Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to invite members of other political parties to work with them to enable the draft Withdrawal Agreement to be ratified and the UK's permanent relationship with the EU to be negotiated.

The requirements for ratification of the draft Withdrawal Agreement are set out in section 13 of the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018. The Act requires the negotiated withdrawal agreement and the framework for the future relationship to have been approved by a resolution of the House of Commons, a motion for the House of Lords to take note of the negotiated withdrawal agreement and the framework for the future relationship to have been tabled, and an Act of Parliament to have been passed which contains provision for the implementation of the withdrawal agreement.

The Prime Minister has confirmed that the Government intends to return to the debate in the House of Commons in the week commencing 7 January and hold the vote the following week. I am confident that we will have a deal the House of Commons can support.

As the Prime Minister set out on 4 December, the Government will then consult more widely and engage more intensively with Parliament as we finalise the mandate for the next phase of the negotiations.