US Tariffs on EU Goods

Lord Caine Excerpts

Tuesday 18th March 2025 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (Lab)]

This is all predicated on the Windsor Framework, which removes unnecessary checks, paperwork and duties and fixes a lot of the problems for parcels and medicines applying across the whole of the UK. It also enables important democratic scrutiny through the Stormont brake. There are those protections in place, and we are continuing to look at the operation of the Windsor Framework as we go forward.

[Lord Caine (Con)]

My Lords, last week, at the St Patrick’s celebrations in Washington, the Northern Ireland Secretary restated the Government’s commitment to reaching a trade agreement with the United States, which we strongly welcome. At the weekend, however, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi threatened that Congress would veto any trade deal that does not respect the 1998 Belfast agreement. Given that the 1998 agreement upholds Northern Ireland’s position as an integral part of the United Kingdom and the fact that the United States is the largest market for Northern Ireland goods outside Great Britain and Ireland, can the Minister confirm that it is the Government’s intention that any US trade agreement will benefit Northern Ireland in exactly the same ways and on the same terms as all other parts of our country?

[Baroness Jones of Whitchurch (Lab)]

My Lords, as noble Lords will know, we are working to find a new relationship with the US and to build on the strong economic relationship we have, which is fair, balanced and reciprocal. Of course, that will have to take into account the interests of Northern Ireland as well.