Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government how it is envisaged that the new National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority will work with the devolved Administration in Northern Ireland.

Answered by Lord Livermore - Financial Secretary (HM Treasury)

The National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) will have a role in relation to non-devolved UK government infrastructure responsibilities in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. NISTA will engage closely with Devolved Administrations and bodies under their jurisdictions as appropriate, particularly on matters where the respective infrastructure policy responsibilities of the UK government and devolved administrations interact.

As announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 10 October NISTA will combine the functions of the National Infrastructure Commission and Infrastructure and Projects Authority. NISTA will drive effective delivery of infrastructure across the country.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what working groups or committees which include experts from outside the Civil Service they have set up to consider the trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework; how many times each group or committee has met; and what is the membership of each.

Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

This Government is committed to implementing the Windsor Framework and protecting the UK internal market. In furtherance of these commitments and those made in the Safeguarding the Union command paper, the following bodies that include external sector experts have been established:

- Independent Monitoring Panel: Anna Jerzewska, Aidan Reilly and Alastair Hamilton were appointed on 19 September. The Panel has met once under this Government.

- Intertrade UK: Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee was appointed as Chair on 19 September. Since that time, work has continued on other preparatory activity necessary to establish the body. It is expected that Intertrade UK will meet for the first time early in the New Year.

- Horticulture Working Group: Members include a range of trade associations and other industry representatives. The Group has met twice under this Government.

- Veterinary Medicines Working Group: Members include a range of industry representatives and technical experts. The Group has met twice under this Government.

The Government has separately indicated its intention to commission an Independent Review of the operation of Articles 5-10 of the Windsor Framework, in accordance with its duties under the law, and will update Parliament in due course.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the reply by Baroness Smith of Basildon on 6 November (HL Deb col 1487) which indicated that the Windsor Framework (agreed in February 2023) negates the need to remove the legal duties on Ministers to promote an all-Ireland economy, why a commitment to remove those duties was therefore included in paragraphs 114–16 of the Command Paper Safeguarding the Union (CP 1021), published in January 2024.

Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

I refer the Noble Lord to the reply given to QWA HL2354 tabled by Baroness Foster of Aghadrumsee and published on 15 November 2024.