Speeches by Hoare.

“Is it your hope that the creation of the one-stop shop will, cumulatively, maximise the bang for the buck?”

“I think my colleagues on the Committee and I would welcome your assessment of the effectiveness of UK Government policy in supporting NI businesses to operate cross-border and, allied to that, your assessment of whether the UK Government, the Executive and indeed the Irish Government are providing enough effective and—…”

“I appreciate that. The question is: are people saying, “This is a very fluid situation. We think we know what the direction of travel and the landing spot is. Let’s hold off on investing in kit, software, whatever, for overcoming ‘barriers’ that will, hopefully, be temporary”?”

“That would be helpful to see what the balance is.”

“Do you have a split for what the value is of trade from north to south?”

“For clarity, can I check whether those rather encouraging figures of north-south, or inter-island, trade were for specifically the value of the trade from north to south, and not two-way figures?”

“What is your view on how Northern Irish businesses can better leverage their position on the island of Ireland to support growth? I am thinking particularly, but not exclusively, about the access to two very distinct and lucrative markets.”

“Good morning. Could you set out for the Committee—bullet-point form might be helpful, for clarity—the challenges and opportunities as you see them that the all-island economy presents for those doing business or looking to do business in Northern Ireland?”

“Is it your hope that the creation of the one-stop shop will, cumulatively, maximise the bang for the buck?”

“I have one final question; it is very brief. Is enough being done to exploit the Celtic fringe of Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales? One automatically defaults to what Westminster is doing, but is there sufficient business focus to support growing collaboration between the devolved regions?”

“On a point of order, Mr Speaker. This relates to the point the Minister made about the Metropolitan police asking that certain documents not be released, in case they prejudice a trial or investigation. You know as well as I do, Sir, the importance of privilege to this place. Will your office and counsel work with the …”

“On a point of order, Madam Deputy Speaker. My point relates to the point of order from the hon. Member for Tewkesbury (Cameron Thomas), which he did not quite finish. The hon. Member for Great Yarmouth (Rupert Lowe) has in the published register of interests significant monthly payments from X Corp, headquartered in Ca…”

“I appreciate that. The question is: are people saying, “This is a very fluid situation. We think we know what the direction of travel and the landing spot is. Let’s hold off on investing in kit, software, whatever, for overcoming ‘barriers’ that will, hopefully, be temporary”?”

“Yes, so we can see if there is a dramatic tilt. Obviously, Nick Thomas-Symonds and the wider Government are looking at SPS and developing relationships with the EU. Do you pick up any sense, commercially, of pressing the pause button on initiatives to see how that settles down, when it might be delivered and what, if a…”

“That would be helpful to see what the balance is.”

“Do you have a split for what the value is of trade from north to south?”

“Thank you, Mr Speaker. My hospital pass has just gone through the shredder. Let me say to the hon. Gentleman, in all candour: yes. The likelihood of Mr Windsor ever putting a crown on his head is so remote as to be unimaginable, but for clarity and probity, I agree with him. I do, however, think we should deal with the…”

“I think, Mr Speaker, that we usually prefer for matters relating to those sorts of things not to be dealt with on the Floor of the House.”

“My right hon. Friend is right, but if this motion is passed unamended this afternoon, all those papers will be available either to this place or to the ISC, and then we will know. We are all aware of these sorts of things. Somebody will set a hare running at some point and we will say that we think this, that and the o…”

“The hon. Gentleman is absolutely right. Why else would we have an Intelligence and Security Committee with that remit? It is not as if we are retrospectively trying to establish a Committee of the House to do a specific job. It exists to do this sort of job, among other things. I hope that those on the Treasury Bench h…”