Northern Ireland Protocol: First Treasury Counsel

Debate between Lord Stewart of Dirleton and Viscount Waverley

Thursday 9th June 2022 Lords Chamber

[Lord Stewart of Dirleton (Con)]

My Lords, pacts are indeed there to be kept: pacta sunt servanda. The Government are not departing from a legal principle; they are acting in good faith to preserve the protocol for the benefit of all communities within Northern Ireland.

[Viscount Waverley (CB)]

My Lords, is the Minister aware that senior representatives of Sinn Féin were recently in this building, setting out their vision? At the very least, they put a case that I felt the Government should respond to—will the Minister care to do so now?

[Lord Stewart of Dirleton (Con)]

Not being privy to what was said, I regret that I cannot.