Asked by: Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government with which EU agencies they intend to remain involved after Brexit; and in each case, on what terms.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are seeking a deep and special partnership with the European Union.
No final decisions have yet been made on our future relationship with the EU's agencies and bodies after leaving the EU. Where there is a demonstrable national interest in pursuing a continued relationship with an agency or other EU body the Government will carefully examine whether we should pursue this. Our future relationship with the EU's agencies will ultimately be a matter for negotiations in the next phase.
Asked by: Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
Her Majesty's Government what is the gender composition of the team negotiating Brexit; and what is the level of seniority of women in that team.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The Department for Exiting the European Union has released information on the UK's negotiating team which is publicly available on www.gov.uk/government/publications/biographies-of-the-civil-service-representatives-for-the-negotiations-with-the-eu.
This outlines the core negotiating team however departments are also building up their capacity in their own areas of responsibility and DExEU will be working closely with every Government department to ensure that the full range of opportunities are taken and risks mitigated across every area of Government policy. DExEU is drawing together expertise from a wide range of departments where there is specific relevant knowledge.
Asked by: Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
Her Majesty's Government whether they have evaluated the impact of Brexit on women; and if so, whether they will publish that evaluation.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
In developing all policy related to EU exit, government departments have an ongoing responsibility to meet the Public Sector Equalities Duty under the Equality Act 2010. As such, any policy changes resulting from EU exit will be reviewed to ascertain whether they give rise to discrimination on grounds of sex, create equality of opportunity for women or the likelihood of discrimination based on sex, and foster good relations between women and men. The Public Sector Equality Duty will also apply in relation to the other protected characteristics.
Asked by: Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the possible changes to the rights granted to EU citizens resident in the UK post-Brexit, particularly in relation to rights granted to family members.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
On Monday 26th June, the UK published the paper ‘The United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union: safeguarding the position of EU citizens living in the UK and UK nationals living in the EU’. This paper sets out a fair and serious offer of what we want to achieve on citizens’ rights, on a reciprocal basis, from the negotiations with the European Union.
Asked by: Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the different rights granted to UK citizens resident in the EU post-Brexit under their proposals compared with those of the European Commission.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
On Monday 26th June, the UK published the paper ‘The United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union: safeguarding the position of EU citizens living in the UK and UK nationals living in the EU’. This paper sets out a fair and serious offer of what we want to achieve on citizens’ rights, on a reciprocal basis, from the negotiations with the European Union.
Asked by: Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to allow (1) UK citizens, and (2) EU citizens resident in the UK, to have direct access to any judicial body which may oversee the withdrawal agreement.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The arrangements agreed in the Withdrawal Agreement, which will have status of international law, will be enshrined in UK law and enforceable through the UK judicial system, up to and including the Supreme Court. This will allow all UK and EU citizens resident in the UK to access the UK legal system for purposes of the withdrawal agreement. The UK has an international reputation for our independent legal system, adherence to the rule of law and respect for our obligations arising in international agreements.
We have been clear that, after withdrawal, the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in the United Kingdom will end.
Asked by: Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to ensure that EU nationals arriving in the UK the day after the UK's withdrawal from the EU will continue to have their qualifications recognised as they are at present.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
For mutual recognition of professional qualifications, the UK will seek to ensure that professional qualifications obtained prior to the date of the UK’s withdrawal from the EU continue to be recognised after the UK’s exit from the EU.
The UK will also seek to ensure that where a person has begun an associated process that has not concluded by the withdrawal date, arrangements will be made to allow that process to continue. The UK will also give due regard to these professionals’ ability to practise without unfair detriment or discrimination.
Asked by: Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to recognise the status of associate citizenship, proposed by Guy Verhofstadt, for UK citizens who wish to avail themselves of that status in the EU in future.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
We want to reach a reciprocal agreement for EU citizens in Britain and UK nationals in Europe as quickly as possible. That is why we have published our policy paper — to outline our offer for EU citizens, in the expectation that the EU will offer reciprocal treatment for UK nationals resident in its member states.
Asked by: Lord Lester of Herne Hill (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
Her Majesty's Government whether they intend citizens of the EU-27, lawfully resident in the UK when the UK leaves the EU, to retain their rights as European citizens as protected by the EU Treaties and the European Court of Justice.
Answered by Baroness Anelay of St Johns
The government has been clear that rights of citizens of the EU-27 when the UK leaves the EU will be enshrined into UK, not EU, law, enforceable through the UK judicial system. EU nationals will be able to rely on those rights in the UK legal system. We are also ready to make commitments in the Withdrawal Agreement which will have the status of international law.