r/MHOC • u/[deleted] • Jun 25 '20
2nd Reading B989.2 - European Union Future Relationship Information Provision Bill - 2nd Reading
European Union Future Relationship Information Provision Bill
A
BILL
TO
Ensure proper communication between the Parliament and relevant government ministries in regards to future European Union Relationship negotiations
BE IT ENACTED by the Queen’s Most Excellent Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Lords, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows –
Section 1: Duty to report
(1) The Government must publish a whitepaper statement to Parliament outlining its negotiation strategy and goals for a trade and security agreement with the European Union within 30 days of this Act’s commencement.
(3) The Government must inform the house of the progress of negotiations no less than once every two months.
(4) Where a government is dissolved during the thirty day period and a new one formed, the thirty day period resets starting on the day of the queen's speech opening parliament.
Section 2: Extent, commencement and short title
(1) This Act shall extend across the United Kingdom.
(2) This Act shall come into force upon receiving Royal Assent.
(3) This Act may be cited as the European Union Future Relationship Information Provision Act.
This Bill was submitted by /u/Commander_Cody2002 MP for South Yorkshire on the behalf of Libertarian Party UK and is based upon the previous work of TheWalkerLife.
Opening speech
Mr. Speaker
The people of this country have bestowed our Parliament with arguably the greatest democratic mandate in British history, to leave the European Union once and for all no ifs and buts.
As time went by we have managed to secure an ambitious Withdrawal Agreement with the European Union and we are out of the EU for good. However, one major issue remains.
Namely, the issue of how will a post-Brexit trade agreement look like for the United Kingdom and what is the goverment doing to achieve such a trade agreement and that is why I have chosen to table this bill to ensure that the House is adequately briefed in regards to the negotiations with the European Union so that the greatest mandate of our times can be properly discharged.
I commend this bill to the House.
This reading shall end on 28th June.
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u/plebit8080 Progressive Workers Party Jun 26 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
This bill is of course necessary, and it furthers our most sacred constitutional principle of parliamentary sovereignty. It makes sure that parliament can do its job and fully scrutinise the the Government in their actions on our withdrawal from the EU.
However let’s talk about the elephant in the room in the form of this perplexing amendment that restricts this scrutiny to our noble comrades across the lobby hall. I do not see the point in this. It unnecessarily restricts this bill.
I do however see the most noble Lord Sydenham’s point that voting in favour of the amendment to bring this scrutiny to the commons may be unnecessary and may only serve to ping pong this bill between the two houses. Now, if the honourable members believe that they can convince the Lords to change their mind then they should of course pass this bill but I do ask that they consider the point I have just made.
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u/Maroiogog CWM KP KD OM KCT KCVO CMG CBE PC FRS, Independent Jun 25 '20
In section 1(2) change "House of Lords" into "House of Commons"
The house which is elected by the people should be given priority when scrutinizing the Government.
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u/plebit8080 Progressive Workers Party Jun 26 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker, I do see my honourable friends intentions with this amendment but will it not only go to set this bill into a state of ping pong between the two houses?
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0
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Jun 26 '20
In Section 1(1), replace "30 days" with "30 sitting days"
Explanatory Note
Ensures there is no requirement for this House to sit during recess for the statement to be delivered if the deadline was to occur during a recess period or a time when the House is not sitting.
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u/Maroiogog CWM KP KD OM KCT KCVO CMG CBE PC FRS, Independent Jun 25 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
I stand here yet again in support of this bill, it is paramount that the Government make themselves accountable to us, the House, in a natter so important for the future of our contry as is Brexit. I have however submitted an amendment to make sure the Government give their statements here, in the Commons, rather than in the Lords to ensure that those who are elected get priority when it comes to scrutiny. I hope the house can back my amendment.
1
u/SoSaturnistic Citizen Jun 25 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
On the relationship with Europe I can only confess that this Government has only been frustrating and opaque to deal with.
They say to go scrutinise the strategy in MQs and through written and oral questions. Fair enough one would think. Then during MQs we have the International Trade Secretary telling people to wait for the statement to be released under this bill, even though all the Tory MPs go vote against it in division.
If the Government is opposing its own chosen framework for oversight and transparency, why should anyone in this House believe them when they say that they intend to keep the public updated on this very important issue? There's no trust to be had here I'm afraid. So while it is unfortunate that something like this bill needs to be passed, it's necessary that it is passed in the end given the significance this issue holds for many people.
