Image source, Reuter

As Rishi Sunak looks likely to use PMQs to sell his new post-Brexit trade agreement for Northern Ireland, here's some details on how the deal would work in practice:

• Goods from Britain destined for Northern Ireland will travel through a new "green lane", with a separate "red lane" for goods at risk of moving on to the EU
• Products coming into Northern Ireland through the green lane will see most checks and paperwork scrapped, while red lane goods will still be subject to normal checks
• A "Stormont brake" allows the Northern Ireland Assembly to raise an objection to "significantly different" EU rules which would apply in Northern Ireland
• UK VAT and excise rules will apply to Northern Ireland for alcoholic drinks for immediate consumption and immovable goods such as heat pumps. Previously EU VAT rules could be applied in Northern Ireland

Image source, PA Media

As Rishi Sunak waits for the DUP to make up its mind about his deal with the EU on trading arrangements for Northern Ireland, the man who helped Boris Johnson negotiate the Northern Ireland Protocol that it's designed to replace has been expressing his thoughts.

Writing in the Daily Telegraph, external, Lord Frost - Johnson's chief Brexit negotiator - says the Windsor Framework will make the Protocol easier to operate, but does not change its fundamentals.

He says the government has been "overclaiming" some parts of the deal - for example, the extent to which it removes trade friction between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

However Lord Frost concludes this does not mean the deal should not be accepted, even if it is "a bitter pill to swallow".

Read more here.

As ever, MPs can ask about pretty much anything at Prime Minister's Questions.

But here are a few topics which could come up:

• Rishi Sunak's new Brexit deal: On Monday, the PM set out his agreement with the EU aimed at fixing post-Brexit problems in Northern Ireland
• Matt Hancock Covid texts: The Daily Telegraph has published some of the former health secretary's WhatsApp messages from the pandemic
• Missing sex offenders: Data obtained by the BBC reveal that hundreds of sex offenders have slipped off the police radar
• Energy price rises: Companies are beginning to write to customers to warn them of bill increases from the start of April
• Vegetable shortages: Producers have warned shortages of fruit and vegetables could last until May

Given Labour leader Keir Starmer's background as former head of the Crown Prosecution Service, it's possible he could bring up the revelation that hundreds of sex offenders across the UK slipped off the radar of police in a three-year period.

Freedom of Information requests by BBC News sent to 45 police forces reveal 729 sex offenders went missing or were wanted for arrest from 2019-2021.

The BBC Shared Data Unit also found that almost 1,500 registered sex offenders notified police of lawful name changes, with 21 forces asked providing the data.

Abuse survivors have called on the government to introduce a new law to ban sex offenders changing their names. Labour MP Sarah Champion has called the situation a "scandal".

The state of the justice system, especially the government's handling of prosecutions and the backlog of criminal cases in crown courts, have been a consistent attack line for Labour in recent months.

In response to our story, the Home Office has already said it has "some of the toughest powers in the world to deal with sex offenders". So if it does come up, it seems probable Rishi Sunak will stick to this line.

• Read more here

Image source, PA Media

Tributes have being pouring in after the death of Betty Boothroyd, the first female Speaker of the House of Commons who died aged 93 on 26 February. We could hear more at PMQs a little later.

Boothroyd served as speaker from 1992 to 2000, before going on to become a baroness in the House of Lords from 2001.

The current Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle described her as "an inspirational woman" who was known for her "no-nonsense style".

Growing up in a political environment - her father was a trade unionist - Boothroyd described herself as coming "out of the womb into the Labour movement".

She took a number of office jobs before getting involved in politics, working for the Labour MP Barbara Castle and on the campaign to elect John F. Kennedy as US President.

In May 1973, after several attempts, she entered Parliament, securing the seat of West Bromwich, later renamed West Bromwich West. She remained as MP there until 2000 before stepping down, but continued to be active in politics.

Image source, Reuters

We could also see the issue of Covid come up when the prime minister and leader of the opposition go head-to-head in the Commons in a short while.

That’s after Matt Hancock – who served as health secretary when the virus hit the UK – found himself back in the headlines today.

Hancock has disputed claims that he rejected expert advice on Covid tests for people going into care homes at the start of the pandemic.

WhatsApp messages leaked to the Daily Telegraph suggest Hancock was told in April 2020 that there should be "testing of all going into care homes".

Government guidance later mandated tests only for those leaving hospital.

Hancock’s spokesman said the messages had been “doctored to create a false story”.

The texts were passed to the newspaper by journalist and lockdown critic Isabel Oakeshott, who has been helping Hancock write his book.

The BBC has not seen or independently verified the messages nor the context in which they were sent.

• Read more here

Image source, Reuters

For its part, Sir Keir Starmer's Labour party has publicly backed Sunak's deal and says it will shore up the government vote in the event of a Tory rebellion over the plans - although there is little sign of that manifesting so far.

At a meeting of the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs yesterday, the PM told his backbenchers to avoid "another Westminster drama" over Brexit as he sought to win their support, as well as instructing them to give the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) the "time and space" to consider the deal.

Pressure is mounting on the DUP - who have refused to join the required power-sharing system at Stormont in protest over Northern Ireland's current trading arrangements - to back the deal and allow a government to be formed.

Image source, EPA

As is often the way with Prime Minister's Questions, it's impossible to know what will come up - but a quick glance at the news in recent days could give a hint at one topic which may be explored - Rishi Sunak's new Northern Ireland deal.

Yesterday, the prime minister was selling his fresh agreement with the EU to both unionists and his own backbenchers as bringing to a close the years-long arguments over the UK's Brexit deal - particularly the trading arrangements known as the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The Windsor Framework aims to eliminate most trade barriers between NI and the rest of the UK created by the Protocol by scrapping most checks on domestic goods and vastly reducing paperwork required.

It's yet to be agreed in Parliament - to whom Sunak has promised a vote at the "appropriate time".

Emily McGarvey
Live reporter

Good morning, and welcome to our live coverage ahead of Rishi Sunak’s first Prime Minister's Questions since announcing his new post-Brexit deal for Northern Ireland.

The PM will face off with opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer in the House of Commons at midday.

Sunak will likely continue the big sell of his new Northern Ireland Brexit deal, and we expect he’ll be quizzed by MPs on some of the details.

The PM was in Belfast yesterday where he met with Northern Ireland’s political parties, before addressing the influential 1922 committee of Tory backbenchers to sell his deal.

Joining me this morning are my colleagues Adam Durbin, Chas Geiger, Kate Whannel and James FitzGerald.

Stay with us as we bring you live coverage of the clashes in the Commons in just over an hour's time.