Brexit: All you need to know about the UK

leaving the EU
By Alex Hunt & Brian Wheeler

BBC News

 17 January 2017

This article is designed to be an easy-to-understand guide to the UK's

vote to leave the European Union.

What does Brexit mean?

It is a word that has become used as a shorthand way of saying the UK leaving the EU - merging the
words Britain and exit to get Brexit, in a same way as a possible Greek exit from the euro was dubbed
Grexit in the past.

Why is Britain leaving the European Union?

A referendum - a vote in which everyone (or nearly everyone) of voting age can take part - was held on
Thursday 23 June, to decide whether the UK should leave or remain in the European Union. Leave won
by 52% to 48%. The referendum turnout was 71.8%, with more than 30 million people voting.

What was the breakdown across the UK?

England voted for Brexit, by 53.4% to 46.6%, as did Wales, with Leave getting 52.5% of the vote and
Remain 47.5%. Scotland and Northern Ireland both backed staying in the EU. Scotland backed Remain by
62% to 38%, while 55.8% in Northern Ireland voted Remain and 44.2% Leave. What has happened since
the referendum?

Britain got a new Prime Minister - Theresa May. The former home secretary took over from David
Cameron, who resigned on the day after losing the referendum. Like Mr Cameron, Mrs May was against
Britain leaving the EU but she says she will respect the will of the people. She has said "Brexit means
Brexit" but there is still a lot of debate about what that will mean in practice especially on the two key
issues of how British firms do business in the European Union and what curbs are brought in on the
rights of European Union nationals to live and work in the UK. She set out more details of her
negotiating hopes in her key speech on Brexit.

What about the economy?

The UK economy appears to have weathered the initial shock of the Brexit vote, although the value of
the pound remains near a 30-year low, but opinion is sharply divided over the long-term effects of
leaving the EU. Some major firms such as Easyjet and John Lewis have pointed out that the slump in
sterling has increased their costs. Britain also lost its top AAA credit rating, meaning the cost of
government borrowing will be higher. But share prices have recovered from a dramatic slump in value,
with both the FTSE 100 and the broader FTSE 250 index, which includes more British-based businesses,
trading higher than before the referendum. The Bank of England cut interest rates from 0.5% to 0.25% -
a record low and the first cut since 2009 - after the vote and there has not been the economic slump or
recession that some had predicted. Here is a regularly updated detailed rundown of how Britain's
economy is doing

What is the European Union?

The European Union - often known as the EU - is an economic and political partnership involving 28
European countries . It began after World War Two to foster economic co-operation, with the idea that
countries which trade together are more likely to avoid going to war with each other.

It has since grown to become a "single market" allowing goods and people to move around, basically as
if the member states were one country. It has its own currency, the euro, which is used by 19 of the
member countries, its own parliament and it now sets rules in a wide range of areas - including on the
environment, transport, consumer rights and even things such as mobile phone charges.

So when will Britain actually leave it?

For the UK to leave the EU it has to invoke an agreement called Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty which
gives the two sides two years to agree the terms of the split. Theresa May has said she intends to trigger
this process by the end of March 2017, meaning the UK will be expected to have left by the summer of
2019, depending on the precise timetable agreed during the negotiations. The government will also
enact a Great Repeal Bill which will end the primacy of EU law in the UK. It is expected to incorporate all
EU legislation into UK law in one lump, after which the government will decide over a period of time
which parts to keep, change or remove.

What about the court challenge to the Brexit process?

A court challenge to Theresa May's right to trigger the Article 50 process without getting the backing of
Parliament was successful in the High Court. Downing Street has since appealed to the Supreme Court
with a judgement expected in the next week or two. Even if the government's appeal fails it does not
mean necessarily that there will be any delays to Brexit. It is expected that in those circumstances a very
short Act of Parliament could be brought forward to go through the Commons and Lords. Although it is
generally believed that the go-ahead would ultimately be given - because most MPs have said they
would respect the EU referendum result - having to go through the full parliamentary process could
prompt attempts to amend the legislation or add in caveats, such as the UK having to negotiate a deal
which included staying the European single market after Brexit. Read a simple key points guide to the
Supreme Court case.

Who is going to negotiate Britain's exit from the EU?

