To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, in light of the European Commission deadline, to provide an update on his Department’s submission of plans for the designation of border control posts in relation to the operation of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.

The publication of the UK Government’s command paper on 20 May 2020, provided the necessary clarification to proceed to implement the Northern Ireland Protocol. As the lead Department for the implementation of our obligations in relation to the Northern Ireland Protocol on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) checks, my officials have had engagement with port officials following initiation of the programme on 26 May. Since then my Department has been working at pace, in conjunction with stakeholders at the ports and the wider UK government to develop the information required to formally request the designations under Regulation (EU) 2017/625 on Official Controls (OCR).

I want to again place on record my strong opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol and in particular it’s implementation in a manner that would be detrimental to the Northern Ireland economy and Northern Ireland’s place within the internal market of the United Kingdom. There are elements of the Protocol, which regardless of implementation, are likely to negatively impact on Northern Ireland in the absence of significant assistance from the United Kingdom Government.

Notwithstanding those major concerns I recognise that there is a legal responsibility flowing from the Protocol to ensure SPS checks will be carried out on goods entering Northern Ireland. I am aware DEFRA have made applications to the European Commission requesting an extension to the current designations and the scope of entry points in Northern Ireland to include Belfast, Larne, Foyle and Warrenpoint ports and a number of our airports. While I am committed to this I have asked my officials to consider the delivery options for the facilities at the Points of Entry, due to the lack of certainty around a number of key areas including the level of checks required.

I am working on the assumption that if both the European Commission and the United Kingdom Governments are committed to a minimalist approach, it is reasonable to assume there will be a very small number of checks. I will of course supply the details of my official’s findings for the delivery options as soon as possible.