Question to the Department for International Trade:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent assessment she has made of the impact of negotiations on the Northern Ireland Protocol on the prospects of a trade deal with the US.

As stated on 2^nd December by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Member for Portsmouth North, discussions with the European Union on the Northern Ireland Protocol and discussions with the United States on a prospective Free Trade Agreement are two entirely separate issues. We do not see any connection between them and will not perpetuate such false narratives.

The Secretary of State for International Trade remains in regular contact with her counterpart, United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai, on our bilateral relationship. During their meeting on 20^th September, they discussed a range of topics including the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, and they met again on 7^th December.