On 15 December the European Council formally confirmed that sufficient progress had been made to move onto the second phase of negotiations.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Council has also confirmed that discussions will now begin on trade and our future security partnership, including foreign and defence policy cooperation.<\/p>
<\/p>
As the Prime Minister has stated, the UK is unconditionally committed to maintaining Europe\u2019s security. The UK seeks to develop a deep and special security partnership with the EU that goes beyond any existing third country arrangements, and which builds on the breadth and depth of our shared interests and values.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4336", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Callanan"} } , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Lord Callanan"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-01-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-01-03T16:07:38.793Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "203"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Exiting the European Union"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Exiting the European Union"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2017-12-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Brexit"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "2"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25277", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Lords"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask Her Majesty's Government, in the context of the negotiations on leaving the EU, on what date they expect the negotiations dealing with issues relating to the UK's future relations with the EU on matters relating to (1) the Common Foreign and Security Policy, and (2) the Common Security and Defence Policy, to begin.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4298", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Baroness Suttie"} } , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Baroness Suttie"} ], "uin" : "HL4384"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/808792", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Exiting the European Union"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/808792/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
Details of ministerial and senior official meetings are published in the Department\u2019s Quarterly Transparency Returns, which are made publicly available on GOV.UK<\/a>.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4064", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Steve Baker"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wycombe"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Steve Baker"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-12-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : {"_value" : "119377"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-12-22T14:27:05.107Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "203"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Exiting the European Union"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Exiting the European Union"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-12-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Data Protection"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, with reference to DExEU: ministerial meetings, January to March 2017 published on 30 June 2017, who was present at the Data Protection roundtable hosted by Robin Walker MP in January 2017.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/410", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jon Trickett"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hemsworth"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jon Trickett"}
], "uin" : "119901"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/809085", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Exiting the European Union"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/809085/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " At present the Government Legal Department (GLD) provides around 40 lawyers in its Division advising the Department for Exiting the European Union. They have a wide variety of experience gained across government, regulators and in the private sector including in the areas of state aid and competition law. As part of the GLD, they can also draw on the expertise of barristers and solicitors working in various government departments and public bodies including the lawyers at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy who are the general lead for government on these topics.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4064", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Steve Baker"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wycombe"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Steve Baker"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-01-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-01-03T18:32:28.13Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "203"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Exiting the European Union"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Exiting the European Union"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-12-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Department for Exiting the European Union: Legal Profession"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what the level of legal expertise on state aid and competition law is in his Department .", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4124", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Chi Onwurah"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Newcastle upon Tyne Central"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Chi Onwurah"}
], "uin" : "120194"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/807205", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Exiting the European Union"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/807205/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " As the Department for Exiting the European Union has only recently been established, it does not have any Large Expiring IT Contracts (LECs) and procures IT equipment through the existing Cabinet Office contracts. The Department is committed to the Government Commercial Operating Standards throughout all of its procurement.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4064", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Steve Baker"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wycombe"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Steve Baker"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-01-03", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2018-01-03T17:56:30.377Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "203"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Exiting the European Union"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Exiting the European Union"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-12-15", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Department for Exiting the European Union: ICT"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what steps his Department is taking to implement the guidance set out by the Government Commercial Function in its paper entitled Exiting Major IT Contracts: Guidance for Departments, published in November 2017, in respect of (a) using market engagement, (b) setting up disaggregation work, (c) risk assessment, (d) developing a programme plan through the transition, (e) identifying the skills and capabilities that will be needed in the future and (f) any other work related to that guidance.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/410", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jon Trickett"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hemsworth"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jon Trickett"}
], "uin" : "119851"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/806675", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Exiting the European Union"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/806675/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Paragraph 52 of the Joint Report recognises the identity and citizenship rights of the people of Northern Ireland under the Belfast Agreement and the associated British-Irish Agreement (the Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of Ireland, done at Belfast on 10 April 1998), which gives effect to those rights under international law. Section 149 of the Equality Act 2010 does not extend to Northern Ireland and nor does it impact the rights that Ireland affords its citizens. There is a similar public sector duty in section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Robin Walker"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Worcester"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Robin Walker"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-12-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-12-21T16:08:36.177Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "203"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Exiting the European Union"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Exiting the European Union"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-12-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Nationality: Northern Ireland"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, with reference to paragraph 52 of the Joint Report of the Negotiators of the European Union and the United Kingdom Government, published on 8 December 2017, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of a Withdrawal Agreement respecting the rights, opportunities, and identity of one part of the UK population with section 149 of the Equality Act 2010.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4449", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Anna Turley"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Redcar"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Anna Turley"}
], "uin" : "119751"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/806686", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Exiting the European Union"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/806686/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Both the EU and the UK have been clear that the Implementation Period will be agreed under Article 50 and be part of the Withdrawal Agreement. Both sides have also been clear that Gibraltar is covered by the Withdrawal Agreement and our Article 50 exit negotiations.<\/p> The Prime Minister said clearly in the House on Monday that as we negotiate these matters we will be negotiating to ensure that the relationships are there for Gibraltar as well. We are not going to exclude Gibraltar from our negotiations for either the implementation period or the future agreement.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Robin Walker"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Worcester"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Robin Walker"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-12-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-12-21T16:26:21.887Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "203"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Exiting the European Union"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Exiting the European Union"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-12-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Gibraltar: Brexit"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether the implementation phase of the UK leaving the EU will be the same for Gibraltar as the rest of the UK; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/184", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mike Gapes"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ilford South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mike Gapes"}
], "uin" : "119762"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/806690", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Exiting the European Union"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/806690/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Both the EU and the UK have been clear that the Implementation Period will be agreed under Article 50 and be part of the Withdrawal Agreement. Both sides have also been clear that the Overseas Territories, including Anguilla, are covered by the Withdrawal Agreement and our Article 50 exit negotiations.<\/p> <\/p> In these negotiations, we are seeking a deal that works for the whole UK family, including Anguilla.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Robin Walker"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Worcester"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Robin Walker"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-12-22", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-12-22T14:57:09.207Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "203"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Exiting the European Union"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Exiting the European Union"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-12-14", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Anguilla: Brexit"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether the implementation phase of the UK leaving the EU will be the same for Anguilla as the rest of the UK; and if he will make a statement.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/184", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mike Gapes"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Ilford South"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Mike Gapes"}
], "uin" : "119766"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/806148", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Exiting the European Union"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/806148/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " Details of ministerial and senior official meetings are published in the Department\u2019s Quarterly Transparency Returns, which are made publicly available on GOV.UK<\/a>.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4064", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Steve Baker"}
}
, "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Wycombe"}
, "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Mr Steve Baker"}
, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2017-12-21", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "groupedQuestionUIN" : [{"_value" : "118948"}
, {"_value" : "118951"}
, {"_value" : "118954"}
, {"_value" : "118958"}
, {"_value" : "118972"}
, {"_value" : "118986"}
, {"_value" : "118993"}
, {"_value" : "119043"}
, {"_value" : "119051"}
, {"_value" : "119342"}
, {"_value" : "119359"}
, {"_value" : "119369"}
, {"_value" : "119375"}
], "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2017-12-21T13:24:26.42Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
]}
, "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "203"}
, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Exiting the European Union"}
, "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Exiting the European Union"}
, "date" : {"_value" : "2017-12-13", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Trade Associations"}
, "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"}
, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
}
], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, who was present at the National Trade Associations roundtable attended by the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in March 2017.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/410", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Jon Trickett"}
}
, "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Hemsworth"}
, "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Jon Trickett"}
], "uin" : "119349"}
, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/806158", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for Exiting the European Union"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/806158/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "