Northern Ireland Protocol Bill

Amendments 1 and 2, the latter of which amends clause 26, relate to the commencement and operatio...

My hon. Friend is referring to certain tests of a reputational character, so I would be grateful ...

I will be happy to talk about the essential tests of necessity, which are well recognised and wel...

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I will give way to the right hon. Gentleman first.

On the question of necessity, does the hon. Gentleman accept, first, that we have dysfunctional g...

Let me return to that once I have set out the tests, because that is one issue that, with respect...

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Forgive me, but my hon. Friend asked me to set out the tests and I am doing so. The second test i...

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May I set out the tests, as I was asked to?

The Government need to show that this is also t...

My hon. Friend makes an interesting point about necessity, and one that has exercised my mind. Th...

It does not avail us in relation to the international law test, and the difficulty with this Bill...

I admire the elegant way in which my hon. Friend has set out the three tests. However, the Joint ...

With respect, I do not think the amendment would put another hurdle in the way, because it would ...

rose—

I will give way to my hon. Friend, probably for the last time.

I think that would be fine at this stage. My hon. Friend refers to “grave and imminent peril”. Do...

The difficulty that my hon. Friend has is that that is an assertion. I am not sure that, as yet, ...

My hon. Friend will recall that the right hon. Member for East Antrim (Sammy Wilson) raised the i...

That is, of course, the fourth limb of the five-limb tests—that an essential interest of the EU m...

I thank the hon. Gentleman for the knowledge and experience that he brings to the House, which we...

I do understand that, which is why I have made it clear from the beginning that I am as much in f...

The hon. Gentleman is making a powerful speech. Of course, Henry VIII only had six wives; this Bi...

The hon. Lady makes a fair point. Those of us who have served as Ministers know that, frankly, al...

Just a gentle reminder that quite a few hon. and right hon. Members are wishing to catch my eye. ...

It is a pleasure to follow the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Sir Robert Neill). We hav...

The right hon. Member has stated that the Union is at risk because of the protocol. I know that h...

I will come to the Good Friday agreement in my remarks, but I simply say to the hon. Member that ...

The right hon. Gentleman knows with what affection I regard him, his party and Northern Ireland, ...

I have great respect for the right hon. and learned Member, and I know of his affection for North...

I think my right hon. Friend responded fairly to the former Attorney General, the right hon. and ...

I agree entirely with my hon. Friend, and that brings me to the heart of the issue for us—the thr...

On the point about consent—we did get slightly distracted—I totally and absolutely disagree with ...

Brexit did not change the constitutional status of Northern Ireland as part of the United Kingdom...

Does my right hon. Friend accept that Brexit was all about the United Kingdom’s relationship with...

My right hon. Friend makes a strong point. To be clear, the greater issue for us as Unionists is ...

I think we all agree on the principle of consent as set out in that agreement, but does the right...

The hon. Gentleman started out this journey as someone whose party advocated that the protocol sh...

I respect what the right hon. Gentleman is saying. He referred to the importance of an objective ...

Of course that is a matter for the Government, but I am all in favour of proper scrutiny of this ...

On Second Reading, the right hon. Gentleman and I had an exchange on the democratic deficit. Ther...

That brings me to my final point, which is on the democratic deficit.

rose—

But before addressing that I give way to the hon. Lady.

The right hon. Gentleman is talking about businesses and consumers who have been affected. Earlie...

I am many things, but I am not a prophet, so I cannot say with certainty that this will happen or...

Obviously the loss of input in being at the top table is a feature of Brexit. It is a feature of ...

We are not Norway; we are Northern Ireland. Northern Ireland is not in the single market, and let...

I begin by thanking Members across the Chamber for their participation on Second Reading. I want ...

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I will give way in due course, if I may, because I will come on to the specific amendments, and i...

I understand what my right hon. and learned Friend is saying, and I am grateful to him. However, ...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for his intervention. “Urgent” does not necessarily mean “immedia...

Will the Minister give way?

If I may, I will make some progress. The amendment is well-intentioned, but I hope the Committee ...

Further to the point made by my hon. Friend the Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Sir Robert Ne...

My right hon. Friend is conflating two issues. I will come to necessity in due course.

My h...

On durable solutions, does my right hon. Friend agree that the only durable solution is for the E...

Of course, it takes two sides to discuss such matters and come to a solution. I think it has been...

Will the Minister give way?

I will because it is the hon. Lady’s amendment.

The Minister is arguing that future litigation is why we cannot see the full legal advice, but it...

It is long-standing convention for very good reason that legal advice is not published in full. W...

The right hon. and learned Gentleman referred earlier to the three bits of the protocol that the ...

I hope to come to the right hon. Member’s point more specifically in due course, if he will bear ...

Will the Minister give way?

I will not give way.

The European Union is not willing to entertain the changes that are ne...

Will the Minister give way?

I am not giving way, as I have indicated. I will give way in due course.

It has long been t...

Will the Minister give way?

I am very conscious of the time and the number of amendments I have to get through, but I will gi...

Just on a point of clarification for the Committee, if the Northern Ireland Assembly is not up an...

I thank my right hon. Friend for making that point.

With your permission, Dame Eleanor, I w...

The Minister has mentioned the word “logic” on several occasions and linked the necessity of the ...

I will come on to the hon. Gentleman’s question—forgive me; I was distracted. Would he reiterate ...

I will happily do so. I am talking about a situation in which the Government have linked the pass...

My understanding is that Sinn Féin is willing to go back in and has not set preconditions. That i...

Will the Minister give way?

Forgive me, but may I move on to the issue of necessity, since a number of Members have mentioned...

I am listening with great interest to the series of amendments that my right hon. and learned Fri...

I am sure that my hon. Friend the Member for Bromley and Chislehurst will have heard what my hon....

