It is not a question of difficulty; it is a question of how we have decided to approach dealing with this in a legislative manner. The intention is that the present Bill will legislate for legal certainty whether there is or is not a withdrawal agreement. In the event of a withdrawal agreement, we will legislate to ensure that in the withdrawal agreement and implementation Bill the terms of the present Bill will be brought into line with the terms of the withdrawal agreement in order that we can discharge our international legal obligations. We have consistently pointed out that that is the approach being taken to legislation in this context. It is really quite inconceivable to suppose that the Government are going to enter into a withdrawal agreement and then not implement that international legal obligation in our domestic law. That is the intention. It is simply a question of the order in which these things are being done, and it has always been maintained, and will be maintained, that it is not for this Bill to deal with the eventuality or the prospect of the implementation period.
European Union (Withdrawal) Bill
Proceeding contribution from
Lord Keen of Elie
(Conservative)
in the House of Lords on Wednesday, 28 March 2018.
It occurred during Committee of the Whole House (HL)
and
Debate on bills on European Union (Withdrawal) Bill.
About this proceeding contribution
Reference
790 c868 Session
2017-19Chamber / Committee
House of Lords chamberLibrarians' tools
Timestamp
2018-04-03 16:34:47 +0100
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