Compliance with the European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 2) Act 2019 Debate

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Department: Department for Exiting the European Union

Compliance with the European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 2) Act 2019

Richard Bacon Excerpts
Thursday 26th September 2019

(4 years, 7 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.

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James Duddridge Portrait James Duddridge
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No, not at all. The hon. Gentleman is right to say that the timetable is highly constrained, but after three and a half years we have only ourselves to blame collectively as a House.

Richard Bacon Portrait Mr Richard Bacon (South Norfolk) (Con)
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Nearly every question from the Opposition has included the word “if”. Does the Minister feel that it is unreasonable to expect him to have a crystal ball and predict what situation this country will face on 19 October, and what complying with the law will require? Is it better just to accept his assurance that the Government will obey the law?

James Duddridge Portrait James Duddridge
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I thank my hon. Friend for that question. A lot could change between now and 19 October, and providing clarity that we will obey the law is clearer than picking specific laws and saying how we will obey them.