there is ministerial statement when there is a huge possibility of significant adverse effect to uk, gb, ni trade, publishing a written ministerial statement is not in any way what he says it is. statement is not in any way what he sa s it is. a, statement is not in any way what he sa s it is. . ., ., statement is not in any way what he sa sitis. . ., ., , says it is. can i congratulate my honourable _ says it is. can i congratulate my honourable friend _ says it is. can i congratulate my honourable friend and _ says it is. can i congratulate my honourable friend and my - says it is. can i congratulate my - honourable friend and my honourable friends in the dup. clearly, this is still a highly emotive issue and understandably so, because when we left the eu, i was promised and the house in the country was promised we would leave the eu as a united kingdom. —— and the country. northern ireland is part of the united kingdom. and as we have heard, they will still be subject to eu laws. so there is acts still very much grinding away which we must get rid of. what is unhelpful as the whisperings from sinn fein of unification at this highly, highly emotive time. can my right

honourable friend tell me, the house and this country that northern ireland will always be part of the united kingdom? because they are stronger together. 50. united kingdom? because they are stronger together.— stronger together. so, i have to tread slightly — stronger together. so, i have to tread slightly more _ stronger together. so, i have to tread slightly more carefully - stronger together. so, i have to tread slightly more carefully on| tread slightly more carefully on that particular issue because i am the secretary of state responsible to make an independent assessment of the conditions that might lead to the conditions that might lead to the border poll that he suggests. but i genuinely can say to him, but i have to be very careful, but i am comfortable that in my lifetime, certainly, northern ireland will be a strong and wonderfully prosperous part of the united kingdom. however, it is very important to outline the parts of the belfast good friday agreement that allows for all these things to happen and that depends on any change and would absolutely

depend on the consent of both communities at the time. and certainly, i don't think anybody judges that to be in place at this point. judges that to be in place at this oint. �* , judges that to be in place at this oint. �*, ., ., ., point. it's important to point out to the peeple — point. it's important to point out to the people of _ point. it's important to point out to the people of ireland - point. it's important to point out to the people of ireland north i point. it's important to point out i to the people of ireland north and south will decide the constitutional future of ireland and nobody else. this is a very good day for the people of northern ireland and i am very glad to see it. i also think we are about to see something very significant, the first—ever nationalist first minister, the first nationalist leader of the opposition and i wish them all well. in order to properly maintain this progress and make the most of it, will the secretary of state convene a process with all the political parties in the irish government to look at how we can reform the institutions of the good friday agreement to make sure that no—one party can ever pull them down again? can i thank him for his welcome of the proposals and just point softly out to him he mentioned at the very

beginning of his question the belfast good friday agreement relied on the consent of both communities and suggested reform, which doesn't have the consent of certainly one of them. however, iunderstand have the consent of certainly one of them. however, i understand the point he made. i've always said when people have asked me about future reform of the institutions, i think this is a conversation that should be started within stormont and by the people of northern ireland and their elected representatives. the thing i hope for is maybe not that particular conversation, but full stormont to be returned so elected folk from northern ireland can govern for northern ireland. if is govern for northern ireland. it is absolutely _ govern for northern ireland. it is absolutely vital _ govern for northern ireland. it is absolutely vital that the democratic institutions and the lawmaking powers are returned back to the elected politicians in northern ireland. and today is clearly very historic and symbolic. at the same time, we do know northern ireland's economic lifeblood is linked to the rest of gb and i concur with the rest of gb and i concur with the rest of gb and i concur with the rest of my colleagues who have spoken on this issue. it is vital

