business organisations in northern ireland, the meat exporter association have described the protocol and the arrangements contained therein as an effective and workable platform. the northern ireland food and drink association says it is vital to allow the continuity of trade across the island of ireland and northern ireland and gp. what is your view of the protocol? the ireland and gp. what is your view of the protocol? the protocol? the protocol is workin: the protocol? the protocol is working pretty the protocol? the protocol is working pretty well - the protocol? the protocol is working pretty well for i the protocol? the protocol is working pretty well for our i working pretty well for our manufacturing community, evidence was required, you can see that our export sales to ireland are up 60% in 2021 and up again another 37% the first quarter of this year. there are challenges on the irish sea and with the supply chain from great britain into northern ireland, but the economic
careful thought and possibly some difficult choices and it involves consideration of and empathy for everyone in our society including those who are at the highest clinical risk, covid, and we know we can t continually rely on restrictive measures to manage the virus because we know the harm that does but equally we can t be indifferent to the continued risk that covid poses to health and well being. we need to consider what adaptations we can make to meet those risks which is less disruptive to our lives and of course much less of a daily presence in our minds, so these are important issues for not just government but for everyone to consider, so as we prepare the revised framework we will seek to consult across parliament and also with business organisations and other partners across society and our aim is to publish the revised strategic framework within the next few weeks. as the final point emphasises, we remain in a highly challenging phase of the pandemic,
in. ., , ., in. five of the uk s leading business in. five of the uk s leading business organisations - in. five of the uk s leadingl business organisations have in. five of the uk s leading - business organisations have called on the government to support businesses and consumers who pay spiralling energy bills. they have written to the chancellor demanding urgent action to tackle the crisis. the treasury says it is helping families of £12 billion. signatories include the british chamber of commerce and claire walker is executive director. shejoins commerce and claire walker is executive director. she joins us now. welcome to bbc news. what exactly is it that you think the government needs to effectively. let me rephrase the question, what we do think the government could effectively intervene to mitigate the impact of something which, after all, is a global problem. the wholesale all, is a global problem. the wholesale price all, is a global problem. the wholesale price of
90, remaining legal restrictions will go, specifically meaning cafe is and restaurants will no longer have to take the details of customers as they arrive, but there is the one notable exception, facemasks, which will remain in place for at least another couple of weeks to the dismay of some business organisations and also with criticism from the scottish conservative leader, douglas ross, who said we cannot stay stuck with these covid rules for ever. nicola sturgeon insists we are not stuck with the rules and it could be lifted in early april but is displaying her trademark caution, and again, we are back to a debate about whether this should be an individual to responsibility or a matterfor individual to responsibility or a matter for the state. individual to responsibility or a matter for the state. james, thank ou ve matter for the state. james, thank you very much- the last time there were big crowds at the cheltenham festival was two years ago just before the first lockdown. t