Theresa May set up a government department, headed by veteran Conservative MP and Leave
campaigner David Davis, to take responsibility for Brexit. Former defence secretary, Liam Fox, who also
campaigned to leave the EU, was given the new job of international trade secretary and Boris Johnson,
who was a leader of the official Leave campaign, is foreign secretary. These men - dubbed the Three
Brexiteers - will play a central role in negotiations with the EU and seek out new international
agreements, although it will be Mrs May, as prime minister, who will have the final say. The government
did not do any emergency planning for Brexit ahead of the referendum and Mrs May has rejected calls
to say what her negotiating goals are.

How long will it take for Britain to leave the EU?

Once Article 50 has been triggered, the UK will have two years to negotiate its withdrawal. But no one
really knows how the Brexit process will work - Article 50 was only created in late 2009 and it has never
been used. Former Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond, now Chancellor, wanted Britain to remain in the
EU, and he has suggested it could take up to six years for the UK to complete exit negotiations. The
terms of Britain's exit will have to be agreed by 27 national parliaments, a process which could take
some years, he has argued.

EU law still stands in the UK until it ceases being a member. The UK will continue to abide by EU treaties
and laws, but not take part in any decision-making.
Why will Brexit take so long?

Unpicking 43 years of treaties and agreements covering thousands of different subjects was never going
to be a straightforward task. It is further complicated by the fact that it has never been done before and
negotiators will, to some extent, be making it up as they go along. The post-Brexit trade deal is likely to
be the most complex part of the negotiation because it needs the unanimous approval of more than 30
national and regional parliaments across Europe, some of whom may want to hold referendums.

The likely focus of negotiations between the UK and EU

Following Theresa May's Brexit recent speech we now know that the UK is not intending to stay in the
EU's single market. Although there has been speculation for months about the issue, it would have
meant the UK staying under the auspices of the European Court of Justice and having to allow unlimited
EU immigration, under freedom of movement rules.

Both sides want trade to continue after Brexit with the UK seeking a positive outcome for those who
wish to trade goods and services" - such as those in the City of London and wanting a "comprehensive
free trade deal" giving the UK "the greatest possible access" to the single market. Mrs May says she
wants the UK to reach a new customs union deal with the EU. A customs union is where countries agree
not to impose tariffs on each others' goods and have a common tariff on goods coming in from
elsewhere. The UK is currently part of the EU customs union but that stops the UK being able to do its
own trade deals with other countries.

What do "soft" and "hard" Brexit mean?

These terms have increasingly been used as debate focused on the terms of the UK's departure from the
EU. There is no strict definition of either, but they are used to refer to the closeness of the UK's
relationship with the EU post-Brexit.

So at one extreme, "hard" Brexit could involve the UK refusing to compromise on issues like the free
movement of people in order to maintain access to the EU single market. At the other end of the scale, a
"soft" Brexit might follow a similar path to Norway, which is a member of the single market and has to
accept the free movement of people as a result.

What happens to EU citizens living in the UK?

The government has declined to give a firm guarantee about the status of EU nationals currently living in
the UK, saying this is not possible without a reciprocal pledge from other EU members about the millions
of British nationals living on the continent. EU nationals with a right to permanent residence, which is
granted after they have lived in the UK for five years, will be be able to stay, the chief civil servant at the
Home Office has said. The rights of other EU nationals would be subject to negotiations on Brexit and
the "will of Parliament", he added.
What happens to UK citizens working in the EU?

A lot depends on the kind of deal the UK agrees with the EU. If it remains within the single market, it
would almost certainly retain free movement rights, allowing UK citizens to work in the EU and vice
versa. If the government opted to impose work permit restrictions, then other countries could
reciprocate, meaning Britons would have to apply for visas to work.

What about EU nationals who want to work in the UK?

Again, it depends on whether the UK government decides to introduce a work permit system of the kind
that currently applies to non-EU citizens, limiting entry to skilled workers in professions where there are
shortages. Citizens' Advice has reminded people their rights have not changed yet and asked anyone to
contact them if they think they have been discriminated against following the Leave vote.

Brexit Secretary David Davis has suggested EU migrants who come to the UK as Brexit nears may not be
given the right to stay. He has said there might have to be a cut-off point if there was a "surge" in new
arrivals.

What does the fall in the value of the pound mean for prices in the shops?

Media captionShoppers will need to keep a close eye on how much they are spending

People travelling overseas from the UK have found their pounds are buying fewer euros or dollars after
the Brexit vote.

The day-to-day spending impact is likely to be more significant. Even if the pound regains some of its
value, currency experts expect it to remain at least 10% below where it was on 23 June, in the long term.

