UK Government accepts all recommendations from the Independent Review of the Windsor Framework in a landmark commitment
An enhanced ‘one stop shop’ advice service to boost trade within the UK, promotion of dual market access, and improved communication with stakeholders and the Assembly.
The Government has today [Tuesday 16 December] accepted all recommendations in the Independent Review of the Windsor Framework.
The Review followed the democratic consent vote on the trading arrangements under the Windsor Framework held in the Northern Ireland Assembly in December 2024. It was led by the Rt Hon Lord Murphy of Torfaen, who published the recommendations in September 2025.
Responding to today’s publication, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn, said:
This Government remains steadfastly committed to ensuring that Northern Ireland’s trading arrangements command the broadest possible support. Today’s response to Lord Murphy’s report shows we are taking practical steps in response to the views of businesses and communities.
We believe that the best and most sustainable results are achieved through agreed trading arrangements, and working in partnership with business and civic society. That is why we continue to work toward an SPS agreement with the EU from which Northern Ireland’s traders and hauliers stand to resoundingly benefit.
An enhanced ‘one stop shop’ advice service for businesses, strengthened arrangements for the Assembly to scrutinise EU regulations, and better consultation t across all communities, were among recommendations outlined in the report.
Today’s response from the Government will respond to all of them, and help smooth flows of trade within the UK internal market. We will:
- Deliver the support businesses need: Take forward £16.6 million in funding allocated at the Budget to deliver an enhanced ‘one stop shop’ advice service for small businesses and new funding for Intertrade UK, to boost trade within the UK;
- Champion Dual Market Access: Actively promote the benefits of Northern Ireland’s dual market access to businesses at home and abroad;
- Empower the Assembly: Give the Northern Ireland Assembly greater flexibility to scrutinise EU regulations within the statutory democratic scrutiny period;
- Better engagement: Improve engagement with a range of sectoral stakeholders and businesses as the Government implements the Framework;
- Deal with practical concerns: Exploring and developing a scheme to support small businesses to trade with NI where they lack a local presence to satisfy product safety rules, and preparing improvements to the Duty Reimbursement Scheme; and
- Smooth trade flows further: Continuing work to smooth the flow of goods, including new measures to safeguard the supply of veterinary medicines from 1 January 2026 and to swiftly progress a future UK/EU SPS agreement.
Today’s publication also reflects on the progress made by the Government over the past 12 months with a reduction in SPS ‘identity checks’, and new arrangements for freight, parcels and medicines that were delivered in the course of the year.
Notes to editors:
- Full response available here.