Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer from Baroness Scott of Bybrook on 30 September (HL8064), what penalty they expect to incur if the UK Internal Market Bill is enacted unamended.

Under the Withdrawal Agreement the European Commission can bring infringement proceedings against the UK within the transition period, where it considers that the UK has not met its obligations under the Agreement. The infringement procedure is a frequently used and common mechanism.

The Commission has sent a preliminary letter under this procedure concerning the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill. We are considering the letter.

We are committed to working through the Joint Committee process under the Agreement to find a satisfactory outcome for both sides.