Speeches by Doughty.

“Just to reiterate again, any contributions will absolutely be assessed for value for money and aligned with our strategic objectives.”

“As I said, we are trying to expedite that process at the moment. I do not want to give a running commentary on where that is going, but there is certainly a shared ambition to move forward on this.”

“Of course, that goes beyond just the UK, the EU and SAFE. Look at what we have just done with Norway: an incredible deal in terms of those frigates. It is going to be good for our security, but also good for jobs.”

“It is worth emphasising that this is crucially important for the whole of the United Kingdom. Around 68% of defence spending goes with UK businesses outside of London and the south-east. It is crucially important in south Wales, which Nick and I both represent, and it is crucial in the north-west. It is crucial in many…”

“As I said, we should see those as all mutually complementary. We continue to play a key role in the JEF, E3 and other groupings. NATO is our foremost security and defence relationship and always will be. We have a NATO-first policy as a Government, and there are investments into defence and security more broadly. The M…”

“It is worth looking at the scale of that and why it was so crucial. Having a security and defence partnership is a prerequisite for participation in SAFE for third countries. It is a €150 billion instrument. It is very significant and could lead to significant opportunities for our defence industries, both boosting our…”

“The good news is that we have already started them and are getting on to implementing them. I was delighted last week to host the European External Action Service in London to discuss the western Balkans. That was particularly important, given not only our historical engagements in the region but because we are going t…”

“On the interaction with the entry-exit system, that is something that Nick and I have been working on very closely with colleagues from the Home Office and others over many months to ensure that we understand what is happening in terms of readiness and implementation across ports of entry, particularly the high-pressur…”

“Since that clarificatory statement was made, we have been following up with every country we can; it has certainly been a core part of all my conversations with bilateral partners. Just recently I have been discussing it with the Netherlands, Poland and Greece. When the UK-Germany treaty was signed on 17 July, Germany …”

“Chair, to go back to the first part—”

“The Government were very clear when we came in—you will be aware of this, Chair—that we were not going to rejoin the EU, the customs union or the single market, but that we were able to take the steps that Nick, the Prime Minister and colleagues have been able to. I think those will deliver tangible benefits in the are…”

“Perhaps I might add to that, Chair. Thank you and members of the Committee for holding this inquiry, which is hugely important. It is always a pleasure to be here alongside Nick. I can genuinely say that the way in which we work together between the two Departments and collectively on those shared endeavours is testame…”

“I am Stephen Doughty, Minister of State for Europe at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. I also cover the relationship with Gibraltar and a number of other related topics.”

“I haven’t got a detailed table of polling. I can genuinely say—this is anecdotal—that the response that we have had from Governments in all my engagements on different visits has been incredibly positive. They see the UK as a key partner. They understand that we have left the EU and that we are not returning, but they …”

“Very tangibly—to go back to what Nick was saying before—this is fundamentally about the costs that are being saved by what we have already agreed and about listening to businesses about the future. On that issue of export health certificates—this applies to the fishing industry, of course, and shellfish industry too—yo…”

“No. Hopefully imminently. We are working at pace to get the final treaty text agreed, and then it can go into its relevant processes, but the political agreement that we reached between the UK and the EU and with Spain and Gibraltar was highly significant. It was historic, and it has genuinely been welcomed across the …”

“I do not want to prejudge the ongoing consultation processes. You will understand that it is important that those are done appropriately with staff and trade unions and others. It is right that we are looking to remove some of the top-heavy nature of the FCDO and to focus resources more on both doing diplomacy overseas…”

“My understanding was that that it was published during the recess, but I will find out for you the exact date that it was provided. I can make sure that we get you a list of dates.”

“I totally agree with what Nick said, Chair, and you know the respect that I have for this Committee and for Parliament. I have appeared in relation to other treaties and will appear, I am sure, in due course in relation to others. Even despite that exceptional procedure, an explanatory memorandum was still provided and…”

“Like Nick, I was an optimist. There was a genuine spirit of co-operation and recognition that this is good for the economy in Gibraltar and Andalusia, for the UK-Spanish relationship and for our wider relationships, and that, ultimately, it does not cross any of the red lines set by us as the UK and by Gibraltar.”