Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have offered any (1) assurances, and (2) concessions to Spain in relation to Gibraltar as part of the Brexit negotiations; and if so, what.

The Government has negotiated the withdrawal agreement for the whole UK family. There were some circumstances which were specific to Gibraltar which meant we also held talks between the UK Government, Government of Gibraltar and Spain. This led to positive agreement on issues such as cooperation on policing, environmental matters, tobacco and citizens’ rights. These agreements underpin the Gibraltar Protocol to the Withdrawal Agreement.

In concluding the Withdrawal Agreement, the UK wrote to confirm the position we had always held, that Article 184 is without prejudice to the territorial scope and form of future agreements with the EU. However, as a matter of firm UK policy, we will only agree a deal on the future which works for the whole UK and we will negotiate a deal that works for Gibraltar as part of future negotiations.

The Prime Minister said on 26 November, ‘the Government stood by Gibraltar and resisted changes to the Withdrawal Agreement that the Spanish Government wished to make. We are clear that Gibraltar’s sovereignty will not change. It has not changed and will not change. We are proud that Gibraltar is British’.