Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

UK Internal Market Bill: Good Friday Agreement

Wednesday 30 September 2020 · 2 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Chris Stephens inquired about discussions with Cabinet colleagues on the UK Internal Market Bill's effect on the Good Friday Agreement.
  • The Secretary of State affirmed the Government's commitment to protecting the Belfast Good Friday Agreement, stating regular discussions with colleagues on this matter.
  • The Secretary highlighted the successful security cooperation between the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the Garda in Ireland as an example of the Good Friday Agreement's effectiveness.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Chris Stephens SNP
Northern Ireland
Context

The UK Internal Market Bill has sparked concerns about its effects on the Belfast Agreement. The Northern Ireland Minister for Justice recently sought clarity on negotiations and protocol delivery, highlighting the need for continued intelligence sharing post-Brexit.

Question

What recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on the potential effect of the UK Internal Market Bill on the Good Friday Agreement?

Answer from Brandon Lewis (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Office)

This Government will always make sure that the Belfast Good Friday agreement is protected. I speak regularly with my colleagues on that very issue. We will not allow anything to shake our steadfast commitment to it.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide details of recent discussions or specific commitments regarding the UK Internal Market Bill's impact.

How: We Are Committed

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Q2 Chris Stephens SNP
Northern Ireland Brexit
Context

The Good Friday Agreement promotes cooperation across the island of Ireland, including in security. The Northern Ireland Minister for Justice sought clarity on negotiations and protocol delivery last week to ensure full preparation.

Question

I thank the Secretary of State for his answer. He will be aware that the Good Friday agreement encourages co-operation across the island of Ireland, including in security. He will know that, last week, the Northern Ireland Minister for Justice said that, to prepare fully, she needed clarity on negotiations and on the delivery of the protocol. What guarantees can he give us that the vital sharing of intelligence and information will continue after Brexit?

Answer from Brandon Lewis (The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Northern Ireland Office)

As I am sure the hon. Gentleman will appreciate, the co-operation has been shown to work exceedingly well, as we have seen in the past few weeks with the quite phenomenally successful operation between the Police Service of Northern Ireland and its partners in the Garda in arresting terrorists. That operation highlights how well that co-operation works on the ground. Obviously, we are very keen to ensure that that kind of co-operation continues after we leave the European Union, and I know that our partners are keen on that as well.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific guarantees for continued intelligence sharing post-Brexit, only referenced successful past cooperation.

How: Under Review

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