Northern Ireland Protocol: UK Approach

Wendy Chamberlain Excerpts

Wednesday 20th May 2020 Commons Chamber

[Michael Gove]

Yes, we will apply a principle that I know my hon. Friend will recognise, which is KISS—keep it simple, sonny.

[Wendy Chamberlain (North East Fife) (LD) [V]]

Twice this year, I have come to Northern Ireland oral questions and asked both the Minister and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland the same question: will there be checks? Twice I was told no, but now the Minister today is saying, yes, there will be checks in some form. Will his colleagues come to the House to correct the record and also to detail their assessment of the financial impact such checks are likely to have on the Northern Ireland economy?

[Michael Gove]

There will not be any customs infrastructure and there will not, save in the specific example of agrifoods and products of animal origin, be the requirement for physical checks of the kind about which I believe the hon. Member has expressed concern. It will be the case that we will implement these principles in a way that has the lightest possible touch, so that Northern Ireland’s businesses—wrestling with covid-19—have the brightest possible future.