Select committee: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Conclusion 11
First Report: Unfettered Access: Customs Arrangements in Northern Ireland after Brexit
Published 14 Jul 2020
Paragraph 48
Addressed to Northern Ireland Office
Northern Ireland Affairs Committee Unfettered Access: Northern Ireland and customs arrangements after Brexit All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
The Northern Ireland Protocol creates new possibilities of future legal divergence between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. The extent of this divergence will depend, in part, on the outcome of talks on the future relationship, and, in part, on future policy decisions taken by the UK Government. Both the UK Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly will need to be able to monitor and scrutinise the Protocol beyond the end of the transition period.
From: Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, First Report: Unfettered Access: Customs Arrangements in Northern Ireland after Brexit (HC 161), paragraph 48, 14 July 2020
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 14 September 2020 (deadline 14 September 2020).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The government's response sets out its approach to implementing the Protocol, stressing commitments to "unfettered access" and business support, while giving limited direct answers to several of the Committee's specific requests.
- On sharing Joint Committee papers, it says agendas and summary minutes "may be made public at the discretion of the co-chairs", balanced against "the need for sensitivity as negotiations progress". It says the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster "will continue to keep Parliament informed".
- On scrutiny of future EU legislation within the scope of the Protocol, the government states only that it "is considering the process" after the end of the Transition Period.
- On support for traders, it points to a free Trader Support Service "backed by up to £200 million in funding", saying the service "will be operational later this month". It says further guidance will follow "at the earliest opportunity" as EU discussions progress.
- On tariffs, it says there should be no tariffs on internal UK trade and that "full use will be made of waivers and reimbursements". On state aid, it will provide further information "before the end of the Transition Period".