David Lidington

“Our competitors outside Europe are manufacturing goods cheaper and better. Through innovation, other countries are producing new products which we do not make yet, but which we could.”

“When Theresa May asked me to resolve policy disagreements between ministers, my power to do that depended on the fact that I was acting on her behalf with her delegated authority.”

“We know that fathers find asking for help harder than mothers.”

“Prisons are out of public sight, and most often out of mind. But the vast majority of prisoners will at some point leave jail and rejoin our communities, which is why what happens inside matters to us all.”

“Like my constituents, I have had to immerse myself in the detail about HS2 precisely because of the massive and permanent impact it would have on the area I represent.”

“As the Chair of the National Security Council Sub-Committee overseeing the CSSF and Prosperity Fund, I am proud of what it has achieved in tackling instability and preventing conflicts that threaten U.K. interests.”

“Conservatives believe in patriotism, but equally in community and the importance of local identity. We believe in devolution. We believe in localism. We believe that decisions should be taken locally wherever is practical; that communities matter.”

“As Minister for the Cabinet Office, working to maintain the integrity of our Union has been one of my most rewarding responsibilities.”

“After we leave the E.U., the British Standards Institute should also remain a member of the European Standards Organisation, which is not an E.U. institution.”

“Prison conditions in some parts of the world can be very poor, overcrowded and, in some cases, dangerous and sentences can be much tougher than in the U.K.”

“Open and fair competition within free markets encourages innovation, meaning fresh perspectives can be applied. The private sector also brings skills and knowledge to bear on what can often be complex issues.”

“Both the U.K. and the E.U. have made a sincere commitment to the people of Northern Ireland: there will be no hard border. Equally, as a U.K. government, we could not countenance a future in which a border was drawn in the Irish Sea, separating Northern Ireland from the rest of the U.K.”

“We think it is possible to get the benefits of a customs union but still have the flexibility for the U.K. to pursue an independent trade policy on top of that with other countries outside the E.U.”

“To deliver a smooth, orderly Brexit, we must build a majority for a deal.”

“The work of the CSSF and Prosperity Fund is guided by the National Security Council. As chair of the National Security Council Sub-Committee that oversees both funds, I am working to ensure that they are accountable and measurable against their intended objectives.”

“The CSSF and Prosperity Fund are making lives better, both at home and abroad.”

“Wildlife crime goes well beyond just a threat to endangered species but also has impacts on our society, economy and security. It undermines efforts to uphold the rule of law, acts as an agent for corruption, creates a barrier to development and fuels global instability.”

“Northern Ireland has a unique place in the Union. As the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement enshrined in law, the people of Northern Ireland can be British, Irish or neither.”

“It is vital that people are aware of what the Foreign Office can and can't do.”

“I really believe that a child's mental health is just as important as his or her physical health.”