Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessments he had made of the effect on (a) the number of successful arrests, (b) the duration of investigations, and (c) the cost of investigations of the loss of (a) the Schengen information system and (b) the European arrest warrant in the event that the UK leaves with EU without a deal.

The continued safety and security of both UK and EU citizens remains our top priority. We do not want or expect a no deal outcome. However, a re-sponsible government should prepare for all potential outcomes.

That is why the Home Office is coordinating the preparation of robust con-tingency plans, including for the Schengen Information System II and the European Arrest Warrant, to transition our cooperation with European partners and continue to work together through alternative channels, should that be required.

The design and implementation of the contingency plans are informed by close co-operation with operational partners to ensure the effective transition of our cooperation, should that be required. Our overriding objective, however, remains to secure a deal that is in the interests of both the UK and the EU.