Oral Answers to Questions

Karin Smyth Excerpts

Wednesday 9th May 2018 Commons Chamber

[Alex Cunningham (Stockton North) (Lab)]

6. What assessment her Department has made of the effect on Northern Ireland of the UK leaving the EU.

[Karin Smyth (Bristol South) (Lab)]

8. What assessment her Department has made of the effect on Northern Ireland of the UK leaving the EU.

[The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Mr Shailesh Vara)]

The Government are committed to delivering a Brexit that upholds the commitments we have made to the people of Northern Ireland to uphold the Belfast agreement, and to avoid a hard border and any border down the Irish sea.

--- Later in debate ---

[Mr Vara]

The hon. Gentleman will be aware that the economic analyses of the past have not always been exactly accurate. As far as Northern Ireland is concerned, he might wish to reflect on the fact that as well as the huge economic benefits that I outlined in answer to earlier questions, over the past year exports are up by 9%.

[Karin Smyth]

Paragraphs 47 and 48 of the joint report identified the commitment to north-south and east-west co-operation. The Government have still not published the results of the mapping exercise on the 140 areas of cross-border co-operation. Will the Minister tell us when we can have the list demonstrating those 140 areas of co-operation?

[Mr Vara]

The hon. Lady should be in no doubt that we are committed to the commitments made in the joint report.