Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, pursuant to his oral contribution of 12 July 2018, on EU: Future Relationship White Paper Column 1158, Official Report, column 1158, what the timetable is for the publication of the (a) withdrawal agreement and (b) implementation bill.

As we set out in the future relationship White Paper the UK and the EU have a shared ambition to agree both the Withdrawal Agreement and the Future Framework by October in order to given sufficient time for the respective our Parliaments to give their approval before the UK leaves the EU on 29 March 2019.

Once the UK and the EU have reached agreement on the Withdrawal Agreement and Future Framework, under the terms of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018, there will be a debate in both Houses of Parliament. If the House of Commons supports a resolution to approve the Withdrawal Agreement and Future Framework, the Government will bring forward the implementing legislation - the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill.

A draft of the Withdrawal Agreement was published on 19 March 2018.