This means imported goods will consequently get more expensive - some price rises for food, clothing
and homeware goods have already been seen and the issue was most notably illustrated by the dispute
between Tesco and Marmite's makers about whether prices would be put up or not in the stores.

The latest UK inflation figures, for December, showed the CPI inflation rate jumping to 1.6%, its highest
level for two years with signs of more cost pressures set to feed through in the months to come.

Will immigration be cut?

Prime Minister Theresa May has said one of the main messages she has taken from the Leave vote is
that the British people want to see a reduction in immigration.

She has said this will be a focus of Brexit negotiations. As mentioned above, the key issue is whether
other EU nations will grant the UK access to the single market, if that is what it wants, while at the same
time being allowed to restrict the rights of EU citizens to live and work in the UK.

Mrs May has said she remains committed to getting net migration - the difference between the
numbers entering and leaving the country - down to a "sustainable" level, which she defines as being
below 100,000 a year. It is currently running at 330,000 a year, of which 184,000 are EU citizens, and
188,000 are from outside the EU - the figures include a 39,000 outflow of UK citizens.

Could there be a second referendum?

It seems highly unlikely. Both the Conservatives and the Labour Party have ruled out another
referendum, arguing that it would be an undemocratic breach of trust with the British people who
clearly voted to Leave. The Liberal Democrats - who have just a handful of MPs - have vowed to halt
Brexit and keep Britain in the EU if they were to win the next general election.

Some commentators, including former House of Commons clerk Lord Lisvane, have argued that a
further referendum would be needed to ratify whatever deal the UK hammers out with the EU, but
there are few signs political leaders view this as a viable option.

Will MPs get a vote on the Brexit deal?

Yes. Theresa May has appeared keen to avoid a vote on her negotiating stance, to avoid having to give
away her priorities, but Theresa May has said there will be a Commons and Lords vote to approve
whatever deal the UK and the rest of the EU agree at the end of the two year process. It is worth
mentioning that any deal also has to be agreed by the European Parliament - with British MEPs getting a
chance to vote on it there.

Will I need a visa to travel to the EU?

While there could be limitations on British nationals' ability to live and work in EU countries, it seems
unlikely they would want to deter tourists. There are many countries outside the European Economic
Area, which includes the 28 EU nations plus Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway, that British citizens can
visit for up to 90 days without needing a visa and it is possible that such arrangements could be
negotiated with European countries.

Will I still be able to use my passport?

Yes. It is a British document - there is no such thing as an EU passport, so your passport will stay the
same. In theory, the government could, if it wanted, decide to change the colour, which is currently
standardised for EU countries, says the BBC's Europe correspondent, Chris Morris.

Some say we could still remain in the single market - but what is a single market?

The single market is seen by its advocates as the EU's biggest achievement and one of the main reasons
it was set up in the first place.

Britain was a member of a free trade area in Europe before it joined what was then known as the
common market. In a free trade area countries can trade with each other without paying tariffs - but it is
not a single market because the member states do not have to merge their economies together.

The European Union single market, which was completed in 1992, allows the free movement of goods,
services, money and people within the European Union, as if it was a single country.

It is possible to set up a business or take a job anywhere within it. The idea was to boost trade, create
jobs and lower prices. But it requires common law-making to ensure products are made to the same
technical standards and imposes other rules to ensure a "level playing field".

Critics say it generates too many petty regulations and robs members of control over their own affairs.
Mass migration from poorer to richer countries has also raised questions about the free movement
rule.

Has any other member state ever left the EU?

No nation state has ever left the EU. But Greenland, one of Denmark's overseas territories, held a
referendum in 1982, after gaining a greater degree of self government, and voted by 52% to 48% to
leave, which it duly did after a period of negotiation. The BBC's Carolyn Quinn visited Greenland at the
end of last year to find out how they did it.
What does this mean for Scotland?

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said in the wake of the Leave result that it is "democratically
unacceptable" that Scotland faces being taken out of the EU when it voted to Remain. A second
independence referendum for the country is now "highly likely", she has said, although not in 2017. She
has said she wants Scotland to stay in the single market and said Mrs May's decision to rule out the UK
staying in the single market "undoubtedly" brings the referendum closer.

What does it mean for Northern Ireland?

