Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether the Government has discussed with the EU negotiating team the possibility of the UK rejoining the European Free Trade Association after the UK leaves the EU.

As the Government has made clear, when we leave the EU, we will be leaving the Single Market. The UK will not seek a model already enjoyed by other countries. European Economic Area membership would, for example, mean the UK having to adopt in future new EU rules over which we will have little influence and no vote. As such, we will not be seeking to join EFTA in order to remain party to the EEA Agreement. We will instead pursue a new, ambitious economic partnership.