The Minister has said that my amendments are not necessary. That is very welcome, because new cla...

I commend to the hon. Lady the legal memorandum that was published by the Government. It is, I th...

Has the Minister ever heard the Opposition point out that the EU is breaking the protocol by dive...

My right hon. Friend makes an excellent point, as usual. I have to say that I have never heard th...

Order. Before the Minister comes to his next point, I draw to his attention that a great many peo...

I am in full agreement with you, Dame Eleanor, and I am coming rapidly to a conclusion with my po...

I am grateful that you are in the Chair today, Dame Eleanor, and that I have the opportunity to s...

Can the hon. Gentleman explain how it is right for the voters of Northern Ireland to be subjugate...

The question that the hon. Gentleman is asking is three years too late. It should have been asked...

I am appealing to the hon. Member. He can use this opportunity to stand here and slag off the Gov...

I certainly do support the new clauses and the amendments that I am putting forward, which I beli...

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

I certainly will not be giving way to someone who did not show the courtesy to be here for the wh...

rose—

No, I will not give way. If the right hon. Gentleman were really committed to this issue, he woul...

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

I will give way, but then I will make some progress, because I am very keen to hear from other Me...

Is not the problem with this Bill that it will not give voice to people in Northern Ireland or th...

As we have seen throughout the Government’s response to the challenges of Brexit, they have repat...

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

I will make some progress, because I know that many of the Members who are now seeking to interve...

My hon. Friend is making some excellent points. I want to refer him back to the point made by the...

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for her thoughtful contribution; I know that she cares deeply abo...

Will the hon. Gentleman give way?

No, I have given way once. The hon. Gentleman is seeking to catch the Deputy Speaker’s eye, and I...

How would the hon. Gentleman propose to negotiate to permit the voters of Northern Ireland to hav...

It was a Labour Government who delivered the framework for the Good Friday agreement in the first...

Does the shadow Secretary of State accept that if the Prime Minister had set up residence in Nort...

I suggest that had the Prime Minister gone to live in Northern Ireland and gone to camp out there...

rose—

I am going to finish now, so that we can hear directly from Conservative Members. We have always ...

Order. We had three hours for this debate. The first four speeches have taken more than two hours...

I will be quick. I have listened with fascination to the contributions and speeches made this aft...

rose—

No, I will not give way. Too many need to speak.

It is no light matter for this House to ta...

New Zealand has been able to negotiate quite diligently and swiftly a veterinary agreement with t...

Order. Before the right hon. and learned Gentleman answers the question, I must say that his rhet...

Dame Eleanor, you rebuke me entirely justly. Let me see if I can answer the question. Yes, of cou...

Why?

I do not know, but it is no use the hon. Gentleman’s using the tactic of deflection to try to put...

I take this opportunity to welcome the new Secretary of State to his place; I look forward to wor...

Is my hon. Friend not concerned that, if this Bill were successful and therefore both the Europea...

Yes, I think untold additional harms could befall Northern Ireland—and not just Northern Ireland,...

Section 38 of the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 includes the word “notwithstandi...

I rise to speak to the amendments tabled in my name and that of my hon. Friend the Member for Foy...

It has been a splendid debate, and it is my happy privilege to stand as the thorn between two leg...

It is a pleasure to follow the right hon. Member for Hereford and South Herefordshire (Jesse Norm...

We are now nearly three hours into the debate and we have not named what the actual problem is. T...

Why is the Bill necessary? That is what the Committee has just been asked. That is the question. ...

We clearly have a problem, the absence of the Assembly and the Executive, and the cause is the op...

Today in my constituency, more than 100,000 people will gather in the small, rural village of Sca...

Thank you, Dame Eleanor, for the opportunity to speak for all of a minute or thereabouts.

T...

This has been a most useful debate. I will not press my amendment 1 to a vote tonight, because am...

I beg to move amendment 24, page 3, line 3, leave out subsections (1) to (3).

This amendmen...

With this it will be convenient to discuss the following:

Clause stand part.

Amendmen...

Amendment 24 would remove from clause 4 the measures that strip out the heart of the protocol, na...

On the veterinary agreement, an EU that has negotiated—in good faith, one assumes—with New Zealan...

Absolutely. I very much agree with the hon. Gentleman. He has been a strong advocate for a common...

I agree with the hon. Gentleman completely about the need for a veterinary agreement. Is one adva...

I very much agree with the right hon. Gentleman. Our first preference in all these matters should...

It is a pleasure to speak in this debate, Madam Deputy Speaker, and to follow the hon. Member for...

I call the shadow Secretary of State.

6.30 pm

I am grateful to be called, Dame Rosie. We are examining clauses 4 to 6 and 24. It is hard to app...

I rise to speak to amendments 15 to 18 and new clause 5. I will just have a quick canter through ...

The DUP has not tabled any amendments to the Bill. We do have some reservations, especially about...

My right hon. Friend is talking about misinterpretations of the protocol. There are those who rep...

That is the whole point, of course, which is one of the reasons why the border is placed down the...

It is a pleasure to follow my right hon. Friend the Member for East Antrim (Sammy Wilson) and to ...

Maybe I misheard the hon. Gentleman, but I think he referred to Congressman Richie Neal, who chai...

If I had known the hon. Gentleman was going to say that, I would not have let him intervene. I ne...

Order. Could we please just focus on the amendments? We do not want a wider debate.

The debate was not widened by me; it was widened by somebody else.

Let me be clear: I voted...

I wish to begin by thanking all Members who took part in the debate on Second Reading as well as ...

In respect of supermarket deliveries to Northern Ireland, it is really dead simple: those superma...

Obviously, this is a matter that the Government have been considering very carefully. There are g...