Before his resignation Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said the impact in Northern Ireland
would be "very profound" and that the whole island of Ireland should now be able to vote on
reunification. But, speaking while she was still Northern Ireland Secretary, Theresa Villiers ruled out the
call from Sinn Féin for a border poll, saying the circumstances in which one would be called did not exist.
The land border is likely to be a key part of the Brexit talks. Theresa May said a priority for her would be
negotiating a deal with the EU which allowed a common travel area between the UK and the Republic of
Ireland.

How will pensions, savings, investments and mortgages be affected?

During the referendum campaign, David Cameron said the so-called "triple lock" for state pensions
would be threatened by a UK exit. This is the agreement by which pensions increase by at least the level
of earnings, inflation or 2.5% every year - whichever is the highest. But his successor Theresa May has
said she will keep it in place, at least for the current Parliament, which is due to last until 2020.

So far there has been a cut in interest rates, which has helped keep mortgage and other borrowing rates
low. There are yet to be signs that rising inflation have worried the Bank of England enough to consider
raising interest rates. But if that happened it would make mortgages and loans more expensive to repay
- but would be good news for savers.
Will duty-free sales on Europe journeys return?

Journalists and writers on social media have greeted the reintroduction of duty-free sales as an "upside"
or "silver lining" of Brexit. As with most Brexit consequences, whether this will happen depends on how
negotiations with the EU play out - whether the "customs union" agreement between Britain and the EU
is ended or continued.

Eurotunnel boss Jacques Gounon said last November the reintroduction of duty-free would be "an
incredible boost for my business" but he later said that remark had been "light-hearted". Erik Juul-
Mortensen, president of the Tax Free World Association (TFWA) said after the referendum vote "it is not
possible to predict how Brexit will affect the duty free and travel retail industry, and it is wiser not to
make assumptions about exactly what the impact will be."

Will EHIC cards still be valid?

They are at the moment but no-one knows the longer term prospects for definite. The EHIC card - which
entitles travellers to state-provided medical help for any condition or injury that requires urgent
treatment, in any other country within the EU, as well as several non-EU countries - is not an EU
initiative. It was negotiated between countries within a group known as the European Economic Area,
often simply referred to as the single market (plus Switzerland, which confusingly is not a member of the
EEA, but has agreed access to the single market). Therefore, the future of Britons' EHIC cover could
depend on whether the UK decided to sever ties with the EEA.

Will cars need new number plates?

Probably not, says BBC Europe correspondent Chris Morris, because there's no EU-wide law on vehicle
registration or car number places, and the EU flag symbol is a voluntary identifier and not compulsory.
The DVLA says there has been no discussion about what would happen to plates with the flag if the UK
voted to leave.

Could MPs block an EU exit?

Could the necessary legislation pass the Commons, given that a lot of MPs - all SNP and Lib Dems, nearly
all Labour and many Conservatives - were in favour of staying? The referendum result is not legally
binding - Parliament still has to pass the laws that will get Britain out of the 28 nation bloc, starting with
the repeal of the 1972 European Communities Act.
The withdrawal agreement also has to be ratified by Parliament - the House of Lords and/or the
Commons could vote against ratification, according to a House of Commons library report. In practice,
Conservative MPs who voted to remain in the EU would be whipped to vote with the government. Any
who defied the whip would have to face the wrath of voters at the next general election.

One scenario that could see the referendum result overturned, is if MPs forced a general election and a
party campaigned on a promise to keep Britain in the EU, got elected and then claimed that the election
mandate topped the referendum one. Two-thirds of MPs would have to vote for a general election to be
held before the next scheduled one in 2020.

Will leaving the EU mean we don't have to abide by the European Court of Human Rights?

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) in Strasbourg is not a European Union institution.

It was set up by the Council of Europe, which has 47 members including Russia and Ukraine. So quitting
the EU will not exempt the UK from its decisions.

However, the UK government is committed to repealing the Human Rights Act which requires UK courts
to treat the ECHR as setting legal precedents for the UK, in favour of a British Bill of Rights.

As part of that, the UK government is expected to announce measures that will boost the powers of
courts in England and Wales to over-rule judgements handed down by the ECHR.

However, the EU has its own European Court of Justice, whose decisions are binding on EU institutions
and member states.

Its rulings have sometimes caused controversy in Britain and supporters of a Brexit have called
for immediate legislation to curb its powers.

Will the UK be able to rejoin the EU in the future?

