DUP MP for East Londonderry Gregory Campbell has called on the Government to act quickly so car dealerships in Northern Ireland can compete fairly with counterparts in Great Britain. He raised concerns about obstacles preventing the sale of certain new vehicles in the region.

After Northern Ireland Questions in the House of Commons, Mr Campbell said: "Northern Ireland car dealers pay their taxes to the same UK Treasury as dealerships in England, Scotland and Wales. They should have the same opportunity to sell the same range of new vehicles to their customers.

"It is unacceptable that dealerships in Northern Ireland face barriers to selling certain new vehicles which are available elsewhere in the United Kingdom. "I welcome the Minister's commitment to engage with representatives of the motor trade and to respond to the outstanding correspondence from the National Franchised Dealers Association by the end of this week.

"However, meetings and correspondence must lead to practical action. Simply complaining about these issues is not enough. I specifically asked when this problem would be resolved, and that question remains unanswered.

"The Government must work across departments to remove these barriers and ensure that a vehicle approved for sale in Great Britain can also be sold new by a dealership in Northern Ireland.

"Northern Ireland dealerships do not want special treatment. They simply want the same opportunities as their competitors elsewhere in the United Kingdom. The Government now needs to set out a clear timetable for delivering that outcome."