Lords Protocol Committee hears from media commentators on Northern Ireland Protocol Bill

The Committee will hear from:  

• Ben Lowry, Editor of the Belfast Newsletter
• Dr Tom Kelly, Columnist, Irish News

The evidence session will take place in Committee Room 4, Palace of Westminster and will be available to watch on Parliamentlive.tv

Possible questions include:

• How would you characterise the political, economic and societal impact of the Protocol as it is currently operating on Northern Ireland?
• How would you describe the attitudes of the Unionist and Nationalist communities, as well as those who do not identify with either community, towards the Protocol?
• What is your overall assessment of the UK Government’s approach in relation to the Protocol? What, if any, impact, do you expect the appointment of Rishi Sunak as Prime Minister to have on the Government’s approach?
• What is your overall assessment of the EU’s approach in relation to the Protocol? Is the EU going far enough in addressing the problems that the Government argues make the Bill necessary?
• What is your overall assessment of the political, economic and legal impact of the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill? What are the most significant elements of the Bill from your perspective?
• What is your assessment of the Government’s argument that the Bill is necessary to safeguard the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement?
• What impact will the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill have on the societal and political climate in Northern Ireland, and on North/South and East/West relations, if and when it comes into law?
• As talks between the UK and the EU resume, how likely is it that the issues which the Bill attempts to tackle will be addressed through a mutually agreed settlement?
• Do you see, and how would you describe, a potential landing zone for compromise and agreement between the two sides?

Background 

The Committee launched its inquiry into the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill on 30 August, after the Bill completed its parliamentary passage through the House of Commons and was presented to the House of Lords in July. The inquiry, which follows the July publication of the Committee’s follow-up report on the socio-economic and political impact of the Protocol, is designed to inform the House of Lords’ detailed consideration of the Bill. 

The Committee has already held a series of evidence sessions, both at Westminster and during a visit to Newry and Belfast, with business representatives, legal experts and civic society representatives. This is the final scheduled evidence session for this inquiry, and the Committee expects to set out its findings on the Bill shortly.