THE PROTOCOL is "causing trade disruption across many sectors" that can be fixed by the British government's controversial legislation, according to the Northern Ireland Office (NIO).
The British government's Belfast bureau was responding to criticism of Shailesh Vara after the secretary of state claimed "mostly everyone" he speaks to says the post-Brexit trade arrangements aren't working.
The remarks, made during a visit to Derry last week, were met with widespread scepticism.
Stephen Kelly of Manufacturing NI said that he'd stressed to the secretary of state last month "how the protocol is working very well for many sectors", while Sinn Féin's Caoimhe Archibald said Mr Vara "needs to get out more".
A spokesperson for the NIO defended the secretary of state's remarks, saying that since taking up his post in July had "met with a full range of Northern Ireland business representatives, to understand a wide range of experiences".
"As stated by the secretary of state, the government’s preferred outcome is to resolve the problems created by the Northern Ireland Protocol through negotiation with the EU," the spokesperson said.
"The current implementation of the protocol is undermining the political settlement in Northern Ireland and causing trade disruption across many sectors."
The NIO spokesperson said the British government’s priority was to resolve the issues around the protocol and "drive economic growth and restore political stability to Northern Ireland".
"The Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, which successfully completed its Commons stage in July, aims to fix the practical problems the protocol has created," the spokesperson said
In June, the EU has announced new legal action against the UK government over its plans to disapply elements of the post-Brexit deal struck in 2019.
Both Tory leadership candidates Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak have pledged their continued support for the controversial legislation.
