Speeches by Thomas-Symonds.

“I would like to make a distinction. First, there is the Product Regulation and Metrology Bill and its very specific provision about the Secretary of State’s power, to which Douglas referred. Then there is an entirely separate question, which in fact, Chair, I think you have written about, on a sanitary and phytosanitar…”

“We certainly would not want a walk in the dark. We believe in high standards, whether that is in employment, in agricultural products or in our brilliant farming sector. We believe in high standards. We do not believe in a race to the bottom. We believe in what I think Katherine Tai referred to as “a race to the top”. …”

“Absolutely. It is to do with linking our respective systems—that is what the ambition is.”

“That is something that is already in the trade and co-operation agreement with the European Union. For reference, it is article 392, which states that “The Parties shall co-operate on carbon pricing. They shall give serious consideration to linking their respective carbon pricing systems in a way that preserves the int…”

“There are a number of creative ways that we can do that, but it is a real priority for us in the negotiation, as I have made clear. It is really disappointing when you look at the number of tours. We have a brilliant, vibrant cultural sector and it is a real source of soft power for us, but what is necessary for a tour…”

“I am not proposing to publish a road map. Our position is set out in our manifesto; we have a very firm democratic mandate. There are examples in that manifesto of things that we want to secure or to deliver. In the trade space, as I indicated, a sanitary and phytosanitary agreement is a really important objective for …”

“Well, we will see where we get to in terms of what they actually mean by it. I will obviously pursue the UK national interest. I will pursue the objectives and the examples that we have a democratic mandate for—that are in the manifesto. What I cannot ultimately say at this stage is, first, what precisely the nature of…”

“I have not had any preconditions put to me. On the talks, we have not got, as I have said to the Chair and John, up into that steep part of the negotiation yet, so I have not had preconditions and things like that put to me.”

“I certainly hope I am always a pragmatist in these situations.”

“Congratulations on your first Prime Minister’s question.”

“I would be hesitant to get into specific design points at this stage. I am just observing that obviously, with the Windsor framework, the previous Government negotiated particular arrangements, which we supported from opposition. Again, what the Windsor framework represented was a very specific set of arrangements for …”

“I don’t know what you mean by “back into”, because obviously we have the Windsor framework arrangements at the moment; those exist in relation to Northern Ireland and do already have a role for the European Court of Justice in interpretation of EU law. So I don’t think that is a new concept in our arrangements at the m…”

“No. In terms of the two agreements that you are talking about, they are both for very particular circumstances. There is obviously a particular geographic distance between New Zealand and the EU. Switzerland is also not an EU member state, but none the less has a very different type of relationship with the EU from the…”

“They have been conversations about positives; they were constructive conversations, rather than conversations about barriers. It is well known that our democratic mandate in the manifesto is based on not returning to the single market, not going back to freedom of movement and not going back to the customs union, so it…”

“Of course circumstances change—I will not get into how they might or might not—but irrespective of where different issues move, we are very ambitious within the framework of the manifesto. You mentioned the Centre for European Reform. There are many organisations that have been asked what the value of an SPS agreement …”

“I have a very brief point of clarification for Antonia on the carbon border adjustment mechanism, although I do not think it changes the substance of my answer. Having just re-read the wording of article 392 of the TCA, it is actually about linking our emissions trading system, but CBAM would very much be part of that.”

“It is more that you have this perverse incentive for, essentially, dumping. For example, the EU will go ahead; it already has its date for the introduction of its carbon border adjustment mechanism. If we were not to consider linkage, we would open up our industries to the possibility of cheap dumping from overseas. Yo…”

“To go back to my earlier answer to the Chair, the commitment is that the summit will be in the first half of this year, and I am confident that that will be the case. It is also really important to emphasise the interaction that has already taken place. There was a phone call between the Prime Minister and the EU Commi…”

“I beg to move, That the Bill be now read the Third time. I will say, first of all, what a remarkably efficient Committee stage that was. In that tradition, which has now been set, I will keep my remarks brief. The Bill will continue the positive effects seen from the Lords Spiritual (Women) Act 2015 for a further five …”

“I will of course look at the specific document that the hon. and learned Gentleman refers to. He also referred to the important consent vote taking place in the Northern Ireland Assembly next week. This Government support the Windsor framework. That is why, when we were in opposition, we voted with the then Government …”