Oral Answers to Questions Debate

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Department: HM Treasury

Oral Answers to Questions

Vicky Ford Excerpts
Tuesday 11th February 2020

(4 years, 9 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Sajid Javid Portrait Sajid Javid
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I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend on the importance of freeports. It is a reminder that, as we forge a new chapter for our country outside the EU, there is so much we can do to boost opportunity in our country, and freeports are a key part of that.

Vicky Ford Portrait Vicky Ford (Chelmsford) (Con)
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About 3,000 people work in the insurance sector in Chelmsford—it is a massive contributor to our economy and to the tax take. Given that the EU grants equivalence in the insurance sector to countries such as Bermuda, is it not perfectly reasonable that the EU should offer the UK the same?

Sajid Javid Portrait Sajid Javid
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My hon. Friend is absolutely right. On day one, we will have exactly the same rules. We will not be rule takers. We will have the right to diverge in future, but on day one we can absolutely see why the EU will be looking very carefully at the equivalence decision.