BBC Europe editor Katya Adler says the UK would have to start from scratch with no rebate, and enter
accession talks with the EU. Every member state would have to agree to the UK re-joining. But she says
with elections looming elsewhere in Europe, other leaders might not be generous towards any UK
demands. New members are required to adopt the euro as their currency, once they meet the relevant
criteria, although the UK could try to negotiate an opt-out.

Who wanted the UK to leave the EU?

The UK Independence Party, which received nearly four million votes - 13% of those cast - in May's
general election, has campaigned for many years for Britain's exit from the EU. They were joined in their
call during the referendum campaign by about half the Conservative Party's MPs, including Boris
Johnson and five members of the then Cabinet. A handful of Labour MPs and Northern Ireland party the
DUP were also in favour of leaving.
What were their reasons for wanting the UK to leave?

They said Britain was being held back by the EU, which they said imposed too many rules on business
and charged billions of pounds a year in membership fees for little in return. They also cited sovereignty
and democracy, and they wanted Britain to take back full control of its borders and reduce the number
of people coming here to live and/or work.

One of the main principles of EU membership is "free movement", which means you don't need to get a
visa to go and live in another EU country. The Leave campaign also objected to the idea of "ever closer
union" between EU member states and what they see as moves towards the creation of a "United States
of Europe".

Who wanted the UK to stay in the EU?

Then Prime Minister David Cameron was the leading voice in the Remain campaign, after reaching an
agreement with other European Union leaders that would have changed the terms of Britain's
membership had the country voted to stay in.

He said the deal would give Britain "special" status and help sort out some of the things British people
said they didn't like about the EU, like high levels of immigration - but critics said the deal would make
little difference.

Sixteen members of Mr Cameron's Cabinet, including the woman who would replace him as PM,
Theresa May, also backed staying in. The Conservative Party was split on the issue and officially
remained neutral in the campaign. The Labour Party, Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru, the Green
Party and the Liberal Democrats were all in favour of staying in.

US president Barack Obama also wanted Britain to remain in the EU, as did other EU nations such as
France and Germany.

What were their reasons for wanting the UK to stay?

Those campaigning for Britain to stay in the EU said it gets a big boost from membership - it makes
selling things to other EU countries easier and, they argued, the flow of immigrants, most of whom are
young and keen to work, fuels economic growth and helps pay for public services.

They also said Britain's status in the world would be damaged by leaving and that we are more secure as
part of the 28 nation club, rather than going it alone.

What about businesses?

Big business - with a few exceptions - tended to be in favour of Britain staying in the EU because it
makes it easier for them to move money, people and products around the world.
Given the crucial role of London as a financial centre, there's interest in how many jobs may be lost to
other hubs in the EU. Four of the biggest US banks have committed to helping maintain the City's
position. But HSBC will move up to 1,000 jobs to Paris, the BBC understands.

Some UK exporters say they've had increased orders or enquiries because of the fall in the value of the
pound. Pest control firm Rentokil Initial says it could make £15m extra this year thanks to a weaker
currency.

Others are less optimistic. Hilary Jones, a director at UK cosmetics firm Lush said the company
was "terrified" about the economic impact. She added that while the firm's Dorset factory would
continue to produce goods for the UK market, products for the European market may be made at its
new plant in Germany.

Image copyright tREUTERS Image caption Boris Johnson was one of the most prominent Leave
campaigners

Who led the rival sides in the campaign?

 Britain Stronger in Europe - the main cross-party group campaigning for Britain to remain in the
EU was headed by former Marks and Spencer chairman Lord Rose. It was backed by key figures
from the Conservative Party, including Prime Minister David Cameron and Chancellor George
Osborne, most Labour MPs, including party leader Jeremy Corbyn and Alan Johnson, who ran
the Labour In for Britain campaign, the Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru, the Alliance party and the SDLP in
Northern Ireland, and the Green Party. Who funded the campaign: Britain Stronger in Europe
raised £6.88m, boosted by two donations totalling £2.3m from the supermarket magnate and
Labour peer Lord Sainsbury. Other prominent Remain donors included hedge fund manager
David Harding (£750,000), businessman and Travelex founder Lloyd Dorfman (£500,000) and the
Tower Limited Partnership (£500,000). Read a Who's Who guide. Who else campaigned to
remain: The SNP ran its own remain campaign in Scotland as it did not want to share a platform
with the Conservatives. Several smaller groups also registered to campaign.

