Business of the House Debate

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Department: Leader of the House

Business of the House

John Bercow Excerpts
Tuesday 26th March 2019

(5 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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None Portrait Several hon. Members rose—
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John Bercow Portrait Mr Speaker
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Order. I understand the appetite of colleagues. This is an important business statement by the Leader of the House, but its terms are relatively narrow and it is not the normal business statement so it really should focus on tomorrow, which is the subject matter on which the Leader focused.

Peter Bone Portrait Mr Peter Bone (Wellingborough) (Con)
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Will the Leader just clarify? I thought the 2018 Act required an exit date, not two optional dates. So I am surprised that the statutory instrument is actually naming two dates. I would have thought that the right thing would have been to have 12 April and then extend later if need be. Am I also right in thinking—I am sure the Leader would agree—that if those statutory instruments go through both Houses of Parliament, we will be coming out of the European Union, at least domestically, in three days’ time?