Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to his Department's Guidance on how to prepare for Brexit if there's no deal, what parts of the Government’s plan for generating low-carbon electricity in the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal have been implemented.
Answered by Kwasi Kwarteng
The Government has passed legislation which will enable the continued operability of the Feed-in Tariffs scheme, Contracts for Difference scheme, and the Renewables Obligation in the event of a no deal exit from the EU.
In the Clean Growth Strategy, government confirmed it would be making up to £557 million (2011/12 prices) of annual support available for further Contracts for Difference, providing industry with the certainty they need to invest in new projects.
The Department’s guidance states that in a no deal scenario, the government has legislated to ensure that Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin issued in EU countries, including for combined heat and power will continue to be recognised. This will allow electricity suppliers to continue to use EU Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin and will ensure that existing supply contracts are not compromised, in so far as these contracts depend upon Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin. This position will be kept under review.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Guidance on how to prepare for Brexit if there's no deal, published by the Department for Exiting the European Union, what parts of the plan for merger review and anti-competitive activity in the event of a no deal Brexit have been implemented.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
In September 2018 the Government published the guidance, “Merger review and anti-competitive activity if there's no Brexit deal”. Since then, the Government has legislated for the necessary changes to UK law through the Competition (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019. These regulations were approved by Parliament in January. They ensure that in the event of the UK leaving the European Union without a deal, the UK domestic competition regime will continue to operate effectively to address anti-competitive activity and review merger activity. The Government is working closely with the Competition and Markets Authority as it prepares for the UK’s exit from the European Union.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether UK workers spending longer than 90 out of 180 days in the EU will be subject to additional (a) administration, (b) costs, and (c) visas in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
In the event of no deal, the European Union will grant UK citizens visa-free travel to the EU and Schengen-associated countries for business meetings, training, attending conferences, sports/cultural events and short-term study for up to 90 days in any 180 day period.
If UK citizens are undertaking activity outside of these areas, or intend to stay for more than 90 days in any 180 day period, they will need to check with their EU host country authorities on their status. This is because visa and work permit requirements vary between Member States. This may involve some administrative processes and costs, and again this will depend on the country visited and the activity undertaken.
The Government has published guidance on travel, work and provision of services to EU and EFTA countries in the event of no deal, including guidance on business travel and visa requirements. This can be found on Gov.uk at the following addresses:
https://http://www.gov.uk/government/collections/providing-services-to-eea-and-efta-countries-after-eu-exit
https://http://www.gov.uk/visit-europe-brexit
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Guidance on how to prepare for Brexit if there's no deal, published by his Department, what parts of the plan for structuring businesses in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal have been implemented.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
If the United Kingdom were to leave the European Union without a withdrawal agreement in place, UK businesses would be treated as businesses from a “third country” in the EU, and vice versa. The guidance[1] on structuring businesses in the event of “no deal” sets out the implications of this for businesses operating across the EU/UK border.
The Statutory Instruments referenced in this guidance have now been made:
[1] https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/structuring-your-business-if-theres-no-brexit-deal--2/structuring-your-business-if-theres-no-brexit-deal
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to his Department's Guidance on how to prepare for Brexit if there's no deal, which parts of the Government’s plan for consumer rights in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal have been implemented.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
In October 2018 the Government published the guidance, “Consumer rights if there’s no Brexit deal”. Since then, the Government has legislated for the necessary changes to UK law through five consumer statutory instruments, all of which have been made. They ensure that in the event of the UK leaving the European Union without a deal, UK consumers retain the protections they currently have when buying from UK businesses.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which parts of the Government’s plan for European Regional Development funding in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal (a) have and (b) have not been implemented.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
In the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal, the Government has guaranteed Horizon 2020, European Territorial Co-Operation, European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund funding due to UK organisations, in line with the Technical Notices published on these issues. BEIS and other delivery organisations have well-developed contingency plans to implement this guarantee, if required. I refer the hon. Member to the technical notices published by the government on the guarantee, and the funds covered by it, for further details.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which parts of the Government’s plan for European Social Fund grants in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal (a) have and (b) have not been implemented.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
In the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal, the Government has guaranteed Horizon 2020, European Territorial Co-Operation, European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund funding due to UK organisations, in line with the Technical Notices published on these issues. BEIS and other delivery organisations have well-developed contingency plans to implement this guarantee, if required. I refer the hon. Member to the technical notices published by the government on the guarantee, and the funds covered by it, for further details.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which parts of the Government’s plan for European Territorial Cooperation funding in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal (a) have and (b) have not been implemented.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
In the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal, the Government has guaranteed Horizon 2020, European Territorial Co-Operation, European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund funding due to UK organisations, in line with the Technical Notices published on these issues. BEIS and other delivery organisations have well-developed contingency plans to implement this guarantee, if required. I refer the hon. Member to the technical notices published by the government on the guarantee, and the funds covered by it, for further details.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, which parts of the Government’s plan for Horizon 2020 funding in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal (a) have and (b) have not been implemented.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
In the event of the UK leaving the EU without a deal, the Government has guaranteed Horizon 2020, European Territorial Co-Operation, European Regional Development Fund and the European Social Fund funding due to UK organisations, in line with the Technical Notices published on these issues. BEIS and other delivery organisations have well-developed contingency plans to implement this guarantee, if required. I refer the hon. Member to the technical notices published by the government on the guarantee, and the funds covered by it, for further details.
Asked by: Chuka Umunna (Liberal Democrat - Streatham)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, with reference to the Guidance on how to prepare for Brexit if there's no deal, published by his Department, what parts of the plan for providing services including those of a qualified professional in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal have been implemented.
Answered by Nadhim Zahawi
If the UK leaves the EU without a deal the requirements for how professional qualifications will be recognised and services will be regulated will change. The guidance on providing services including those of a qualified professional if there's no Brexit deal sets the future arrangements for how these areas will work in a ‘no deal scenario’.
The Statutory Instruments referenced in this guidance have now been made:
1) The Recognition of Professional Qualifications (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019.
2) The Provision of Services (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2018.
This, along with other sector-specific legislation, means that recognition decisions awarded to EEA and Swiss professionals before exit day will be protected, and a new system for recognition of professional qualifications will come into force on exit day in a no deal scenario, giving certainty to professionals, business and public services.
In respect of the provision of services, the amending legislation ensures that we will be compliant with the UK’s services commitments under WTO rules in a ‘no deal’.