Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to the Northern Ireland Agriculture Minister’s decision to halt the construction of border control posts on 27 February 2021, what information he holds on the (a) outcome of legal advice sought by the Permanent Secretary to the Northern Ireland Agriculture department on his ability to comply with that decision and (b) steps that have been taken to progress work on the development of border control posts since that decision.

Decisions on the construction of Border Control Posts are a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive.

Defra officials continue to work closely with the Northern Ireland Executive to comply with international obligations and give effect to the Protocol in a pragmatic and proportionate way, minimising impacts on the everyday lives of people in Northern Ireland, in line with its fundamental purpose.

The agri-food processes required under the Protocol continue to be discharged using the interim facilities that have been in place since 1 January.