Davis under fire for editing reports into economic effect of Brexit
Labour says the papers should have been shared with Exiting the EU committee in full
MINISTERS have controversially removed sensitive information from dozens of Brexit reports given to MPS, it was revealed last night.
The Exiting the European Union Secretary last night handed over the 58 economic reports – which run to 1,000 pages in total – after being forced to do so by MPS.
One government source said the reports would not include anything that damaged the “national interest” or the ongoing talks with Brussels bureaucrats about Britain’s exit from the EU.
MPS on the Exiting the EU committee in Parliament will decide this morning when to publish the information and in what form. The reports are expected to be published in the next few days. The 58 studies cover all facets of the UK economy, according to a list seen by The Daily Telegraph, from broadcasting, defence and fisheries to gambling, post and retail and corporate banking.
The release of the papers was forced on the Government after the Tories lost a vote in the House of Commons earlier this month.
Sir Keir Starmer, the shadow Brexit secretary, said: “Parliament was very clear in its instruction to ministers. All 58 impact assessments should have been shared with the select committee in full, without redaction and unedited. If the Government has failed to comply with this ruling then we will not hesitate in raising this matter with the Speaker.”
David Davis said the papers left out sensitive information because there was no guarantee the committee would keep them secret.
In a letter to the Exiting the EU committee chairman, Mr Davis said: “Given that we have received no assurances from the committee regarding how any information passed will be used, we have sought not to include commercially, market and negotiation sensitive information.
“Delivering a successful outcome to our EU exit negotiations for the whole country requires keeping some information confidential for the purposes of the negotiations.”
Meanwhile a former Irish prime minister said Ireland should take Theresa May “at her word” when she says the UK Government does not want a post-brexit hard border.
Bertie Ahern said Mrs May had “constantly said she doesn’t want a physical border” between the two countries. The Irish border has emerged as a key Brexit stumbling block, with the EU having said the UK must spell out an acceptable solution before a crunch summit in December when European leaders will decide whether withdrawal talks can move on to trade.