Richard Drax – 2016 Parliamentary Question to the Prime Minister

The below Parliamentary question was asked by Richard Drax on 2016-06-08.

To ask the Prime Minister, with reference to the oral Answer of 8 June 2016, Official Report, which treaty changes (a) protect the UK from ever closer union and (b) provides protection for the UK’s currency; and on what date he plans those treaty changes to be made.

Mr David Cameron

The central element of the deal that the Government secured at the February European Council is an International Law Decision agreed by all the Heads of State or Government of the Member States of the EU. This decision includes a binding and irreversible commitment that the Member States will at the next opportunity amend the EU Treaties to address key UK concerns. The Treaties will be amended to include the legally-binding principles, enshrined in the international law decision, that will make sure that the UK is not penalised, excluded or discriminated against by EU rules because we have chosen to keep the pound, and the recognition that the UK is not committed to further political integration into the EU and that the concept of ‘ever closer union’ will not apply to the UK in future. The Decision will take effect if the British people vote to remain in the EU.