UK Parliament / Open data

European Union (Withdrawal) Bill

Debate on bills on Wednesday, 17 January 2018, in the House of Commons, led by David Davis. The answering member was Keir Starmer.
Report stage second day. New clause 1, discussed with new clauses 2 to 6, 10 to 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20-22, new schedule 1, and amendments. Negatived on division (305 to 318). New clause 6 negatived on division (298 to 322). New clause 11 negatived on division (301 to 320). New clause 12 negatived on division (301 to 318). New clause 17 negatived on division (301 to 320). Amendment 2 to clause 7 negatived on division (302 to 318). Some amendments made. Amendment 59 to clause 9 negatived on division (99 to 322). Amendment 1 to clause 14 negatived on division (302 to 321). Third reading. Queen's consent signified. Amendment negatived on division (295 to 322). Main question agreed to on division (324 to 295). Bill read the third time and passed.

About these Parliamentary proceedings

Reference

634 cc893-1011 

Session

2017-19

Legislative stage

Third reading and Report stage

Chamber / Committee

House of Commons chamber
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill 2017-19. As amended in Committee.
Thursday, 21 December 2017
Bills
House of Commons

Proceeding contributions

Matthew Pennycook | 634 c893 (Link to this contribution)

I beg to move, That the clause be read a Second time.

John Bercow | 634 cc893-906 (Link to this contribution)

With this it will be convenient to discuss the following:

New clause 2—Meaning of Withdrawa...


Show all contributions (172)
Matthew Pennycook | 634 cc906-7 (Link to this contribution)

I rise to speak to new clause 1 and amendments 2 and 1, which stand in my name and those of my ri...

Melanie Onn | 634 c907 (Link to this contribution)

Is it not the case that workers’ rights have no privileged status under the Bill? Once the Bill b...

Matthew Pennycook | 634 cc907-8 (Link to this contribution)

That is absolutely true. The Government would be able to do that by using subordinate legislation...

Chris Stephens | 634 c908 (Link to this contribution)

Is it not important for the public to be reassured about workers’ rights, given reports in the me...

Matthew Pennycook | 634 cc908-9 (Link to this contribution)

I think most of our constituents assume that the guarantees that they currently enjoy will contin...

Melanie Onn | 634 c909 (Link to this contribution)

I thank my hon. Friend for being so generous with his time. There are many cases, such as Marshal...

Matthew Pennycook | 634 c909 (Link to this contribution)

After the transitional period, the ECJ would not be the adjudicator. That would be dealt with as ...

William Cash | 634 c909 (Link to this contribution)

I hope shortly to be able to make a brief speech on that very subject, dealing with the question ...

Matthew Pennycook | 634 c910 (Link to this contribution)

I am not sure that that warranted an intervention, but I await the hon. Gentleman’s contribution ...

Geraint Davies | 634 c910 (Link to this contribution)

Further to the point made by my hon. Friend the Member for Great Grimsby (Melanie Onn), does my h...

Matthew Pennycook | 634 c910 (Link to this contribution)

I certainly believe that, when it is appropriate and when the country will derive benefit, we sho...

Chuka Umunna | 634 c910 (Link to this contribution)

With regard to the issue of transition or implementation, as the Government call it, does my hon....

Matthew Pennycook | 634 cc910-1 (Link to this contribution)

I absolutely agree; and the unpicking of, or wheeling back from, some of the progress we felt had...

Peter Grant | 634 c911 (Link to this contribution)

The hon. Gentleman just used the phrase “legal certainty” in referring to our departure from the ...

Matthew Pennycook | 634 c911 (Link to this contribution)

The hon. Gentleman tempts me down an avenue that has nothing to do with the point I am making, wh...

Dominic Grieve | 634 c911 (Link to this contribution)

I think that is a virtual certainty in any event. On the basis of the Bill that the Government ha...

Matthew Pennycook | 634 cc911-2 (Link to this contribution)

I agree, but what I would say—and why I would urge Members to support this amendment—is that it n...

Lord Clarke of Nottingham | 634 cc912-3 (Link to this contribution)

I am glad to see my right hon. Friend the Member for New Forest West (Sir Desmond Swayne) in his ...

Lord Clarke of Nottingham | 634 c913 (Link to this contribution)

As I have mentioned the SNP, I will give way to the hon. Gentleman.

Peter Grant | 634 c913 (Link to this contribution)

Clearly, any forecast or projection is going to be approximate, and I do not think that anyone is...

Lord Clarke of Nottingham | 634 c913 (Link to this contribution)

I shall turn to that in a moment, but I agree with the hon. Gentleman entirely. I was not making ...

