Northern Ireland Executive Formation Debate

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Department: Northern Ireland Office

Northern Ireland Executive Formation

Jacob Rees-Mogg Excerpts
Wednesday 31st January 2024

(10 months, 3 weeks ago)

Commons Chamber
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Chris Heaton-Harris Portrait Chris Heaton-Harris
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Yes, I absolutely can.

Jacob Rees-Mogg Portrait Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg (North East Somerset) (Con)
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May I thank my right hon. Friend for his statement and the hon. Member for Belfast East (Gavin Robinson) for his important endorsement, which is encouraging? May I ask my right hon. Friend about paragraph 145 of the Command Paper? Can he give an example of the circumstances in which a Minister might say that there would be an effect on the internal market and what that might restrict in practice?

Chris Heaton-Harris Portrait Chris Heaton-Harris
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Off the top of my head, I cannot give an example, because I have not yet needed to do that in the PBL—parliamentary business and legislation committee—as I have stated. The practical effect is one of transparency. I am aware that there are many Select Committee Chairs in this place. We want to ensure that when a Bill potentially has a substantial adverse effect on GB-NI trade and we are making those decisions, we are transparent about it and we tell people about it. The best way to do that is to inform this House through a written ministerial statement.