Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland: Border Arrangements Debate

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Department: Cabinet Office

Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland: Border Arrangements

Tony Lloyd Excerpts
Wednesday 28th February 2018

(6 years, 8 months ago)

Commons Chamber
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David Lidington Portrait Mr Lidington
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The trade surplus that the EU27 enjoy with the United Kingdom, particularly in trade in goods, is just one more compelling reason why it is to our mutual advantage to negotiate a future economic partnership that allows trade to be as frictionless as possible.

Tony Lloyd Portrait Tony Lloyd (Rochdale) (Lab)
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The Minister is doing his level best to fudge the principal question: if we go into the negotiations with a view that there will be no hard border between the Republic and Northern Ireland and no hard border down the Irish sea, how do we begin to negotiate—what is the mechanism?

David Lidington Portrait Mr Lidington
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The mechanism is that which is set out in the joint report and in the Government’s various speeches and publications over the past 12 months, the latest of which the Prime Minister will deliver this Friday.