Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the European Commission concerning its Note to Stakeholders of 18 January on Withdrawal of the UK and EU rules in the field of Public Procurement; and what discussions they are having with UK businesses in the light of this.

The December guidelines published by the European Council point to the shared desire of the EU and the UK to make rapid progress on an implementation period, with formal talks beginning very soon. We have been clear that this should be based on the existing structure of EU rules and regulations, during which the UK and the EU would continue to have access to one another’s markets on current terms.