Parliament to be given a vote on Brexit transition period, Government minister reveals

Brexit minister Steve Baker said it is the Government's position that separate legislation will be required to deal with transitional arrangements

The EU flag flies outside parliament in London (EPA)

The Government will allow Parliament a vote on arrangements for the UK’s transition out of the European Union, a minister has revealed.

Steve Baker said that Theresa May’s administration is planning to bring forward a law for parliamentary scrutiny that would set out how the UK will move from being a full member to leaving the EU over a number of years.

Tory rebels and Labour have been pushing the Government to give Parliament a greater say over the Brexit process, with Brexit Secretary David Davis sparking anger earlier this week by suggesting MPs would only vote on the final Brexit deal after Britain leaves.

Quizzed by Hilary Benn, the Labour chair of the Exiting the European Union Select Committee in Westminster, whether legislation separate of the EU Withdrawal Bill will be required for transitional arrangements, Mr Baker said: “That is our position, yes.”

The transition – often referred to as an “implementation period” by Theresa May – will mean Britain’s relationship with the the bloc could look similar for a number of years after Brexit day in March 2019.

Mr Benn later added: “That’s extremely interesting, because if that is the case, if you’re going to require a separate piece of legislation to implement the transitional arrangements. Doesn’t it rather undermine the argument you put earlier that by not having a separate bill to deal with the whole agreement you have the transition agreement in terms of time?

“You’ve said you need separate legislation for that, why shouldn’t that deal with the divorce settlement and our future relationship if you’re going to have the bill anyway?

The Brexit minister replied: “You make a very interesting point, Mr Benn, which is well made and heard and we will consider the implications. We’ve noted your question and will consider it.”

Mr Baker also said the Government is not willing to discuss writing Parliament’s vote on a final Brexit deal into the EU Withdrawal Bill – the legislation that aims to transpose all EU law onto the UK statue book by March 2019 at the climax of the negotiations in Brussels.

Asked by the cross-party committee what the consequence would be if the legislation was blocked in the Commons, Mr Baker warned there would be a “substantial risk” of “holes” in the UK’s statue book and fuel uncertainty after Brexit.

But Mr Baker said he “feels sure” that both Houses of Parliament would want to avoid this scenario arising. “This bill is about how to leave,” he said. “It’s not about whether.”

He continued: “If this bill were not to pass then of course there would be holes in the statute book. The result would be that the statute book would not function as intended.”