Deal indicates no routine checks on British goods staying in NIpublished at 12:53 Greenwich Mean Time 31 January

12:53 GMT 31 January

John Campbell
BBC News NI economics and business editor

The DUP's deal with the government will reduce checks and paperwork on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

The changes apply to Great Britain goods that are staying in Northern Ireland and will mean no routine checks on those goods.

Those changes involve the maximum flexibility allowed under a previous EU/UK deal it’s understood will be acceptable to the EU.

On Tuesday, the Joint Committee reached an agreement to make changes to the deal to allow Northern Ireland to benefit from UK free trade agreements.

The government will also introduce two pieces of legislation to guarantee Northern Ireland goods can be sold in GB in all circumstances and to affirm Northern Ireland's place in the UK.

The details of the deal between the Democratic Unionist Party and the government has been published - it can be read in full here, external.

We're going through the detail of the deal and we'll bring you all the details, analysis and reaction in the coming moments.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson says the party has had legal advice consistently through the process of getting this deal.

"We sought and obtained legal advice on these matters and we are satisfied that the legislation being brought forward meets the requirements we had," he says.

Pushed on whether he would publish the advice, he doesn't give an answer. "We will talk to our lawyers, that was privileged advice - we are satisfied."

Asked if he had ever sought others to publish their legal advice, he says: "I can't recall" but continued, "we have nothing to hide, I am very clear about that".

Donaldson's interview has so far been heavy on technical detail - but a question on Boris Johnson switches gears.

"I have to be honest, whilst Boris Johnson promised us a lot of things, he didn't deliver them," Donaldson says.

"Rishi Sunak has worked with us, the secretary of state has worked with us, the team from Downing Street has worked with us to make these changes."

He adds: "Credit to Rishi Sunak, he brought the Windsor Framework - and I know he wasn't happy when I said 'I'm sorry prime minister, but this doesn't go far enough'.

"But in fairness to him, he worked with us, with the secretary of state and a team of officials to make and deliver the further changes and credit to Rishi Sunak, he delivered where others haven't."

"First off let me deal with the backstop nonsense, and it is nonsense," says the DUP leader.

"The backstop would have kept Northern Ireland in the EU single market. Northern Ireland isn't in the EU single market - Northern Ireland follows EU rules to enable us to sell our goods in to the single market."

"Under these arrangements where a Northern Ireland haulier is moving goods from Dublin to Holyhead - that haulier will be able to take those northern Ireland goods drive from Dublin onto the ferry travel to Holyhead, get off the ferry and and drive straight through the gate of the port and out.

"A southern Irish haulier - on the same ferry carrying goods made in Dublin - they will have to go through the full UK customs procedures."

• Read more: What is the backstop?

Sitting in the studio in Belfast, Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is reading through arrangements and mentions he is reading from "a copy of the Command Paper" which is due to be published by the UK government this afternoon.

The DUP leader is asked if the EU has agreed to do anything as part of the deal between his party and the government - and he says yes, with the first example coming yesterday when the UK and the EU struck a new agreement on agri-food.

He says the new deal means that when the UK government does a trade deal with another part of the world, then Northern Ireland will be able to benefit.

"The UK government has a new free trade agreement with New Zealand but Northern Ireland does not benefit - now it will, that was important for us."

Explaining how the trade arrangements will work. Donaldson says there will be a "monitoring panel of experts".

They will "report regularly to the government ministers on where there are problems with any of these arrangements".

"That's important because then you're not just relying on the government in identifying a problem. You've a panel of experts who will examine this on an ongoing basis."

"We've a new body called Intertrade UK promoting trade across the UK too."

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is asked about divergence - which refers to the possibility that UK and EU rules on goods will diverge, requiring more checks on goods going into Northern Ireland.

Donaldson says the deal means any change to the rules will not affect "unfettered access" to trade for Northern Ireland.

"Let me give you an example," he says. "I have a number of large steel manufacturers in my constituency. There is tariffs from steel coming in from the UK and quotas meaning supply of steel is affected by EU law."

He adds the new legislation will mean that "when there's a change to the law, the government will fix that problem".

One of the DUP's seven tests was removing any diversion of trade where NI customers are forced to switch to non-GB suppliers - Donaldson says that has been ticked off in the new deal.

"We have sought to ensure Northern Ireland is fully integrated in to the UK internal market to prevent that the diversion of trade.

"If you are unable to get your traditional supply of goods from your supplier in Great Britain you're likely to look elsewhere perhaps to Dublin (instead of NI) - that was happening because of the protocol."

"Under these new arrangements goods made at British standards can freely flow through to NI.

"This will prevent the diversion of trade."

