Baroness Ritchie of Downpatrick:

Thank you Lord Jay. My question is very simple but I suppose it is very loaded. We heard much from the Irish parliamentarian point of view and we also hear much from the British Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly. What do committee members think is the overall EU mood? Coming from the North, the protocol where I am is not a particularly big deal. In the shops, I have never seen empty supermarket shelves in Downpatrick or in any part of south Down, nor did I hear people complaining about the protocol. That may be because of what we may call the political description of the particular area but that has been my general impression. What then is the overall mood with the EU in terms of the Irish parliamentarians discussions and the negotiations that are ongoing with Ireland as a member of the European Union, taking on board the Commission and then the 26 member states? I thank the Lord Chairman.