Economic Growth
Debate between Sammy Wilson and Emma Reynolds(3 weeks ago)
Commons ChamberRead Full debate Read Hansard Text Read Debate Ministerial Extracts
Emma Reynolds
The right hon. Gentleman is right to raise this issue. As I have said, we have given strategic steers to the public financial institutions to ensure that they are focusing on regional growth, and that is also about opening up opportunities for the kinds of businesses that he has mentioned.
Sammy Wilson (East Antrim) (DUP)
The Chancellor has rightly identified trade frictions as a major impediment to economic growth. As a result of the Windsor framework, the internal market in the UK has been severely disrupted by EU-imposed restrictions on trade, which mean customs unions, mountains of paperwork and physical barriers. What steps does the right hon. Lady intend to take to remove this barrier to economic growth in Northern Ireland?
Emma Reynolds
I can reassure the right hon. Gentleman that when I was Environment Secretary I visited the port of Belfast and saw the kinds of checks that were going on there. The sanitary and phytosanitary agreement that we are negotiating with the EU will help to reduce that friction.