Contributions
836 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolI share with the hon. Gentleman the desire to work all these things through as partners and to get an agreement with our partners in the EU on issues like this. We would have…10 Mar 2021HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolMy hon. Friend is absolutely right. Picking up on his last point, I ask colleagues to pause for a moment and think about where we would be if we had not taken those actions. In…10 Mar 2021HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolThe short answer is yes, absolutely. My right hon. Friend makes a powerful point. Northern Ireland is an integral part of the United Kingdom. The economic flows around the United…10 Mar 2021HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolThe hon. Lady may want to have a look at the Command Paper that we published last summer around how the protocol can work. It was very clear about making sure that we had a…10 Mar 2021HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolI think the hon. Gentleman’s question is self-contradictory. He should know from experience of the UQ last year that I will always give him a very straight answer, even if it is a…10 Mar 2021HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolMy right hon. Friend, who has a huge wealth of experience at the Dispatch Box in this particular field, is, unsurprisingly, absolutely right. We have fantastic, very high food…10 Mar 2021HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolThe right hon. Gentleman makes an important point. We do want to work with the EU on a range of issues, and part of the issue around extending these grace periods was ensuring…10 Mar 2021HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolI am afraid that I have to contradict the hon. Gentleman on pretty much every point he has just made. First of all, I do not think it is sneaking out of the House to stand here…10 Mar 2021HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolThe hon. Lady makes a very important point. She is absolutely right: businesses want certainty. They want guarantees going forward. We took the decision last week to extend some…10 Mar 2021HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolMy hon. Friend makes a really important point, and I am determined, as the Prime Minister is, to ensure that the great British banger—the great Norfolk sausage—will continue to be…10 Mar 2021HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolThe right hon. Gentleman makes an important point. I send my best wishes to his colleague, Minister Poots, who is now returning to work after his recent illness, which is really…10 Mar 2021HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolMy hon. Friend makes a good point. I have been fortunate in this role to be able to engage with and have advice and recommendations from the Northern Ireland business community…10 Mar 2021HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolMy hon. Friend makes a very important and powerful point. He is quite right that it is important we remember that the Good Friday/Belfast agreement is about the entire community:…10 Mar 2021HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolWe are a trustworthy partner and have always been clear about what we would do and the reasoning for what we are doing. Rather like the Irish Government did a few weeks ago when…10 Mar 2021HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolAs I said, the protocol was agreed as a unique solution to complex and unique challenges, recognising the unique situation of Northern Ireland, but we wanted to work these things…10 Mar 2021HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolI note from the hon. Lady’s comments that, from memory, she did not at any point disagree with the substance of any of the measures that we have brought forward, which are…10 Mar 2021HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolThe Government are committed to giving effect to the protocol in a pragmatic and proportionate way, one that is needed. We will continue to work with colleagues in Westminster,…10 Mar 2021HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolMy hon. Friend makes a very important point. I know that he has a huge background of experience and knowledge of issues of Northern Ireland. What I would say to him is that I…10 Mar 2021HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolThe hon. Gentleman may well have voted for the deal as well. I will be very clear with him: my focus is on ensuring that we deliver exactly what the protocol said, which is to…03 Mar 2021HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolWhat I would say to businesses is that I would encourage them to engage with the trader support service that the Government have put in place and which we are funding. It works…03 Mar 2021