1 day Ago By David Thompson
Steve Aiken has slammed the willingness of other MLAs to properly scrutinise legislation which will impact Northern Ireland consumers and businesses, as major changes on parcels and customs declarations come into place next month. The Ulster Unionist MLA also says multiple declarations will be required on some agricultural products within weeks – and that all of this has received “little or no scrutiny from the Assembly”. Advertisement Advertisement Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Belfast News Letter, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more.
Last week the committee’s chair Philip McGuigan said the scrutiny committee has “always been curious and diligent” about its work after a criticism from Mr Aiken. The Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee has been sold as a “democratic oversight” body by the UK and EU, providing a limited mechanism for Stormont to scrutinise EU laws. However, MLAs have no ability to shape those laws and some have complained of being overwhelmed by the volume and complexity of legislation being dictated by Brussels.
Mr Aiken has also highlighted an upcoming requirement for British businesses to “submit 15 declarations” to send parcels to customers here – and warned of the potential disruption that may cause. TUV leader Jim Allister warned at the weekend that mainland British businesses are already deciding not to trade with Northern Ireland over the new Irish Sea border rules – claiming that a lack of clarity on the new arrangements is compounding the situation. Advertisement Advertisement Speaking to the News Letter, Mr Aiken said by the end of next month, the next stage of the implementation of the Windsor Framework will be in place.
“By the beginning of October, the catchily-named Retail Movement Scheme will also be operative, again requiring multiple declarations on some agricultural products into Northern Ireland. While behind the scenes many companies and trade bodies have been raising their concerns with both the EU and the UK Government, calling for further grace periods, there have been no indications these will be granted – and with a month to go, it’s probably too late to intervene. This is likely to result in noticeable disruption in some of the products we normally see in our shops and supplies to our businesses”, he said.
The South Antrim MLA said it will come as no surprise there has been “very little, or no, comment from the NI Executive or our Stormont Departments on these challenges. “There is again little or no scrutiny from the Assembly. I declare an interest as a member of the Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee (WF-DSC), but as anyone who has watched our proceedings will know, many members of committee are particularly incurious about the impact of EU legislation.
Indeed, on applicability issues, I had to raise the issue on the floor of the Assembly before any interest was taken at all. Advertisement Advertisement “For those who follow Assembly Committee proceedings, when the MLAs are all invariably pushing for greater information and access to policy, to now sit on a committee that does the exact opposite is immensely frustrating. “Sadly, many companies and trade bodies who believed that the WF-DSC would impartially fulfil its remit and act as a form of oversight for the Tsunami of EU rules and legislation that we are subject to, will soon realise that it is little other than a political sop.
What should and indeed could, be a valuable tool in supporting NI as it grows into its hybrid ‘dual access’ economy, has instead morphed into an empty talking shop. “Added to the ‘Red’ and ‘Green’ lanes requirements, the need for companies to adhere to the bureaucracy of the UK Internal Market Scheme, submitting data to HMRC that they previously haven’t had too, shows that far from the Irish Sea Border going away, it’s here – and, in the climate of the ongoing détente in UK/EU relations, it will be rigorously implemented”. He said there needs to be an acknowledgment by all parties that the present situation isn’t working.
Advertisement Advertisement “Recent figures have shown a reduction, not an increase, in FDI since Brexit – we are not in the ‘best’ of both worlds, we are, at best, in the least less ‘worst’ option. Pretending we are otherwise is counterproductive. Secondly, the structures that we have, including the comatose WF-DSC and the virtually invisible alphabet soup of the various UK/EU Joint Committees, need to start doing proper scrutiny.
Thirdly the NI Exec, in conjunction with the Cabinet Office, should create a combined (small) secretariat headed up by a NI Exec Junior Minister with specific responsibility to help identify the absurdities, horizon scan the incoming legislation, highlight to NI businesses and consumers how the changes will impact them, and give elected Northern Ireland politicians a voice at all of the tables and discussions that affect us”. During last week’s committee Mr Aiken welcomed the committee beginning to “fulfil our remit” after officials presented a list of upcoming EU legislation which would have varying degrees of impact on Northern Ireland. The chair, MLA Philip McGuigan said “this is work that the committee had begun some time ago.
So, the committee has always been curious and diligent about the work that it is supposed to do”..
