Member

Let us remind ourselves of the course of events. The Minister has to some degree done that, but I hope that she will indulge me if I repeat some of it. The Northern Ireland protocol began to take effect from 1 January 2021. There were multiple calls for triggering Article 16. I asked the then Minister, the noble Lord, Lord Frost, who was sitting where the Minister is sitting tonight, whether the circumstances were now prevailing for Article 16 to be triggered. He turned to me and he said “Yes”—but nothing happened. I suspect it was not him standing in the way but others further up the chain who put a hand on his shoulder and said, “Step back”.