argyrotsipi/train-dataset huggingface dataset:
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: Foreign Trade
William Peter Wragg (Conservative, Centre-right): Regrettably, is not the insurmountable blockage in this entire process the refusal of the EU to accept the UK as a sovereign nation and, therefore, its refusal to countenance a large-scale copy and paste of existing arrangements with the likes of Canada, South Korea and Japan to reach a mutually beneficial trading partnership?
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): I am sorry that the hon. Gentleman is disappointed to see me here today. I am always delighted to see him, and he will know that the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster needs no encouragement to come to the Dispatch Box. My right hon. Friend has come to update the House and appeared in front of Select Committees, and he is committed to doing so. I am here because he is unable to attend today I am not sure there was a question in the hon. Gentleman’s remarks, but I reassure him of my commitment to working with the Scottish Government to ensure the best possible outcome from these sets of negotiations. I have been changing the format of how that is done, and we have put more time into key areas such as fisheries, to ensure that the Scottish Government have everything they need to contribute. We must ensure that we work together, constructively, and get what our businesses and citizens need.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Laurence Anthony Robertson (Conservative, Centre-right): Given that the German constitutional court recently said that Germany does not have to follow rulings from the European Court of Justice if that goes against German interests, despite Germany being a member of the European Union, would it not be unreasonable to expect the United Kingdom to obey any rulings from the European Court of Justice, now that we are no longer a member of the European Union?
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes a good point. The German constitutional court decision emphasises the point that we are a sovereign equal, and the EU needs to accept that. That decision will obviously have implications for the EU to consider.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): The political declaration is not a treaty and there will be differences on both sides as to its interpretation. The point we have emphasised in the past few days is that the EU cannot be the referee in that.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: Agriculture
Selaine Rachel Saxby (Conservative, Centre-right): I have received a large number of emails from farmers and constituents in North Devon who are concerned about food standards once we leave the EU. Will my right hon. Friend assure me, and worried constituents, that we will retain our current food standards, and prevent the import of chlorinated chicken and other inferior food?
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: Agriculture
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): I refer my hon. Friend to the very good joint letter that was recently sent out by the Secretaries of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and for International Trade. In this we should be trusting the consumer—if people do not want to put their faith in Government, we should trust the consumer, and I think consumers want high-quality, fairly priced food, with high animal welfare standards.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): Of course we are working towards a deal on those issues, and many others. On some issues we very much feel that our interests are better served by having separate agreements. The key point is that we cannot keep negotiating for ever, and we must allow our businesses, farmers, and citizens time to implement the decisions taken. That is why we are now at this key stage and have to increase and escalate negotiations. We need to arrive at a deal soon.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Robert Alexander Courts (Conservative, Centre-right): The EU is insisting on level playing field guarantees, the extent of which are not seen in any similar agreements and to which no sovereign country could agree. Does the Minister agree that if we are to reach that mutually agreeable and profitable deal, the EU will have to stop cherry-picking?
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank my hon. Friend for that well put point. The EU’s proposals would bind us into EU law and impose controls over our domestic legal regimes, which cannot be acceptable. It is not in the political declaration and it is certainly not in any free trade agreement that I know of.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: Foreign Trade
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): The Government’s policy is that, over the medium to long term, our approach to Brexit will maximise the economic benefits to the United Kingdom. That needs to be our focus in not just our negotiations with the EU but the work we are doing on rest-of-world trade. There are massive benefits for every part of the UK from that, and that is what we should all be working together to achieve.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Scott Lloyd Benton (Conservative, Centre-right): The speculation regarding a possible extension of the transition period is concerning the residents of Blackpool, nearly 70% of whom voted to leave the European Union. Does my right hon. Friend agree that extending the transition period at this point would merely prolong the negotiations, prolong the uncertainty for businesses, and delay the moment at which we can finally gain back our control of our borders; and that none of those things are in the best long-term interests of the United Kingdom?
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Nicola Faye Richards (Conservative, Centre-right): We have heard that Germany thinks it can pick and choose which laws it complies with, yet Mr Barnier still expects us to be subordinate to EU laws. The Minister said that there will be implications for the EU. Does she agree that this not only undermines the negotiations but the EU project as a whole?
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): The judgment of that court clearly raises issues that are for the EU to consider, and not for me at the Dispatch Box. The key point that my hon. Friend outlines is that we are a sovereign equal in the negotiations. Once the EU accepts that and looks at the negotiations from that perspective, we can make some progress on those remaining tough issues.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): Many of the issues, including the protocol, will ultimately rest with the people of Northern Ireland through their elected representatives. However, for the reasons that I have already set out, we will not extend the transition period. We believe that it would not be in the interest of any part of the UK to do so. It would just prolong negotiations. Hon. Members on both sides of the House, including those who have recently joined, will know what that looks like, having seen what happened to this country over the past few years.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Joanna Mary Gideon (Conservative, Centre-right): The people of Stoke-on-Trent, who voted overwhelmingly for Brexit, expect the extension not to happen. A comprehensive free trade agreement could easily be agreed by both parties, without major difficulties, in the time available. Does my right hon. Friend agree that the EU must accept that the UK is an independent sovereign state and an equal partner in these negotiations?
