Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

UK Internal Market Access

Wednesday 10 May 2023 · 3 questions

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

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 2 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The Government legislated under the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 to provide unfettered access to the UK internal market for Northern Ireland goods.
  • The Windsor framework guarantees Northern Ireland's businesses permanent access to the UK market.
  • The GB border operating model suggests border checkpoints at Cairnryan, Liverpool, and Holyhead by October.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Bob Blackman Con Harrow East
Northern Ireland Business & Trade
Context

The question arises from the need to ensure that Northern Irish businesses have full and unrestricted access to the entire United Kingdom's internal market.

Question

What steps his Department is taking to ensure Northern Irish businesses have full access to the UK internal market?

Answer from Steven Baker

The Government legislated under the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 to provide for unfettered access to the UK internal market for Northern Ireland goods. The Windsor framework further guarantees unfettered access for Northern Ireland's businesses to the UK market on a permanent basis.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q2 Bob Blackman Con Harrow East
Northern Ireland Brexit
Context

Building on the initial question, this supplementary inquiry focuses on whether the Windsor framework allows Northern Ireland to trade with both the UK and the Republic of Ireland.

Question

I thank my hon. Friend for that answer. Does he agree that the Windsor framework potentially gives the people of Northern Ireland the opportunity to trade with the Republic, as well as the rest of the United Kingdom?

Answer from Steven Baker

I do agree, Mr Speaker. The Windsor framework represents an extraordinary opportunity for Northern Ireland for the long term. Not only will Northern Ireland have privileged access to the EU and UK markets but it will be under UK services regulation and will have access to our free trade agreements, such as our accession to the comprehensive and progressive agreement for trans-Pacific partnership.

Answered
Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email
Q3 Sammy Wilson DUP East Antrim
Migrants & Borders Northern Ireland
Context

Concerns have been raised about the GB border operating model, which suggests that by October, there will be border checkpoints at Cairnryan, Liverpool, and Holyhead, raising questions about the claim of frictionless trade.

Question

The GB border operating model that has been recently published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs indicates that by October this year, there will be border checkpoints at Cairnryan, Liverpool and Holyhead. How is the Minister able to claim that there will be frictionless trade between Northern Ireland and GB when the Government are actively proposing to put border control posts on our trade routes into our most important market?

Answer from Steven Baker

My right hon. Friend and I share many views in common, but I say to him as gently as possible that I think he is really referring to the red lane there. If we had moved forward with the protocol Bill, that would have implemented a red and a green lane, and the red lane would have required checkpoints.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Explanation of border controls in terms of lanes rather than addressing the specific concern about checkpoints affecting frictionless trade.

How: Referring To Lanes

Was this summary accurate? Tell us

How accurate was this summary? (1 = poor, 5 = spot on)

Get updates like this by email