Northern Ireland should be given greater powers to reduce taxes to boost businesses, Tory MPs have said.
Former Northern Ireland secretary Owen Patterson urged the Government to restart talks with the reinstated Northern Ireland Executive over introducing a differentiated level of corporation tax to compete with the Republic of Ireland.
Responding during Northern Ireland questions in the Commons, Northern Ireland minister Robin Walker said the UK Government “stand ready” to restart talks on corporation tax reductions.
Mr Walker added: “The tourism potential of Northern Ireland is enormous and I can confirm to him as previously committed, this Government is reviewing the devolution of APD and that review is ongoing.”
Despite the UK Parliament passing the Corporation Tax (Northern Ireland) Act in 2015, powers to devolve corporation tax rate-setting powers to the Northern Ireland Assembly have yet to be used.
The level of corporation tax in the Republic of Ireland is 12.5% compared to 19% in the UK.
Earlier, shadow Northern Ireland secretary Tony Lloyd asked whether Boris Johnson was right to say that there would be no checks between goods going from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
“Does the minister agree that there will be checks or does he say that there will not be checks between the goods going from GB to Northern Ireland?”
Northern Ireland minister Robin Walker responded: “The Prime Minister has been clear, beyond our obligations under international law there will be no changes for movements of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and when discussing the protocol with the EU, the UK will be ambitious on how flexible we can make this system.”
Mr Lloyd replied: “The minister of course is right that the Prime Minister has been crystal clear. A very simple question for the minister – is the Prime Minister right or wrong?”
Mr Walker responded: “I say to Mr Walker that the Prime Minister is always right.”
