Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he is taking to ensure that goods produced in Northern Ireland do not face competitive disadvantage when placed on the market in Great Britain.

The UK Government has committed to delivering unfettered access for Northern Ireland businesses in legislation, including through the UK Internal Market Bill and the Qualifying Northern Ireland Goods Regulations.

The UK Internal Market Bill will prohibit new checks and controls on qualifying Northern Ireland goods, and through the mutual recognition principle will enable qualifying Northern Ireland goods to be placed on the market in Great Britain without additional approvals. This will ensure direct trade from Northern Ireland to Great Britain will continue as it does now.

The non-discrimination principle contained in the bill will also apply fully to qualifying Northern Ireland goods. This principle will apply to certain types of regulatory requirements not captured by mutual recognition, for example on transportation and manner of sale, and will prevent requirements that discriminate against qualifying Northern Ireland goods by putting them at a disadvantage when sold in Great Britain.

Furthermore, through the UK Common frameworks programme we will work with the devolved administrations to ensure that coherent approaches are maintained across the UK in frameworks policy areas from the end of the transition period.