Brexit: No-deal Tariff Schedules

Lord Davies of Stamford Excerpts

Monday 7th October 2019 Lords Chamber

[Lord Callanan]

I thank the noble Lord for his questions. I genuinely would like to be helpful, but I cannot go further than to say that the announcement will be made shortly. We have been responsive to business concerns. We have been listening to businesses and sectors since the original announcement, but, as I said in response to the first question, there is always a balance to be struck between the benefits for consumers and for industries that rely on imports for their productivity and domestic producers. These are difficult decisions; I am not hiding that. I did not say that there would be no changes; I said that there would be no significant changes. I can confirm that we will not be implementing these tariffs on the Northern Ireland border.

[Lord Davies of Stamford (Lab)]

How can our Irish and continental partners possibly be expected to take seriously the document they received from the British Government last week when it promises “an open border” but at the same time provides for customs controls internal to the island of Ireland?

[Lord Callanan]

I think the noble Lord is a Question behind. That is on the previous Question; on this Question we are talking about the tariff regimes.