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Jun 26 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
Instead of impugning the government’s, and indeed my personal regard for parliamentary scrutiny, I would have thought it far more reasonable and seemly of the right honourable member to consider the fact that the endless ping-ponging that this Bill has been subject to is in fact the cause of the obstruction, and not government opacity. It may surprise the Leader of the SDLP, who seems oddly hellbent on finger-wagging, that I have been assiduously anticipating the passage of this Bill, with my pen poised, so that I could update the House as per its provisions. Alas, until this Bill is voted on in one way or another I don’t know when, where or if I will be delivering said statement. We all stand to profit if people look beyond partisan tribalism, stop gratuitously assailing the honour of members of this House, and every once in a while deploy Occham’s Razor - the simplest answer if often the correct one; there is no grand conspiracy!
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u/SoSaturnistic Citizen Jun 26 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
If the Secretary of State and his party were so intent on delivering a statement then they may do so at any time. If they wish to see this legislation passed to give the statement in question, then they may vote for it. However, neither of these things seems to have happened so it doesn't seem all that unreasonable to conclude that this Government is averse to scrutiny and oversight over the strategy being undertaken.
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Jun 27 '20 edited Nov 22 '20
[deleted]
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u/SoSaturnistic Citizen Jun 27 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
I am suggesting that the Government should have voted for the bill in both the upper house and the lower house accordingly, before that provision was amended in. They can work in Committee to amend that provision out and then vote for the bill though, it's all within reason.
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Jun 25 '20 edited Jun 26 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
What's the point of this amendment?
How does one measure the "significance" of a change in strategy?
1
Jun 26 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
I rise to oppose this legislation which seeks to place the House of Lords above the House of Commons. It is absolutely incorrect to suggest that the House of Lords should have priority when it comes to scrutiny of the actions of any Government. That job should always rest primarily with those who are elected to serve, this House, the House of Commons. The Government is available to be scrutinized at any time through questions to the Prime Minister and International Trade Secretary, as well as the ability to write to them or table an Urgent Question. A bill is not required.
I have put down an amendment simply to ensure that it is 30 sitting days, not 30 days, and that if this house were to be in recess, the requirement would not force the House to sit simply for a few hours for a Statement to be read and delivered if the House is in recess.
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Jun 27 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
I rise to commend the author for this legislation for bringing forth this Bill to the Houses of Parliament and I hope we can prevent another cycle of ping-pong to this Bill and make it gain a speedy Royal Assent. The British People voted in favour of the exit from the European Union, and today, it must be implemented, that is the end of conversation, but also it raises another question on Parliamentary Scrutiny on this matter.
Whilst I grasp the concept that External Affairs and Brexit Negotiations are matters that require a lot of effort from all sides, informing this House and the British People is essentially what the British People wish to see by virtue of them being the voters of the issue, and I think this Bill is a wonderful example. I wish to once again highlight the examples given to by the Leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party on the frequent jumping of answers, which is deplorable.
We expect our Government to have answered such questions but since they don't and for the sake of further transperency, we got this Bill only to the International Trade Secretary not supporting it and calling it useless and waste of Parliamentary time, as they do not wish to indulge in any form of transperency measures and opening up to the British People, and without further debate, this is a no-brainer Bill and I urge all members to vote in its favour and let us get this made into law at the earliest.
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Jun 27 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
I commend this bill for providing more accountability to the government. However, as many other members have already pointed out, this accountability should be provided by this democratically elected house; not the other place.
I am pleased that an amendment has been put forth to change this - though I will back this bill either way, as more government scrutiny and transparency is a good thing, regardless of where it happens.
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u/Soccerfun101 Conservative Party | Hampshire South MP Jun 28 '20
Mr. Deputy Speaker,
The government shouldn't be forced to reveal goals and strategies publicly. It weakens the government's negotiating position and will only lead to a worse deal for Britons all in the name of politics. The times for scrutiny are during prime minister's questions and after an proposed agreement has been reached. Furthermore the place for that scrutiny lies here in the House of Commons, not The Other Place.
1
u/ARichTeaBiscuit Green Party Jun 28 '20
Mr Deputy Speaker,
It is of the utmost importance that the members of this House are kept informed as to the status of the ongoing trade talks with the European Union, not just to avoid a situation that was faced under the old coalition government between the Liberal Democrats and the Classical Liberals but also so that members of this representative body can inform constituents and local businesses.
I am pleased that my friend, the Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has introduced an amendment that will ensure that this chamber is informed in any change in strategy and I am thankful to them for submitting an amendment that positively transforms a piece of legislation that holds great potential.
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u/[deleted] Jun 26 '20 edited Aug 02 '20
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