Asked by Lord Lennie To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are
their objectives for the Brexit transition period. The Minister of
State, Department for Exiting the European Union (Lord Callanan)
(Con) My Lords, both the UK and the EU are in agreement that
a strictly time-limited period would be mutually beneficial. An
implementation period forms a...Request free trial
Asked by
-
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are their objectives
for the Brexit transition period.
-
The Minister of State, Department for Exiting the European
Union (Lord Callanan) (Con)
My Lords, both the UK and the EU are in agreement that a
strictly time-limited period would be mutually beneficial.
An implementation period forms a key part of a smooth and
orderly exit from the EU. It would provide time for
government, people and businesses to adjust to the new
arrangements and prevent businesses in both the UK and
Europe having to make decisions before they know the shape
of our future partnerships.
-
(Lab)
This not a bridge to a clear destination but a gangplank to
thin air—I think that was the quote. Secretary of State
said in evidence to the
Lords European Union Committee this week that during
transition things would not be exactly the same but very,
very similar to what they are now. Will the Minister
explain to the House what the very, very similar
differences are that we can expect during the transition
period?
-
The two main differences, and the reason that we need to
construct an implementation period are, first, the ability
for us to sign and agree trade deals with third countries,
and, secondly, to agree and sign a trade deal with the EU,
which is legally impossible as long as we are a member.
-
(Con)
My Lords, I hate to say it but my noble friend continues to
refer to this period as an “implementation period”. For
there to be an implementation period there needs to be a
treaty to implement. Under my reading of Article 50, it is
impossible for us to negotiate a treaty during the process
of Article 50. We can conclude that only after March 2019.
Does my noble friend agree that that is the case and that
we should stop using the phrase “implementation period”? It
is a transition during which we will negotiate the final
treaty.
-
I thank my noble friend for his helpful question. As he
well knows, Article 50 makes it clear that the withdrawal
agreement needs to take account of the future relationship
so that we will know the terms of our new partnership with
the EU by the time of our exit. This is the basis on which
we have to work.
-
(LD)
My Lords, given that the Government do not have a clue
where they are going, would it not be a lot less dangerous
to seek to extend Article 50 and stay longer in the EU
instead of sticking to a dogmatic target exit date? That
would allow both Parliament and the people to take control
and shape all stages of Brexit negotiations, including
withdrawal, transition, implementation and any future
relationships—giving them, of course, the choice of remain,
which is the best.
-
The Liberals have obviously forgotten all about the
referendum, but we will put that to one side. As an
ex-member of the European Parliament, the noble Baroness
will know that it is obviously illegal for the EU to sign
trade deals with a country that is still a member. We need
to be a third-party country, and we need also during the
period to have the ability to agree and sign trade deals
with other countries. That is why we need an implementation
period. Article 50 says that we will leave the EU on 29
March next year. That is what will happen.
-
(CB)
My Lords, will the Minister say what will happen if the
period chosen by the EU and ourselves for the standstill
period turns out to be insufficient for the negotiation of
all the details and the implementation of the new
partnership? Will that not simply postpone the cliff edge
by 19 months or two years, and will it not then subject
business to two wrenching changes, where one is the maximum
that should be even thought about?
-
The reason that we are doing this is to have one set of
changes. I totally agree with the noble Lord. It is very
important that this period is strictly time limited, and
both we and the EU agree that roughly two years is the
appropriate period.
-
(Lab)
My Lords, what part of the Question, “What are their
objectives?”, does the Minister not understand? He has
signally failed to answer the Question about the objectives
of the Government. Would he agree with me that deliberately
to continue not to give an account to Parliament of the
objectives that we are supposed to be supporting the
Government in is in fact a breach of the House’s right and
amounts to a gross contempt of Parliament?
-
The Question was about the objectives of the implementation
period, which I think I answered fully. If the noble Lord
is referring to the objectives of the renegotiation, the
Prime Minister set those out very clearly in her Florence
speech and in her Lancaster House speech.
-
(Lab)
My Lords, I do have to press the Minister on this point. He
referred again to the implementation period. The Question
is more accurately about the transition period. I think
that is understood by noble Lords. What are the
Government’s objectives? The Prime Minister was quite clear
previously when she said that access to one another’s
markets will continue on the current terms, maintaining on
current terms the customs union and single market, and that
we will also continue to take part in existing security
measures. Can he confirm that those are still the
Government’s intentions and objectives for the transition
period?
-
Yes. The Question was, “What are their objectives for the
Brexit transition period?”. I answered what our objectives
for the Brexit transition period were. The noble Lord then
asked me about the wider renegotiation objectives, and I
answered that—but of course the policy remains as set out by
the Prime Minister.
-
(Con)
If we are leaving the single market and the customs union, as
we have been consistently told by the Prime Minister that we
are, at 11 pm on 29 March, how can we carry on trading on the
same conditions as we currently do?
-
We are leaving the single market and the customs union on 29
March last year—I mean next year; I will have to do better in
my speech later. That remains the position, but we have said
that if we can negotiate an implementation period, then in
the withdrawal agreement which will be put before your
Lordships later this year, we will replicate the provisions
of our current membership. So we will be out of it but we
will replicate the provisions in an identical way for a
strictly time-limited implementation period.
|
