Contributions
2,308 recent contributions in Hansard
HANSARD European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) BillI join the right hon. and learned Member for Holborn and St Pancras (Keir Starmer) in welcoming new Members to the House, and in reflecting on the positive tone of the debate,…20 Dec 2019HANSARD Checks on Goods: Northern Ireland and Great BritainI agree with my hon. Friend in part, in that I think the central concern of many businesses, as with those in his constituency, has been around no deal; but because of the…24 Oct 2019HANSARD Checks on Goods: Northern Ireland and Great BritainI think that what has shaped these arrangements is something on which I hope the right hon. Gentleman and I can agree. There are unique circumstances in Northern Ireland. That…24 Oct 2019HANSARD Checks on Goods: Northern Ireland and Great BritainOn 17 October, the United Kingdom and the European Union reached political agreement on a new withdrawal agreement and political declaration for the future relationship. That…24 Oct 2019HANSARD Checks on Goods: Northern Ireland and Great BritainI know that the House and the hon. Gentleman take these issues very seriously. He raises some very legitimate points, which I will seek to address. First and foremost was the hon.…24 Oct 2019HANSARD Checks on Goods: Northern Ireland and Great BritainIt is 1% from the rest of the world.24 Oct 2019HANSARD Checks on Goods: Northern Ireland and Great BritainThe hon. Gentleman asks some legitimate questions, but I think he finished with an unfair suggestion. The Prime Minister was always told that he would not be able to renegotiate a…24 Oct 2019HANSARD Checks on Goods: Northern Ireland and Great BritainMy hon. Friend, as the Chair of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, raises an important point about what reassurance can be given through the withdrawal agreement Bill to…24 Oct 2019HANSARD Checks on Goods: Northern Ireland and Great BritainIt will be for the Joint Committee to determine to what extent there is a material risk of any leakage to the integrity of the single market. I think the example the right hon.…24 Oct 2019HANSARD Checks on Goods: Northern Ireland and Great BritainMy hon. Friend speaks with great experience, and I know that he takes a very close interest in matters pertaining to Northern Ireland. He is absolutely right in respect of the…24 Oct 2019HANSARD Checks on Goods: Northern Ireland and Great BritainA moment ago, the right hon. Member for Belfast North (Nigel Dodds) raised the very correct point about the importance of the trade from Northern Ireland into GB, and how much…24 Oct 2019HANSARD Checks on Goods: Northern Ireland and Great BritainMy hon. Friend rightly raises the point about the constitutional status of Northern Ireland. He will know that the text specifically says that there must be regard to “maintaining…24 Oct 2019HANSARD Checks on Goods: Northern Ireland and Great BritainMy hon. Friend is right that this is a straightforward process. In terms of documentation, hauliers and the transportation of goods, often, a firm will be making the same journey…24 Oct 2019HANSARD Checks on Goods: Northern Ireland and Great BritainThe right hon. Lady has referred to the Home Secretary’s evidence to the Committee that she chairs. I understand that the Home Secretary wrote to her Committee this morning to…24 Oct 2019HANSARD Checks on Goods: Northern Ireland and Great BritainMy hon. Friend is right. In some ways I can go further and better than that, in that the text actually requires both sides to work to minimise the concern to which he has…24 Oct 2019HANSARD Checks on Goods: Northern Ireland and Great BritainI know the hon. Gentleman reflects the very legitimate concerns in his constituency about some of the details, but I do not accept his characterisation of this. The strong…24 Oct 2019HANSARD Checks on Goods: Northern Ireland and Great BritainAs a senior business figure in his previous career, my hon. Friend understands both the dynamic impact from an economic point of view and also the terms of the agreement, which…24 Oct 2019HANSARD Checks on Goods: Northern Ireland and Great BritainThe hon. Gentleman talked about this being within Great Britain. There are no requirements in the protocol pertaining to Great Britain. We will have control, and this is part of…24 Oct 2019HANSARD Checks on Goods: Northern Ireland and Great BritainFirst, Northern Ireland will come with us: it will be part of the customs union, it will benefit from our trade deals, and we are absolutely committed to leaving, as the Prime…24 Oct 2019HANSARD Checks on Goods: Northern Ireland and Great BritainI visited the port of Rotterdam to discuss the arrangements that it is making. For goods coming from Rotterdam to, say, Northern Ireland and then on to Great Britain, any…24 Oct 2019