Northern Ireland Protocol

Debate between Elizabeth Truss and Carla Lockhart

Tuesday 17th May 2022 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

The hon. Lady knows that the Belfast/Good Friday agreement is based on the principle of power sharing. That requires the consent of all communities in Northern Ireland, and that is what we seek to achieve with the legislation we are putting forward.

[Carla Lockhart (Upper Bann) (DUP)]

Other Members have referenced Lord Trimble’s article in which he says that the Government must now

“act on its responsibility to safeguard the future of Northern Ireland and replace this damaging and community-splitting protocol”.

With his comments in mind, one really wonders what John Hume would make of the divisive and majoritarian approach of his successor, the hon. Member for Foyle (Colum Eastwood).

The Foreign Secretary’s statement is welcome. It correctly identifies some of the fundamental problems with the protocol and the need to act in the absence of agreement with the EU. Given that she has accepted the need to address these issues urgently, does she understand that good intentions for another day will do nothing to address the urgent problems we face, and that we need to have words backed up by actions immediately?

[Elizabeth Truss]

As I said, we will be bringing forward legislation in the coming weeks.

Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (Accession)

Debate between Elizabeth Truss and Carla Lockhart

Wednesday 17th June 2020 Commons Chamber

[Elizabeth Truss]

My hon. Friend is right. Free trade has lifted a billion people out of poverty in the past few decades, and that is a record that no other policy prescription can match.

[Carla Lockhart (Upper Bann) (DUP)]

As an integral part of the United Kingdom, businesses and people in Northern Ireland, including my constituents in Upper Bann, want to benefit from the deal in the same way that any other constituted part of the UK can. Will the Secretary of State assure me that the Northern Ireland protocol will not affect Northern Ireland exporters’ ability to benefit from any trade deal and Northern Ireland businesses and consumers being able to import goods covered by such a deal?

[Elizabeth Truss]

I can assure the hon. Lady that we are working very closely with the Northern Ireland Executive to make sure that Northern Ireland is fully part of any trade deal we agree, and we are specifically consulting Northern Ireland businesses to make sure that they benefit.