Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress the Government has made on negotiating a permanent settlement on the Northern Ireland Protocol with the EU.

My officials have been in discussions with their EU counterparts since the publishing of the EU’s proposals on 13 October in response to our Command Paper. We are seeking to understand the detail of some of the headline claims the EU has made on issues such as SPS and customs checks.

We welcome the fact that the EU is ready to change its laws to reflect the unique context of Northern Ireland.

Our officials are continuing to work closely with their EU counterparts, and Lord Frost remains in close contact with Vice-President Šefčovič. While significant gaps remain, we are working intensively to see if they can be bridged.