Secretary of State MP underlines the benefits for
Northern Ireland of recent trade deals, and a new intended
partnership agreement with the European Union.
It has been a momentous month - both for Northern Ireland and for
the entire United Kingdom. First came the Government's trade
deals with India and the USA which will open up new opportunities
for Northern Ireland exporters.
Next, on Monday, the UK played host to the first-ever UK-EU
summit at Lancaster House in London as we set out to build a new
partnership with the European Union. In recent years, our
relationship with the EU has - at times - been strained, but in
an era in which global instability is rising, it makes sense to
build stronger ties with our European friends and neighbours.
And then, on Thursday, we marked the anniversary of the referenda
on the 1998 Good Friday Agreement held in Northern Ireland and
Ireland. By voting ‘yes', the people
chose and secured a chance for peace in Northern
Ireland; a peace which has lasted in the almost three decades
since and helped pave the way for Northern Ireland's
transformation. It was an agreement which remains to this day
proof of the power of courageous political leadership, and
people's willingness to compromise in hope of a better
future.
The agreement with the European Union will help to create growth
and lower household bills across the UK as a whole.
It is a particularly good deal for Northern
Ireland. Our economy is already vibrant - think of our
aerospace, life sciences, manufacturing, and film and television
industries - and this agreement will further help Northern
Ireland which experienced stronger growth than the United Kingdom
as a whole last year. Peace has delivered real economic
benefits.
Of particular significance will be the deal we reached on
agrifood and plants, which will smooth flows of trade, ease the
frictions for businesses and protect the UK internal market.
Applying the same rules across the UK will give businesses
greater certainty, and mean we can eliminate paperwork and
mandatory identity and physical checks on goods moving under
these arrangements.
All of this will save up to £1 million a month for those firms
using the ‘red lane' and we'll see a real difference in garden
centres, with bans on so-called ‘high risk' plants being
eliminated - a commitment made in Safeguarding the
Union - and plants being able to move within the UK without
barriers.
This deal will also maintain Northern Ireland's unique access to
both the UK and EU markets and the advantages that the Windsor
Framework offers to businesses and the economy. So, it's no
surprise that businesses have welcomed it. The Ulster Farmers
Union called it ‘a major step forward for Northern Ireland's
agri-food industry'. The Horticultural Trades Association have
said that their sector will save millions. And big name retailers
such as Asda and M&S have praised the removal of frictions
too. The message is clear from business - this is good news for
Northern Ireland and good news for you.
The other outcomes of Monday's summit are also good for Northern
Ireland. Our new security and defence partnership with the EU
will support our national security and the aerospace, defence and
space industry which is already home to more than 9,000 jobs in
Northern Ireland. Our closer law enforcement relationship with
the EU will help prevent crime. Closer cooperation on
decarbonisation and energy will lower prices and make our country
greener and more resilient. And it'll become easier to travel
to mainland Europe through e-Gates.
Northern Ireland's prosperity is intrinsically linked to its
strong relationship with the rest of the UK, and it can only
benefit further from our new partnership with the EU. The steps
we are taking will bring practical benefits, and Monday's summit
makes me even more confident that Northern Ireland's economy will
continue to flourish as a thriving and growing part of the UK.
