Committee asks Minister about ‘no deal’ Brexit security preparations
8 Feb 2019 11:58 AM
The House of Lords EU Home Affairs Sub-Committee has written to Rt Hon Nick Hurd MP, Minister of State for Policing and the Fire Service, as part of ongoing correspondence on its Brexit: the proposed UK-EU security treaty report.
The Committee's report, published on 11 July 2018, called on the Government and the EU to make pragmatic compromises on security matters to achieve the over-riding objective of protecting the safety of UK and EU citizens after Brexit. After receiving the Government's response in September 2018, the Committee decided to write to the minister to follow up on a number of outstanding concerns. The latest letter from the Minister, dated 25 January 2019, provides further detail on the feasibility of a single comprehensive security treaty and avoiding an operational 'cliff-edge' at the end of the transition period.
On 6 February 2019 the Committee replied to the Minister asking for additional detail on the following areas:
- Does the Government intend to explore with the EU the possibility of establishing ‘no deal scenario’ interim arrangements which maintain UK access to EU security tools on a short-term basis, to avoid disruption and any reduction in the UK and the EU's ability to keep their citizens safe until alternative mechanisms for cooperation can be established?
- What other forms of security cooperation is the UK exploring with European partners, and have any discussions taken place with EU27 countries to establish alternative mechanisms such as bilateral channels?
- How are UK police and security agencies preparing for the possibility of a 'no deal' Brexit?
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