Asked by: Hugh Gaffney (Labour - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what recent progress he has made on negotiations with the EU on the UK leaving the EU; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Suella Braverman
As the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union set out in his oral statement to the House on Tuesday 4 September, we have injected additional pace and intensity into the negotiations as we reach the final phases and we are confident a deal is within our grasp.
The Government’s White Paper supplies a precise, responsible and credible basis for moving negotiations forward to achieve a deal that works in our mutual interest. We expect the EU to engage seriously with the proposals and both negotiating teams to work at pace to reach a substantive agreement on the Future Framework in the autumn.
The vast majority of the Withdrawal Agreement has also been agreed and we have made further progress across a range of the outstanding separation issues, including the protection of data and information, the treatment of ongoing police and judicial co-operation in criminal matters, and ongoing Union judicial and administrative procedures after exit.
Asked by: Hugh Gaffney (Labour - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on border infrastructure in Northern Ireland after the UK has left the EU.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Secretary of State and I have regular discussions with Ministerial colleagues on ensuring that we meet our clear Joint Report commitment to avoid a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.
The Joint Report in December made clear that the UK is committed to avoiding any physical border infrastructure, or related checks and controls. The commitment was also reiterated unanimously by the House in passing Lords amendment 25 to the EU (Withdrawal) Act.
Asked by: Hugh Gaffney (Labour - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what plans he has to meet representatives of British in Europe to discuss the effect of the UK leaving the EU on UK citizens living in non-UK, EU countries.
Answered by Suella Braverman
Throughout this process, Ministers and senior officials from the Department for Exiting the European Union have spoken with delegates from groups representing UK nationals in the EU, including representatives of British in Europe, to hear their views and concerns. Our Embassies and Ambassadors in the EU 27 have also engaged extensively with the UK communities in their host states.
All UK nationals legally resident in the EU before the end of the implementation period, 31 December 2020, will fall under the Citizens’ Rights part of Withdrawal Agreement. This is an agreement that gives people more certainty about residence, healthcare, pensions and other benefits. As negotiations progress we will continue to work in the interests of our nationals to reach a final deal that is in the mutual interests of citizens living across the continent.
Asked by: Hugh Gaffney (Labour - Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what plans the Secretary of State has to visit the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in the next 12 months.
Answered by Suella Braverman
The Secretary of State’s future travel programme takes into account a range of high priority issues. The Secretary of State has been to the border, prior to his appointment to his current role, and is very much apprised of the sensitivities and importance of this critical issue.
He previously visited Northern Ireland in September 2016 meeting with the then Northern Ireland Executive and stakeholders. Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Robin Walker MP, visited Northern Ireland with former Northern Ireland Office Minister Chloe Smith in September 2017, visiting the border and meeting with Re-Gen waste and InterTradeIreland.
Northern Ireland Office Ministers have also conducted an extensive programme of engagement in Northern Ireland on EU exit with a wide range of stakeholders. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland visited the border earlier this month.