Draft Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (Application To Immigration Officers and Designated Customs Officials In Northern Ireland) and Consequential Amendments Regulations 2026 Debate
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Robin Swann
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Draft Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 (Application To Immigration Officers and Designated Customs Officials In Northern Ireland) and Consequential Amendments Regulations 2026
Robin Swann Excerpts(3 days, 6 hours ago)
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Robin Swann (South Antrim) (UUP)
It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Mundell. I have two questions for the Minister about the regulations. He touched briefly on the interaction with Garda Síochána; I note that enforcement of the regulations will
“serve to improve the interoperability of Border Force and Immigration Enforcement with partner law enforcement agencies”.
Given that Northern Ireland is the only part of this United Kingdom that has a land border with an EU member state, that interaction with the Garda Síochána and equivalent organisations will be crucial to implementing the regulations appropriately.
The other question is maybe minor, but I seek clarity from the Minister on the additional powers being given to customs officials under the regulations, and on the additional customs implications for small and medium enterprises in Northern Ireland due to the Windsor framework. Can he reassure me that the use of those additional powers will not have an adverse effect on parcels and packages coming from GB into Northern Ireland, and that the regulations will not become an impairment to keeping the border between GB and Northern Ireland free for the movement of goods and parcels?