Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking in relation to the Northern Ireland Protocol to support the Union.

The situation in Northern Ireland is serious: there is no longer a fully functioning devolved government. We remain fully committed to fixing the problems with the Protocol and to protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in all its dimensions. As the Foreign Secretary set out on 17 May, we must make progress urgently to provide a platform for a stable, effective power-sharing executive.

As we have said consistently, our preference is for a negotiated settlement with the EU however we will take steps in legislation should negotiations be unable to reach a landing zone. This legislation will fix the issues facing communities in Northern Ireland. This is about delivering for the people of Northern Ireland, restoring political stability and preserving peace.