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

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps he is taking to ensure that farmers in Northern Ireland are able to continue to sell their livestock to the Republic of Ireland after the UK has left the EU; and if he will make a statement.

As part of the Future Economic Partnership negotiations the UK is proposing a UK-EU free trade area for goods. This would avoid friction at the border, protect jobs and livelihoods, and ensure that the UK and the EU meet their commitments to Northern Ireland and Ireland through the overall future relationship.