My Lords, this is a wretched arrangement for so many. I say “arrangement” rather than “deal” since there is much that the EU offered as part of the deal but which we rejected. My hope for the future is that, over time, we will repair and restore what has been lost.
It is a wretched arrangement for education. It is hugely disappointing that we have lost Erasmus—except in Northern Ireland, where the scheme is to be funded through Dublin. In making that announcement, Ireland’s Minister for Higher Education said that Ireland does not see this
“as a cost but as an investment”—
and rightly so. The principle of cultural exchange, so bound into the ethos of the EU, is intrinsic to that
scheme. As the noble Baroness, Lady Coussins, said, the new, less ambitious Turing scheme will not be reciprocal. Like others, I want to see Erasmus back.
It is a wretched arrangement for services. There is no mobility framework, even though this is essential for effective trade in services with the rest of Europe. In respect of the creative industries, particularly the performing arts, will the Minister clarify what arrangements will be made for short-term work for artists? Can he confirm that musicians and other artists will operate under mode 4 and will be included in the list of exempted independent professionals? Moreover, artists urgently require a long-term visa-free permit valid across the EU that also obviates the necessity for carnets for touring equipment. Will the Government negotiate this? Will the Minister look at the arrangements for independent professionals as they affect IT work, which will be damaging if agencies are excluded from the provision of work, as specified in the agreement, since the majority of such work abroad comes through agencies?
Ultimately, I cannot support an arrangement that does so much damage to British jobs and other opportunities, particularly for young people. To those who believe that it is either this deal or no deal, I say that that is a false dichotomy: one that has been purposely engineered by this Government to an artificial deadline. Far from putting Brexit behind us, Brexit and the different relationship we will have with Europe will help to define the country we live in. I will vote against the Bill.
9.46 pm