Bar Council response to Prime Minister's Brexit speech
17 January 2017
Families, consumers and business all benefit from greater
clarity on Brexit, the Bar Council has said today.
The Chairman of the Bar, Andrew Langdon QC said:
"Today's speech from the Prime Minister has provided some much
needed clarity on the Government's direction of travel over
Brexit.
"The announcement that the UK will not seek
membership of the single market underlines the importance of
securing the greatest possible market access for the services
sector, including the legal services sector and all those parts of
the economy which depend on these services. It is also vital that
our post-Brexit agreement provides certainty for families,
consumers and the victims of crime.
"The UK legal services market is worth £25.7
billion, employs approximately 370,000 people and generates £3.3
billion of net export revenue. The excellence of the legal services
sector and justice system undoubtedly make the UK very attractive
to international business and investors. The UK is also the global
hub for dispute resolution.
"Central to our success is the ability of
barristers, solicitors and other legal professionals to provide
legal services across national borders within the EU, and we
support the Prime Minister's welcome reassurance that the UK will
remain open to international talent.
"Brexit must also deliver certainty for families
and consumers. It is vital for UK citizens that judgments made in
one country will be recognise and enforceable in another. There are
millions of couples of different nationalities living in Member
States, including those who are UK citizens, or who have children
who are UK citizens. They need to know that the arrangements to
safeguard their children's welfare will be respected and, if
necessary, enforced through effective reciprocal matrimonial and
financial arrangements.
"Consumers and traders also need to be confident
that the contractual terms on which they do business can be
efficiently enforced by courts in their own country."
ENDS
Notes to Editors
-
Applications for mentees for the
Silk and Judicial Mentoring Scheme are now being accepted, and
the form is
available online.
-
For further information about the scheme, please feel free to
contact Onyeka Onyekwelu at Mentoring@BarCouncil.org.uk.
-
Further information is available from the Bar Council Press
Office on 020 7222 2525 and Press@BarCouncil.org.uk.
-
The Bar Council represents barristers in England and Wales. It
promotes:
-
The Bar's high quality specialist advocacy and advisory
services
-
Fair access to justice for all
-
The highest standards of ethics, equality and diversity across
the profession, and
-
The development of business opportunities for barristers at home
and abroad.
The General Council of the Bar is the Approved
Regulator of the Bar of England and Wales. It discharges its
regulatory functions through the independent Bar Standards
Board