Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union

{{Short description|Former select committee of the British House of Commons}}

The Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union, commonly known as the Brexit Select Committee and formerly the Exiting the European Union Select Committee, was a select committee of the British House of Commons that examines matters relating to the United Kingdom's relationship with the European Union after Brexit.{{cite web|url=https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/366/committee-on-the-future-relationship-with-the-european-union/news/144976/committee-on-the-future-relationship-with-the-european-union-membership-agreed/|title=Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union membership agreed|website=UK Parliament|date=2 March 2020|accessdate=7 March 2020|archive-date=3 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200303224815/https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/366/committee-on-the-future-relationship-with-the-european-union/news/144976/committee-on-the-future-relationship-with-the-european-union-membership-agreed/|url-status=dead}} Until the department's closure on 31 January 2020, the committee scrutinised the work of the Department for Exiting the European Union, which had been launched by Prime Minister Theresa May in July 2016 following the 'Leave' vote in the UK's referendum on membership of the European Union.{{Cite news|url=http://www.civilserviceworld.com/articles/news/department-exiting-european-union-has-forty-staff-%E2%80%94-view-taking-%E2%80%9Ccouple-hundred%E2%80%9D|title=Department for Exiting the European Union has forty staff — with view to taking on a "couple of hundred"|date=18 July 2016|work=Civil Service World|access-date=26 October 2016}} It was dissolved on 16 January 2021 in line with the temporary standing order which formed the committee.

History

In November 2017 Parliament voted that a humble address be made to the monarch to direct the government to release its impact assessments regarding the effects of Brexit on the national economy.{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/nov/01/government-may-bow-to-pressure-to-release-brexit-impact-studies|title=Government may bow to pressure to release Brexit impact studies|first=Peter |last=Walker|date=2017-11-01|work=The Guardian|access-date=2017-11-02|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}

The motion, put forward by the opposition, requested:

:That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, That she will be graciously pleased to give directions that the list of sectors analysed under the instruction of Her Majesty's Ministers, and referred to in the Answer of 26 June 2017 to Question 239, be laid before this House and that the impact assessments arising from those analyses be provided to the Committee on Exiting the European Union.{{Cite web|url=https://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/CBP-8128|title=BRIEFING PAPER Number 8128, Exiting the EU: sectoral impact assessments|last=Maer|first=Lucinda|date=1 November 2017|publisher=House of Commons Library}}

Following Exit Day on 31 January 2020 and the closure of the Department for Exiting the European Union, on 2 March the Exiting the European Union Committee was renamed the Committee on the Future Relationship with the European Union and its responsibilities altered to focus on the UK's relations with the EU after Brexit.

The committee was dissolved on 16 January 2021 as the temporary standing order lapsed. Chairmen Hilary Benn wrote to Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg to extend the committee's lifespan in order to evaluate the impact of the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement on the UK. This request was denied, with Rees-Mogg saying other select committees could perform this function.{{Cite book|last=Rees-Mogg|first=Jacob|url=https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/4305/documents/43535/default/|title=Correspondence from the Leader of the House regarding an extension to the term of the Committee dated 13/01/2021|publisher=Parliament of the United Kingdom|year=2021|isbn=|location=London|pages=1|author-link=Jacob Rees-Mogg}}

Membership

On 19 October 2016, Hilary Benn was elected as the first chairman of the committee.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37707700|title=Hilary Benn and Yvette Cooper win select committee chairman elections|date=19 October 2016|work=BBC News|access-date=26 October 2016}} Labour MPs voted for their remaining four representatives from a shortlist on 25 October.{{Cite news|url=http://brexitcentral.com/names-frame-brexit-select-committee/|title=The names in the frame for the Brexit Select Committee|last=Isaby|first=Jonathan|date=26 October 2016|work=Brexit Central|access-date=26 October 2016}} The Conservatives selected their representatives on 26 October.{{cn|date=August 2022}} The remaining members were published in the House of Commons Order Paper for 27 October, except the SDLP's choice.{{cite web |url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmagenda/OP161027.pdf#page=37 |title=Thursday 27th October 2016 Order Paper No. 51 Part 2 |page=37}} After the 2017 general election another committee election was held Hilary Benn being re-elected as chair and members announced on 8 September 2017 due to be approved by the House of Commons on 11 September 2017.{{Cite web|url=https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201719/cmagenda/OP170911.pdf|title=Monday 11 September 2017 Order Paper No.21: Part 1|website=House of Commons|access-date=10 September 2017}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.parliament.uk/business/news/2017/july/winning-candidates-for-select-committee-chairs/|title=Winning candidates for select committee chairs announced|website=House of Commons|access-date=10 September 2017}} Of the committee 13 backed the remain campaign and 7 backed the leave campaign.

