Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions his Department have held with the European Union on maintaining collaboration between UK-based scientists and non-UK organisations in the event that the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Steve Baker
We have been clear that as the UK leaves the EU, we will look to build on our unique relationship with the EU and establish an agreement on science and innovation that ensures the valuable research links between us continue to grow. The Prime Minister reiterated in her Mansion House speech that the UK is committed to establishing a far-reaching science and innovation pact with the EU, facilitating the exchange of ideas and researchers.
On Monday 19 March the UK and EU negotiating teams reached another important milestone in the exit process by agreeing the terms of a time-limited implementation period. As part of the next phase of the negotiations, we look forward to working with the EU on designing this science and innovation pact, and we would welcome a full and open discussion about all of the options for continued collaboration.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
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 counterparts in the EU on UK Members of the European Parliament remaining members of that Parliament during any transition period after the UK has left the EU.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Secretary of State regularly meets with his counterparts in European Member States and the European Parliament. As the Prime Minister set out in her Florence Speech, the United Kingdom will cease to be a member of the European Union on the 29th March 2019 and we will no longer have Members of the European Parliament.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions the Government has had with European Union negotiators on proposals for associate EU citizenship for British nationals who wish apply for that status in the event that the UK leaves the EU; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Robin Walker
EU treaty provisions state that only citizens of EU Member States are able to hold EU citizenship. Therefore, when the UK ceases to be a member of the European Union, British nationals will no longer hold EU citizenship, unless they hold dual nationality with another EU Member State.
The Government is determined to get the best possible deal for UK nationals living in the EU and is considering very carefully the options open to it, however associate citizenship is not a matter within the scope of the current negotiations with the EU.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, with reference to European Council document EUCO XT 20011/17 published on 15 December 2017, whether the transitional arrangements will include UK membership of Euratom; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Steve Baker
We are proposing a strictly time-limited implementation period, based on the existing structure of EU rules and regulations. The UK Government remains committed to ensuring a smooth transition to a UK nuclear safeguards regime; collaboration on research and development; minimising barriers to civil nuclear trade; and providing certainty. The exact terms of an Implementation Period are subject to our negotiations with the European Union.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will make it his policy to allow EU27 citizens to continue to be able to vote and to stand as candidates in local government elections after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Steve Baker
EU citizens with settled status, or who are on the pathway to settled status, will retain the right to vote and stand in any UK election which uses the local government register, so long as the rights of British citizens living in the EU are similarly protected.
The UK has set out its position on this matter in negotiations with the Commission and we continue to encourage them to review the right of UK citizens, established in EU countries, to continue to vote in municipal elections.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether the Government will continue to apply the family reunification Dublin III Regulation when the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Robin Walker
The UK’s family reunion policy is generous; we have and continue to reunite many refugees with their immediate family. We have granted over 23,000 family reunion visas over the last five years.
Whilst we remain a member of the EU, we will continue to participate in Dublin III. We are ready to discuss our future relationship on establishing responsibility for processing asylum claims as part of negotiations. It would be wrong to set out our position on the nature of any future relationship here, but we expect our close cooperation on asylum and migration with our European allies to continue after the UK leaves the EU.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what estimate he has made of the number of statutory instruments introduced under Section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 that (a) are in force, (b) have been superseded and (c) have been amended.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Government’s White Paper 'Legislating for the United Kingdom’s withdrawal from the European Union', quotes research from the House of Commons Library which indicates that there have been around 7,900 statutory instruments which have implemented EU legislation. This figure does not include statutory instruments made by the devolved administrations which will also observe and implement EU obligations in areas within their competence. The Department has identified 6,441 statutory instruments made under the European Communities Act 1972. As part of this exercise the department did not record the number of SIs that had been superseded or amended as this information was not relevant to the work needed on correcting the statute book.
Departments are working through their own statute book to determine where corrections may need to be made once the EU law has been converted into UK domestic law.
Asked by: Layla Moran (Liberal Democrat - Oxford West and Abingdon)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has made of the effect of changes to the status of EU citizens after the UK has left the EU on the rights of citizens of (a) Ireland, (b) Malta and (c) Cyprus to vote in elections and referendums in the UK.
Answered by Robin Walker
The voting rights of citizens of Ireland, Cyprus and Malta are provided for separately in United Kingdom legislation. We have no plans to change the voting rights of Maltese, Cypriot and Irish citizens resident in the UK, including their right to vote in UK parliamentary general elections. As these voting rights do not depend on their EU citizenship, they will not be affected by exiting the EU.