th April 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Walker]

My hon. Friend, who is a great champion for his local area, is right to raise this issue, and we have discussed with the tourism and hospitality industry the importance of attracting people with language skills. One aspect we are looking at is how, through negotiations, we might be able to continue engagement with the Erasmus programme in the future, but there are many other ways in which we need to boost our skills domestically, and boosting languages will be very important to a global Britain.

[Ms Margaret Ritchie (South Down) (SDLP)]

Tourism is the main catalyst for economic development in South Down, which will have a land border with the EU. How will that burgeoning cross-border tourism trade be nurtured and financially protected in the face of the challenges from Brexit and given that the Republic of Ireland’s VAT rate on tourism is 9% whereas in my constituency it is 20%?

[Mr Walker]

One of our highest priorities in these negotiations and in our whole strategy for the UK’s exit from the EU is to secure the soft border that exists, to make sure that there is no return to the hard borders of the past and that the economic progress we see as a result of north-south tourism within the island of Ireland continues, and to ensure that those bodies can be in place. I assure the hon. Lady that this is an issue on which we will continue to engage, and we will continue to promote the excellent tourism offer in Northern Ireland.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Robin Walker and Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick

Thursday 1st December 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Robin Walker]

I assure my right hon. Friend that we will be looking very carefully at that. As I said earlier, no decisions have yet been made about the future location of the European Medicines Agency. Until we have left the EU, the UK remains a member with all the rights and obligations that membership entails. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency continues to play a full role in all procedures of the EU medical device regulatory framework.

[Ms Margaret Ritchie (South Down) (SDLP)]

What priority has the ministerial team given to achieving continued tariff-free access and continued membership of the single market?

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Robin Walker and Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick

Thursday 20th October 2016 Commons Chamber

[Mr Walker]

I refer the right hon. Gentleman to my earlier answer to the Chair of the Science and Technology Committee. We want to continue to attract the brightest and the best, and we will certainly make sure—I have already engaged with cancer charities and a wide range of voluntary organisations—that we take concerns into account as we have conversations with the Home Office and other Departments about the UK’s future immigration policy.

[Ms Margaret Ritchie (South Down) (SDLP)]

8. If he will take steps during negotiations on the UK leaving the EU to ensure continued access to the EU single market for goods, people and services.