Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland

Lord Caine Excerpts

Monday 15th March 2021 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

I agree with the noble Lord that that is the way forward, and that is exactly what the Government are doing.

[Lord Caine (Con)]

My Lords, on Saturday, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland told the Belfast News Letter that people in Northern Ireland are part of the United Kingdom and should enjoy the same products as people in the rest of the United Kingdom. I wholeheartedly support that position. Does my noble friend therefore agree that if the operation of the protocol is preventing that from happening, urgent change is required? Does she further agree that it is now EU intransigence on this subject that is destabilising the position in Northern Ireland and undermining unionist confidence in the Belfast agreement?

[Baroness Scott of Bybrook (Con)]

My noble friend is absolutely right. We need to respond to the outstanding concerns of the protocol, but we must be able to command confidence across the whole community, and that is why we have set out the need to take forward work here in the Joint Committee. All sides must take account of the political sensitivities and the realities on the ground.