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes some very good points. Yes, absolutely: we are a sovereign equal and the EU must accept that. She is also right to point out that we are not starting from scratch in these negotiations. There are many precedents being set and the asks we are making are extremely reasonable and are found in many other arrangements that the EU has with other nations.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): We are very aware of the asks of every sector in Scotland. I have been working with all the devolved Administrations to ensure that they are able to feed in. Indeed, those discussions have materially changed the shape of the negotiations. We will continue to do that. They know that I am committed to doing that. Many of the things we are asking for are in everyone’s interests. They are mutually beneficial things, so I remain optimistic.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: Foreign Trade
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): I can give my hon. Friend those assurances. We are obviously working very hard to deliver for that sector. It is a sector that was not well served—the whole of services were not well served—by our previous relationship with the EU. The asks that we are making with regard to financial services are in other agreements that the EU has, notably that with Japan, so we think it perfectly reasonable that they be extended to us.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: Government Operations
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the hon. Gentleman for his question. One of the areas that I look after in the Cabinet Office is our communications. We have had a complete overhaul involving every Government Department, including those for local government and for transport, which will be key to the sector that he raises, to improve our communications. Clearly, a lot of policy announcements are yet to happen because they are contingent on decisions that have been taken, but that structure is now in place. I make the commitment that the communications between all sectors and Government will be considerably better than what happened last year.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: Government Operations
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes an extremely good point. The City of London is not just vital to the UK’s economic recovery; it is also a key institution for many nations around the world. We must ensure its success, and I assure her that the Government are very focused on that.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): I thank the hon. Lady for her commitment to helping us deliver a good deal. The key aspect of why we cannot let these negotiations go on is that prolonged uncertainty. We believe that our asks are very reasonable. There are precedents set. They are upholding our rights in international law, and we will continue to ask for them. What is required is for the EU to understand that we are a sovereign equal in these negotiations, and I hope that that happens in the coming weeks.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: Foreign Trade
Julian Richard Smith (Conservative, Centre-right): I welcome the Minister’s comments on speed. We need to give people and businesses notice as soon as possible about the changes that they need to prepare for. On guidance, may I urge her to look at the fact that many businesses have not realised the consequences of coming out of the single market and the customs union? We can start preparing them for that reality. On the Northern Ireland protocol, there are businesses reporting to me that they are now moving jobs to the Republic. What progress has been made on implementing and discussing the checks and other measures that businesses will have to prepare for in Northern Ireland?
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: Macroeconomics
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): We will not be barrelling off a cliff edge. One of the reasons why we want to conclude the negotiations is to give people time to prepare for the end of the year. The hon. Gentleman is right to point to the fact that the situation we are in with covid has been grave. We need to ensure that our economies recover swiftly, and they will be helped not by perpetuating the uncertainty we saw over the last few years, but by enabling business to get on with it and using our finite resources to facilitate levelling up in the United Kingdom, not paying into an EU budget that we will never see any upside from.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): That and many other matters are why we want to increase the pace of negotiations. We will soon be able to talk about some of the operational aspects in respect of how we see our border working and many other issues that will be of interest to that sector. In preparation for that we have done a huge amount of work to ensure that we are talking to everyone we need to.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: Foreign Trade
Kieran John Mullan (Conservative, Centre-right): The reality is that a comprehensive free trade agreement, with all the benefits it could bring to both parties, is well within reach. Does my right hon. Friend agree that, rather than discussing an extension with Opposition parties, the EU should focus on securing a deal so that we can reach an agreement by the end of the year?
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): I do agree with my hon. Friend. It is vital that we get a move on with this; it is in the interests of the UK and the EU that we do so. The EU must accept that we are a sovereign equal in the negotiations; I think we will then make some progress. In fairness to the Opposition, even though they are campaigning on a transition period, they have not quite adopted that as their policy—I suspect because they know it would be crazy to extend it.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: Foreign Trade
Theresa Anne Villiers (Conservative, Centre-right): The nature of the trading relationship that the UK is now seeking with the EU means that, whatever the outcome of the negotiations, the formalities with which exporters will need to comply will change on 1 January. I urge the Government to step up engagement so that businesses large and small throughout the country are ready for the end of the transition period and all the formalities that will bring.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: Foreign Trade
Liam Fox (Conservative, Centre-right): No one would disagree with that sentiment. Post-covid, it will be essential to get the global trading system moving, and nothing could give greater confidence in that system than seeing a UK-EU trade agreement in place. To enable that to happen, the EU could give Britain a Canada-style agreement. Does my right hon Friend agree that the UK has a right to expect from the EU no less than what the UK itself agreed, as part of the EU, with Canada?
