Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
What steps he is taking to increase trade flows between Northern Ireland and Holyhead.
The Government is committed to strengthening the Union and Northern Ireland’s place within it. Increasing trade flows between the four nations of the UK is a key part of that strategy.
That is why the unfettered access protections for qualifying businesses on arrival in Great Britain will apply whether goods are moved directly to Great Britain or indirectly via Ireland - meaning unfettered access whether goods leave Belfast for Cairnryan, or Dublin for Holyhead.
Further to this, the Union Connectivity Review will make recommendations on whether and how to best improve connectivity across the UK.
The interim report identified a ferry route between Warrenpoint and Holyhead as being of further interest to the Panel, to be explored further, so I look forward to seeing the final report.