Windsor Framework: UK ministers to direct Stormont on delivery

Daera operates the border control posts at NI ports where some food products arriving from GB are subject to checks and controls.

The government has published legislation which will give UK ministers the power to direct Stormont civil servants to deliver the Windsor Framework.

The framework is the revised post-Brexit trade deal for Northern Ireland.

The power of UK ministerial direction was part of the government's agreement with the DUP which restored devolution.

It will allow unionist ministers to put distance between themselves and the operation of the "sea border".

Northern Ireland Office Minister Steve Baker said the approach reflects the fact that the obligations of the Windsor Framework arose from an agreement reached by the UK government, and which ultimately fall to the government to uphold.

"It would not be appropriate to leave them solely to the Northern Ireland Executive to discharge," he added.

The powers primarily relate to Stormont's Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (Daera).

Daera operates the border control posts at Northern Ireland's ports where some food products arriving from Great Britain are subject to checks and controls.

Mr Baker said: "We have worked closely with the Daera minister and his officials to ensure that this is a targeted and specific approach.

"Only a targeted subset of agri-food matters focused on the movement of goods from GB to NI will be subject to the secretary of state direction and control powers."

'Fig leaf to the DUP'

The TUV leader Jim Allister said the legislation was "a wholly Jesuitical attempt to provide a fig leaf to the DUP to pretend they are not implementing the protocol".

He said it would also reduce the democratic oversight or scrutiny role of the Stormont Assembly.

The current Daera minister is Alliance's Andrew Muir.

At earlier stages of the Brexit process, that post was held by the DUP and its opposition to the sea border led to tension with the UK government.

In 2021 the government told the then minister Edwin Poots that he was responsible for providing the necessary facilities for the conduct of checks.

A later decision by Mr Poots to halt checks was found to be unlawful.

The level of checks required has since been reduced as a result of the Windsor Framework, which revised the original Brexit deal.

Food which is moving from Great Britain to be sold to Northern Ireland consumers should ultimately not require any routine checks.

However, food which is moving from GB to the Republic of Ireland via Northern Ireland, or is at risk of doing so, will be require routine checks.