Oral Answers to Questions

John Bercow Excerpts

Thursday 20th October 2016 Commons Chamber

[Stephen Gethins]

I obviously welcome that new information from the Secretary of State, but the Fraser of Allander Institute has already told us that this will cost up to 80,000 jobs in Scotland alone. The CBI, the British Chambers of Commerce and the Institute of Directors have warned about the impact of limiting freedom of movement. They have done their homework, Secretary of State. You did not do your homework during the Vote Leave campaign, when you had a blank piece of paper to campaign on. If the Secretary of State is going to Scotland, he will need to do better than that. When will that assessment be published?

[Mr Speaker]

I have always done my homework, and I strongly resent any suggestion to the contrary.

[Mr Davis]

I venture to suggest that if you did your homework, Mr Speaker, you would not have it marked by the hon. Gentleman.

I have not seen the Fraser of Allander report, so would be grateful if the hon. Gentleman directed me to it. One thing about these reports is that they all base themselves on single assumptions. We need to look at those assumptions to see whether they are realistic, and that is what we will do. There have been a large number of forecasts of the effect of Brexit. Some are very pessimistic about certain aspects of policy that we do not intend to allow to happen. I will look at that particular report carefully and talk to him about it after I have done so.

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[Several hon. Members rose—]

[Mr Speaker]

Order. I would call the hon. Member for Rutherglen and Hamilton West (Margaret Ferrier) if she were standing, but she is not, so I will not.

[Margaret Ferrier (Rutherglen and Hamilton West) (SNP)]

rose—

[Mr Speaker]

Ah! She is. Enlightenment has dawned.

[Margaret Ferrier]

16. Thank you, Mr Speaker. Leaving the single market in a hard Brexit will be catastrophic, and the Treasury estimates that the cost to the UK economy could be £66 billion, that 80,000 jobs in Scotland could be lost, and that wages could be hit by up to £2,000 a year. The Tory manifesto clearly stated:“We say: yes to the Single Market”.Will the Secretary of State cast doubt aside, and undertake to make good on that commitment?

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[Several hon. Members rose—]

[Mr Speaker]

The hon. Member for Stafford looks very happy. Presumably, like me, he is celebrating Arsenal’s 6-0 victory last night.

[Jeremy Lefroy (Stafford) (Con)]

I am, Sir. Will the Secretary of State reassure many factories in the west midlands and my constituency that the smooth, tariff and hassle-free operation of supply chains is of the utmost importance to him?

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[Several hon. Members rose—]

[Mr Speaker]

Finally and extremely briefly, Jim Shannon.

[Jim Shannon (Strangford) (DUP)]

In Northern Ireland, my constituency has some of the best export businesses in agri-food and fishing, and they need attention. Minister, may I invite you to my constituency to hear what they have to say?