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Britain and the EU are locked in negotiations to try to agree a deal this week, but talks have hit a standstill, EU sources said earlier.

The British parliament passed a law - the so-called Benn Act - last month which would require Johnson to request a three-month delay if parliament has not approved an exit agreement by the end of Saturday. Johnson has said both that he will obey the law and that he will not request a delay.

But asked about media reports that the government could send a second, contradictory, letter to Brussels to avoid a delay, Barclay told a parliamentary committee: "I am not aware of any such plan."

The minister also said Britain had submitted draft text of the political declaration - one part of a Brexit deal with the European Union which sets out the direction of a long term relationship with the bloc.