Debates between Lord Leigh of Hurley and Lord Pannick during the 2019 Parliament

Wed 2nd Nov 2022

Northern Ireland Protocol Bill

Debate between Lord Leigh of Hurley and Lord Pannick
Lord Pannick Portrait Lord Pannick (CB)
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May I ask the noble Lord two questions? First, should these problems not have been considered by the United Kingdom Government before they signed the protocol? Secondly, is there any reason why these problems cannot be raised in the negotiations with the EU to take place in the near future?

Lord Leigh of Hurley Portrait Lord Leigh of Hurley (Con)
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I cannot answer for the UK Government on whether they should have been raised before; that is clearly historical and we are where we are. In theory, there could be a negotiation with the EU to try to deal with some of these problems, but we would be on the back foot and there would be no reason for the EU to agree, whereas Clause 12 deals with it satisfactorily.