Oral Answers to Questions

Geraint Davies Excerpts

Wednesday 4th November 2020 Commons Chamber

The Secretary of State was asked—

[Geraint Davies (Swansea West) (Lab/Co-op)]

What assessment he has made of public opinion on the holding of a referendum on the future of Northern Ireland in accordance with the Good Friday agreement.

[The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Brandon Lewis) [V]]

My apologies for not being with you in person, Mr Speaker, but as you know, I am self-isolating at the moment.

The UK Government are fully committed to the requirements set out in the Belfast/Good Friday agreement in relation to the circumstances that require the Secretary of State to hold a referendum on a change in the constitutional status of Northern Ireland. It remains my view that the majority of the people of Northern Ireland continue to support Northern Ireland’s place in the United Kingdom.

[Geraint Davies [V]]

It is now just seven weeks before we embark on the biggest change to our trading arrangements that we have seen for a generation, yet food producers still have no idea what arrangements they have to put in place to trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Does the Secretary of State agree that the Government’s avoidable failure to prepare now risks damaging Northern Ireland’s integral place in the UK internal market?

[Brandon Lewis]

I simply do not agree with that outline. Apart from the discussions that I have had with food producers and, indeed, the suppliers and retailers of food across Northern Ireland, one of the key things we have always been focused on delivering is unfettered access for Northern Ireland businesses to the market across the whole United Kingdom. We are still focused and determined to do that, and that is what the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill delivers. I am confident that the work of the specialist joint committee will be completed to ensure that we continue to have that good, free flow of goods, so that Northern Ireland continues not just to be an integral part of the United Kingdom, but to have a unique opportunity to develop its economy as we leave the European Union after the transition period, from January 2021.