Department for Exiting the European Union
Robin Walker,Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Exiting the European Union, has completed a three day tour of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man this week, to discuss the implications of Brexit for the Crown Dependencies.
During the visits, the first official tour of the Crown Dependencies by a DExEU Minister, Robin Walker heard directly from people and stakeholders in each Crown Dependency to better understand their specific priorities.This included meetings with a range of ministers from various departments and law offices.
Mr Walker updated the Crown Dependencies on the UK Governments progress on EU exit, and provided reassurance that the UK will continue to engage with the Crown Dependencies through negotiations with the EU and beyond.
Minister Walker arrived in the Isle of Man on Thursday (3 August), where he held talks with Chief Minister Howard Quayle about the specific interests of the island. He also met representatives from the financial services sector, toured Isle of Man Creamery, which exports Manx cheese across the world, and visited high-tech manufacturer Swageloc, where he discussed international trade and market access.
On Monday (7 August) the Minister travelled to Jersey, where he had discussions with Chief Minister Ian Gorst and met with representatives from some of the islands key sectors, including financial services. He also took a tour of Jersey Dairy, which supplies luxury dairy products both to the local market and overseas.
The Minister arrived in Guernsey on Tuesday (8 August) to discuss the Bailiwicks priorities for Brexit with Chief Minister Gavin St Pier and leaders from the fisheries, maritime and financial services sectors. He also met representatives from Sarks Chief Pleas and the States of Alderney.
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Exiting the European Union, Robin Walker, said:
The UKs relationship with Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man is a valued, historical and special one.
On my first visit to the Crown Dependencies since becoming a Minister at the Department for Exiting the EU, I was able to visit a number of businesses to hear the priorities and interests of each island. This builds upon a well established process of quarterly meetings with the chief ministers of the Crown Dependencies and I am grateful to them and their officials for the excellent communication we have established and built upon throughout this process.
Understanding the key issues of the Bailiwick of Jersey, the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Isle of Man is a crucial part of our work. As we continue our negotiations with the EU we will make sure the interests of the Crown Dependencies are understood and taken into account.