 Vote Leave - A cross-party campaign that has the backing of senior Conservatives such as
Michael Gove and Boris Johnson plus a handful of Labour MPs, including Gisela Stuart and
Graham Stringer, and UKIP's Douglas Carswell and Suzanne Evans, and the DUP in Northern
 Ireland. Former Tory chancellor Lord Lawson and SDP founder Lord Owen were also involved. It
had a string of affiliated groups such as Farmers for Britain, Muslims for Britain and Out and
Proud, a gay anti-EU group, aimed at building support in different communities. Who funded
the campaign: Vote Leave raised £2.78m. Its largest supporter was businessman Patrick
Barbour, who gave £500,000. Former Conservative Party treasurer Peter Cruddas gave a
£350,000 donation and construction mogul Terence Adams handed over £300,000. Read a
Who's Who guide. Who else campaigned to leave: UKIP leader Nigel Farage is not part of Vote
Leave. His party ran its own campaign. The Trade Union and Socialist Coalition is also running its
own out campaign. Several smaller groups also registered to campaign.

Will the EU still use English?

Yes, says BBC Europe editor Katya Adler. There will still be 27 other EU states in the bloc, and others
wanting to join in the future, and the common language tends to be English - "much to France's
chagrin", she says.

Will a Brexit harm product safety?

Probably not, is the answer. It would depend on whether or not the UK decided to get rid of current
safety standards. Even if that happened any company wanting to export to the EU would have to comply
with its safety rules, and it's hard to imagine a company would want to produce two batches of the
same products.

Thanks for sending in your questions. Here are a selection of them, and our answers:

Which MPs were for staying and which for leaving?

The good news for Edward, from Cambridge, who asked this question, is we have been working on
exactly such a list. Click here for the latest version.

How much does the UK contribute to the EU and how much do we get in return?

In answer to this query from Nancy from Hornchurch - the UK is one of 10 member states who pay more
into the EU budget than they get out, only France and Germany contribute more. In 2014/15, Poland
was the largest beneficiary, followed by Hungary and Greece.
image copyright THINKS TOCK Image captionThe UK is one of 10 member states who pay more into the
EU budget than they get out.

The UK also gets an annual rebate that was negotiated by Margaret Thatcher and money back, in the
form of regional development grants and payments to farmers, which added up to £4.6bn in 2014/15.
According to the latest Treasury figures, the UK's net contribution for 2014/15 was £8.8bn - nearly
double what it was in 2009/10.

The National Audit Office, using a different formula which takes into account EU money paid directly to
private sector companies and universities to fund research, and measured over the EU's financial year,
shows the UK's net contribution for 2014 was £5.7bn.

If I retire to Spain or another EU country will my healthcare costs still be covered?

David, from East Sussex, is worried about what will happen to his retirement plans. This is one of those
issues where it is not possible to say definitively what would happen. At the moment, the large British
expat community in Spain gets free access to Spanish GPs and their hospital treatment is paid for by the
NHS. After they become permanent residents Spain pays for their hospital treatment. Similar
arrangements are in place with other EU countries.

If Britain remains in the single market, or the European Economic Area as it is known, it might be able to
continue with this arrangement, according to a House of Commons library research note. If Britain has
to negotiate trade deals with individual member states, it may opt to continue paying for expats'
healthcare through the NHS or decide that they would have to cover their own costs if they continue to
live abroad, if the country where they live declines to do so.

What will happen to protected species?

Dee, from Launceston, wanted to know what would happen to EU laws covering protected species such
as bats in the event of Britain leaving the EU. The answer is that they would remain in place, initially at
least. After the Leave vote, the government will probably review all EU-derived laws in the two years
leading up to the official exit date to see which ones to keep or scrap.
The status of Special Areas of Conservation and Special Protection Areas, which are designated by the
EU, would be reviewed to see what alternative protections could be applied. The same process would
apply to European Protected Species legislation, which relate to bats and their habitats.

The government would want to avoid a legislative vacuum caused by the repeal of EU laws before new
UK laws are in place - it would also continue to abide by other international agreements covering
environmental protection.

How much money will the UK save through changes to migrant child benefits and welfare payments?

Martin, from Poole, in Dorset, wanted to know what taxpayers would have got back from the benefit
curbs negotiated by David Cameron in Brussels. We don't exactly know because the details were never
worked out. HM Revenue and Customs suggested about 20,000 EU nationals receive child benefit
payments in respect of 34,000 children in their country of origin at an estimated cost of about £30m.

