Question to the Home Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the potential increase in bureaucracy after the UK leaves the EU for the UK to (a) access the Schengen Information System, (b) co-operate with Europol and (c) access the Prüm database.

The UK is seeking a comprehensive security relationship which preserves mutually important operational capabilities - including mechanisms for rapid and secure data exchange - whilst allowing the UK and EU to continue to work together to combat fast evolving security threats.

The Political Declaration, published on 26 November 2018, recognises that both the UK and the EU need a strong future relationship on internal security given the shared threats we face, our geographical proximity, and the need to continue to protect all of our citizens from harm.

The Political Declaration reflects a shared commitment to put in place arrangements which provide for future UK-EU cooperation on Prum and Europol, and to consider further arrangements including in relation to the exchange of information on wanted or missing persons and objects.

The exact terms of these arrangements will be for the next stage of negotiations.