Speeches by Thomas-Symonds.

“First of all, I would say that the UK can of course still participate in SAFE in up to 35% of the content, and that remains the case, irrespective of the outcome. Let me go back for a moment, because you highlighted the extraordinarily serious position that international politics is in at the moment. The Prime Minister…”

“Yes, I was described quite recently as “long-serving”; I was surprised, given what feels like the relatively short amount of time I have been in the role in the Cabinet Office, but maybe that is just relative to recent years. In terms of the UK-EU relationship and the progress since the May summit, I think we have made…”

“I was talking more broadly about the work that I have been doing, which is very broad, across youth experience, SPS agreement, emissions trading system linkage, and Erasmus+, which had very wide support. Since you have raised the issue of fishing, Scottish salmon obviously took a different view when we made that agreem…”

“I am not sure how different they are on the EU, in terms of the work that I am doing. There is obviously a difference of view, to say the least. The Scottish Government have a very different view of the future of the United Kingdom to my view or yours, let alone their view of the EU. In terms of the work that I have be…”

“First of all, on engagement with MPs, I will certainly be looking to circulate a “Dear colleague” letter with details. We will be holding drop-ins tomorrow as well, so that parliamentary colleagues can come along with specific cases. Charlotte, to your number of points about the portal, please do feed those details int…”

“That is precisely why the Government take a pragmatic approach. We choose to align in areas where it makes sense to do so. Where it makes sense to diverge, we will also continue to do so. We are always driven by our national interest.”

“The sanitary and phytosanitary agreement removes export health certificates and routine border checks, slashing costs and red tape for agrifood trade. For example, businesses will save up to £200 per shipment, making trade cheaper and easier. The Conservative party wants to put those costs back.”

“On the hon. Lady’s first point, we agreed the new strategic security and defence partnership with the European Union in May last year, which is absolutely crucial. On the point about the food and drink agreement, we agreed just before Christmas that that will be completed by the time of the next summit.”

“The Government agreed a new strategic partnership with the EU in May last year, delivering for UK jobs, easing the burden on bill payers and strengthening our borders. Whereas we are making significant progress, it seems the Conservative party and Reform would rip it up. Given that Reform has just recruited that well-k…”

“I look forward to visiting Belfast later today. The right hon. Gentleman is absolutely right that the East-West Council is an important part of our “Safeguarding the Union” arrangements. I certainly take a pragmatic and proportionate approach to the Windsor framework, which is one of the reasons I am so keen to get the…”

“My hon. Friend is absolutely right. The Leader of the Opposition should have risen to the occasion yesterday in a profound moment for the nation. She chose not to do so.”

“Our democratic mandate from the general election is clear: we will not rejoin the single market or the customs union, or go back to freedom of movement. However, what we do, and what I do every single week, is negotiate that closer UK-EU relationship, which is in our national interest. The hon. Lady and her colleagues …”

“No, and the situation is not as the hon. Lady has described. The work that the Government are doing in building a closer EU-UK relationship is crucial, and we can do it alongside a trade deal with India and an economic deal with the United States that is saving jobs at Jaguar Land Rover. The Government’s position is in…”

“Well, on the basis of my exchange with the shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, I thoroughly look forward to bringing the Bill to the Commons and debating it fully. I can assure the hon. Lady that what we will be debating is why the Government’s approach is good for jobs and how it will bear down on bills for c…”

“The Prime Minister has given the independent ethics adviser the independence to initiate his own investigations, which is just one of the measures the Government have taken to improve transparency and standards. The high standards the Prime Minister expects of all of us who have the privilege of serving in high office …”

“To clarify, there are no access fees in regard to either the emissions trading system linkage or the food and drink agreement that is being negotiated. That is absolutely clear. In terms of moving forward, we take pragmatic decisions in the national interest in various sectors, which is why we opened negotiations on el…”

“On the first point, I met the families of the victims of the Manchester Arena bombings and the Hillsborough families only last week. It is critical that we get the balance right between allowing our intelligence services the secrecy that is essential to their work and having proper oversight. That is exactly the work t…”

“There is a real issue of democracy here, in the sense that we won a general election with a mandate to negotiate a closer UK-EU relationship. It is in our national interest to do so, and we have set out the red lines within which those negotiations are taking place. Listening to what the shadow Chancellor of the Duchy …”

“That is a matter for Parliament, not for Government. There is certainly a European Union relations secretariat in the Cabinet Office, with some absolutely excellent civil servants, and I am very proud to work with them on leading the negotiations.”

“I am more than happy to write to my hon. Friend with an up-to-date, precise figure for interim payments. I should also mention that, as was raised with me in the House on a number of occasions in the autumn, inheritance tax bit on secondary beneficiaries, and I was pleased that this Government dealt with that issue at …”