Oral Answers to Questions

John Bercow Excerpts

Thursday 1st December 2016 Commons Chamber

[Several hon. Members rose—]

[Mr Speaker]

We need to speed up, as progress is very slow. I want an extremely short, one-sentence question from Mr Michael Tomlinson.

[Michael Tomlinson (Mid Dorset and North Poole) (Con)]

On article 50, does the Secretary of State agree that it is right to appeal from the High Court, that it is inevitable that this would end up in the Supreme Court and that this constitutional point needs to be resolved?

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[Mr Davis]

The substance of the hon. Lady’s question is incredibly important and, as she has said, the Prime Minister addressed it at the CBI. She addressed it again yesterday and that is why she has said that we want a smooth and orderly exit. How that occurs will be affected by a number of things. The hon. Lady has mentioned the structural issue relating to whether the negotiation is done in parallel or in series. We do not accept the series approach. We have made that plain to the European Union, and we need to deal with that before we come to the detailed question of whether there is a transition or not.

On transition itself, I make this important point. The Select Committee Chairman, the right hon. Member for Leeds Central (Hilary Benn), is sitting next to the hon. Lady. Transition, when it is raised by various people, will mean different things. For example, when the Europeans talk about it, it effectively means a much longer negotiation period, while other people are concerned about matters such as financial stability. There are different issues that need to be dealt with in a different way.

[Mr Speaker]

I do not know why the right hon. Gentleman says that he needs to make an important point; all points made by Secretaries of State ought to be important, as should the points made to them.

[Patrick Grady (Glasgow North) (SNP)]

UK money through the European Union funds important international development projects all over the world. As part of any transitional arrangements, will the Secretary of State make sure that those continue to be supported and that the plug is not pulled when or if the UK finally leaves?

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[The Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union (Mr David Davis)]

Clearly something has disappeared from the file. The question is about—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I do not wish to disorientate the right hon. Gentleman, but it had been an earlier ambition on his part, as communicated to my office, to group this question with question 22. I hope that he is still happy with that vaulting ambition.

[Ruth Cadbury (Brentford and Isleworth) (Lab)]

22. What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the status of EU nationals in the UK as part of his Department’s preparations for the UK exiting the EU.

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[Mr Robin Walker]

As the hon. Lady knows, the Treasury has already given strong assurances up to 2020, beyond the period of our exiting the EU. That is an important signal to SMEs, universities and others that they should continue bidding for the scheme. The current EU budget and the framework for Horizon 2020 runs only up to 2020.

[Mr Speaker]

On the principle of humanitarian assistance to the involuntarily delayed, I call Mr Henry Smith.

[Henry Smith (Crawley) (Con)]

T4. My sincere thanks, Mr Speaker, for your understanding. With regard to the EU exit negotiations, does my right hon. Friend agree that, for the first time in history perhaps, we start from an equal point, which is a great advantage to this country’s position?

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[Mr David Davis]

The Government will not be so easily put off, although the hon. Gentleman is quite right. It would have been better if we had got a better response from the EU—but I will not say anything rude about those involved. One of the interesting disciplines of the next two years is that I will be polite to everybody.

[Mr Speaker]

Preserving the habits of a lifetime, I feel sure.

[Tom Pursglove (Corby) (Con)]

The agricultural and food sectors are incredibly significant in the Corby and east Northamptonshire economy, employing thousands of local people. What steps are Ministers taking to engage fully with these sectors to make sure that their needs are totally understood?

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[Several hon. Members rose—]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. We must now move on.