Stephen Doughty | 634 c913 (Link to this contribution)

Will the right hon. and learned Gentleman give way?

Lord Clarke of Nottingham | 634 c913 (Link to this contribution)

I would like to move on. I was merely making a passing remark about the unwisdom of trying to put...

Stephen Doughty | 634 cc913-4 (Link to this contribution)

I am grateful to the right hon. and learned Gentleman. I wonder, given that he is talking about t...

Lord Clarke of Nottingham | 634 c914 (Link to this contribution)

I agree with that second point strongly, and I will consider the implications of the quote.

William Cash | 634 c914 (Link to this contribution)

In his assessment, has my right hon. and learned Friend taken into account the fact that services...

Lord Clarke of Nottingham | 634 cc914-5 (Link to this contribution)

I entirely agree with my hon. Friend’s first point. For as long as I can remember, it has been th...

Lord Clarke of Nottingham | 634 c915 (Link to this contribution)

My hon. Friend and I have been debating the subject for so long, and I think it would be unwise f...

Tom Brake | 634 c915 (Link to this contribution)

I want to ask the right hon. and learned Gentleman about the assessment of impact. I think that i...

Lord Clarke of Nottingham | 634 c916 (Link to this contribution)

The points I hoped to make in my speech are being put to me by others, which may have the welcome...

John Redwood | 634 c916 (Link to this contribution)

My right hon. and learned Friend has not given us many numbers so far, and the one he has given u...

Lord Clarke of Nottingham | 634 c916 (Link to this contribution)

My defence is that I did not use any of those arguments in the campaigning I took part in during ...

Geraint Davies | 634 c917 (Link to this contribution)

Does the right hon. and learned Gentleman accept that we are less likely to catch up with the Ger...

Lord Clarke of Nottingham | 634 cc917-8 (Link to this contribution)

That is possible. The idea that the Germans find membership of the European Union a disadvantage ...

Justine Greening | 634 c918 (Link to this contribution)

My right hon. and learned Friend has made a very important point. I represent a very young consti...

Lord Clarke of Nottingham | 634 cc918-9 (Link to this contribution)

I entirely agree with my right hon. Friend on that. One extraordinary thing about the division of...

Anna Soubry | 634 c920 (Link to this contribution)

As ever, my right hon. and learned Friend is making an exceptionally important speech and doing s...

Lord Clarke of Nottingham | 634 cc920-1 (Link to this contribution)

My right hon. Friend and I have many friends in common. I am delighted that she went over to see ...

John Bercow | 634 c921 (Link to this contribution)

Has the right hon. and learned Gentleman concluded his speech?

Lord Clarke of Nottingham | 634 c921 (Link to this contribution)

I have, and everybody still seems to be awake!

John Bercow | 634 c921 (Link to this contribution)

Everybody is awake; we have been listening to the right hon. and learned Gentleman with rapt atte...

Chris Leslie | 634 c921 (Link to this contribution)

I congratulate the right hon. and learned Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke) on warming up the deb...

Chris Leslie | 634 c921 (Link to this contribution)

Don’t say “Hear, hear” in that way.

New clause 5 addresses a massive topic. It simply says,...

Chris Leslie | 634 c921 (Link to this contribution)

I do not have much time to go into new clause 5 and I shall try not to take too many intervention...

Hilary Benn | 634 c921 (Link to this contribution)

Does my hon. Friend agree that on the question of services, never mind goods, this is probably go...

Chris Leslie | 634 c922 (Link to this contribution)

Absolutely; I could not have put it better myself. We currently have, in the shape of the single ...

Dominic Grieve | 634 c922 (Link to this contribution)

The issue of the withdrawal agreement was supposed to be resolved last December, as part of phase...

Chris Leslie | 634 cc922-3 (Link to this contribution)

That is absolutely right, and the right hon. and learned Gentleman neatly and helpfully moves me ...

Lady Hermon | 634 c923 (Link to this contribution)

Is not it essential that at some stage in these Brexit negotiations the Government legislate to p...

Chris Leslie | 634 c923 (Link to this contribution)

I believe that that is essential. I completely agree with the hon. Lady, which was why I took the...

Ian Murray | 634 c923 (Link to this contribution)

My hon. Friend has spoken about the island of Ireland on many occasions during our scrutiny of th...

Chris Leslie | 634 c923 (Link to this contribution)

That is indeed the case, but the Prime Minister said, “Oh no, that’s a red line.” The difficulty ...

