Brexit: Movement of Goods between Northern Ireland and Great Britain Debate

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Department: Department for Exiting the European Union

Brexit: Movement of Goods between Northern Ireland and Great Britain

Lord Kilclooney Excerpts
Thursday 24th October 2019

(4 years, 6 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Callanan Portrait Lord Callanan
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I do not believe the noble Lord is correct about that. On the details of implementation and exactly how the arrangements will be implemented on the ground in practice, we want to work through the joint committee with the EU, Northern Irish and Irish authorities to make sure that implementation is as smooth and frictionless as possible.

Lord Purvis of Tweed Portrait Lord Purvis of Tweed (LD)
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My Lords, 53% of all goods and services for sale in Northern Ireland come from GB and 65% of all exports from Northern Ireland come to GB, resulting in 419,000 HGV crossings over the Irish Sea. I telephoned the Brexit imports and exports helpline this morning to ask what information was available to businesses conducting this trade and was told by the Government, “We have absolutely nothing on this. Sorry”. Will the Minister apologise for trying to ram through an agreement in three days in the House of Commons and in a short time in this House when no information would have been provided to Parliament or to Northern Ireland businesses conducting this business on the costs and burden inflicted on the UK internal single market?