Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions he has had with (a) Cabinet colleagues and (b) EU representatives on holding European parliamentary elections in the UK in 2019 in the event that the UK's withdrawal from the EU is delayed.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Government has been clear that the UK will cease to be a member of the European Union on 29 March 2019. After this date the UK will no longer have Members of the European Parliament. The Secretary of State has therefore not had discussions with Cabinet colleagues and EU representatives on this matter.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the public purse of no-deal contingency planning in the West Midlands.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
Making a success of EU exit is a priority for the Government. Departments across government have been working to prepare for different EU exit scenarios, including for no-deal. At Autumn Budget 2017, the Chancellor set aside £1.5 billion for EU Exit preparations in both 2018/19 and 2019/20; this was subsequently increased by £0.5bn for 2019/20 in the 2018 Budget. There is no regional breakdown, but information on how this funding was allocated for 2018/19 and 2019/20 has been published by the Chief Secretary.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the potential effect on UK representation in the European Parliament of an extension to the Article 50 notice period.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
The Government has been clear that the UK will cease to be a member of the European Union on 29 March 2019. After this date the UK will no longer have Members of the European Parliament.
Asked by: Jim Cunningham (Labour - Coventry South)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what recent assessment his Department has made of the potential effect on public services in (a) Coventry, (b) the West Midlands and (c) the UK of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
Answered by Chris Heaton-Harris
We expect EU Exit to present both opportunities and challenges for regions across the country. My Department is working closely with local government, key sector representatives and with other Government Departments including Health, Education, Housing, Communities and Local Government to consider potential national or local impacts, which may arise from EU Exit, and the necessary preparations for a wide range of scenarios.
This government has been clear that we do not want or expect a ‘no deal’ scenario. The UK and the EU have agreed the terms of the UK’s smooth and orderly exit from the EU in the form of the Withdrawal Agreement, and a detailed political declaration on the terms of our future relationship. Nevertheless, the government will continue to do the responsible thing and prepare for all eventualities. Extensive work to prepare for a no deal scenario has been under way for over two years and we are taking necessary steps to ensure the country continues to operate smoothly from the day we leave.
Since the referendum, DExEU Ministers have made frequent visits to regions across the country, including to the West Midlands, and are committed to continuing this productive engagement with businesses and local government throughout the UK.
The Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government are leading an extensive programme of engagement, listening to the sector and gathering intelligence on council concerns and preparedness, which has included discussions with Chief Executives from Coventry City Council, and Solihull Council.
Senior policy officials have engaged with local authority representatives from throughout the West Midlands, through various forums, including a regional event in Birmingham on 13 December. Representatives from Coventry and the West Midlands are also key contributors to the Ministry of Housing, Community and Local Government’s EU Exit Advisory Panel.
This extensive programme of engagement is replicated throughout England, enabling the Government to assess and support local authority preparedness and to discuss and address the issues and opportunities of EU Exit.