Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions he has had during negotiations on the UK leaving the EU on the UK maintaining the Common Travel Area with the Republic of Ireland.

The UK Government is firmly committed to maintaining the Common Travel Area (CTA) and to protecting the rights enjoyed by UK and Irish nationals when in each other’s state.

The Joint Report recognises that the UK and Ireland can continue to make arrangements between themselves relating to the CTA. The Commission’s draft Withdrawal Agreement Treaty text builds on that agreement, confirming that the UK and Ireland can continue to work together as part of these arrangements.

We are determined to ensure that all of the commitments on Northern Ireland/Ireland in the Joint Report are turned into legally binding text.