Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

EU Office: Belfast

Wednesday 13 May 2020 · 1 question

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 1 Partly answered 0 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Colum Eastwood asked the minister about discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive regarding the EU's request for an office in Belfast.
  • The minister responded there is no need for a permanent EU presence in Belfast according to the European Commission.
  • The minister stated the focus is on fulfilling obligations under the Northern Ireland protocol to ensure certainty and confidence for businesses.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Colum Eastwood Social Democratic & Labour Party Derry City and Strabane
Northern Ireland Brexit
Context

The EU has requested to establish an office in Belfast for monitoring the implementation of the Northern Ireland protocol.

Question

What discussions have you had with the Northern Ireland Executive on the EU's request to establish an office in Belfast? Given the dismissive attitude towards this issue, how can we ensure that you will faithfully implement the Northern Ireland protocol?

Answer from Brandon Lewis (The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland)

There is no reason why the European Commission should require a permanent presence in Belfast. We are focused on ensuring we fulfil all our obligations by delivering on the protocol. The best way to provide certainty and confidence for business is to follow through with our promise to leave and have everything in place at the end of December this year.

Answered

Not addressed: The discussion about a transition period extension was not directly addressed, only implied by dismissing the need for an EU office.

How: Dismissive Attitude Towards The Need For An Eu Office

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