Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Pearson of Rannoch in the debate on the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration on 14 January (HL Deb, col 96), whether it remains their position that "nothing is agreed until everything is agreed" in the Brexit negotiations.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Both the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration have now been agreed between the EU and the UK and endorsed by leaders of the 27 Member States. The UK and the EU have been clear that the Withdrawal Agreement and the Political Declaration form a package, and that neither document can be considered final until both have been agreed.
The Political Declaration provides detailed instructions to negotiators that will seek to deliver a legal agreement by the end of 2020. Once the final deal has been approved by the House of Commons, the UK and the EU will then formally sign the Withdrawal Agreement which, after ratification on both sides, will enter into force as a legally binding international treaty.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they consider the Draft Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, published on 14 November, to be binding on future UK governments.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Both the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration have now been agreed and endorsed by leaders of the 27 Member States. The Prime Minister’s agreement to the deal on behalf of the Government is a firm commitment, subject to ratification.
Once the vote on the final deal has taken place, the UK and the EU will then formally sign the Withdrawal Agreement which, after ratification on both sides, will enter into force as a legally binding international treaty. The UK has always been a country which honours its international obligations.
Asked by: Lord Pearson of Rannoch (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further the answer by Lord Callanan on 29 October (HL Deb, col 1111), whether they will (1) withdraw their notice under Articles 2 to 5 of Article 50 of the Treaty on European Union, and (2) offer through the European Union Council continuing free trade under the World Trade Organisation, and residence and security to European Union citizens, before agreeing any financial settlement in the Brexit negotiations; and if not, why not.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The clear position of the Government is that our notice under Article 50 will not be withdrawn. We have agreed in principle the terms of the UK’s smooth and orderly exit from the EU, as set out in the Withdrawal Agreement. We have also agreed the broad terms of our future relationship as set out in the outline Political Declaration. Both sides are determined to conclude the full Political Declaration by the end of November, bringing the Article 50 negotiations to a close.