A other, i would like to also make a point about upland farming. The honourable member for surrey has been to exmoor, he knows how tough it can be up on those hills and how tough it can be for any upland farm, andi tough it can be for any upland farm, and i would urge the government, please, we now have the freedom to do what we want, the agricultural bill has gone through, but we got a bill has gone through, but we got a bill on that. The use of elms is fine but please dont use this as an excuse fine but please dont use this as an excuse with our freedom within this bill to say that we will use this to make farming more difficult across the united kingdom. I also covered the united kingdom. I also covered the lowest pa rt the united kingdom. I also covered the lowest part which is the levels. The levels are beautiful, they are unbelievably well managed. Been through hell in 1914 and weve been through hell in 1914 and weve been through hell in 1914 and weve been through hell time and time again. Dont throw away what weve got, its a wonderful thing and i would like the honourable memberfor surrey heath to confirm that the government will not use this as an excuse government will not use this as an
excuse to lower anything that gives farming the edge, and i have absolute faith in this government that you will fight for us on this. My that you will fight for us on this. My last point is this. The city of london is hugely important. But the devil is in the details and i think weve got to see what the government is going to do next and i would like the honourable member to make a point when he whines this up to not only allow us some time to discuss this, but time to put into his speech what we are going to do next to safeguard the city of london. I will be voting for the bill, as the choice to me is stark and clear. The important question is, what do we the important question is, what do we do after friday, because that is when the real world will begin. Firstly, the gaps that have already been identified, in services, legal
and financial. The travel further culture and arts sector, particularly the music industry, origin for manufacturing, not least the motor industry. But what i want to focus on is not our relations with our neighbours but how the British State will actually respond. The eu, imperfect as it is, has had to carry considerable amount of weight for our errors. The fault is not in our stars but in ourselves. This is the stubbornness of governments and Civil Servants to refuse to behave in our best interest but also chronic inefficiency and incompetence in implementation. The Prime Minister talk about free ports. Maybe he should focus on getting his transport secretary to sort out the gridlock at our existing ports. There has been a lot of talk today about fish, but as an mp whose constituency is probably about as farfrom
constituency is probably about as far from the sea as you can get, i wa nt to far from the sea as you can get, i want to focus on industry. Again, the Prime Minister talked about state aid and regional policy, and also about our great biomedical industry, but it wasnt the eu but the nhs bureaucracy who insisted on buying vaccines from abroad, which is why we only have limited capacity, and while we are having to import them now, and now we are belatedly recognising this and we are building a new plant. Its not going to be in the north east, which was the alternative site for it, but actually in the overheated oxfordshire area. Oxford scientists have performed magnificently, but we must recognise and break this obsession with the south and actually backed the midlands, the north, the west of wales, scotland and Northern Ireland. It wasnt the eu that forced us to produce only 1 of ppe equipment in the uk before the crisis which led to shortages and eye watering costs. It wasnt
the eu which forced the government to try to build the new ships for the navy abroad or trains from germany rather than derby, buses from china rather than ballymena or falkirk, or police cars for the north west from korea rather than ellesmere port. It was our own misguided authorities. And therefore, mr deputy speaker, in conclusion, from monday, whether it is ministerial offices, whitehall, town halls, quangos and from boardroom to shop floor, the message must be clear. Back in britain or back off, shape up or ship out, only that way can we make britain great again. Video link, john redwood. The government is right to take back control, and to recreate our sovereignty in the united kingdom. We do notjust want legal
sovereignty, we also want practical sovereignty. So i ask the government today to spell out how they will be cutting our taxes, changing our laws, using our powers to grant aid and support businesses and individuals free of the eu controls to promote the prosperity of the british people. That was what brexit was all about. We stand on the threshold of independence day, so bring on the measures. I do have a couple of worries about this agreement. The first is overfishing. One of the great prizes of brexit is to recapture control of our fishing stocks, to rebuild our coastal communities and fishing industry. Will the government today promised to legislate immediately to prevent overla rge trawler to legislate immediately to prevent overlarge trawler is doing enormous damage to our Marine Environment and to ourfish damage to our Marine Environment and to our fish stocks . We could at least do that as proof that we intend to rebuild our marine
