UK Internal Trade: Northern Ireland

(asked on 4th February 2021) - View Source

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the existing flexibilities and procedures for problem solving contained within the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, in relation to trading matters between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.


Answered by
Lord True Portrait
Lord True
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
This question was answered on 19th February 2021

As set out in our Command Papers, the UK Government has, at all times, taken forward a pragmatic and proportionate approach, drawing upon all available flexibilities to implement the Protocol without causing undue disruption to lives and livelihoods.

The EU’s actions on 29 January, however, profoundly undermined the operation of the Protocol and cross-community confidence in it. That is why it is now urgent for work to be taken forward to address all outstanding issues, to reassure all parties in Northern Ireland. The letter sent to Vice-President Sefcovic by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, on 2 February, sets out the baseline set of issues that the UK Government consider must be addressed in this regard. The Joint Committee co-chairs met again on 11 February as part of this work.

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