David Davis has insisted Britain wants the "most open, barrier-free access to the European market" as he slammed talk of "hard" or "soft" Brexit.
The Brexit Secretary told MPs he found the labels attached to the different ways Britain can seek to withdraw from the EU as "misleading".
Mr Davis made the remarks as Labour criticised the continued lack of detail about the Government's plans for Brexit.
Mr Davis, speaking in the House of Commons following a statement on Brexit, told shadow Brexit secretary Sir Keir Starmer: "We have made pretty plain what our view on the negotiation is.
"We've said very clearly we want to control borders. Do you agree with that? You can nod or shake your head.
"Do you want to control borders? You're absolutely stationary, no sign.
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"We want to control our laws. Do you agree with that? No sign.
"We want the most open, barrier-free access to the European market, full stop. That's very clear.
"The honourable lady is shouting 'What about our economy?' That's the answer.
"We want the most open, barrier-free access to the European market.
"We've heard lots and lots of very unhelpful, misleading comments frankly on hard Brexit and soft Brexit.
"What we want is the best possible access terms, full stop. Best terms - that's it."
Mr Davis also suggested the courts will make the final decision on whether MPs have a say on when to trigger Britain's withdrawal from the EU.
Prime Minister Theresa May is aiming to invoke Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty by no later than the end of March 2017, which will start the two-year process of negotiations.
Mr Davis told Sir Keir: "Article 50 is a prerogative power in view of all the lawyers we have spoken to, it's a prerogative power in the view of the Attorney General, who will be presenting the case in court in the coming week, and it will be decided in court.
"It will be decided in court, which you ought to take seriously."
He added Sir Keir has to understand the difference between accountability and "micromanagement", adding this is what Labour is trying to do.
Earlier, Sir Keir said Mr Davis's statement to MPs lacked substance.
He said: "During the referendum campaign, much was made by the Leave side about parliamentary sovereignty.
"In your statement you said 'We will return sovereignty to the institutions of this United Kingdom' and yet it seems the Government wants to draw up negotiating terms, negotiate and reach a deal without any parliamentary approval.
"That is not making Parliament sovereign - that is side-lining Parliament and that is why Labour is calling for a vote on the basic terms proposed by the Government before Article 50 is invoked."
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Sir Keir denied this approach is seeking to delay the process, adding it is making sure "we get the best possible deal for Britain" and that the Government has a plan.
Sir Keir said Labour does "accept and respect" the EU referendum result, adding: "But neither those who voted to Remain nor those who voted to Leave gave the Government a mandate to take an axe to our economy.
"Throughout the process the national interest must come first, yet by flirting with hard Brexit the Prime Minister puts at risk access to the single-market rather than doing the right thing for jobs, for business and for working people in this country.
"I observed the words 'single-market' do not appear at all in the statement today - so much for putting the national interest first.
"So we need clarity and we need answers - can (Mr Davis) assure the House today that the Government will seek continued access to the single-market on the best possible terms?"
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Iain Duncan Smith, the former work and pensions secretary, urged Mr Davis to "resist the temptation of advice from a second rate lawyer who doesn't even understand the parliamentary process" in an apparent attack on the legal credentials of Sir Keir who used to be the head of the Crown Prosecution Service.
The Tory heavyweight said there would be many opportunities to debate Brexit in the months ahead.
He called on Mr Davis to "get on with the process and don't listen to those who really want to bog it down and never let it happen".
Mr Davis replied: "The simple truth is that the attempt to block Article 50 is an attempt to block the will of the British people - full stop.
"There will be plenty of opportunity to debate in the next two and a half years."
Former Labour leader Ed Miliband joined forces with Nick Clegg, former leader of the Liberal Democrats, to question the Government's Brexit deal mandate.
Mr Miliband said: "There is clearly a mandate for Brexit from this referendum but there is no mandate for the particular form of Brexit."
He cited the record of Mr Davis as a backbencher in terms of holding governments to account as he asked the Brexit Secretary to give Parliament "with a straight face an answer to the question: where is the Government's mandate for its negotiations either from this House or the country?".
Mr Davis said: "I really cannot believe my ears. Here we have the largest mandate this country has ever given to a government on any subject in our history.
"It's very plain."
Mr Davis also said he was unaware of any negotiation in history in the areas of commerce, politics or international affairs where disclosing precise details before an agreement was done "leads to a successful outcome".