environment and our own domestic fasting industry. Fishing industry. We need to train new fishermen and fish are women for the extra capacity needed, and provide grantand aid extra capacity needed, and provide grant and aid schemes to Commission New trawlers from british yards so again we are expanding the capacity of our industry. Im also worried about the position in Northern Ireland, to what extent is our sovereignty damaged or impaired by the special relationships and special provisions of the withdrawal act. I thought they would be changed in this latest agreement with the eu. Will the government spell out morbid detail what limitations there are more detail what limitations there are to set our own tax rates, to make our own agreements on trade, internationally, and to set our own
standards for products. We need to know because we have already heard in this debate from Northern Ireland that it in this debate from Northern Ireland thatitis in this debate from Northern Ireland that it is becoming a matter of Division Within the Northern Ireland communities. We know we have a battle to fight for the union in scotland. The snp will clearly use the different arrangements in Northern Ireland as part of their battering ram against the union, so i need some battering ram against the union, so i need some reassurance battering ram against the union, so i need some reassurance about the impact of the powers under this agreement and how we can start to settle those difficult issues. The two things i most like about this agreement at the ability to withdraw unilaterally from it should the eu be aggressive in its handling of us and in its claims upon us, and the fa ct and in its claims upon us, and the fact that the ecj has no further power in the united kingdom. Absolutely vital, because otherwise they will assert extraterritorial at a. Meg hillier. Thank you, mr deputy speaker. Four and a half years since the referendum, here we are, and i
accept that we have left the european union, and at 11 oclock tomorrow the shutters will finally come down on that chapter of european british relations. But we have over 1000 pages of agreement, hastily drafted bill which runs to 80 pages that has to be read alongside many other parts of the legislation to be fully understood. Five hours of debate today and three minutes, of which i have already used up a half, to talk about how poorly this government is using this place. This is not parliamentary scrutiny. In keeping with the festive season, it is much more of us festive season, it is much more of us around. It doesnt give us a chance to do the job we should be doing properly, and this place doesnt always make good legislation, but rushed legislation is clear, and i have many concerns about this bill today. But concerns about this bill today. But concerns about Northern Ireland, as someone married to somebody who was a dual
irish british citizen, i spend a lot of time on the island of ireland, and see a lot of the challenges of what is being put in place and a lack of thought about that land border in the run up to 2016s vote. The security measures concerned me. The security measures concerned me. The european arrest warrant, europol and the fact that services are not included in this agreement despite as others have said repeatedly accounting for a trade surplus with the eu, and professional qualifications, musicians and other creative industries, these are things that affect my constituency particularly, and as a constituency memberfor the city particularly, and as a constituency member for the city fringe im still concerned that we havent bedded in arrangements for financial services. But the security arrangements which concerned me most, they have been massively weakened by this agreement, and i spent three years in government negotiating access to the european arrest warrant, europol, all things i dealt with with our european neighbours, and we
have thrown that way, we have thrown so have thrown that way, we have thrown so much a way that even in the last decade we were fighting to get much more closely involved with, and we are now attempting to patch together with more bureaucracy the same things we arejust with more bureaucracy the same things we are just giving up with this act. This lack of scrutiny and the impossibility to read this bill properly makes me unable to support it today. Im not voting against, because i recognise the vote in 2016 and 2019 give this government licence to take us out of europe, but i cant be complicit in what is a wrecking ball in the name of sovereignty. But i do say we now need to drop the remainer and leaver labels. We need to unite to fill the gaps in creative and performing arts, the financial sector, the recognition of qualifications and above all security, and i cannot be complicit with this government and will be abstaining today. We had hoped to go to north shropshire to
listen to owen paterson, but the line has gone down. We do hope if you are watching and listening, to coitie you are watching and listening, to come to you before the wind up later oii. Come to you before the wind up later on. So, video link, chris matheson. Thank you, mr deputy speaker. I shall vote in favour of the deal today, but not with enthusiasm. This is the first deal in history to make trade even harder. It is not no deal, and my fear is that it has been captured to such an extent that no deal remains a possibility, and since the only choice on the table todayis since the only choice on the table today is between this deal and no deal, i vote to stop the no deal, especially since trade and business groups are looking to stop that hurdle. It must bejudged not
