European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018: Statutory Obligations on Ministers Debate

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Department: Department for Exiting the European Union

European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018: Statutory Obligations on Ministers

Clive Efford Excerpts
Tuesday 11th December 2018

(5 years, 4 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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Urgent Questions are proposed each morning by backbench MPs, and up to two may be selected each day by the Speaker. Chosen Urgent Questions are announced 30 minutes before Parliament sits each day.

Each Urgent Question requires a Government Minister to give a response on the debate topic.

This information is provided by Parallel Parliament and does not comprise part of the offical record

Robin Walker Portrait Mr Walker
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I am very honoured that the hon. Gentleman believes I know something. I would encourage him to read the urgent question that I have been responding to.

Clive Efford Portrait Clive Efford (Eltham) (Lab)
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The Government are relying on the House trusting them in bringing forward a meaningful vote in the future, but yesterday’s escapades suggest that they are not always dealing from the top of the pack. The Leader of the House came here yesterday and collapsed the business without making any reference to that at all, and it was moved by a Minister of the Government just shouting “Tomorrow”. It would help to restore some of that trust—although that is a very difficult thing for the Government to do—if they were to promise never to do that again in this process and give this House the opportunity to vote on any future changes in the business motion.

Robin Walker Portrait Mr Walker
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I would gently say to the hon. Gentleman that he is very generous in giving me such wonderful powers to make commitments on behalf of the Government for evermore. I have been clear today about the meaningful vote that this House will have, and clear about our interpretation of section 13 of the withdrawal Act. I think that colleagues across the House should take that very clearly as the Government’s intention as to what we are going to do. I would therefore gently appeal for the trust that he talks about.