Hilary’s Parliamentary Activity - Hilary Benn MP

Education: EU Nationals

Department for Education

Hilary Benn received a response to a question they put to the government

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether children who are EU citizens will require settled status to be eligible for state education after 31 October 2019 in the event that the UK...

Prorogation (Disclosure of Communications)

Commons debates

May I pursue the point about the evidence presented by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster to the Select Committee last Thursday? I did indeed ask him whether he would publish the report on...

Points of Order

Commons debates

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. I would not seek for a minute to challenge your decision, not least because you would rule me out of order, but I have to say that I regret it and respect it. I...

Exports: No Deal

Exiting the European Union

Hilary Benn made a speech in the House of Commons

About 3 million wooden pallets are used every month to transport goods, including food, between the UK and the EU. After a no-deal Brexit, those wooden pallets will no longer be able to be used...

Duties in connection with the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union

European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 6) Bill

Hilary Benn made a speech in the House of Commons

On a point of order, Mr Speaker. The House has spoken this evening. I say to the Prime Minister that, if the other place passes the Bill, this House expects him to uphold the law and to fulfil...

Duties in connection with the withdrawal of the UK from the European Union

European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 6) Bill

Hilary Benn made a speech in the House of Commons

I did directly address that question in my speech on Second Reading, but the hon. Gentleman has not read clause 3(3), which explains the circumstances in which subsection (2), to which he has...

European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 6) Bill

Commons debates

I have read those reports and they are of concern to me, as I know they are to the right hon. Gentleman and many others in the House. The aim of the clause is not, as I think the Leader of the...

European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 6) Bill

Commons debates

I do not agree. Of course, we all recognise that with any of these provisions there is no guarantee that the European Union will grant a further request from the United Kingdom for another...

European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 6) Bill

Commons debates

I will give way one more time to the hon. Gentleman.

European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 6) Bill

Commons debates

No, that is not the case. In those circumstances, the House could decide to ask the Prime Minister to go back. The central point is that it gives the House of Commons the ability to express a...

European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 6) Bill

Commons debates

I will give way one more time.

European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 6) Bill

Commons debates

Will the hon. Lady bear with me? The previous Prime Minister spent nearly two years saying that no deal is better than a bad deal and it did not seem to work then, and I do not think it will work now.

European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 6) Bill

Commons debates

I am responding to the hon. Lady if she just bears with me. I do not regard the threat of a no-deal Brexit as part of a credible negotiating strategy.

European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 6) Bill

Commons debates

I have dealt with that last point—an extension of whatever length. There is a means by which the Government can ask the House not to approve that, and then the House would have to make a...

European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 6) Bill

Commons debates

If the Bill is passed, the House of Commons will pass it in the knowledge that it is seeking in the circumstances set out an extension to 31 January. If, however, the European Union proposes a...

European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 6) Bill

Commons debates

I will give way in a moment. In other words, the Bill gives the Prime Minister the flexibility that he wants and needs to get a deal if he can. It does not render further negotiation...

European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 6) Bill

Commons debates

They absolutely do. Having now, in a sense, concluded a discussion and reflection on the economic and other consequences of no deal, I want to turn to what the Bill actually does. It intends to...

European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 6) Bill

Commons debates

My hon. Friend has a room next door to mine. Of course I will give way, and then I will make progress.

European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 6) Bill

Commons debates

My hon. Friend makes a powerful point. Those industries and sectors, whose representatives we have all met and whose evidence we have heard, are troubled that the message that comes from their...

European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 6) Bill

Commons debates

The right hon. Lady is absolutely right. One consequence of Prorogation is that our Select Committees cannot meet. We cannot scrutinise the Government and hold them to account. That is what we...