Oral Answers to Questions

Alison Thewliss Excerpts

Thursday 13th December 2018 Commons Chamber

[Martyn Day (Linlithgow and East Falkirk) (SNP)]

4. What implications the decision by the European Court of Justice on the revocability of article 50 has for his legal advice to the Government.

[Alison Thewliss (Glasgow Central) (SNP)]

9. What implications the decision by the European Court of Justice on the revocability of article 50 has for his legal advice to the Government.

[The Attorney General (Mr Geoffrey Cox)]

The decision of the European Court of Justice clarifies a question of EU law, and it does not in any way change the Government’s policy. The Government’s firm and long-standing policy is that we will not revoke the article 50 notice. The position has not changed and, as is well known, the case will now revert to the Scottish courts for the final decision.

[The Attorney General]

The Government’s policy is that we do not intend to revoke article 50. We intend to leave the European Union on 29 March, and the fact or otherwise of the irrevocability of article 50 is wholly irrelevant to that question. The truth, however, is that the giving of notice under article 50 would not just be an easy matter of pressing a button and the revocation taking effect.

[Alison Thewliss]

Does the Attorney General believe that legislation would be required to revoke the article 50 notice, or could it be done by a simple vote in this House?

[The Attorney General]

That matter is under review. Let me say clearly that the question of what legal route would be required to trigger the process has not been considered at any length because there is no intention of doing so.