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Wednesday Volume 646 5 September 2018 No. 179 HOUSE OF COMMONS OFFICIAL REPORT PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES (HANSARD) Wednesday 5 September 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/. 143 5 SEPTEMBER 2018 144 Mr Vara: I make it absolutely clear to the hon. Lady House of Commons that it is our intention that there will be no hard border and no physical infrastructure. The people of this country Wednesday 5 September 2018 voted in the referendum, and this Government’s intention is to make sure that we are not part of the single market or the customs union. The whole United Kingdom, The House met at half-past Eleven o’clock including Northern Ireland, will be leaving those two institutions. PRAYERS Wes Streeting: One of the reasons why a majority of people in Northern Ireland voted to remain was because [MR SPEAKER in the Chair] they understood the consequences of leaving the European Union on jobs, livelihoods, communities and cross-border relationships—not simply economic relationships, but Oral Answers to Questions personal ones.Given the absence of a functioning Executive and Assembly in Northern Ireland, and given that the concerns of the people of Northern Ireland are evidently not understood by leading figures in the governing NORTHERN IRELAND party in Westminster, what are the Government doing to ensure that the concerns and interests of the majority of the people in Northern Ireland are properly heard The Secretary of State was asked— and represented at the negotiating table? Leaving the EU Mr Vara: As far as the referendum is concerned, it 1. Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East) (Lab): What recent was not a regional referendum but a national referendum, assessment her Department has made of the effect on and the people of the United Kingdom took a decision Northern Ireland of the UK leaving the EU. [906640] to leave. On the hon. Gentleman’s second point, let me make it absolutely clear that we are committed to 13. Wes Streeting (Ilford North) (Lab): What recent ensuring that the devolved Administration is up and assessment her Department has made of the effect on running again. We are working very hard to ensure that Northern Ireland of the UK leaving the EU. [906652] that happens. He should remember that the last time Northern Ireland went into direct rule, that lasted for The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office five years, and the period before that lasted for 25 years. (Mr Shailesh Vara): May I start by paying tribute to It is very easy to slip down the road to direct rule, but Lord Melchett who, when he was in the House of we want to avoid that because it is important that local Commons, was Peter Melchett? He did outstanding people have local representation that can be accountable service to the nation when he was here. Indeed, he was a locally. Minister of State in the Northern Ireland Office in 1976. May I also say, Mr Speaker, that in the past 36 hours Dr Andrew Murrison (South West Wiltshire) (Con): or so in Northern Ireland there have been three car On 27 June, Mr George Hamilton, the Chief Constable crashes, which have taken the lives of four people? I am of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, told the sure the whole House sends our sympathies and condolences Northern Ireland Affairs Committee: to the loved ones of all those who have died. “We do not know who is leading the multiagency response to The UK Government are determined to deliver the the land border”. best deal for the whole of our United Kingdom, including What has been done to give clarity in the weeks since he Northern Ireland. We are committed to avoiding a hard made that statement? In particular, what proportion of border, including any physical infrastructure or related the uplift to Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs and checks and controls, while maintaining the constitutional the UK Border Force, as announced by the Government, and economic integrity of the United Kingdom. We will be assigned to Northern Ireland? have proposed a comprehensive future partnership between the UK and the EU that would meet these commitments. Mr Vara: I assure my hon. Friend that we are in regular contact with all stakeholders in Northern Ireland, Kerry McCarthy: I thank the Minister for that response including the police. There is detailed planning for a and for his tribute to Peter Melchett who, as well as no-deal scenario, but we very much hope that that will serving in the Northern Ireland Office, was a good not be the case. friend of mine, a lovely man and a passionate environmentalist. Mr Mark Harper (Forest of Dean) (Con): May I Is it not the case that the backstop proposal is now remind the Minister that in the December joint report just dead in the water? The Government are not going on article 50, the EU agreed that the United Kingdom to get anywhere with it. A poll this week said that would make sure there was unfettered access for Northern people in Northern Ireland would vote for a united Ireland’s businesses to the rest of the United Kingdom Ireland if a hard border was put in place. Are not the in all circumstances? Reports over the summer suggest Government sacrificing the Union on this altar? Would that Mr Barnier appears to be devising creative solutions not the best solution be to move forward with plans to to try to get around the commitment that he made. May stay in the single market, stay in the customs union, I ask the Minister and the Secretary of State to remind avoid a hard border, and protect the people of Northern him that he signed up to those words and that we expect Ireland from Brexit? him to deliver on the commitments that he has made? 145 Oral Answers 5 SEPTEMBER 2018 Oral Answers 146 Mr Vara: I am grateful to my right hon. Friend for sense for businesses in Northern Ireland that do deals putting that point at the forefront of our proceedings across the border to consult so that they find out what is following the recess. He is absolutely right: Michel happening with other EU countries. The UK Government Barnier made the commitment; and the European Union cannot speak for the Irish Government, so that dialogue and Britain signed up to the joint report in December. is important. We intend to hold him to it. Stephen Kerr (Stirling) (Con): How do the Government Nigel Dodds (Belfast North) (DUP): May I bring the plan to ensure that our departure from the European Minister back to the question asked by the Chairman of Union is used as an opportunity to strengthen the the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee, which he did Union? not answer? The issue highlighted by the Chief Constable of the PSNI, which we have raised directly with the Mr Vara: My hon. Friend makes a very good point. Prime Minister, is what extra resources are being given We are leaving the European Union as four nations. It is to prepare for Brexit. Those resources have been requested absolutely clear that the economic and constitutional by the Chief Constable, since he has made it very, very integrity of the United Kingdom will not in any way be clear that he has not had a fair allocation. compromised. In our negotiations with the European Union, we speak as the United Kingdom, not as any Mr Vara: I assure the right hon. Gentleman that we specific one of the four nations. will issue guidance in the future. We are working on it at the moment and working with all the stakeholders. It Karin Smyth (Bristol South) (Lab): May I share the will be forthcoming in the not-too-distant future, I Minister’s sentiments about Peter Melchett and the hope. recent loss of life due to the car crashes? Tourism has been a success story in the years since Nigel Dodds: With the greatest respect, we are not the Belfast/Good Friday agreement, helping to transform asking about issuing guidance; we are asking about the the image of Northern Ireland throughout the world. It allocation of resources. I really want to press the Minister is therefore worrying that figures released in August on this issue, since it will have a very big impact on the show a 6% drop in visitors between January and March. resourcing of policing in Northern Ireland more widely. The Prime Minister and most of her current and past What are he and the Government going to do—this has Cabinets have barely set foot in Northern Ireland over been on their table for many months now—to allocate the past two years, so may I suggest a group booking? to the Chief Constable the resources that he needs and Such a visit would help to end the drip of uninformed, that he fairly has asked for? unhelpful comments about Northern Ireland from the Government Benches that has become dispiritingly regular. Mr Vara: I assure the right hon. Gentleman that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State spoke to the Mr Vara: First, I congratulate the hon. Lady on her Chief Constable this morning. We are in regular dialogue appointment to the shadow Northern Ireland Office and we are considering the proposals that he has put team. Welook forward to working with her in a constructive forward. That is what I can say.

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