Independent Monitoring Panel: Internal Market Guarantee

Hilary Benn Excerpts

Monday 24th February 2025 Written Statements

[The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Hilary Benn)]

On 19 September 2024, I announced the appointment of Aidan Reilly, Anna Jerzewska and Alastair Hamilton as members of the Independent Monitoring Panel. I would now like to provide an update on how the panel will fulfil its core function, as set out under the “Safeguarding the Union” Command Paper, by scrutinising the performance of the internal market guarantee over six-monthly reporting periods.

I can confirm that, following agreement with the panel, the first six-month reporting period for the internal market guarantee commenced on the 1 January and will conclude on 30 June 2025.

The internal market guarantee relates to movements taking place under the UK internal market system. The guarantee undertakes that more than 80% of all freight movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland will be treated as “not at risk” of moving onwards to the EU, and therefore moving within the UK internal market. Relevant data will be provided to the panel to support it performing its monitoring functions.

The Government believe that this progress demonstrates our continued commitment to protecting the UK internal market. I look forward to considering the panel’s first report later this year.

[HCWS463]