Hilary Benn was again re-elected chairman of the committee on 30 January 2020.{{cite web|url=https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/366/committee-on-the-future-relationship-with-the-european-union/news/144794/hilary-benn-reelected-chair-of-exiting-the-european-union-committee/|title=Hilary Benn re-elected Chair of Exiting the European Union Committee|website=UK Parliament|date=30 January 2020|accessdate=7 March 2020}} With the renaming of the committee on 2 March, a new slate of members was agreed for the Parliament that had begun in December 2019, consisting of 12 Conservative, 7 Labour, and two SNP members.

Membership 2016–17

The chair was elected on 19 October 2016, with members being announced on 31 October 2016.{{cite Hansard |jurisdiction=Parliament of the United Kingdom |title=Speaker's Statement (Select Committee Chairs) |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2016-10-19/debates/6A08B1BB-3CCA-4DD1-9000-5DB5C296300F/Speaker%E2%80%99SStatement(SelectCommitteeChairs) |house=House of Commons |date=19 October 2016 |volume= 615 }}{{cite Hansard |jurisdiction=Parliament of the United Kingdom |title=COMMITTEES |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2016-10-31/debates/FACA5BE1-1594-4C21-9C5C-35B154AFE157/COMMITTEES |house=House of Commons |date=31 October 2016 |volume= 616 }}

class="wikitable"

! colspan="2" valign="top" | Member

! valign="top" | Party

! valign="top" | Constituency

!EU Referendum position{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-eu-referendum-35616946|title=EU vote: Where the cabinet and other MPs stand|date=22 June 2016|work=BBC News|access-date=10 September 2017}}

style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| The Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP (Chairman)

| Labour

| Leeds Central

|Remain

style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| The Rt Hon Alistair Burt MP

| Conservative

| North East Bedfordshire

|Remain

style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}" |

| The Rt Hon Alistair Carmichael MP

| Liberal Democrats

| Orkney and Shetland

|Remain

style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Maria Caulfield

| Conservative

| Lewes

|Leave

style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Scottish National Party}}" |

| Joanna Cherry QC MP

| Scottish National

| Edinburgh South West

|Remain

style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Plaid Cymru}}" |

| Jonathan Edwards MP

| Plaid Cymru

| Carmarthen East and Dinefwr

|Remain

style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP

| Conservative

| Surrey Heath

|Leave

style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Scottish National Party}}" |

| Peter Grant MP

| Scottish National

| Glenrothes

|Remain

style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Andrea Jenkyns MP

| Conservative

| Morley and Outwood

|Leave

style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Jeremy Lefroy MP

| Conservative

| Stafford

|Remain

style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| The Rt Hon Peter Lilley MP

| Conservative

| Hitchin and Harpenden

|Leave

style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| Seema Malhotra MP

| Labour

| Feltham and Heston

|Remain

style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Karl McCartney MP

| Conservative

| Lincoln

|Leave

style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| The Rt Hon Pat McFadden MP

| Labour

| Wolverhampton South East

|Remain

style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Craig Mackinlay MP

| Conservative

| South Thanet

|Leave

style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| Dominic Raab MP

| Conservative

| Esher and Walton

|Leave

style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| Emma Reynolds MP

| Labour

| Wolverhampton North East

|Remain

style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| The Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP

| Labour

| East Ham

|Remain

style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |

| The Rt Hon John Whittingdale OBE MP

| Conservative

| Maldon

|Leave

style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}" |

| Sammy Wilson MP

| Democratic Unionist

| East Antrim

|Leave

=Changes 2016-2017=

class="wikitable"

! valign="top" | Date

! colspan="2" valign="top" | Outgoing Member
& Party

! valign="top" | Constituency

! →

! colspan="2" valign="top" | New Member
& Party

! valign="top" | Constituency

! valign="top" | Source

nowrap | 7 November 2016

| colspan=3 | New seat

| →

| style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Social Democratic and Labour Party}}" |

| Mark Durkan MP (SDLP, remain)

| Foyle

| [https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/2016-11-07/debates/34FF447D-94F5-405B-A80B-8D5EEDEC80B8/BusinessWithoutDebate Hansard]

Membership 2017–19

The chair was elected on 12 July 2017, with the members of the committee being announced on 11 September 2017.{{cite Hansard |jurisdiction=Parliament of the United Kingdom |title=Speaker's Statement: Select Committee Chairs |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2017-07-12/debates/B69EAA32-33CE-4783-800B-62543260ECB7/Speaker%E2%80%99SStatementSelectCommitteeChairs |house=House of Commons |date=12 July 2017 |volume= 627 }}{{cite Hansard |jurisdiction=Parliament of the United Kingdom |title=Business without Debate |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/commons/2017-09-11/debates/B9157055-C055-42AE-90D8-44B5F94F0959/BusinessWithoutDebate |house=House of Commons |date=11 September 2017 |volume= 628 }}

class="wikitable"

! colspan="2" valign="top" | Member

! valign="top" | Party

! valign="top" | Constituency

! colspan="2" | EU Referendum position

style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}" |

| The Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP (Chair)

| Labour

| Leeds Central

| bgcolor="#FCC822" style="width: 1px" |

| Remain

style="color:inherit;background:{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}" |