Question to the Attorney General:

To ask the Attorney General, with reference to the Answer of 3 July 2013 to Question 162424, whether it is her assessment that the issue of the UK’s legal obligations under the Northern Ireland Protocol falls into the category of being a particularly complex and sensitive matter.

The Government published a legal statement on 13 June 2022 summarising its position that planned legislation to address elements of the Northern Ireland Protocol is lawful under international law. As the Government’s legal statement makes clear, this is a genuinely exceptional situation against the challenging, complex and unique circumstances of Northern Ireland. Whilst it would not be appropriate to comment specifically on the content of the advice or who has given it, the government commissions a range of advice from appropriate specialists, and we have done so in this case.