groups are looking to stop that hurdle. It must be judged not only injuxtaposition to hurdle. It must be judged not only in juxtaposition to no deal, hurdle. It must be judged not only injuxtaposition to no deal, it hurdle. It must be judged not only in juxtaposition to no deal, it must also bejudged in comparison to in juxtaposition to no deal, it must also be judged in comparison to what we also be judged in comparison to what we left as members of the eu. £200 billion it lost well for starters which put the lies about £350 million a week for the nhs into perspective, and of course it says nothing as honourable members have said about trade in services, huge omission, especially forsomeone like chester, with Large Financial Services like chester, with large financial seivices sectois. Like chester, with Large Financial Services sectors. The leaders of the fishing industry are unhappy, but what did they expect . Surely they know the current Prime Minister will say anything necessary to get himself out of whatever situation he is in with no sense of responsibility to promises made or commitment to anything except himself. It was the same with gibraltar and himself. It was the same with gibraltarandi himself. It was the same with gibraltar and i refer to my registered members interest, whose government was promised that any deal would include that territory, but this deal does not. It was the same with airbus, important to my constituency, commitment was given in late november but broken by mid december, and this will not stand us in good stead when negotiating future international
agreements. The government is desperate to agree any deal with the usa, however detrimental to long term uk interest, in order to validate their brexit policy. They have already alienated the Biden Administration and it isnt in office yet, now they are alienating the eu. In global terms, there are only three shows in town, the usa, china and the eu, and we have walked away from the eu and are in competition with them. The road at the Prime Ministers leading us down will not end foot well for the uk because we are will not end foot well for the uk because we are now will not end foot well for the uk because we are how easy will not end foot well for the uk because we are now easy pickings for the much larger blocks, and sound bites like Global Britain will not alter that. So the deal will make us poorer and it will make us weak and less secure and it will make us less releva nt less secure and it will make us less relevant globally. It is not no deal, but barely so, and i give notice that i believe it to be the ba rest of foundations notice that i believe it to be the barest of foundations on which to be able to build back a fairer, more progressive relationships with our european neighbours and friends in
the long term interests of the whole of the united kingdom. William wragg. What this is about, mr deputy speaker, is sovereignty. Sovereignty are spoken of by some as a near religion phenomenon, either through veneration or rejection. It is either a doctrinal truth or else mumbojumbo, either a doctrinal truth or else mumbo jumbo, depending upon either a doctrinal truth or else mumbojumbo, depending upon the bent of the beholder. But it is far more prosaic than that. It boils down to the question of who governs, and does that exercise of government carry the broad consent of the people so governed . Admittedly that is not quite as catchy as take back control, but it means the same thing. This agreement achieves this, which is why i shall support it. Perhaps the greater question that emerges today is not whether the vote shall be one, but rather what we 110w vote shall be one, but rather what we now do with our regain sovereignty. These brief minutes are insufficient to the task of answering this question. Aside from
recommending not some 1200 pages for study but rather 11 pages of the late lord chief justice study but rather 11 pages of the late lord chiefjustice binghams excellent book on the role of law, namely chapter 12 on the sovereignty of parliament. I always enjoy rereading this chapter, particularly its comment on thejudiciary, which speaks to a wider point of parliamentary sovereignty. He wrote, the british people have not repelled the british people have not repelled the extraneous power of the papacy in spiritual matters, and royal power in temporal, in order to subject himself to the unchallengeable rulings of unelected judges. Quite so, mr deputy speaker. Indeed, mighti judges. Quite so, mr deputy speaker. Indeed, might i stretch the sentiments to the situation after 11 oclock on new years eve, and say that the british people did not vote to ta ke that the british people did not vote to take back control to be ruled by ministerial diktats via secondary legislation using a negative procedure, as we have seen far too
often this year. 2021 will be a year for national renewal. It will also be for us as representatives and for the government has the executive to live up to that rediscovered responsibility that comes with sovereignty. Thank you, mr deputy speaker, thank you for calling me. When the division is called later, i will be supporting this legislation, with only one day till the end of transition period, voting to implement this treaty is the only way to avoid no deal. No deal would be nothing short of catastrophic for the manufacturers and distributors, the manufacturers and distributors, the bed makers, biscuit manufacturers, paint companies, would all suffer, and keeping no deal on the table for so long has already caused enormous stress, job losses and uncertainty, especially cruel after such a challenging few months due to covid 19. We have
