Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the arrangements contained in the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland constitute a regulatory border in the Irish Sea.

Every part of the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, is an integral part of the Kingdom. As a result of the devolution settlements, there are legal and regulatory differences between the constituent nations. The Northern Ireland Protocol and the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill ensure unfettered access for goods from Northern Ireland to the rest of the Kingdom. The Protocol does make specific provisions in relation to the movement of goods, but it does not constitute a "border". The UK government has made extensive investment and arrangements to facilitate free movement of goods to Northern Ireland, and, working with the devolved administration, will keep under review all necessary actions to ensure that is delivered.