Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Attorney General, what recent assessment he has made of the potential effect on the effectiveness of prosecution authorities of the UK leaving the EU (a) with and (b) without a deal.

The UK and EU agree that we need a comprehensive future security partnership that covers key areas of internal security cooperation. We have agreed the outline terms of a comprehensive future security relationship including law enforcement, criminal justice, and judicial cooperation.

In a no deal scenario, we would move co-operation to alternative, non-EU mechanisms. Broadly speaking, this would mean making more use of Interpol, Council of Europe Conventions, and other forms of co-operation with European partners, such as bilateral channels. Together the Attorney General’s Office, Crown Prosecution Service and Serious Fraud Office are working closely with the Home Office, Ministry of Justice, Police, HM Courts and Tribunals Service and Judiciary to ensure that we have plans in place in event of a ‘no deal’.