Avoiding a hard border between Northern Ireland and Ireland is a key priority for the UK Government and we remain firmly committed to that objective.<\/p>
<\/strong><\/p> The Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union visited Northern Ireland in September 2016 meeting with the then Northern Ireland Executive and stakeholders including NI Screen and SONI (System Operator for Northern Ireland). I visited Northern Ireland with former Northern Ireland Office Minister Chloe Smith in September 2017, visiting the border and meeting with Re-Gen waste and InterTradeIreland. In October 2016, I met with representatives from Northern Ireland\u2019s agriculture and food sector for a Business Advisory Group meeting.<\/p> <\/strong><\/p> Northern Ireland Office Ministers have also conducted an extensive programme of engagement in Northern Ireland on EU exit with a wide range of stakeholders.<\/p> <\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4091", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Mr Robin Walker"}
}
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, "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2018-02-28", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
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, "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Exiting the European Union "}
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, "date" : {"_value" : "2018-02-20", "_datatype" : "dateTime"}
, "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Domestic Visits: Northern Ireland"}
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, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many times he has visited Northern Ireland since his appointment as Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union; and if he will set out the details of any such visits.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4458", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Conor McGinn"}
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, {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/845568", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department for International Trade"}
], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/845568/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : " My Right Hon. friend, the Secretary of State for International Trade, has visited Northern Ireland on two occasions, in August 2016 and more recently in October 2017 to discuss both trade policy and future trade opportunities.<\/p>"}
, "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1482", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Graham Stuart"}
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, "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"}
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], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, how many times he has visited Northern Ireland since his appointment as Secretary of State for International Trade; and if he will set out the details of any such visits.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"}
, "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4458", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Conor McGinn"}
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