Donaldson is asked by BBC Talkback's William Crawley if the Irish Sea Border is gone - and he says it is.

"For goods coming in from the UK, our objective was to remove the Irish Sea Border and that is what we have achieved," the DUP leader says.

"We're no longer in a situation where if you bring goods in to sell in Northern Ireland, you need a customs declaration."

He adds that for people bringing goods into Northern Ireland to sell in NI or for your own consumption, there is "no customs declaration required, no physical checks (on those goods) at Northern Ireland ports" which means it "removes the border in the UK internal market".

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson begins his interview with William Crawley on Talkback.

Speaking about the deal, Donaldson says "the border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland will be removed".

Northern Ireland will work via "the UK internal market system - no custom checks, no regulations - you register to be part of that system to move those goods through that system", he says.

"There will be a data set which is in the truck - it is already supplied for VAT purposes - no paper work involved."

Papers are necessary for "all kinds of trade", Donaldson says, but it was custom checks that were the problem and separated NI from the rest of the UK.

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson's interview with BBC's Talkback programme has just begun - we'll be bringing you all the latest here but you can also watch live by pressing the Play button at the top of this page.

It's another big day for Northern Ireland politics, with everyone waiting to see the detail of the deal agreed between the UK government and the DUP.

As we continue to wait, the party's leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson will be talking live to BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback programme from 12:00 GMT.

You'll be able to watch that interview live by pressing the Play at the top of this page.

Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI political correspondent

We've got a bit more of an idea about how today will go, timing-wise.

The government has said Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris will make a statement to MPs this afternoon at about 13:30 GMT on "the Northern Ireland Executive formation".

Hot on his heels will be a business statement that is expected to lay out the actual details of the legislation the government is promising.

We will then see that published in the form of a command paper, but the legislation won't be passed in Parliament until tomorrow.

While MPs will have to wait to cast a vote on it, everyone - both supporters and critics of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson - will in a few hours' time be able to go through the fine print, line by line, and test what he's been selling.

The major event of the day will be the government revealing the details of the deal its struck with the DUP to restore power-sharing government in Northern Ireland.

We're expecting Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris to speak in the Commons around lunch time, possibly just after 13:30 GMT, but we don't know yet whether anything will be published before then.

In the meantime, Northern Ireland's political parties have been continuing to get ready for an expected return of devolved government. Here's what's been happening so far today:

• The five main parties - Sinn Féin, DUP, UUP, SDLP and Alliance - have been meeting Tánaiste (Irish Deputy PM) Micheál Martin in Belfast
• Martin praised the DUP leader for securing party support for a deal
• Sinn Féin Vice-President Michelle O'Neill, who is expected to soon become Northern Ireland's first nationalist first minister, said she was up to the task
• DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson will be speaking live to BBC's Talkback programme from 12:00 GMT and you'll be able to watch that interview live by hitting the play button at the top of the page

Jayne McCormack
BBC News NI political correspondent

DUP councillors who were briefed on the deal last night had their phones taken off them to prevent leaks, BBC News NI understands.

The DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson briefed councillors - who aren’t on the party’s executive - at a meeting in Lisburn.

The party is already investigating after the speech made by Sir Jeffrey at its 120-strong meeting on Monday night was leaked by a DUP member wearing a wire.

The details were then leaked to loyalist activist Jamie Bryson who posted what Sir Jeffrey said on X - read more here.

Image source, PA Media

A little earlier, Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie spoke after his party met the Tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) Micheál Martin in Belfast.

Beattie said it was a "good meeting" but maintained his party was annoyed at how much they've been "kept out of the detail" of the new deal.

But he said the first meeting of the new assembly is likely on Saturday, when members should begin the process of appointing ministers to a new Northern Ireland Executive.

Image source, PA

Asked if she was ready to be Northern Ireland first minister, Michelle O'Neill says: "I am absolutely up to the task of leading that executive to work with all the executive parties and delivering what matters to the people."

She says the public "had their say two years ago" at the election polls, when Sinn Féin became the largest party in the assembly, and she is glad the DUP has "accepted that decision".

Continuing on what being first minister means to her she says: "It speaks to the change - the very fact that for the first time someone from Sinn Féin, a nationalist, a republican woman from Tyrone, will be first minister - that speaks to the change that's happening."

Image source, PA Media

Speaking after a meeting with the tánaiste, O'Neill says it was a "very good discussion, a long discussion".

She adds there's been "some hope and optimism" on a return of a Northern Ireland Executive.

Another aspect she says is important for Sinn Féin is the North-South Ministerial Council (NSMC), which comprises of ministers in Northern Ireland and the Republic, which she says offers the "potential for us to work in a meaningful manner".

"It is a crucial element."