Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Hayman of Ullock on 16 September (HL753), why Zolvix oral solution for sheep is authorised and labelled on a separate basis in Great Britain and in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Zolvix is licensed in accordance with different regulations in Northern Ireland (NI) and Great Britain. Separate licenses have, however, had no impact on the ability to market Zolvix in either NI or the rest of the United Kingdom (UK). The Government aims to facilitate single licensing on a UK-wide basis where possible, supported by changes to the Veterinary Medicines Regulations in 2024.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government why it is not possible to export Zolvix from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Zolvix 25 mg/ml Oral Solution for Sheep is authorised and labelled on a separate basis in Great Britain (GB) and in Northern Ireland (NI). Only packs labelled for the NI market may be placed on the NI market. Packs labelled only for the GB market cannot be placed on the market in NI.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government why the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has taken over responsibility for bovine tuberculosis vaccination from the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Douglas-Miller
In line with the Windsor Framework (Implementation) Regulations 2024 Statutory Guidance, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has exercised direction and control over the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs only with respect to the limited areas set out in the statutory guidance published on GOV.UK (copy attached). For the avoidance of doubt, the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has clarified he has exercised his discretion not to exercise direction and control in relation to animal and plant disease.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government which responsibilities have been taken over by the Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs from the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland since the Windsor Framework (Implementation) Regulations 2024 came into force on 12 April.
Answered by Lord Douglas-Miller
In line with the Windsor Framework (Implementation) Regulations 2024 Statutory Guidance, the Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has exercised direction and control over the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs only with respect to the limited areas set out in the statutory guidance published on GOV.UK. A copy of the guidance is attached to this answer.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, pursuant to regulation 13 of the Windsor Framework (Retail Movement Scheme) Regulations 2023 on retail goods checks between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, how many checks were conducted in (1) February, (2) March, and (3) April.
Answered by Lord Douglas-Miller
In line with the commitments we have made, as we move to our new UK internal market system, we will ensure that the only checks when goods move within the UK internal market system are those conducted by UK authorities as part of a risk-based or intelligence-led approach to tackle criminality, abuse of the scheme, smuggling and disease risks. But in order not to undermine that approach, as is the case across the UK we do not disclose the specific number or nature of interventions made by UK authorities.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what instructions, if any, they have issued to (1) environmental health officers, and (2) other relevant officers, as to the future charging for port inspections on goods coming from Great Britain to Northern Ireland (a) in general, and (b) when the goods fail the inspection.
Answered by Lord Douglas-Miller
On 31 January 2024, the Government published the Safeguarding the Union Command Paper. It set out proposals for a new UK internal market system, ensuring a permanent, smooth flow of goods within the UK’s internal market.
Under this new system, there will be no checks on goods moving within the UK internal market system. Checks will only be conducted as part of a risk or intelligence-led approach to tackle issues like criminality, abuse of the system, smuggling and disease risks.
Following the agreement of the Windsor Framework, the Border Target Operating Model sets out new arrangements for Irish goods and non-qualifying goods moving directly from the island of Ireland to GB from 31 January 2024. Physical checks on goods arriving at West Coast ports will not begin before Spring 2025.
We will begin phasing in checks and controls for non-qualifying goods moving from the island of Ireland, while ensuring that Qualifying Northern Ireland Goods continue to have unfettered access to the GB market, whether those goods are moving directly from Northern Ireland to Great Britain or moving to Great Britain from Northern Ireland via Ireland.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government which plants, trees and seeds are not allowed to be sent to Northern Ireland from Great Britain as a result of the Windsor Framework.
Answered by Lord Douglas-Miller
The Windsor Framework provides for simplified arrangements for the movement of plants and plant products between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, meaning a phytosanitary certificate is not required and that a wider variety of plants can move.
We have secured the lifting of a ban on the movement of twelve plant species - apple, Japanese / delavay privet, European crab apple, common hawthorn, Norway maple, Japanese maple, sycamore maple, field maple, English oak, sessile oak, European beech and, most recently, hazel. We are in active dialogue with the EU Commission on a number of other species which industry has proposed as priorities. We will continue to engage with industry to ensure the smooth movement of additional plant species. Further details can be found on Defra’s online Plant Health Portal.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Douglas-Miller on 11 March (HL2836), whether the requirement for moving seed potatoes between registered professional operators in Great Britain to professional operators in Northern Ireland prevents individuals from moving seed potatoes for personal use.
Answered by Lord Douglas-Miller
Under the Windsor Framework, seed potatoes can now move again from Great Britain to Northern Ireland under the terms of the NI plant health label scheme. This means professional operators in Great Britain can send seed potatoes to professional operators in Northern Ireland for commercial growing in Northern Ireland. Once these are planted in Northern Ireland and grown into potatoes for consumption, or used to produce further seed potatoes, they can be sold into Northern Ireland retailers and garden centres for personal use.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what rules exist for pet owners wishing to take their dog on holiday (1) from England to Northern Ireland, and (2) from England to Scotland.
Answered by Lord Douglas-Miller
The detail on the movement of pets from Great Britain to Northern Ireland can be found on the website of the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs: https://www.daera-ni.gov.uk/articles/travelling-pets. A copy is attached to this answer.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government when the suspension of movement of ruminant animals from Great Britain to Northern Ireland will be lifted.
Answered by Lord Douglas-Miller
Movements can only resume when the conditions of the importing authority, as set out in their export certification, can be met. We will take action to ensure that any additional restrictions imposed on exports are minimised and proportionate to the low risks involved.