But the total saving would have been significantly less than that because Mr Cameron did not get the
blanket ban he wanted. Instead, payments would have been linked to the cost of living in the countries
where the children live. David Cameron said as many as 40% of EU migrant families who come to Britain
could lose an average of £6,000 a year of in-work benefits when his "emergency brake" was applied. The
DWP estimated between 128,700 and 155,100 people would be affected. But the cuts would have been
phased in. New arrivals would not have got tax credits and other in-work benefits straight away but
would have gradually gained access to them over a four year period at a rate that had not been decided.
The plan will never be implemented now.

Will we be barred from the Eurovision Song Contest?

Image copyright AP Image captionTo participate in the Eurovision Song Contest countries need to be a
member of the European Broadcasting Union, which is independent of the EU.

Sophie from Peterborough, who asks the question, need not worry. We have consulted Alasdair Rendall,
president of the UK Eurovision fan club, who says: "All participating countries must be a member of the
European Broadcasting Union. The EBU - which is totally independent of the EU - includes countries both
inside and outside of the EU, and also includes countries such as Israel that are outside of Europe.
Indeed the UK started participating in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957, 16 years before joining the
then EEC."

Has Brexit made house prices fall?

Image copyright PA

As with most elements of the UK economy, not enough solid data has been published yet to accurately
conclude the Brexit effect on house prices. Industry figures have pointed to "uncertainty" among buyers
and sellers that could potentially change the housing market.

So far, the most significant research has come from the respected Royal Institution of Chartered
Surveyors, which has published the conclusions of a survey of its members. This primarily records
sentiment among surveyors.

It found that house prices are expected to fall across the UK in the three months after the referendum
vote. However, the dip in prices is only expected to persist over the 12 months from June in London and
East Anglia, surveyors predict.

House prices were already slowing in central London, owing to the fall-out from changes to stamp duty
rules in April.

Separate figures from property portal Rightmove suggested the average asking price of houses coming
on to the market in England and Wales fell by 0.9%, or £2,647, in July compared with June. It said that
agents had reported very few sales had fallen through as a result of the vote.

Many potential first-time buyers would welcome a fall in house prices, with ownership among the young
falling owing to affordability concerns. Investors in property, or those who have paid off a mortgage and
hope to leave homes as inheritance would be unhappy with a long-term reduction in value.

What is the 'red tape' that opponents of the EU complain about?

Ged, from Liverpool, suspects "red tape" is a euphemism for employment rights and environmental
protection. According to the Open Europe think tank, four of the top five most costly EU regulations are
either employment or environment-related. The UK renewable energy strategy, which the think-tank
says costs £4.7bn a year, tops the list. The working time directive (£4.2bn a year) - which limits the
working week to 48 hours - and the temporary agency workers directive (£2.1bn a year), giving
temporary staff many of the same rights as permanent ones - are also on the list.

There is nothing to stop a future UK government reproducing these regulations in British law following
the decision to leave the EU. And the costs of so-called "red tape" will not necessarily disappear
overnight - if Britain opted to follow the "Norway model" and remained in the European Economic Area
most of the EU-derived laws would remain in place.

Will Britain be party to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership?

Ste, in Bolton, asked about this. The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership - or TTIP - currently
under negotiation between the EU and United States will create the biggest free trade area the world
has ever seen.

Cheerleaders for TTIP, including former PM David Cameron, believe it could make American imports
cheaper and boost British exports to the US to the tune of £10bn a year.

But many on the left, including Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, fear it will shift more power to
multinational corporations, undermine public services, wreck food standards and threaten basic rights.

Quitting the EU means the UK will not be part of TTIP. It will have negotiate its own trade deal with the
US.

What impact will leaving the EU have on the NHS?

Paddy, from Widnes, wanted to know how leaving the EU will affect the number of doctors we have and
impact the NHS.

This became an issue in the referendum debate after the Leave campaign claimed the money Britain
sends to the EU, which it claims is £350m a week, could be spent on the NHS instead.

Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt warned that leaving the EU would lead to budget cuts and an exodus of
overseas doctors and nurses. The Leave campaign dismissed his intervention as "scaremongering" and
insisted that EU membership fees could be spent on domestic services like the NHS.

Former Labour health secretary Lord Owen has said that because of TTIP (see answer above) the only
way to protect the NHS from further privatisation was to get out of the EU.