Gibraltar: UK-EU Agreement
1/35. What progress she has made on implementing the UK-EU agreement on Gibraltar.
It was fantastic to visit Gibraltar recently for its national day, and also to meet my European Union and Spanish counterparts. The agreement reached between the UK and the EU in June was welcome and significant: it will mean jobs, investment and stability, not just for Gibraltar but for the whole region. All parties have agreed to work together to finalise the treaty text and ratify the agreement as quickly as possible, and I will update the House in due course
Like the Minister, I had the pleasure of being in Gibraltar in the summer at the invitation of the Government, and I draw the House’s attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. I saw for myself the vital necessity of this deal to secure the economy and the social fabric of Gibraltar and, in particular, the movement of 15,000 people across the Spain-Gibraltar frontier every day. Can the Minister commit himself to bringing the treaty to the House at the first possible opportunity, so that the details can be given the fullest possible scrutiny?
Absolutely. The hon. Gentleman mentioned the challenges that have existed at the border. I have been stuck in those queues, Mr Speaker, and you may have been as well. This deal will mean an end to that, and a new, positive relationship. Indeed, much will be positive for the economy and for all the people of Gibraltar. We will bring the treaty to the House as soon as possible—as soon as it is finalised—and it will go through the normal processes. Parliament will, of course, be able to debate its terms if it wishes to do so.
I draw the House’s attention to my entry in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests. It was an honour to welcome Gibraltar’s First Minister to last week’s annual general meeting of the all-party parliamentary group on Gibraltar. As a cross-party group, we wholeheartedly welcome the treaty, but can the Minister assure me that it will produce economic benefits for Gibraltarians and an increase in the prospects for tourism?
I absolutely can assure my hon. Friend. I thank her and the whole APPG for their work, cross-party, in support of Gibraltar. I know, of course, that this deal is firmly backed by the Chief Minister of Gibraltar and his Government and will bring important benefits for the economy, jobs and people of Gibraltar. As she mentions tourism, we might now see more flights coming into Gibraltar airport from elsewhere in Europe, which will be very positive for Gibraltar and the region.