The Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union
(Mr David Davis):...I made a statement to this House on 17
January about the negotiations ahead of us and I do not propose to
repeat it, save to say that our aim is to take this opportunity for
the United Kingdom to emerge from this period of change stronger,
fairer, more united and more outward-looking than ever before. I
also set out our 12 objectives for those negotiations. They are: to
deliver certainty and clarity where we can; to take control of our
own laws; to protect and strengthen the Union; to maintain the
common travel area with the Republic of Ireland; to control
immigration; to protect the rights of EU nationals in the UK and UK
nationals in the European Union; to protect workers’ rights; to
allow free trade with European markets; to forge new trade deals
with other countries; to boost science and innovation; to protect
and enhance co-operation over crime, terrorism and security; and to
make our exit smooth and orderly. In due course, the Government
will publish our plan for exit in a White Paper in this House and
in the other place. [Interruption.] I hear the normal, noisy shouts
from the shadow Foreign Secretary asking when. I will say to her
exactly what I said to her in my statement last week: as soon as is
reasonably possible. It is very hard to do it any faster than
that...
(Vauxhall) (Lab):...The
other matter I want to raise is this idea that if someone voted to
leave, they are, if not an outright racist, an indirect racist. It
is ridiculous and appalling that the 17 million people who voted to
leave are being treated in that way. We know that those people were
against not immigrants, but the idea that people from 27 other
countries—26 excluding the Republic of Ireland —could come into
our country for no other reason than that they could do so. That
did not apply to people outside the European Union. We betrayed the
people from the Commonwealth so badly back in 1973, yet they had no
right to come here. It is all about getting back control. I know
that that sounds like a cliché, but it is what we are doing—taking
back control of our own country...
(East Antrim)
(DUP):...The Government have had very good contacts with
the Irish Republic because there are issues between
the Republic of Ireland and Northern
Ireland...
Mr (North Shropshire)
(Con):...There are wonderful opportunities out there in
the three main areas for which I have had ministerial
responsibility. First, on Northern Ireland, I bitterly resent the
comments about this damaging the peace process. We have, and will
continue to have, the very best relations with
the Republic of Ireland, and we will respect
the common travel area and all that is good, but we need to revive
the economy of Northern Ireland...
(Ynys Môn)
(Lab):...On the vital
link between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, I was pleased by the
announcements of the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for
Exiting the European Union about the common travel area, because my
constituency is Ireland’s gateway to the United Kingdom. The plan
that we have heard so far quite rightly talks about the importance
of the hard border with the north of Ireland, and it is essential,
for reasons already given, that there is an agreement between the
Republic and the north of Ireland. In addition, there is the porous
border between Ireland and Wales, Scotland and, indeed, England
through the ports, and I want clarity from the Government about
what that will mean for the free movement of people, goods and
capital.
I also have an interest in energy. Our internal energy market is
vital for our security of supply. We have interconnectors between
the Republic of Ireland, the north of Ireland and
the rest of the United Kingdom, and I want the Government to make
a clear statement about the impact that that situation will have
on the negotiations...
