Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answer of 17 January 2020 to Question 1657 on Brexit, what contingency plans the Government has in the event that the European Parliament does not approve the Withdrawal Agreement by 31 January 2020.

The European Parliament will vote on the Withdrawal Agreement on 29 January. The European Parliament’s Constitutional Affairs Committee published its draft recommendation on 14 January. This recommended the European Parliament give its consent to the Withdrawal Agreement. The Secretary of State has discussed this with Brexit Steering Group Co-ordinator Guy Verhofstadt.

Once the ratification process is complete on both sides, the UK leaves the EU with a deal on 31 January.