that we ensure that the ability to diverge and have the freedom to secure northern ireland's economic lifeblood and also the prosperity of northern ireland remains and with that, can is the secretary of state and this government to ensure that they have the full ability to do that and they will be backed up by the government in westminster to do so? —— can i ask. she the government in westminster to do so? -- can i ask-— so? -- can i ask. she is absolutely riuht. so? -- can i ask. she is absolutely right- and — so? -- can i ask. she is absolutely right- and i— so? -- can i ask. she is absolutely right- and i am _ so? -- can i ask. she is absolutely right. and i am absolutely- so? -- can i ask. she is absolutely. right. and i am absolutely delighted to give her the assurance she asks for. because this will not reduce our ability to diverge, not our commitment to do so, should it be in the interests of the united kingdom. many of us indeed to welcome this day and the restoration of stormont and hope that is possible —— do welcome. many of us recognise if the government is capable of removing barriers about trading the european

union, many constituents in walthamstow would like them to do the same they are doing full constituents in belfast. can i press the secretary of state on what he said about mending section seven a of the withdrawal agreement? he will know that is the foundation of the practical application of the good friday agreement that many of us hold dearly. and he said it is an amendment, it says in his command paper about the pipeline of eu law. can he clarify for the avoidance of doubt that any amendment he will make will not seek any regression at all in the rights upheld in that document and in particular, the rights afforded to every single member of the communities in northern ireland, in the wording of the good friday agreement and the echr. i the good friday agreement and the echr. 4' ., ., ., , the good friday agreement and the echr. ~ ., ., ., , ., , echr. i think the honourable lady and es,| echr. i think the honourable lady and yes, i absolutely _ echr. i think the honourable lady and yes, i absolutely can. - echr. i think the honourable lady and yes, i absolutely can. thankl and yes, i absolutely can. thank ou, and yes, i absolutely can. thank you. may _ and yes, i absolutely can. thank you. may i _ and yes, i absolutely can. thank you. may i thank _ and yes, i absolutely can. thank you, may i thank my _ and yes, i absolutely can. thank you, may i thank my right - and yes, i absolutely can. thank- you, may i thank my right honourable friend for his statement and the

important endorsement for the member from east belfast, which is very encouraging. i wonder if i can ask him about paragraph 145 of the command paperfollowing him about paragraph 145 of the command paper following and him about paragraph 145 of the command paperfollowing and if him about paragraph 145 of the command paper following and if he could give an example of the circumstances where a minister might say there would be an effect on the internal market and what this might restrict in practice? {l3h internal market and what this might restrict in practice?— restrict in practice? off the top of m head, restrict in practice? off the top of my head. i _ restrict in practice? off the top of my head. i can't _ restrict in practice? off the top of my head, i can't give _ restrict in practice? off the top of my head, i can't give an - restrict in practice? off the top of my head, i can't give an example | my head, i can't give an example because i need to do that as i have stated. the practical effect is a transparency effect. i am aware that many select committee chairs in this place. what we want to ensure is when there is a bill that potentially has a substantial adverse effect on gb and ni trade and we are making those decisions, we are transparent about it and we tell people about it, and the best way is to inform this house through a written ministerial statement. i

thank the secretary for his statement. i would just remind him we have been pressing the government to take action, for over two years, but we welcome the fact the action has been taken both on trading and on the constitutional position. would he agree with me subsequent to the next few days, we need to continue to keep working to close the narrow gap that still remains, because we have made significant and substantial progress towards what we asked the government to do. and would he also indicate to the wider community in northern ireland, even whenever someone gets a large number of votes like sinn fein, if they have a mantra that their day will come, that it will also go with less fanfare? ., ., ~ ., ., fanfare? can i thank the honourable gentleman- — gentleman. studio: just stepping away from the house of commons and that statement by the secretary of state for northern ireland chris heaton—harris, who has been taking

