Oral Answers to Questions

Suella Braverman Excerpts

Thursday 7th September 2017 Commons Chamber

[Mr Baker]

This Government want to win the race to the top. I think I can say that we want to ensure that this country is either at or heading towards the top of every index of human prosperity, wellbeing and happiness, and we will work towards that end.

[Suella Fernandes (Fareham) (Con)]

I join in congratulating my hon. Friend on his appointment. Whether in relation to workers’ rights or more generally, does he agree that had the British people wanted to be subject to EU law, they would have voted to remain in last year’s referendum? Does he agree that the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill actually restores powers to Parliament and that a vote against it is only a vote to ensure that the UK automatically keeps pace with EU law with no say of its own?

[Mr Baker]

Of course my hon. Friend makes an important point, for which I am most grateful. An easy way to automatically keep pace with EU law, whatever it might be, would have been to remain in the EU, but the public did not choose to do that, so Parliament will decide the law in future and it will be for Parliament to scrutinise any proposed changes.