Can I say this afternoon that we won’t be supporting the request for a debate this afternoon, not because we have any problem with a debate, but our belief is that the debate should take place next week? There are good reasons for this. First of all, we will have the White Paper—or Members will have the White Paper—tomorrow. That will provide more information, although some of the questions raised by Simon Thomas I can’t answer today; only the Prime Minister can answer. The White Paper may give us more information tomorrow. We’ll have initial information about the likely shape of the EU negotiating mandate and also the publication of the European Parliament’s draft resolution on the article 50 negotiations. On that basis, then, there is the opportunity for Members to debate article 50, which is important, but also the White Paper and the other issues that I’ve referred to, in a debate, with plenty of time, clearly, to form a view in that debate next week.

So, a full debate next week is what we would propose as a Government. We can take all those important developments into account, and that is something that I know he and I have discussed in days gone by—that a debate is something that should be looked at, particularly—. Well, we agree to a debate, because we want to see a debate take place, pending, of course, the publication of the White Paper tomorrow. So, we don’t believe that today is the day for that debate, but more information will be available to Members over the next few days and, of course, there will need to be a debate where Members can express their full views next week.