Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Robin Walker and Sandy Martin

Thursday 19th July 2018 Commons Chamber

[Mr Walker]

We are very clear in the security partnership section of the White Paper that we are seeking the same levels of protection. We are seeking to engage with the EU on how these issues can be arranged between us so that we maintain the protections that we have now.

[Sandy Martin (Ipswich) (Lab)]

7. What plans he has to negotiate for the retention of market access for EU service providers as part of the future partnership between the UK and the EU.

[Tom Brake (Carshalton and Wallington) (LD)]

17. What steps he is taking to ensure that negotiations on the UK’s exit from the EU support the UK’s service industry.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union (Mr Robin Walker)]

The White Paper sets out a comprehensive vision for our partnership with the EU. For services, our ambitious and credible proposals include guaranteeing that suppliers and investors can operate across a broad number of sectors, enabling firms to establish cross-border services, ensuring that professionals continue to get their qualifications recognised, and establishing a new economic and regulatory partnership for financial services.

[Sandy Martin]

Successive British Governments have expended significant effort and time on negotiating a single market in services in the EU, achieving a 40% increase in services exports since 2010 as a result. How long does the Minister think that it will take to negotiate a similarly open market in services with other parts of the world, and what does he suggest my constituents working in insurance and IT do in the meantime?

[Mr Walker]

The White Paper sets out a number of proposals for the services sector on how we can maintain those benefits, but we have also been growing our services trade with the rest of the world. The hon. Gentleman mentioned a 40% growth in trade with the EU, but there has been a 70% growth in UK services exports to countries outside the EU over the past decade. Our UK services industry is world leading and will continue to be as we go through this process.