Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

What steps he is taking to promote Northern Ireland's links with the (a) North East of England and (b) rest of the UK.

The Government places great importance on the Union, and Northern Ireland’s integral place within it. We are using Northern Ireland’s centenary to promote Northern Ireland and showcase the contribution of its people and places to our United Kingdom.

Through the Union Connectivity Review, we are committed to continuing to find new ways to connect our towns and cities through better transport links. This will help not only to fuel economic recovery, but also to level up and seize the best opportunities for all communities across the UK. I am delighted that daily direct flights between Belfast City and Teesside resumed in February, operated by Loganair.

Our support to businesses post-Brexit further promotes these links. For example, under the support offered to businesses, the Trader Support Service has moved over 690,000 consignments between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, linked to over 13,500 businesses. A number of these businesses will be based in the North East of England.