Stephen Doughty | 634 c923 (Link to this contribution)

My hon. Friend is obviously making some absolutely excellent points, but the crucial thing is how...

Chris Leslie | 634 c924 (Link to this contribution)

I did indeed see that. Think of all the distorting arrangements that will pop up.

Chris Leslie | 634 cc924-5 (Link to this contribution)

If the hon. Gentleman will allow me, I must make some progress, because I have to talk about new ...

Liz Kendall | 634 c925 (Link to this contribution)

On that point in particular, does my hon. Friend agree that all the new clauses and amendments ar...

Chris Leslie | 634 c925 (Link to this contribution)

My hon. Friend is absolutely correct. It is important that our constituents know that nothing is ...

Chris Leslie | 634 cc925-6 (Link to this contribution)

It might be my intention to give way to the hon. Gentleman, but I might change my mind by the tim...

William Cash | 634 c926 (Link to this contribution)

I just thought that I would draw the hon. Gentleman’s attention to the European Union (Notificati...

Chris Leslie | 634 c926 (Link to this contribution)

No Parliament can bind its successor, and that Act was passed in a different Parliament. It may n...

Robert Neill | 634 cc926-7 (Link to this contribution)

There will be a change of tone, because the speeches so far have been understandably wide ranging...

Steve Baker | 634 c927 (Link to this contribution)

My hon. Friend gives us a salutary reminder that it is important that we make all the appropriate...

Robert Neill | 634 c927 (Link to this contribution)

I am very grateful to the Minister for that helpful intervention. I am conscious, as I said, that...

John Bercow | 634 c928 (Link to this contribution)

Order. A considerable number of Members are seeking to catch my eye, and colleagues will be consc...

Peter Grant | 634 cc928-930 (Link to this contribution)

With the consent of the House, I rise to speak to amendment 59 in the name of my right hon. Frien...

Angus Brendan MacNeil | 634 c930 (Link to this contribution)

I have found some media chat saying that the Scottish Government’s analysis of staying in the sin...

Peter Grant | 634 cc930-1 (Link to this contribution)

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for that intervention, but I should put it on the record that I d...

John Hayes | 634 c931 (Link to this contribution)

Since the hon. Gentleman raises public trust and legitimacy, would he acknowledge that the extens...

Peter Grant | 634 c932 (Link to this contribution)

For the avoidance of doubt, I will repeat what I have said in this place before: I think we have ...

Angus Brendan MacNeil | 634 c932 (Link to this contribution)

My hon. Friend talks about the principal Opposition party—by number, that is. Is he aware that in...

Peter Grant | 634 c933 (Link to this contribution)

As I said, I have been disappointed in the performance of the official Opposition up until now. I...

William Cash | 634 cc933-4 (Link to this contribution)

The European Scrutiny Committee, of which I have the honour to be Chairman, has been holding inqu...

David Jones | 634 c934 (Link to this contribution)

Lord Neuberger, who is the former President of the Supreme Court, has also expressed concern abou...

William Cash | 634 c934 (Link to this contribution)

I am indeed. I am grateful to my right hon. Friend, who also serves on the European Scrutiny Comm...

Steve Baker | 634 c934 (Link to this contribution)

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for the case that he has made. The Government are well apprised o...

John Bercow | 634 c934 (Link to this contribution)

Order. Before the hon. Gentleman continues, I had—I will not say revelled in the expectation, but...

William Cash | 634 c934 (Link to this contribution)

I was completing my speech by inviting the intervention that my hon. Friend is now making.

John Bercow | 634 c935 (Link to this contribution)

That is a moderately eccentric way in which to proceed, but we will allow a brief intervention—an...

Steve Baker | 634 c935 (Link to this contribution)

That is why in the Bill we treat retained direct EU legislation as primary legislation for the pu...

William Cash | 634 c935 (Link to this contribution)

I am most grateful to my hon. Friend for his response. May I simply say that these are issues of ...

Tom Brake | 634 cc935-7 (Link to this contribution)

It is always a pleasure to be in the Chamber to hear the right hon. and learned Member for Rushcl...

John Bercow | 634 c936 (Link to this contribution)

Order. On my reckoning, about 12 people want to speak. I advise the House that it is reasonable f...

Dominic Grieve | 634 cc936-9 (Link to this contribution)

Thank you, Mr Speaker. I shall endeavour to practise courtesy by act rather than by anything else...

William Cash | 634 c939 (Link to this contribution)

In his discussions with Mr Barnier, did my right hon. and learned Friend gain any impression that...