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: Foreign Trade
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend makes a very good point, which I agree with wholeheartedly. He is also right to put the focus on rest-of-world trade. Clearly, many decisions that will be taken in the negotiations and the workstreams going into implementing the withdrawal agreement are linked to our ambitions with rest-of-world trade. We must always remember that while the EU side of things is clearly a priority for many in this House, we ought also to be talking about the opportunities that exist with other nations around the world.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: Macroeconomics
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): Our civil servants have been working on the personnel, training and recruitment aspects of this, and on the many other aspects that will need to be put in place. There are regular updates on readiness with our partners and with the devolved nations. I am leading on that aspect. Where there are additional costs to be borne, there is work that needs to be done, and the Treasury is aware of that fact. I am personally keen to see that where we are making investments, whether in personnel or in additional facilities that need to be created, we are also looking at the economic opportunities that will come with that for particular areas. I know that the Treasury is very keen on that, too.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Cheryl Elise Kendall Gillan (Conservative, Centre-right): With both sides being confident that a deal can take place by the end of year, the EU ratification process means that, in practical terms, agreement probably needs to be reached by the end of October. Ratification in the UK can take place relatively quickly. What guarantees has the Minister received from Michel Barnier that the EU will not allow a deal to fall because of the time it would take to complete the complex EU ratification processes?
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): All sides are very aware of the timetable we have to operate in, which is why we want to increase the pace of discussions and focus on those remaining tough issues, but we will not extend the negotiations. We are determined to ensure that any ratification or other practical measures needed can be done by the end of the year. That is critical and the reason we want to conclude the negotiations swiftly.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: Foreign Trade
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): The best way to protect the Belfast/Good Friday agreement and to implement the protocol is to take a pragmatic approach that always has at its forefront jobs and the economy in Northern Ireland. That is why it is our policy that there should be no new procedures, no new customs infrastructure and no tariffs on internal UK trade, and that remains our policy.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
James Oliver Wild (Conservative, Centre-right): Does my right hon. Friend agree that even the five months that Monsieur Barnier talked about on Friday for finalising legal texts on an agreement on the level playing field, fisheries and other matters is possible, provided that the agreement reflects the fact that we have left the EU? Is not what is needed here the flexibility in the EU mandate that we saw when the Prime Minister successfully renegotiated the withdrawal agreement?
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): No, that is not the strategy. The strategy is to escalate the pace of the negotiations, which the EU is aware is required, and make progress. As I say, in the latest rounds last week we had very constructive discussions on all workstreams, but there remain areas we need to focus on in the coming days and weeks. That is what we need to do. It is in everyone’s interests—not just ours in the UK, but the EU’s—that we secure this deal, and I remain confident that we will get there.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): All that seeking an extension would do is to prolong negotiations. We need to conclude the negotiations and get a good outcome. Not pushing deadlines out will help do that. Then we need to give our citizens and our businesses time to prepare; time to socialise them with the new border operations. That is our plan; that is what is going to happen. All that extending the transition process would do is push negotiations out. We would be back to where the British people do not want to be—to uncertainty and chaos. They want clarity. They want to get a move on and they want to maximise the benefits of being outside the EU.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend makes a very good point. It is not just that we have been in this partnership with the EU but the fact that its arrangements with other nations set the parameters for many of the things that we are discussing. This is perfectly doable. It is just a matter of good will and focus, but there is good will, and there is increasing focus.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): It would be prudent and wise for us to prepare for every scenario, just as we have always done. We did so last year and then did not need to implement those preparations. I am confident that we can not only come to an agreement but do so in a timeframe that gives people the time that they need to prepare and to understand. We are very aware of the other things that are going on in the world that form the backdrop to that. Our approach is going to be achingly pragmatic.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Stephen Crabb (Conservative, Centre-right): The EU says repeatedly that it accepts the fact of Brexit, yet its entire negotiating strategy seems to be geared to keeping the UK squarely in the legal and regulatory orbit of the EU. Does my right hon. Friend agree that unlocking the deal will require flexibility and good will but also fundamentally requires the EU to be realistic and honest about the path that the UK has chosen?
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): My right hon. Friend makes very good points. The EU needs to recognise that we are now a sovereign equal and negotiate with us on that basis. There are massive opportunities from us coming to a deal. The EU will be aware of those opportunities, and I hope that we can get the focus that we need to resolve the remaining issues and get a move on for their Union and ours too.
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: International Affairs
Stephen James Metcalfe (Conservative, Centre-right): As we begin to recover from the coronavirus, while a deal would be very welcome, does my right hon. Friend agree that the UK needs as much flexibility as possible to help rebuild our economy and communities, and that remaining bound by EU law during this time would not allow us to do that?
Future Relationship with the EU — House of Commons, 2020-06-09
Topic: Foreign Trade
Penelope Mary Mordaunt (Conservative, Centre-right): My hon. Friend is absolutely right; we have left the EU. At the end of this year, we will be a fully independent and sovereign nation. Our interests are best served by having that flexibility with rest-of-the-world trade and with the choices we make about our trading arrangements with others, as well as the EU. That is the basis of our negotiating position and it is one that we will hold to.