Oral Answers to Questions

Desmond Swayne Excerpts

Wednesday 7th September 2022 Commons Chamber

[Theresa Villiers (Chipping Barnet) (Con)]

1. What steps his Department is taking to help restore devolved government in Northern Ireland.

[Sir Desmond Swayne (New Forest West) (Con)]

7. What steps his Department is taking to help restore devolved government in Northern Ireland.

[Mr Speaker]

I welcome the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to his new position.

--- Later in debate ---

[Sir Desmond Swayne]

But there is no prospect of restoring devolved government until the protocol has been resolved. Is that not the case?

[Chris Heaton-Harris]

The Executive do need to reform. That is very, very important. Whatever issues there are with the protocol, there are very important functions and services that the people of Northern Ireland need to work, so the Northern Ireland parties need to form an Executive as soon as possible. The protocol has put up barriers to trade and other things. We can fix them through negotiation, but if we cannot, we will fix them through legislation.