Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans the Government has to include representation from trade unions on the Joint Consultative Working Group in respect of the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The Joint Consultative Working Group (JCWG) is an official level group and Article 15(2) of the Northern Ireland Protocol establishes that the JCWG shall be composed of representatives of the United Kingdom and the European Union.

The Group’s rules of procedure set out that, where appropriate and by decision of the co-chairs, experts or other persons who are not members of delegations may be invited to attend meetings of the JCWG in order to provide information on a particular subject. This has not been necessary so far.