Extracts from Parliamentary Proceedings - March 14

Caroline Lucas (Brighton, Pavilion) (Green): Not everyone shares the Prime Minister’s enthusiasm for the imminent application of the EU-Canada agreement, not least because the comprehensive economic and trade agreement’s new investment court system still fails to address serious concerns about the investor-state dispute settlement process. Does she regard CETA as a blueprint for the trade deals that she thinks the Government can so easily agree, once the UK has left the EU? What reassurance can she give us about protecting key social and environmental standards and our public services if that is the case?

The Prime Minister: There is no blueprint. I have said consistently over the past seven months or so that we are not looking to adopt another country’s model for our relationship with the European Union. We will negotiate the deal that is right for the UK.

Dr Lisa Cameron (East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow) (SNP): The Prime Minister has welcomed the completion of the free trade agreements between the EU and Canada, and the pending free trade agreement between the EU and Japan. When it comes to the benefits of the single market and free trade, will the EU not be getting the full jammy doughnut while the UK will be left behind with nothing but an empty hole?

The Prime Minister: No. We will be negotiating free trade agreements with not just the EU, but other countries around the world. Crucially, other countries around the world are eager to work with us to negotiate free trade agreements. There are discussions with countries such as America, Australia, Mexico and India. We are already looking at the agreements that we can have as a United Kingdom outside the European Union.

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Extracts from Lords statement on the EU Council meeting

Baroness Smith of Basildon (Lab):...The Statement also refers to the EU’s free trade agreement with Canada, and the Prime Minister pressed for an agreement with Japan, because,

“these agreements will also lay the foundation for our continuing trading relationship with these countries as we leave the EU”.

Can I ask how? We will have to negotiate our own trade agreements and, given that the Prime Minister has indicated that she wants to take us out of the customs union, surely it follows that we will lose access to all trade agreements negotiated by the EU...

The Lord Privy Seal (Baroness Evans of Bowes Park) (Con):...On the questions about trade agreements with Canada and Japan, we believe that the EU continuing with them is important. We want to support them because we believe they will be crucial to our future bilateral relations with countries such as Canada and Japan. For instance, the CETA agreement estimates economic benefits to the UK of about £1.3 billion a year while we remain in the EU. We want to encourage British businesses to take advantage of their early relationships so that we can build on them. We think they will be able to help us in future in the relationships that we develop, and we are keen to keep momentum in relation to the Japanese agreement...

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Extract from Westminster Hall debate on Detention of Vulnerable Persons

Anne McLaughlin (Glasgow North East) (SNP):...The reason why we use the current system is definitely not effectiveness of outcome, given the much higher success rates in Sweden and Canada, and definitely not cost-effectiveness, so I am interested to hear the Minister’s explanation. Perhaps he can complete the following sentence in 15 words or fewer: “Well yes, Anne, it is the most expensive option, but it is worth it because…”. I tried, but he would not like my finished sentence and I do not like it either, so I ask him in all sincerity: why, when there are less expensive, more effective systems, do we not go for them as opposed to the system that we have?

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