Exiting the EU: Sectoral Analysis

Debate between Caroline Lucas and Steve Baker

Tuesday 7th November 2017 Commons Chamber

[Caroline Lucas (Brighton, Pavilion) (Green)]

Does the Minister recognise that, with his statement today, he really has turned farce into a new art form? When he asks what side we are on, I say that we on the Opposition Benches are on the side of the 29 million workers whose livelihoods absolutely depend on the impact of Brexit on the UK economy. Will he recognise that he is treating not only this House but the British public with contempt?

[Mr Baker]

I will tell the House what is turning farce into an art form: it is blogging about the Greek debt crisis under the hashtag #thisisacoup and then supporting our continued membership of the European Union, as the hon. Lady has done. That is what takes the public for fools. I say to her that we are all on the side of the British public. The UK took a democratic decision to leave the European Union, and we will now carry through that decision.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Caroline Lucas and Steve Baker

Thursday 7th September 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Baker]

I am extremely grateful to my right hon. Friend; of course I agree with him. I am invigorated and excited to find that Parliament is reawakening to the need for full and proper scrutiny of secondary legislation.

[Caroline Lucas (Brighton, Pavilion) (Green)]

Does the Minister recognise the risk of an impending governance gap with regard to environmental legislation? At present, the Commission and the European Court of Justice perform the vital role of both monitoring and enforcing laws. Domestic mechanisms like judicial review simply do not go far enough. What new institutional mechanisms is he going to look at to make sure that he leaves the environment in a better state than he found it?

[Mr Baker]

I am grateful to the hon. Lady for reminding the House that we are committed to leaving the environment in a better state than we found it.

[Caroline Lucas]

How will you do it?

[Mr Baker]

She asks how we will do it. The Bill makes provision for Ministers to bring forward statutory instruments that will correct deficiencies that would otherwise arise as we bring EU law into UK law. I very much look forward to the debate on the particular instruments.