Topical Questions — House of Commons, 2017-03-09
Topic: Foreign Trade
Questions: Businesses and individuals in my constituency are eager to see the greatest degree of certainty possible about the Brexit process. Does my right hon. Friend share my concern that amendment 3 to the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill passed in the other place risks adding further uncertainty and further complexity—the exact opposite of what my constituents want?; In response to the question from my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Holborn and St Pancras (Keir Starmer), the Secretary of State implied that there was some difference between frictionless trade arrangements and tariff and barrier-free arrangements. What exactly are those differences?; The Secretary of State will be aware that the principle of consent was the cornerstone of our Good Friday agreement and settlement in Northern Ireland. What assessment has he made of the Taoiseach’s comments recently in Brussels when he said that that consent principle would have to be embedded in any future agreement between the UK and the EU?; Last week the all-party parliamentary group on Africa, which I chair, published its report on relations with Africa post-Brexit. A recent delegation highlighted the opportunities of Brexit but also the uncertainty over the relationship with the UK and between the European Union and Africa. May I urge the Minister and the Secretary of State to read the report and ensure that our exiting of the European Union supports positive relations with Africa?; Given that yesterday was International Women’s Day, can the Secretary of State tell us whether his discussions in Europe have brought us any closer to seeing an end, finally, to the tampon tax?; The manufacturers’ organisation EEF last week highlighted the difficulties that manufacturers are having in filling skilled engineering posts. Manufacturers warn that if the situation is not to get worse post-Brexit, they will need the flexibility to employ and deploy people across Europe. What consideration has the Secretary of State given to the representations from EEF, and what reassurance can he give?; The success of our economy is riding on the successful negotiation of our exit from the European Union, but the former Chancellor, the right hon. Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne), has told the House: “the Government have chosen…not to make the economy the priority”.—[Official Report, 1 February 2017; Vol. 620, c. 1034.]He was right, was he not?; In the north-east, the voluntary sector relies heavily on the European Social Fund to carry out its fantastic work. As the region receives the highest per-head funding from the ESF, how will the Minister address the sector’s concerns about funding post-Brexit?; Last Thursday, the leader of the Secretary of State’s party in Scotland described the transfer of control over farm subsidies as a “power grab”, and I do not think she meant that in a good way. Will he put her mind at rest and simply confirm that Scottish fishing and Scottish agriculture will be governed in Scotland after Brexit?
David Michael Davis (Conservative, Centre-right): No, what I am saying—or what I was saying to the hon. Lady’s hon. and learned Friend—is that plenty of countries around the world have very light-touch customs arrangements, which would be consistent with a comprehensive free trade agreement.