Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has made of the importance of regulatory alignment to the EU after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Robin Walker
In our negotiations with the EU, the UK will seek to secure a new, deep and special partnership. We propose the greatest possible tariff- and barrier-free trade with our European neighbours based on our rules and regulations being the same at the start, and on maintaining our commitment to free trade and high standards.
But there will be areas that affect our economic relations where we and our European friends may have different goals; or where we share the same goals but want to achieve them through different means. This is where we recognise that the single market is built on a balance of rights and obligations, and so our task is to find a new framework that allows for a close economic partnership but holds those rights and obligations in a new and different balance.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has made of the benefit to businesses and the economy of a transition period of three years or longer as called for by the British Chambers of Commerce.
Answered by Steve Baker
The Government is undertaking analysis of different scenarios, but will not publish any information that could undermine our negotiation position.
We will need to build a bridge from our exit to our future partnership, to allow business and people time to adjust, and to allow new systems to be put in place. It makes sense for there to be only one set of changes.
That is why we are proposing a strictly time-limited implementation period, based on the existing structure of EU rules and regulations, during which the UK and the EU would continue to have access to one another’s markets on current terms, and the UK would take part in existing security measures.
The length of the period should be determined by how long it will take to prepare and implement the new processes and new systems – as the Prime Minister has said, this is likely to be for a period of around two years and it should be agreed as early as possible, so as to provide certainty.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will ensure that Vauxhall Ellesmere Port has the same trade arrangement for (a) tariff and (b) non-tariff barriers after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Robin Walker
The UK is the third largest European car producer with its competitiveness underpinned by using a highly integrated European supply chain to support just-in-time production. We want British companies, including automotive, to have the greatest possible tariff- and barrier-free trade with our European neighbours.
Negotiating a comprehensive free trade agreement with the EU, greater in scope than any such agreement before, is a priority for the Government as we leave the EU. We want tariff-free trade with Europe, and for cross-border trade to be as frictionless as possible. The UK starts from a unique position – where our rules and regulations are the same as the EU, and where we share a commitment to high regulatory standards. The terms of our future trading relationship with the EU are a matter for the negotiation, however we are confident that a future partnership between the UK and the EU is in the interest of both sides, so we approach the negotiations anticipating success.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what representations he has received from (a) businesses and (b) business organisations on the relationship the UK should have with the single market after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Department has held numerous meetings with representatives from the business community since the Referendum in June last year. This has included over 300 individual meetings, roundtables and other types of engagement with all sectors of the economy and in every region of the UK. The insight and analysis provided as a result of this close dialogue is incredibly valuable in supporting the Government’s objective to agree a comprehensive new partnership with the EU, ensuring business can continue to access European markets while recognising the indivisibility of the EU’s four freedoms.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the oral contribution of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Trade in the Westminster Hall debate of 12 September 2017, on foreign direct investment, what plans he has to maintain regulatory equivalence with key markets.
Answered by Robin Walker
The UK Government is committed to making the UK the best place in the world to do business. As the Prime Minister set out in the White paper "The United Kingdom’s Exit from and new partnership with the European Union", this will mean fostering a high quality, stable and predictable regulatory environment. We want to minimise the regulatory and market access barriers for both goods and services in trade with the EU. Discussions on regulatory equivalence will form part of the negotiations.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what steps his Department takes to provide (a) information on its services in British Sign Language (BSL) and (b) correspondence in BSL to people whose principal language is BSL.
Answered by Steve Baker
DExEU has not been asked to provide this service to date. The department could provide British Sign Language (BSL) interpreters or non-spoken language interpreters, using contracted providers for customers who are deaf, hard of hearing or speech impaired.