Brexit deal: Windsor Framework concerns 'have not materialised'

The aim of the framework is to reduce the level of controls on goods coming from Great Britain which are intended to be sold in NI

Concerns about the practical impact of the Windsor Framework have not materialised and cannot be used to justify not restoring Stormont, a Cabinet Office minister has said.

Baroness Neville-Rolfe's comments were made in a letter to a Lords committee.

The framework is the revised Brexit deal for Northern Ireland.

She said ministers are aware that some sought to justify not forming an executive over concerns it would be "disruptive and unworkable".

The Windsor Framework began its first major implementation stage at the start of this month with a new 'red and green lane' system for the movement of food products from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

This also included a new trusted trader scheme and the introduction of 'Not for EU' labels on some Great Britain food products being sold in Northern Ireland.

Before the new system began operating supermarkets had indicated that not all outstanding issues had been addressed.

The first 'Not For EU' labels on food started appearing in supermarkets in August

However, temporary workarounds and an initial light touch approach to enforcement means that consumers have not experienced any impacts and Baroness Neville-Rolfe's comments suggest ministers are confident that the implementation is going to plan so far.

In her letter, she added that Booker, a wholesaler owned by Tesco, has told NI customers they have been able to reintroduce some product lines as a result of the framework.

The BBC has asked Booker to comment.

• How will the next stage of the Brexit deal work?

• Northern Ireland Brexit deal: At-a-glance

The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) walked out of Northern Ireland's power-sharing government 20 months ago with the resignation of then-first minister Paul Givan in protest over the Northern Ireland Protocol, the predecessor to the Windsor Framework.

The party has said the framework is not sufficiently different from the protocol and continues to undermine Northern Ireland's place in the UK.

On Saturday, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson told his party conference he still believes in devolved government and was continuing to negotiate with the UK government

He said: "We are making progress, but there remains more work to do. I am hopeful that remaining concerns can be addressed as quickly as possible."