already heard today how many glaring omissions that are in this deal, but i would like to focus on one that would cause long lasting devastation to one of our most successful exports, the creative industries. While labours amendment on this wasnt selected, over the last few months, Home Office Officials have made it very simple for artists from all of the eu to come to the uk in 2021 and beyond. They planned ahead, they consulted, they developed a single extension of the existing arrangements for artists from non visa countries like the us or canada, a temporary worker creative and sporting visa t5. It doesnt cost a lot, it is proven to work, giving musicians from the eu 90 days to work in the uk. They also upgraded the scheme called permitted paid engagement that makes it simple for almost anyone to visit for cultural reasons, academics, individual artists. Sadly, the
governments brilliant negotiators failed to negotiate reciprocity for oui failed to negotiate reciprocity for oursimple and failed to negotiate reciprocity for our simple and generous measures, andi our simple and generous measures, and i hope the minister when he replies can tell us, is this part of a cunning plan orjust a mistake was made because we know that members of the governments front bench supporter creative passport, so why do we have this glaring omission . Because this failure will impact on young artist trying to break through in the eu, musicians working in eu bans and orchestras subject to border delays. The perception from eu festival organisers that could mean british artist overlooked, and also the role that means uk based trucks can only have three drops at eu venues, which means eu companies becoming more cost effective, but this is about haulage companies, producers, production crew, technicians, artists, professional musicians, dancers and actors, all who contribute to the £111 billion
industry, and that is no wonder a petition calling for the government to remedy this has been signed by ovei to remedy this has been signed by over 195,000 times and rising. The bill places bureaucracy costs and delays where there was once a frictionless trade, and i hope the minister will lay out his plans to support this vital british sector. John baron. Thank you, mr deputy speaker. I commend the prime minster, the chancellor of the duchy of lancaster and this whole deal which i will be commending later today. Both sides were always going today. Both sides were always going to have to compromise, but the uk has secured it sovereignty, and this isa has secured it sovereignty, and this is a good deal. We have also secured a safeguard, an exit route is chosen. The deal proves wrong those who thought there was no alternative to the withdrawal agreement, and that it could not be struck in time. A good deal was always preferred. After all, that is the logic of brexit. But being prepared to leave on wto terms, terms by which we trade very profitably with much of the world, i think was a deciding factor in the eu finally accepting the uk as it sovereignty equal. This indeed is a defining moment in our history. Many have participated in and played an important role, but for me, when with the support of my association i entered parliament with the hope of securing a referendum and then campaigning for oui referendum and then campaigning for our exit. Highs and lows followed. Leading the Parliamentary Campaign in 2012 and 2013 to persuade the Party Leadership to adopt a referendum in time for the next general election and voting against their withdrawal agreement, together with all the speeches and amendments
that involved, were certainly made key contributions to the cause. We a lwa ys key contributions to the cause. We always felt we knew how the country would vote if given the chance, for parliament had been out of sync for far too long. The challenge was to get a sceptical leadership to promise a referendum at a time every Parliamentary Party was against it. Evenif Parliamentary Party was against it. Even if this did me nearly losing the web over my amendment to the 2013 queen speech regretting the absence of a referendum bill. The commitment to help secure victory at the 2015 election, put ukip back in its box and made possible the 2016 referendum. Mr deputy speaker, a very Bright Future now awaits us as we very Bright Future now awaits us as we capitalise on our new found freedoms. Our history and the ingenuity of our people suggest optimism. But i also look forward to
a better relationship with the eu. Our membership was always going to prove difficult, given the difference between us on trade and political integration. We can now focus instead on common agendas. The deal represents a fresh start, and im hopeful the opportunity will be grasped. Thank you. Thank you, video link, daniel zeichner. Grasped. Thank you. Thank you, video link, danielzeichner. For the overwhelming majority of my constituents, this discussion brings no cheer. Confident outward looking europeans, we struggle to understand why this country should want to turn away from our neighbours, to build barriers where there have been bridges, and it is an inescapable fa ct bridges, and it is an inescapable fact that in every sphere we will be worse off next week that we are today. And we asked the obvious questions of the brexiteers. They promised frictionless trade, failed. They promise the exact same benefits, failed. They promised it
