Contributions
1,454 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolOur priority, as the United Kingdom Government, has to be peace and stability in Northern Ireland and protection of the Belfast/Good Friday agreement. It is vitally important that…17 May 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolThe right hon. Gentleman points out that we need more flexibility from the EU, and need a changed mandate. His point about sandwiches from Yorkshire cannot be addressed through…17 May 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolWith permission, Mr Speaker, I would like to update the House on the Northern Ireland protocol and to lay out the next steps. Our first priority is to uphold the Belfast/Good…17 May 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolOur proposals, which deal with customs bureaucracy and tax inequality, are ultimately the solution we need to deliver. If the EU has a new mandate and is prepared to look at those…17 May 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolThe provisions in our Bill will do just that. We have heard acknowledgement from the Labour party that there are real concerns about the way in which the Northern Ireland protocol…17 May 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolWe fully respect the rule of law, and we are very clear that this Bill is in line with international law.17 May 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolWe negotiated the Northern Ireland protocol in good faith, and I have been negotiating with Maroš Šefčovič in good faith, but we have seen real consequences for the people of…17 May 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolWe are very clear that we need to restore the balance of the Belfast/Good Friday agreement, and we need to ensure that all communities in Northern Ireland are treated with esteem.17 May 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolI believe there is a landing zone and a negotiated outcome that can work for the people of Northern Ireland, for the UK and for the EU, but that landing zone requires a change of…17 May 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolThere are fundamental issues that have been exposed since the protocol came into being that have damaged the east-west relationship for Northern Ireland, which is a key tenet of…17 May 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolWe are already sharing large amounts of data that we collect as part of the trusted trader scheme with the EU to give reassurance that trade is not being diverted from the…17 May 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolAs I have said, the Bill is legal in international law and we will set out the position in due course.17 May 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolI am very clear that our proposed solution reduces bureaucracy all round. It will make the EU no worse off, in that we will continue to protect the single market, supply the…17 May 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolI do not agree with the hon. Lady’s characterisation of my time as Trade Secretary, when we opened new opportunities for British farmers around the world. I have always believed…17 May 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolTo be clear with my hon. Friend, we are bringing forward legislation in the coming weeks that will progress through Parliament as legislation normally does. In parallel, if we are…17 May 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolWe have engaged in negotiations with the EU in good faith. We want to achieve the practical solution in all the areas that I laid out, including customs, taxation and governance.…17 May 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolOur priority in putting forward this legislation is to protect the hard-won peace and stability inherent in the Belfast/Good Friday agreement. That is our priority and that is why…17 May 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolI have been clear that our No. 1 priority is to restore the balance in the Belfast/Good Friday agreement, which has been undermined by the operation of the protocol. What we are…17 May 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolMy right hon. Friend makes an important point. The issue with the protocol is that although we entered into it in good faith, it has not operated as we foresaw, and it is causing…17 May 2022HANSARDNorthern Ireland ProtocolI am clear that our priority is to seek a negotiated solution with the EU, and none of the proposals that I have put forward makes the EU any worse off. We want a solution that…17 May 2022