Written Question·Northern Ireland Office·UIN 99462

UK Trade with EU: Customs

Tabled: 11 December 2025
Answered: 18 December 2025

Question

Dr Al Pinkerton

Liberal DemocratSurrey Heath

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of negotiating a UK-EU Customs Union deal for improving trade between (a) Northern Ireland and (b) Great Britain.

Answer

Hilary Benn
Northern Ireland is part of the UK’s customs territory and benefits from the UK’s Free Trade Agreements. The Government is not seeking to negotiate a UK-EU Customs Union.