would be easy and simple, well here we are would be easy and simple, well here we are at the very last, having to rush through legislation because of course it is far from easy, rush through legislation because of course it is farfrom easy, farfrom simple, and it of course its the Prime Minister who always fear scrutiny. In prioritising notional sovereignty of a practical utility, he has made a fundamental error, and we he has made a fundamental error, and we have seen in recent weeks in kent what the failure to achieve frictionless trade can lead to. In future, any disagreement with france can lead to the same chaos. Yes, we are notionally free, but it is a pretty e m pty are notionally free, but it is a pretty empty freedom that leaves your streets lined with innocent victims trapped in vehicles without food sanitation. Mr speaker, we have a poor choice today. Nothing, orto ta ke a poor choice today. Nothing, orto take the scraps on offer. Incredibly, some gullible members opposite, some who told the country that we hold all the cards somehow think that their tests have been met. Well, lets take data, the lifeblood of modern economies. What
is on offer . A reprieve for a few months while the eu considers a data adequacy application. That they have to grunt it . No, they dont. What is our course if they as they are fully entitled to do say no . Lets hear from the members opposite. I suspect there will be a deafening silence, because answer is that numb. The truth is we dont hold all the cards. Yes we hold some, and hopefully sense will be available and further agreements will be made. That is my hope, that sector by sector we will rebuild the relationship that has been so damaged, and this time we will do it by explaining carefully and by convincing the british people that sharing and cooperating with our neighbours is not surrendering something but gaining so much more, that the noble vision of a continent united in peace and prosperity is worth striving for. And in no area is that more true than in Science Research and innovation, and one of the opportunities as a pathway back into the hugely important horizon
europe programme, important to the country were particularly important to my constituency. We have course ceased to have influence over its future direction. We have no seat at the table, no vote, and the payment mechanisms may well need to perverse outcomes, and that is the cost the conservatives have inflicted on us. But we can participate, and that is worth having, and it is for that reason that i unwillingly vote for this agreement today, only because it is better than nothing. It is a low bar, but it is a start, and when the prospects of new management for our country. The speaker order. Video link. Good to see you. Owen paterson. Thank you very much indeed for calling me. Can i give my particular thanks to the technical staff who just reconnected me, having lost the connection. Studio we are going to come away from this debate momentarily, because we are about to just take a
pause from this, the vote of course coming in about 35 minutes, which will carry live on bbc news. To stay with us. We are back with that debate and all the days headlines inafew debate and all the days headlines in a few moments, but first lets catch up with the weather, with stav. Hello there. Staying called for the rest of this week, further wintry showers in places, and in the short term it looks like much of scotland, Northern Ireland and western coast of england and wales see most of these wintry showers. They will be an issue with ice as well for the next few nights, likely to cause disruptions. Cold air very much with us, the weather fronts accentuating the rain, sleet and snow showers, this one bringing wintry showers to scotla nd this one bringing wintry showers to scotland on this one an area of rain to the south west. It could turn to snow as it moves a little further east for the rest of the day, certainly in land and over higher
ground, plenty of wintry showers across central and northern scotland, and they will be further wintry showers for Northern Ireland, probably the best of the dry and bright weather will be central and Eastern England but it is going to be cold wherever you are. We continue with the wintry showers, central and eastern areas seeing the lengthy is clear skies, so here it will be colder with temperatures down to 4 or five celsius. Around western coast, hovering around one or two celsius. For thursday, western coast, hovering around one ortwo celsius. Forthursday, new years eve will see this feature bringing more substantial rain, sleet and snow across scotland, certainly settling snow in london across the hills, and further showers for Northern Ireland stretching down into west and wales in the south west of england, but much of central and Eastern England will be dry with variable cloud and spells of sunshine, but again those temperatures on the low side for the time of year. As we move through new years eve night, we will continue
with wintry showers across the north and west, and of course ice will continue to be a risk. Moving into friday, new years day, the 1st of january 2021, this weather front moving out of scotland to england and wales and will tend to weaken, bringing a rather grey day. Spots of light rain and wintry debts over the hills. Brighterfor light rain and wintry debts over the hills. Brighter for scotland and Northern Ireland, with wintry showers mainly across northern coasts. Temperature is around four to six. And for the first weekend of january 2021, some sunshine, a greater chance of wintry showers across north sea coasts. This is bbc news. These are the latest headlines in the uk and around the world. The Coronavirus Vaccine developed by astrazeneca and Oxford University becomes the second vaccine in the uk to receive regulatory approval. Britains Health Secretary says the first jobs will be in the new year. Todays news is great news for the ability of the vaccine to make us safe, and make us say faster than we previously could have done. The uk regulator has proved that two standard doses should be given at an interval of between four to 12 weeks to be most effective. The effectiveness was high, up to 80 , when there was a three month interval between first and doses,
which is