Northern Ireland continues to diverge from rest of the UK when it comes to Brexit claim politicians

UUP MLA Steve Aiken said he was not surprised that the Chancellor had postponed checks on EU imports yet in Northern Ireland Windsor Framework restrictions are being imposed.

Meanwhile TUV leader Jim Allister commented that Northern Ireland is “largely a spectator” to EU to GB import arrangements.

Mr Aiken said: “That the Chancellor has postponed SPS (Sanitary and Phytosanitary) checks on EU imports again comes as no surprise. However, in Northern Ireland we are still expected to start imposing the restrictions laid out in the Windsor Framework, with all the extra costs and bureaucracy that entails.

"This also raises a further question, that as it is likely EU SPS checks will be even further delayed, divergence within our own country will continue.

"This is a further startling example of the complete failure of this Conservative government to deal with the outworkings of Brexit.”

Mr Allister said: “Having been excluded from the essence of Brexit and left behind in the EU’s Single Market and under its Customs Code, Northern Ireland is largely a spectator to EU to GB import arrangements.

“But being largely classified as EU territory, the template of checks on EU food imports to GB will ultimately engender such checks Northern Ireland to GB.

He went on to say: "Labour’s contributions suggest they will try and draw all of the UK back into the EU’s orbit.”

The first stage of the new border controls was due to be rolled out this October. The Cabinet Office said that in developing the new border regime, the Government has been mindful of the potential impact on inflation, with an estimated impact on headline inflation expected to stand at less than 0.2% across three years.

Shadow Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq said: “Last week, the Government admitted that their planned introduction of food import checks from the EU would lead to an increase in inflation hitting the pockets of ordinary people during the worst cost-of-living crisis in our lifetimes.

“In the Labour Party, we believe that a bespoke veterinary agreement would cut red tape from business and avoid pushing on costs on to ordinary people.

“So could I ask the minister, is the Government planning to negotiate a veterinary agreement? And if not, why not?”

The Chancellor replied: “Can I gently say to her, who I have a lot of time for, that the last thing business wants is the upheaval of a huge renegotiation of our trading arrangement with the EU, which is the largest tariff-free, volume-free trade deal in the world.”

SNP MP Philippa Whitford asked the chancellor if he finally accepts Brexit is contributing to the UK’s cost-of-living crisis.

Mr Hunt replied: “No, but of course we are sensitive about the timing of introducing those changes because of cost-of-living pressures.”

He said because of Brexit, an extra £14.6 billion is being directed to public services every year, including the NHS.