questions from members of the house on this deal between the government and the democratic unionist party. for more on this, we can go live to our political correspondent damian grammaticas, who is in westminster for us. what more are we learning about this agreement between the government and the dup? weill. about this agreement between the government and the dup? well, we have now got _ government and the dup? well, we have now got quite _ government and the dup? well, we have now got quite a _ government and the dup? well, we have now got quite a lot _ government and the dup? well, we have now got quite a lot of- government and the dup? well, we have now got quite a lot of detail, i have now got quite a lot of detail, all the detail, not the final legal text, but the detail in it. what we are seeing is all the bids this is broken down into. and essentially, if i can summarise that, you have a core, attempting to deal with the issue or one of the issues that has so exercised uniqueness, which is the checks being implemented on goods and items moving from the rest of the uk into northern ireland, they view that as an internal trade border, something that weakens the bonds of the united kingdom, so they have wanted those reduced. those

were already coming down under the arrangements in place, arrangements put in place by rishi sunak last year under the windsor framework, they were coming down to me a time and that is an ongoing process. what this lays out as the government's plan —— coming down to minimum over time. it is to do away with most of the paperwork that has to be done. there would still be some and there would still be checks going on on the basis of authority is deciding to look at shipments, to see if there was any smuggling, any illegal goods and things like that. not doing away entirely, but reducing it further again. doing away entirely, but reducing it furtheragain. i doing away entirely, but reducing it further again. i should doing away entirely, but reducing it further again. ishould repeat doing away entirely, but reducing it further again. i should repeat it was going down pretty low. that is one core thing and the dup were promising yesterday there would be no more checks, no customs checks on goods moving. that is important because the words customs checks,

they will still be monitoring, they will still have enforcement mechanisms. it is a package of measures designed to reassure unionists in northern ireland with what you are hearing about legislative measures, statutory instruments, that sort of legislative process to reassure unionists about northern ireland's place in the uk. integrally linked to the uk. those things are there for reassurance, reaffirming things that are existing agreements, recognising northern ireland's place, an important part of the package. what we did here interestingly in that debate you heard in parliament was the broad praise from the main opposition parties, so labour and from northern irish parties, the sdlp welcome to this because of the fact there is an agreement that it should get

power—sharing back up and running now in northern ireland. but a few dissenting voices and those dissenting voices and those dissenting voices and those dissenting voices came from some within the democratic unionists who still don't like this and still don't think it goes far enough. we heard sammy wilson mp. and also some conservatives, who worry about the uk giving assurances to northern ireland that there will not be too much divergence that would effect to trade in northern ireland. they worry that will limit the uk's ability to carve its own path in future on regulations and traded —— that would affect trade. they don't want uk to see itself as having to stay close to where the european union does things. a couple of unhappy voices, but broadly a lot of support for this. and as i was saying, the measures essentially, some are to do with trade and some are to do with reassurance. hind some are to do with trade and some are to do with reassurance. and what ha--ens are to do with reassurance. and what happens next. _ are to do with reassurance. and what happens next. how — are to do with reassurance. and what happens next, how soon _ are to do with reassurance. and what happens next, how soon could - are to do with reassurance. and what happens next, how soon could we . are to do with reassurance. and what| happens next, how soon could we see the restoration of the northern

ireland executive?— the restoration of the northern ireland executive? very first thing that we will _ ireland executive? very first thing that we will see _ ireland executive? very first thing that we will see is _ ireland executive? very first thing that we will see is the _ ireland executive? very first thing that we will see is the actual - that we will see is the actual statutory instruments, the legislation, the legislative documents the uk government needs to get through parliament, produced probably today, and that process happening in parliament tomorrow. that's all the precursor to what should happen friday, saturday, which is the moves in northern ireland to get the local assembly, the northern ireland assembly back up the northern ireland assembly back up and functioning. so processes that have to be followed to elect a new speaker, first minister, deputy first minister, the ministerial posts and get all of that happening. but the outlook for that is within the next few days.— the next few days. damian grammaticas _ the next few days. damian grammaticas in _ the next few days. damian i grammaticas in westminster, the next few days. damian - grammaticas in westminster, thank you very much. and you can follow reaction to those developments in northern ireland on the bbc website. the other main story we are covering

