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Wednesday Volume 643 20 June 2018 No. 157 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 20 June 2018 © Parliamentary Copyright House of Commons 2018 This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence, which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/. 309 20 JUNE 2018 310 we are likely to hear a lot of harsh rhetoric. Will she House of Commons encourage them to bear in mind the principle of consent in the Belfast agreement and its successors, and not to Wednesday 20 June 2018 take a one-sided approach to this issue in Northern Ireland? The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock Karen Bradley: I have been clear, as have all Ministers in this Government, that we are committed to the PRAYERS Belfast agreement and all its principles, including the principle of consent. I hope that the political leaders that the right hon. Gentleman referenced have also [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] heard that message. Nigel Dodds: The Secretary of State referenced the BUSINESS BEFORE QUESTIONS absence of devolution. Of course, one of the issues is the absence of funding for the Commonwealth youth GOSPORT INDEPENDENT PANEL games in 2021. Will she look carefully at what might be Resolved, done to bring forward funding for this prestigious event? That an humble Address be presented to Her Majesty, That It should not be stopped as a result of Sinn Féin she will be graciously pleased to give directions that there be laid refusing to form a Government. before this House a Return of a Paper, entitled Gosport War Memorial Hospital: The Report of the Gosport Independent Karen Bradley: I met the Commonwealth Games Panel, dated 20 June 2018.—(Christopher Pincher.) Federation last week and I am aware of the concerns about this matter. I urge political leaders across Northern Ireland to make clear their support for the Commonwealth Oral Answers to Questions youth games in order that the Northern Ireland civil service can release the funds. Mr Owen Paterson (North Shropshire) (Con): There NORTHERN IRELAND is already a border, which is a tax border, an excise border and, as my right hon. Friend will know very The Secretary of State was asked— well, a security border. The Government have made some very sensible proposals that whatever the final Leaving the EU arrangements are on the border, there should be more authorised economic operators. What discussions has 1. Chris Green (Bolton West) (Con): What recent my right hon. Friend had with local parties in Northern discussions she has had with Northern Ireland political Ireland and parties in the Republic of Ireland about parties on the UK leaving the EU. [905862] extending the use of authorised economic operators? The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Karen Karen Bradley: My right hon. Friend is very aware of Bradley): I meet the political parties in Northern Ireland and knowledgeable about the border, having been my regularly to discuss a range of issues including the UK’s predecessor in this role as Secretary of State. I can decision to leave the European Union. As I have said assure him that I have discussed with all political parties— repeatedly, these conversations are no replacement for a both north and south of the border—the matter of the fully functioning, locally elected and accountable Executive. border and the practical ways in which we can overcome the problems that some people put forward as being an Chris Green: As part of my right hon. Friend’sdiscussions issue. with the political parties, what steps has she taken to ensure good governance and stability? Deidre Brock (Edinburgh North and Leith) (SNP): The EU has been instrumental in helping Northern Karen Bradley: During my discussions with political Ireland to address its legacy issues and in promoting parties, I do need to ensure that we discuss a range of economic development. What are the Stormont parties—or, issues, such as the appointments that cannot be made in indeed, the Government—saying needs to be done to the absence of Northern Ireland Ministers. I am actively address the deficiencies there once the UK leaves the considering the issue of those public appointments, EU? including assessing what action could be taken to address the problem. I will return to the House before the recess Karen Bradley: Many people bear credit for the to set out my course of action in more detail. developments that have happened since the signing of the Belfast agreement and the economic development Nigel Dodds (Belfast North) (DUP): May I thank the of Northern Ireland. I say gently to the hon. Lady that Government for their engagement at the highest level perhaps the fact that Northern Ireland is part of the with the Democratic Unionist party here on these Benches United Kingdom has more of a bearing on its economic on a continuing and intensive basis? In the absence of strength than many other matters. devolution, it is important that Northern Ireland’s voice is heard here, in the corridors of power. I ask the Dr Andrew Murrison (South West Wiltshire) (Con): Secretary of State to bear in mind that Monsieur Juncker The technical note published on 7 June spoke of free and Monsieur Barnier go to Dublin tomorrow and that trade agreements that could be entered into that would 311 Oral Answers 20 JUNE 2018 Oral Answers 312 not affect any temporary customs arrangements. What 14. Michelle Donelan (Chippenham) (Con): What discussion has the Secretary of State had with the recent assessment she has made of the strength of the parties on specifically what form those free trade agreements Northern Ireland economy. [905875] might take and who they might involve? The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (Karen Karen Bradley: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of Bradley): This Government are delivering a fundamentally State for International Trade is of course responsible strong economy for Northern Ireland, with unemployment for those free trade agreements. However, my hon. down to 3.3% from over 7% in 2010. Nearly 19,000 new Friend alludes to the very important point that for jobs have been created over the last year, the highest Northern Ireland, leaving the European Union as part number on record, meaning that more people have the of the United Kingdom means that it will have access to security of a regular pay packet for themselves and their those free trade arrangements with the rest of the world families. and a land border with the European Union. That puts Northern Ireland in a unique, privileged situation. Rachel Maclean: Redditch has a proud history of manufacturing businesses that trade with Northern Ireland. Tony Lloyd (Rochdale) (Lab): Brexit is the most One such business is Trimite, which manufactures specialist fundamental issue that our generation faces. The voice coatings for the defence and aerospace industries. What of Scotland is heard through its Parliament and the assurances can my right hon. Friend give to my constituents voice of Wales through its Senedd; the voice of Stormont at Trimite and other businesses that there is a prosperous is silent. What urgent initiatives is the Secretary of State global outlook after Brexit? now going to take that will make a material difference in getting Stormont back to work? Karen Bradley: My hon. Friend makes a very important point about the opportunities for United Kingdom Karen Bradley: The hon. Gentleman is right. In the manufacturers—those in her constituency of Redditch absence of a functioning Executive, the normal processes— and those based in Northern Ireland. The Trade Bill the Joint Ministerial Council meetings, for example—do will enable the UK to continue with existing trading not have Northern Ireland representation. I am working, arrangements, and that will provide certainty, continuity together with my officials and Ministers in the Department, and reassurance for businesses such as Trimite. to ensure that all Northern Ireland parties are fully apprised of the situation. As he says, the important Michelle Donelan: Companies such as Siemens in my point is that if an Executive were in place, a full voice constituency show an interest in and have an important for Northern Ireland would be heard in all the normal stake in Northern Ireland. Has my right hon. Friend structures that enable it to be heard. made any recent assessments of the economic impact of their remaining in the UK? Tony Lloyd: But it is not just Brexit: there are many urgent decisions now piling up in Northern Ireland. Karen Bradley: Northern Ireland benefits substantially Those decisions cannot be made by civil servants—the from being part of the world’s fifth largest economy, High Court has decreed that—and cannot be made by with access to an internal UK market of about 65 million devolved Ministers because there are none. The case of people—the most significant market for Northern Ireland Billy Caldwell is urgent enough for the Home Secretary businesses, worth £14.6 billion in sales and supporting to act here in England for the Secretary of State’s thousands of jobs. This Government have built a strong constituents and mine, so what will she now do to make economy that can invest in services such as the NHS sure that Billy is not an unwitting victim of this and deliver public spending. On Monday, I visited constitutional crisis? Omagh to see the Strule shared education campus, which is benefiting from £140 million of funding from Karen Bradley: The hon. Gentleman is right: there are this Government. a number of matters that are pressing. I have already referred to public appointments. I can also confirm that 13.