Dominic Grieve | 634 cc939-940 (Link to this contribution)

I am not sure I entirely agree. I do not think that Mr Barnier has ever suggested that the United...

Christine Jardine | 634 c940 (Link to this contribution)

Does the right hon. and learned Gentleman agree that this constitutional danger is heightened by ...

Dominic Grieve | 634 c940 (Link to this contribution)

I am afraid that I disagree entirely—far from noticing any such thing, I have noticed the very re...

Christine Jardine | 634 c940 (Link to this contribution)

I think that the right hon. and learned Gentleman might have misunderstood what I meant, which is...

Dominic Grieve | 634 c940 (Link to this contribution)

I am afraid that I disagree. My Scottish colleagues have been behaving with extraordinary good se...

Yvette Cooper | 634 cc940-2 (Link to this contribution)

I rise to speak to amendment 10, which stands in my name and those of colleagues across the House...

Catherine West | 634 c942 (Link to this contribution)

I thank my right hon. Friend for giving way in this tight debate. The negotiation before Christma...

Yvette Cooper | 634 cc942-3 (Link to this contribution)

My hon. Friend is right. It is immensely important that we get these decisions right. I have prop...

John Bercow | 634 c943 (Link to this contribution)

Order. I think there are still about 10 if not 11 Members seeking to catch my eye. If each Member...

Derek Thomas | 634 cc943-4 (Link to this contribution)

Thank you, Mr Speaker; I will keep my comments brief. I rise to oppose new clause 2 for the follo...

Anna Soubry | 634 c944 (Link to this contribution)

I know my hon. Friend loves his part of our great country, but has he asked businesses throughout...

Derek Thomas | 634 c944 (Link to this contribution)

I think I welcome that intervention. I hear what my right hon. Friend says, and it is true that, ...

John Bercow | 634 c944 (Link to this contribution)

Order. The pressure for brevity is growing. I call Mr Ian Murray.

Ian Murray | 634 c945 (Link to this contribution)

I will be brief, Mr Speaker. I rise to speak to new clause 17, on which I intend to test the will...

John Bercow | 634 c945 (Link to this contribution)

Has the hon. Gentleman completed his speech?

John Bercow | 634 c945 (Link to this contribution)

We are grateful to him. I call Chuka Umunna.

Chuka Umunna | 634 cc945-6 (Link to this contribution)

I will be as brief as I can. I rise to speak in support of new clause 6 on the legal standing of ...

Dominic Grieve | 634 c946 (Link to this contribution)

It is abundantly clear that the matter has not been determined by the Supreme Court. The Governme...

Chuka Umunna | 634 cc946-7 (Link to this contribution)

The right hon. and learned Gentleman is quite right.

The Brexit Minister in the House of Lo...

Mary Creagh | 634 c947 (Link to this contribution)

New clause 12, which stands in my name and those of a number of other Members, seeks to guarantee...

Jim Cunningham | 634 c947 (Link to this contribution)

What my hon. Friend has said is important for another reason. Environmental protection means deve...

Mary Creagh | 634 cc947-8 (Link to this contribution)

Absolutely. I was thrilled to learn that the electric black cab is being made in Coventry. It is ...

Caroline Lucas | 634 cc948-9 (Link to this contribution)

Time is short so I shall make just two brief comments.

First, I support amendment 59 and th...

Stephen Doughty | 634 cc949-950 (Link to this contribution)

I shall speak to new clause 20 in my name and those of other Members, and I also want to express ...

Liz Kendall | 634 c950 (Link to this contribution)

I have been a long-standing champion of citizens juries. In fact, I wrote the first book on the c...

Stephen Doughty | 634 c950 (Link to this contribution)

I absolutely agree with my hon. Friend. I was not aware of her historical involvement in this mat...

John Bercow | 634 c950 (Link to this contribution)

Order. A lot of people still want to speak, and there is very little time for them to do so. A th...

Karin Smyth | 634 c951 (Link to this contribution)

I rise to speak as the vice-chair of the British-Irish Parliamentary Assembly and the all-party p...

Geraint Davies | 634 cc951-2 (Link to this contribution)

This Bill is essentially about cutting and pasting the laws, protections and rights of the EU int...

John Bercow | 634 c952 (Link to this contribution)

Order. My gratitude to the hon. Gentleman is almost infinite, but I think he is concluding his pe...

Geraint Davies | 634 c952 (Link to this contribution)

I am. I urge people to support new clause 14.

Tommy Sheppard | 634 cc952-3 (Link to this contribution)

Given the shortage of time, I will confine my remarks to amendment 59.

I find it almost unb...