todayis the other main story we are covering today is the covid inquiry, where the former scottish first minister nicola sturgeon is giving her evidence and we can cross over to edinburgh and listening. i evidence and we can cross over to edinburgh and listening.— edinburgh and listening. i should sa and i edinburgh and listening. i should say and i want — edinburgh and listening. i should say and i want to _ edinburgh and listening. i should say and i want to say _ edinburgh and listening. i should say and i want to say this - edinburgh and listening. i should say and i want to say this on - edinburgh and listening. i should say and i want to say this on the | say and i want to say this on the record, she had already reached that conclusion herself and made no attempt to avoid her resignation. and i think to her credit, she at that point was very clear with me that point was very clear with me that the confidence in the public messaging had to take priority and i do think perhaps in contrast to other incidents, that is to her credit, but it was a very difficult episode in what was overall and incredibly difficult period. we have seen some correspondence - incredibly difficult period. we have seen some correspondence over i incredibly difficult period. we have l seen some correspondence over that weekend as you described she eventually resigned late on the sunday the fifth that tend to suggest there was a process over that day whereby there was an evolving realisation i think that

she would end up having to resign. are you saying, ms sturgeon your initial reaction was to was to try to keep her, but that became impossible? i to keep her, but that became impossible?_ to keep her, but that became impossible?— impossible? i think i thought wronal , impossible? i think i thought wrongly. as _ impossible? i think i thought wrongly. as l _ impossible? i think i thought wrongly, as i realised - impossible? i think i thought wrongly, as i realised this i impossible? i think i thought. wrongly, as i realised this was impossible? i think i thought - wrongly, as i realised this was not possible to achieve both of those objectives, to make sure we didn't have the public confidence in our messaging undermined and keep the chief medical officer in post during a pandemic. try to give equal weight to those considerations, but over the course of that sunday i realised it was not possible, and if i tried to achieve the latter, the outcome of that would be the undermining confidence. that quickly led to the situation that unfolded on a summer evening. but doctor calderwood had already, i think, herself, come to that conclusion.— think, herself, come to that conclusion. . , , ., conclusion. ultimately, did you tell her to

conclusion. ultimately, did you tell herto resign? _ conclusion. ultimately, did you tell her to resign? in _ conclusion. ultimately, did you tell her to resign? in point— conclusion. ultimately, did you tell her to resign? in point of— conclusion. ultimately, did you tell her to resign? in point of fact, - conclusion. ultimately, did you tell her to resign? in point of fact, i - her to resign? in point of fact, i said that the _ her to resign? in point of fact, i said that the chief _ her to resign? in point of fact, i said that the chief medical - her to resign? in point of fact, i l said that the chief medical officer is not a first ministerial appointment, i technically could not have made her resign. but it was not necessary. by the time i spoke to her on the phone on sunday evening, i was clear it was an inevitable outcome and she was clear it was an inevitable outcome. the conversation really became that is what was going to happen. we really became that is what was going to ha en. ~ ., really became that is what was going to ha -en. ~ ., ., really became that is what was going to ha en. . ., ., , really became that is what was going to ha..en_ . ., ., , to happen. we have also seen some internal correspondence _ to happen. we have also seen some internal correspondence involving i internal correspondence involving professor — internal correspondence involving professor smith and others, that tended _ professor smith and others, that tended to — professor smith and others, that tended to suggest that the way in which _ tended to suggest that the way in which the — tended to suggest that the way in which the resignation had been handled — which the resignation had been handled had undermined their position _ handled had undermined their position. they felt that it undermined the confidence that they felt was _ undermined the confidence that they felt was in _ undermined the confidence that they felt was in them, to be able to continue — felt was in them, to be able to continue in _ felt was in them, to be able to continue in that role. was that something of what you are aware? i something of what you are aware? wasn't something of what you are aware? i wasn't aware of it at the time. looking back on it and having seen the correspondence, i suppose it is not surprising. as i say, it was in

the midst of a really tough, difficult