Speeches by Hanna.

“Looking at the Commission’s proposals and the Q&A on their website, it looks like there is a massive advantage for Northern Ireland in how they propose to treat the region on that. Is that not something the Government should be shouting about? Are we sometimes victim of how proposals are being read in other parts of th…”

“What does the application of the EU steel safeguards mean for Northern Ireland?”

“Lord Murphy’s report talked about how little is made of dual market access. Do you think there are more opportunities to promote the differential and positive impact of our dual market access?”

“But I presume that the feedback that Lord Murphy captured, the views he encountered and the suggestions he made will frame your future engagement with the EU more widely.”

“Minister Thomas-Symonds, what do you hope to achieve from discussions with the EU about the report? Will you come back to this Committee after that?”

“You will be raising the recommendations in the report with the Joint Committee. When do you think that will happen?”

“To be honest, the first year or two was probably a fairly slow period for the production of legislation, because of the European elections and the reforming of the Commission, so they probably haven’t seen anything yet.”

“And that is not happening currently?”

“You say, perhaps diplomatically, that they could take a more strategic approach. Where do you think that strategy should come from?”

“But you do not think they should get some of that engagement and advice directly from UK Government officials?”

“The committee suggested they would access UK officials directly, and you suggested that NI civil servants would be empowered to provide that advice. What is the reasoning behind that?”

“That is service!”

“Thank you very much, Lord Murphy, for your work on the review. I know that my party would have preferred a bit more focus on north-south and the island economy in the terms of reference, but the report was really fair and constructive within the terms you had. I want to ask about your recommendations on the Democratic …”

“Again, the context is your Department continuing to argue in court against disclosure mechanisms. Are you confident that you are going to be able to demonstrate good faith, and that that information, when it is embarrassing to paramilitaries or to the Government, can still be released?”

“Do you understand where that anxiety comes from? Are you confident that you will be able to build confidence? Are you confident that these structures are going to be able—”

“There is information that people think is relevant that has not emerged.”

“With pretty big suppressions of information.”

“Robin had to remind me that there were call lists in the Assembly. Due to the nature of Northern Ireland politics. I was by CV an MLA for four and a half years, but I had nine months on the ball in the Chamber because of two big shutdowns, on either side. Yes, it is slightly more predictable. It is kind of a D’Hondt fo…”

“Look, it was different because it was just sitting in your back bedroom, speaking. It is just not the same as a debate. Like others, I enjoy and welcome interventions and all of that. It was not like for like, but as I say, it meant that there was a degree of assurance that you were going to get in on a debate. I find …”

“It was great simply that you knew whether or not you were going to get in. Bear in mind that when covid happened, I had been an MP for two or three months; I was still learning the ropes. It meant that you would definitely prepare, and that was back when I was trying to speak on a number of things. I probably spoke on …”