Statement by TUV leader Jim Allister:
“Yesterday the High Court exposed the claims in the DUP deal about the Protocol having no impact on immigration policy as bogus. Today the Economy Minister has told me in the answer to a written question that, “The Command Paper has no material impact on the all-Ireland economy.” A key claim by the DUP was that the all-island economy was no more thanks to their deal with HM Government.
“Paragraphs 114 to 116 of Safeguarding the Union are headed “Scrapping all legal duties relating to the ‘all-island economy’”. It was claimed “the creation of a new political construct of the ‘all-island economy’ is clearly … divisive in nature and has been rejected by the current Government. The Windsor Framework decisively moved away from this concept, and indeed envisages growing divergence across the international land border, with labelling and market surveillance used to seek to avoid products being placed illegally on the market in Ireland.”
“Now Northern Ireland’s own Economy Minister has not only said that the commitment to ending an all-island economy has no impact but boasts that, because of the Protocol and its Sea Border, “the all-Ireland economy is developing organically”.
Note to editors
Mr Allister’s question and the response received are as follows:
AQW 11020/22-27
Mr Jim Allister MLA has asked:
To ask the Minister for the Economy, in relation to his promotion of the all-island economy, to detail (i) the Executive-approved policies and steps relating to this; (ii) the policies that are shaping and driving this objective; and (iii) the impact arising from the Command Paper, Safeguarding the Union.
ANSWER
Building a globally competitive economy is an Executive priority and developing trade on both a north-south and an east-west basis is critical to realising that objective.
The all-Ireland economy is developing organically and will be supported by a range of policies.
The Command Paper has no material impact on the all-Ireland economy.
DEIRDRE HARGEY MLA