Debates between Robin Walker and Stephen Kinnock during the 2017-2019 Parliament

Mon 29th Jan 2018

Leaving the EU: Implementation

Debate between Robin Walker and Stephen Kinnock
Monday 29th January 2018

(6 years, 3 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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My right hon. Friend speaks with great expertise on these matters. It will be in the interests of the UK and the EU to reach agreement on the exact period of this implementation period as soon as possible, but it is important that we enter this negotiation by trying to give ourselves sufficient flexibility to achieve success.

Stephen Kinnock Portrait Stephen Kinnock (Aberavon) (Lab)
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Paragraph 17 of the directives for the negotiating team states clearly that

“any time-limited prolongation of the Union acquis requires existing Union regulatory, budgetary, supervisory, judiciary and enforcement instruments and structures to apply, including the competence of the Court of Justice of the European Union.”

Will the Minister please explain what exactly will be implemented during the implementation period?

Robin Walker Portrait Mr Walker
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Very clearly, as the Prime Minister set out, the aim of the implementation period is to implement the future relationship between the UK and the EU and to allow us to put those structures in place for that future relationship. As the hon. Gentleman so often does, he speaks eloquently in this House on behalf of the EU, but we need to make sure that we are negotiating on behalf of the UK.

--- Later in debate ---
Robin Walker Portrait Mr Walker
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My hon. Friend is absolutely right on both points. We want to make a success of this process for the UK economy, UK business and every part of the UK. I think that our constituents expect us to work together across the House and not to be calling each other names during this process.

Stephen Kinnock Portrait Stephen Kinnock
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On a point of order, Mr Speaker.

--- Later in debate ---
Robin Walker Portrait Mr Walker
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I did not mean to impugn the hon. Gentleman’s motives. I would only point out that he was reading directly from the EU’s negotiating guidelines and that today we are, of course, discussing the UK’s policy.

Stephen Kinnock Portrait Stephen Kinnock
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That is not an apology.

Leaving the EU: Sectoral Impact Assessments

Debate between Robin Walker and Stephen Kinnock
Tuesday 28th November 2017

(6 years, 5 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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My hon. Friend, like many of my hon. Friends, raises an interesting point. It is something that we will look into. What we have done is to ensure that the Select Committee has information on the sectoral analyses that the Government have conducted, which is an important step taken in response to a motion of the House.

Stephen Kinnock Portrait Stephen Kinnock (Aberavon) (Lab)
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In his letter of 2 November, my right hon. Friend the Member for Leeds Central (Hilary Benn), the Chair of the Select Committee, wrote:

“once the material has been provided to the committee, I would be very happy to discuss with you any particular concerns you may have about publication of parts of the material so that the committee can take these into account in making its decision on release.”

On 27 November, the Secretary of State wrote:

“we have received no assurances from the committee regarding how any information passed will be used.”

Does the Minister agree that that letter is a blatant misrepresentation of what was agreed and that the Secretary of State should withdraw that remark and apologise for it to my right hon. Friend?

Robin Walker Portrait Mr Walker
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No, I do not.