Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, further to the UK-EU Summit - Common Understanding, 22 December 2025, what his policy is on the negotiation and adoption of penalty clauses that would impose financial payments if the UK were to (a) amend or (b) withdraw from the new arrangements in a future Parliament, or otherwise restrict or prohibit a future government from changing the policy on engagement with the EU.

The details of any agreements, including specific clauses, are subject to ongoing negotiations with the EU. We will not provide a running commentary on the progress of those negotiations, although I would note termination provisions are routine in international agreements.