Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions he has had with businesses on the Northern Ireland protocol.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I meet regularly with individual businesses and business representative organisations as negotiations and preparations for the end of the Transition Period continue. This includes via meetings of the Business Engagement Forum, which has now met thirteen times since its formation in June. Ministers and officials in the Northern Ireland Office and across Government also continue to speak with Northern Ireland businesses and business representative organisations outside of these formal discussions.
Asked by: Jonathan Gullis (Conservative - Stoke-on-Trent North)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps his Department is taking to mark the 100th anniversary of Northern Ireland in 2021.
Answered by Robin Walker
In the New Decade, New Approach deal, the Government committed to marking this centenary, recognising that it offered an opportunity to reflect on the past as well as to build for the future, in Northern Ireland, across the UK and internationally. We committed to facilitating national recognition and international awareness of the anniversary, which marks not only the centenary of Northern Ireland, but also of the United Kingdom as we know it.
On his recent visit to Northern Ireland, the Prime Minister announced the establishment of a Centenary Forum, and a Centenary Historical Advisory Panel. This will offer us the opportunity to work with a broad spectrum of people to deliver an ambitious and exciting programme of events to mark the anniversary. Further details about the centenary programme will be available later in the autumn.