Oral Answers to Questions

Antony Higginbotham Excerpts

Wednesday 8th December 2021 Commons Chamber

[Dame Andrea Leadsom (South Northamptonshire) (Con)]

4. What steps his Department is taking to strengthen the Union.

[Antony Higginbotham (Burnley) (Con)]

13. What steps the Government is taking to strengthen Northern Ireland’s place in the UK.

[Bob Blackman (Harrow East) (Con)]

14. What steps the Government is taking to strengthen Northern Ireland’s place in the UK.

--- Later in debate ---

[Brandon Lewis]

My right hon. Friend is absolutely right. It is because of our UK-wide NHS that everyone in our country can expect to receive quality health services, regardless of where they live. Currently, because of unnecessary regulatory and trade barriers in the UK internal market, we have seen difficulty in safeguarding medicine supplies. Unlike the EU, which some in this House will remember attempted to trigger article 16 earlier this year, with the intent of putting a hard border for vaccines on the island of Ireland between Northern Ireland and Ireland, this Government would never do anything that jeopardises access to medicines or covid vaccines for the residents of Northern Ireland.

[Antony Higginbotham]

Northern Ireland shares many of the same traits as our great county of Lancashire, Mr Speaker, including world-class expertise in aerospace and cyber-security. Does the Secretary of State agree that we can and should do much more to join up Lancashire and Northern Ireland, so that we can do even more together?

[Brandon Lewis]

I agree with my hon. Friend. This relates to a range of areas, including the strategic transport network, which will bring people and businesses across the UK closer together and which is helping us to build back better. It is also important to look at the business and general communication links that mean that all parts of the UK and businesses in it can work together to develop the economy for the benefit of people across the United Kingdom, including in his constituency.