Sunak urged not to get rail MPs to back the Windsor Pact for Northern Ireland

The Commons European Scrutiny Committee has urged the Prime Minister not to set “unnecessary deadlines” for the implementation of the Windsor Pact to allow for a review.

The cross-party group’s report, released on Tuesday, said a failure to do so before the plans are implemented “could be construed as a fait accompli”.

Mr Sunak has promised MPs a vote on his new deals with the EU but has not set a date as the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) will examine the plans.

The Commons Committee urged Mr Sunak to avoid “artificial” deadlines by declining to hold a meeting of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee (WACJ) between London and Brussels that would approve the deal this month.

“The House of Representatives should be able to make meaningful input into shaping the deal well in advance of the WAJC signing it and without the threat of artificial government or EU deadlines,” the report said.

The committee also expressed its “disappointment” with Mr Sunak’s decision not to appear before the committee, citing “heavy deadline commitments”.

Sir William Cash, the veteran Conservative who chairs the committee, added: “Parliament should not be drawn into a deal if it has not had sufficient time to make an informed decision on whether to proceed or renegotiate, which will be unlikely if the government should press ahead, especially if the EU so wishes.

“Members of the House of Representatives must have a meaningful chance of input before that happens.”

No10 could not say when MEPs will vote on the deal Mr Sunak endorsed with MEP Ursula von der Leyen on February 27.

“Parliament will have its say and we have confirmed that there will be a vote on this,” a spokesman said.