To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for an update on recent discussions with his counterparts in (i) the UK Government; and (ii) the EU on negotiating a veterinary agreement.

Further to AQW 17340/17-22, you will be aware of Northern Ireland’s obligations to continue to align with the EU’s sanitary and phyto-sanitary (SPS) rules and my firm opposition to the detrimental impact of the mandated additional rules on the intra-United Kingdom (UK) movement of animals, goods and products, from Great Britain (GB) to Northern Ireland (NI).

As previously mentioned, the responsibility on any future alignment of the UK with the EU SPS rules, as well as the negotiation of any EU-UK veterinary agreement, rests solely with the UK Government.

However, I recently met with Lord Frost and Secretary of State Brandon Lewis, to further discuss issues arising from the practical application of the Northern Ireland Protocol and I have clearly presented my assessment of its social and economic impact upon NI, as part of the UK. Please be assured that I will continue to engage with my Ministerial colleagues across the UK and my officials will do the same with their GB counterparts to consider all available flexibilities, derogations and potential mitigations that could help to minimise the current impact on trade.