John Bercow | 634 c953 (Link to this contribution)

Order. The Minister must be called no later than 10 past 4. Colleagues can work things out for th...

Matt Western | 634 c953 (Link to this contribution)

I wish to speak to new clause 17. We have learned several things in recent weeks. First, that the...

Ruth Cadbury | 634 c954 (Link to this contribution)

I would rather be speaking on whether or not we should be leaving the EU. The more I hear, the mo...

John Bercow | 634 c954 (Link to this contribution)

To speak very briefly, for 20 seconds, I call Chris Stephens.

Chris Stephens | 634 c954 (Link to this contribution)

I hope the Government will consider workplace protections in the Bill, because many of us do not ...

John Bercow | 634 c954 (Link to this contribution)

Very well done. I am immensely grateful to the hon. Gentleman, who was even briefer than I expect...

Steve Baker | 634 cc955-6 (Link to this contribution)

This has been a full and vibrant debate, with many excellent contributions and memorable moments,...

Oliver Letwin | 634 c956 (Link to this contribution)

After the sifting committee has received an explanatory statement and before it makes a sift, wil...

Steve Baker | 634 c956 (Link to this contribution)

I very much hope that the committee will be able to understand things through our meeting the req...

Steve Baker | 634 c957 (Link to this contribution)

Will the hon. Lady allow me to make my points? I think I am going to be able to satisfy her, but ...

Lady Hermon | 634 c957 (Link to this contribution)

I am grateful to the Minister for giving way. I am delighted that he has confirmed that there wil...

Steve Baker | 634 c957 (Link to this contribution)

I remember our previous conversation about the general principles, which have been widely discuss...

Lord Clarke of Nottingham | 634 c958 (Link to this contribution)

Well, would my hon. Friend give way? [Laughter.]

John Bercow | 634 c958 (Link to this contribution)

The Minister is hearing voices!

Lord Clarke of Nottingham | 634 c958 (Link to this contribution)

Voices of inspiration, I trust.

My hon. Friend mentioned the withdrawal Bill several times....

Steve Baker | 634 cc958-9 (Link to this contribution)

The situation is set out in detail in the written ministerial statement that we laid. Both Houses...

Dominic Grieve | 634 c959 (Link to this contribution)

May I take the Minister back to clause 7 and thank him very much for the approach that he took in...

Steve Baker | 634 cc959-960 (Link to this contribution)

I am extremely grateful to my right hon. and learned Friend, and pay tribute to him. Although I h...

Chris Stephens | 634 c960 (Link to this contribution)

Will the Minister confirm that the Government intend to keep in place the equal treatment directi...

Steve Baker | 634 cc960-1 (Link to this contribution)

My first point is that that will be incorporated into our legislation. The purpose of the Bill is...

John Bercow | 634 c966 (Link to this contribution)

I call Tom Brake to move new clause 11 formally.

John Bercow | 634 c1002 (Link to this contribution)

I inform the House that I have selected the amendment in the name of the leader of the Scottish N...

David Davis | 634 cc1002-4 (Link to this contribution)

I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time. Taking a leaf out of the Liberal Democra...

David Davis | 634 c1004 (Link to this contribution)

If you forgive me, Mr Speaker, I am going to do two things I have never done before: not take int...

Jonathan Edwards | 634 c1004 (Link to this contribution)

Will the Secretary of State give way?

David Davis | 634 cc1004-5 (Link to this contribution)

No, I will not.

We are committed to achieving legislative consent for this vital piece of l...

Keir Starmer | 634 cc1005-8 (Link to this contribution)

This Bill has never been fit for purpose. It was not fit for purpose when it started its life las...

William Cash | 634 c1008 (Link to this contribution)

In brief, this Bill, with clause 1, which says that we are repealing the European Communities Act...

Ian Blackford | 634 cc1008-1010 (Link to this contribution)

I beg to move an amendment, to leave out from “That” to the end of the Question and add:

“t...

Edward Leigh | 634 c1010 (Link to this contribution)

The shadow Secretary of State said that this Bill is not fit for purpose, and I agree with him. I...

Hilary Benn | 634 cc1010-1 (Link to this contribution)

This Bill is necessary but, as my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Holborn and St Pan...

Anna Soubry | 634 c1011 (Link to this contribution)

My right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr Grieve) will go down in the hist...

Liz Saville Roberts | 634 c1011 (Link to this contribution)

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I seek your advice on how to inform the House of some breaking n...

John Bercow | 634 c1011 (Link to this contribution)

Whether it is a matter of great constitutional significance is not for me to say. It is, however,...

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