Asked by: Lord Inglewood (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to publish a concise and comprehensive comparative economic analysis of the impact of (1) a no deal situation, (2) the arrangements set out in The future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union, and (3) remaining in the EU, before any meaningful decision about Brexit.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government is undertaking a wide range of continuing analysis and preparatory work, across a range of scenarios, looking at the implications of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU. Our overall programme of work is comprehensive, thorough and is continuously updated.
The Government has confirmed that when we bring forward the vote on the final deal, we will ensure that Parliament is presented with the appropriate analysis to make an informed decision. At this stage of the negotiation, it would not be practical or appropriate to set out the details of exactly how the Government will analyse the final deal.
Asked by: Lord Inglewood (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the continuation after Brexit of the Falkland Islands' current tariff-free access to EU markets for meat and fish products.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government has always been clear that we are committed to engaging the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories as we exit the EU, to ensure that their interests and priorities are properly taken into account.
We are seeking a bold and ambitious economic partnership with the EU and want to have the greatest possible tariff- and barrier-free trade with our European neighbours, so that British companies, including Falkland Islands companies, have the maximum freedom to trade with and operate within European markets.
DExEU Minister of State Robin Walker most recently met Hon. Teslyn Barkman, the Falklands Legislative Assembly Member leading on Exit issues, at the 4th Joint Ministerial Council Overseas Territories EU Negotiations held on the 14th of June. Through discussions in this forum, supported by official level contact, the Government understands the importance to the economic wellbeing of the Falklands Islands of their access to the EU market for fish and meat.
We also welcome the substantive input we have received from the Falkland Islands’ Government as the UK prepares to exit the EU.
Asked by: Lord Inglewood (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by Baroness Evans of Bowes Park on 29 March 2017 (HL Deb, col 611), what is their definition of "frictionless trade".
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are seeking a bold and ambitious economic partnership that is of greater scope and ambition than any such existing agreement.
We want to have the greatest possible tariff- and barrier-free trade with our European neighbours, as well as being able to negotiate our own trade agreements around the world. That means, for goods, we want a customs trading relationship and agreement on non-tariff barriers that enables as frictionless trade as possible between the UK and the EU.
With regards to services trade, we will be seeking the broadest ever agreement that limits the number of barriers that could prevent UK firms from setting up in the EU and vice versa and avoids discrimination of each other's service providers. We also want to agree an appropriate labour mobility framework that enables UK and EU businesses and self-employed professionals to travel in order to provide services to clients in person.
We want to ensure that UK companies have the maximum possible freedom to trade with and operate within European markets – and to let European businesses do the same in the UK.
Asked by: Lord Inglewood (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what factors underlie their intention to take the UK outside the jurisdiction of the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley
The people voted in the referendum to leave the European Union. This is why the Prime Minister has been clear that we intend to bring an end to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in the United Kingdom.
Leaving the European Union will mean that our laws will be made in Westminster, Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, and those laws will be interpreted by judges not in Luxembourg, but in courts across this country.
Asked by: Lord Inglewood (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to preserve UK citizens' legal right to live in and travel freely across Europe following Brexit.
Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley
The Prime Minister has been clear that she wants to protect the status of UK nationals already living in mainland Europe, and that of EU nationals already living here. The only circumstances in which that would not be possible is if British citizens’ rights in other EU member states were not protected in return. UK nationals that have lived lawfully and continuously for a period of 5 years in a given EU Member State will automatically have a permanent right to reside there.
The reciprocal rights and entitlements that will apply following the UK’s exit are subject to the wider negotiation on our future relationship with the EU. We have not yet begun these negotiations, so it is not possible to set out any positions in advance. However, at every step of this negotiation we will seek to ensure the best possible outcome for the British people, at home and overseas.Asked by: Lord Inglewood (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of whether holding a second referendum is an essential constitutional precondition to invoking Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty.
Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley
Article 50 explicitly recognises that a Member State may decide to withdraw “in accordance with its own constitutional requirements”. It is for the Member State concerned to determine what those constitutional requirements are. The Government does not consider that a second referendum is necessary, or required to invoke Article 50.