Debate contribution: Great Britain to Northern Ireland Trade

Debate contribution by Lord Elliott on 16 September 2024.

MLA: Lord Elliott
Party at the time: Ulster Unionist Party
Date: 16 September 2024
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Private Members' Business
Heading: Great Britain to Northern Ireland Trade
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 4532653

Text

Thank you, Madam Principal Deputy Speaker. As always, it has been a useful debate. I will start with two contributions. The first was from Kate Nicholl, and Matthew O'Toole followed that contribution. Both of them talked about the arrangements being mutually agreed between the EU and the UK, and Mr O'Toole highlighted the issue that the UK should be more ambitious about the deal with the EU. I agree totally with both Members. The problem is that it takes two to tango, two to make a deal, and I have witnessed at first hand that, once the UK goes with any sort of deal — maybe the UK is not ambitious enough; I do accept that, Mr O'Toole — the EU rejects it. We did get a deal for human medicines and medical support, and that was very useful and helpful, but we need deals for the likes of animal medicines and medical supplies. I sometimes think that practical common sense has gone out of the window when we attempt to deal with some of these issues, because there are simplified processes available to deal with them. Very few goods that travel around the world without a barcode or the capability to be tracked electronically. Why can we not make better use of those systems? Hauliers are very adaptable, and they will deal with this. It is a huge, complex matter for them, but they are very adaptable, and they will put measures in place. Fair play to them for doing that. The difficulty is that it will come at a cost to businesses and to the economy and a significant cost to the consumer, because that is who will pay for it in the end. It worries me that some companies have already told customers in GB that they will not send goods to Northern Ireland. It will not be a matter of trying to get the goods: we will not be able to get them at any price, because they will not be sent here. There are bound to be more practical and realistic arrangements that can allow those goods to come to Northern Ireland, whether they remain here or go on to the Republic of Ireland. Trade cannot just stop because of what I would term "minor issues", but people make a big thing out of what should be minor issues. It is a nonsense. We can bring live animals from countries in the European Union, through Great Britain, into Northern Ireland and, maybe, into the Republic of Ireland, but we cannot bring live animals from GB itself. The animals can travel through GB and come to Northern Ireland, but we cannot bring them in from GB itself. It just does not make sense. The next implementation of the region's Brexit deal, or the Windsor framework deal, as I call it, is coming fast upon us, and the Government have not been realistic enough to deal with it in a practical manner. I will deal with some other contributions. Mr Aiken talked about the new arrangements coming into operation at the end of the month. He outlined the very simple processes
that we will all encounter. However, it was not simple. It sounded extremely complicated. If anyone can follow it, apart from Mr Aiken, will they please hold their hand up and explain it to me? I will give way for the rest of my six minutes to listen to a detailed explanation. Mr Kearney highlighted the fact that it is important to have a collective approach when dealing with Windsor framework issues. We all agree with that, and it has been highlighted by other Members, including Kate Nicholl and David Honeyford. I fully agree with the collective approach. Philip Brett highlighted the importance of getting the deals right. The problem is that we did not get the deals right to start with, and that is why we have problems now. I agree that if we can get it right now, that will be of huge benefit, but we are not. There seems to be a breakdown in communication and a breakdown of deals between the European Union and the UK.
David Honeyford highlighted the need to find solutions, but I notice that he nicely dodged the issue of derogations and whether he supports further derogations. If Mr Honeyford wants to clarify his position, I am more than happy to give way in order to allow him to do so. Sinéad McLaughlin highlighted the unpredictable landscape that road hauliers have to deal with. That is right, but, as I keep saying, they will adapt to it and manage the situation, but their doing so will come at a huge cost, practically and financially. Cathal Boylan introduced something different from what other Members raised: labour shortages. Accessing a suitable workforce is something that almost every business in Northern Ireland is finding difficult and a strain. Gary Middleton talked about the lack of clarity on business-to-business deliveries being a major concern. He also highlighted something that I have focused on for a while, and on which I have attended several meetings, which is the difficulty in bringing second-hand farm machinery into Northern Ireland. There are inspections to check whether there is a wee bit of soil still sitting on a piece of machinery that is to come into Northern Ireland from Ayrshire or Yorkshire. I have already dealt with Kate Nicholl and Matthew O'Toole's contributions. Timothy Gaston highlighted how we have been living with some of the issues for some time and said that solutions have just not been implemented. That is right, but we have had time to try to find a solution to this issue, and we have not done so. We have not found one, so there is a real need to up the ante. I genuinely hope that the EU and the UK Government, supported by our Ministers, be that the First Minister and the deputy First Minister or other Ministers, find solutions to many of the issues. Otherwise, businesses and road hauliers are not going to be the final problem that we encounter. Rather, it will be the consumer here in Northern Ireland. I will finish by repeating something that I said near the start of my contribution: common sense needs to be shown on the issues and in our dealings.

1,057 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

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