Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to the Answer of 31 January 2018 to Question 125209 on trade agreements, whether in maintaining the effects of existing EU free trade agreements with Norway, the UK will maintain the existing provisions for free movement.

We will be seeking, wherever possible, to secure continuity with third countries as we withdraw from the EU.

During the implementation period, the existing international agreements we are party to should continue to apply, including the EEA Agreement, Swiss- EU bilaterals and other agreements which govern the crucial elements of our trading and non-trading relationship with the EFTA states of Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Switzerland. We have said that people should be able to continue to live, work and visit the UK during the implementation period but there will be a registration system in preparation for our future immigration regime.

Once the implementation period ends, we will no longer participate in these agreements and will need to put in place new arrangements with these countries. After we leave we will put in place an immigration system which works in the best interests of the whole of the UK. The UK will remain open for business; a country which recognises the valuable contribution migrants make to our society and welcomes those with the skills and expertise to make our nation better still.