However, he did pledge to be "as open as we can be".
Meanwhile, Mr Clegg asked: "On the basis of what constitutional principle do you believe that the Prime Minister can now arrogate to herself the exclusive right to interpret what Brexit means, impose it upon the country, rather than protect the rightful role of scrutiny and approval of this House?"
Mr Davis replied: "Here we go again. We cannot tell the difference between accountability and micro-management. It really is as simple as that."
Andrew Tyrie, Conservative chairman of the Treasury Select Committee, warned the Government's negotiating strategy will be leaked by other EU member states.
He told Mr Davis: "The Government's negotiating position will leak as soon as other member states are told about it, in which case don't you accept that it'd be wholly unacceptable for the British public to find out what the UK's position is in those negotiations from our counterparts in the negotiations?"
Mr Davis replied: "Had you read my evidence to the Lords Select Committee, you'd have seen I gave an undertaking that this House and the other House will be at least as well informed as the democratic institutions on the continent - including the European Parliament.
"That's something that's never been done before but will be done now."
In the Lords, Tory former chancellor Lord Lamont of Lerwick welcomed the Government's stance, insisting it was "absurd" that the negotiating aims should be "paraded in public".
He said there were "disadvantages" to membership of the European single market, including "the fact that we can't make our own trade deals" and must accept regulation.
Brexit minister Lord Bridges of Headley said it was critical that ministers and politicians should be precise in the terms used.
There was a great difference between membership of and access to the single market and people had become confused about this.
Lord Bridges said he couldn't go further in defining the Government's course of action in the negotiations but it would aim to ensure the "maximum freedom for business to trade with and within the single market".
Challenged further over the timing of talks and whether Parliament would have a say, the minister vowed: "We are not going to have back-sliding over the result of the referendum."
Labour former Cabinet minister, Lord Hain said there was no question of seeking to overturn the referendum result but Parliament had a fundamental right to approve the terms of Brexit, which were never spelt out by the Leave campaign.
"Surely Parliament should have the chance not just to scrutinise but to amend any proposal put to it on the terms of Brexit so it is in the UK's interest in the view of Parliament," he said.
Lord Bridges said he disagreed. "This Government has been given an instruction to deliver on Brexit and that is what we intend to do."
Mr Davis also moved to assuage concerns about what Brexit could mean for the status of EU nationals currently living in the UK.
He said: "In terms of the individuals who are European migrants here and British citizens abroad, my intention and the intention of the Government, is to do everything possible to underwrite their position, to guarantee their position, at the same time as we underwrite the similar position of British migrants abroad.
"That is what we intend to do. I have a 'when' shouted from the frontbench so I will answer it.
"The answer is as soon as I can get that negotiation concluded with the European Union. Full stop.
"I don't think people should worry people unnecessarily, get people concerned.
"Bear in mind five out of six migrants... either have or will have ILR, indefinite leave to remain, by the time we depart the union."
Labour's Ian Murray (Edinburgh South) accused the Government of allowing other EU member countries to be involved in negotiations, but not MPs.
"Your definition of taking back control is that this sovereign parliament will get no binding say on the negotiating stance, article 50 or even the final deal", he said.
"What you've said today is, of the 28 current members of the European Union, 27 sovereign parliaments will get a say - but not this one."
Mr Davis also said he believes it will take "a little time" for the Department for Exiting the European Union to be fully staffed.
He said: "In terms of is it 100%, no it's not and the reason is this: That we have to acquire sets of very specific skills.
"There have been arguments in the papers recently about everything from passporting to customs to just-in-time systems and so on.
"We have to be able to deal with that and that's not normally skills that are widely available in Whitehall so it will take a little time to get from 80% to 100%."
Mr Davis warned the EU against pursuing a "punishment strategy" in forthcoming Brexit negotiations.
He said: "The damage done by a supposed punishment strategy would be primarily to the industries and the farmers on the continent who export to this country.
"I'm afraid that Mr Hollande and Madame Merkel and others will find that they have pressure back from their own constituents that says 'this is not a good strategy to pursue'.
"We believe in this country in free trade. Why do we believe in free trade? Because it's beneficial to both sides.
"I do not see how there is a logic in exercising a punishment strategy against one of your strongest and most loyal allies."
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