Neil Hudson MP: speeches

Speeches

• 8 Jul 2026 · Draft Batteries (Placing on the Market) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2026 · Hansard source

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  It is a great pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Dr Murrison. I thank the Minister for outlining the draft regulations to the Committee. Among other things, they establish the offences and penalties regime for breaches of “placing on the market” obligations under the EU batteries regulation. That regulation has applied in Northern Ireland since February 2024, under the terms of the Windsor framework. The two-year gap between the regulation taking effect and the arrival of the enforcement regime was flagged by the Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee. It leads to a question: why have the current Government not brought this instrument forward sooner? In addition, can the Minister clarify how the EU regulation has been enforced in the interim, in the absence of a functioning offences and penalties regime? Furthermore, what assessment have the Government made of businesses that have continued operating under the previous rules throughout this period? Can the Minister confirm whether the Government’s impact assessment accounted for those businesses specifically, or only for those transitioning from this point forward? I also note the concerns expressed by the hon. and learned Member for North Antrim (Jim Allister) regarding the effect of the rules on the UK internal market and on the competitiveness of Northern Ireland-based businesses. I am sure that the Committee would like to hear the Minister respond directly to some of those concerns. Specifically, can she confirm that supply chains will not be disrupted, that Northern Ireland-based businesses will not be placed at a competitive disadvantage relative to their English counterparts, and that the draft instrument will not impose additional costs on them?