Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of the EU's decision to prohibit the use and export of dental amalgam by 1 January 2025 on dentistry in Northern Ireland due to the Windsor Framework and Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The explanatory memorandum (EM) for European Union (EU) mercury products legislation COM(23)395 and C(23)4683, was published on 1 November 2023. The EM provides a summary of the proposal to amend EU regulation 2017/852 on the manufacture, import and export of mercury products. The Department of Health and Social Care is continuing to work with the Department of Health in Northern Ireland to assess all possible impacts of the decision.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Caine on 12 March (HL3032), to specify all the changes made to the protocol by the Windsor Framework; and whether Article 6 of the Acts of Union is affected by the protocol or the Windsor Framework.
Answered by Lord Caine - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government’s position on the Windsor Framework, and its interaction with Article 6 of the Acts of Union, is set out in full in the Command Papers of 27 February 2023 and 31 January 2024.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what specific information must be provided for authorisation to access the UK Internal Market Scheme, and whether this includes information to be declared “for customs purposes” in accordance with Article 9(2) of a Joint Committee Decision No 1/2023.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The UK Internal Market Scheme (UKIMS) replaced the UK Trader Scheme on 30 September 2023, allowing a much wider range of businesses to move goods into Northern Ireland under the existing ‘not at risk’ arrangements, with over 3,000 new businesses now authorised.
From 30 September 2024, these traders will also be able to benefit from the new simplified processes for UK internal market movements which will scrap burdensome supplementary declarations and use a much shorter, simpler dataset containing standard commercial information.
The specific information to be provided in respect of UKIMS authorisation is set out on GOV.UK[1].
[1] https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-authorisation-for-the-uk-internal-market-scheme-if-you-bring-goods-into-northern-ireland
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether customs paperwork is needed for goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland via the UK Internal Market Scheme.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The UK Internal Market Scheme (UKIMS) replaced the UK Trader Scheme on 30 September 2023, allowing a much wider range of businesses to move goods into Northern Ireland under the existing ‘not at risk’ arrangements, with over 3,000 new businesses now authorised.
From 30 September 2024, these traders will also be able to benefit from the new simplified processes for UK internal market movements which will scrap burdensome supplementary declarations and use a much shorter, simpler dataset containing standard commercial information.
The specific information to be provided in respect of UKIMS authorisation is set out on GOV.UK[1].
[1] https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-authorisation-for-the-uk-internal-market-scheme-if-you-bring-goods-into-northern-ireland
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to introduce legislation to ensure “zero checks and zero customs paperwork” for goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland via the UK Internal Market Scheme; and if so, when.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
As set out in the Safeguarding the Union Command Paper, the internal market system will ensure the smooth flow of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland for internal UK trade. In line with the Government’s commitments since 2021, these arrangements establish individual schemes that can be used only by UK internal market traders, to preserve those benefits for UK traders and to maintain the smooth flow of that trade. Checks on internal UK movements under the schemes will be removed except those conducted by UK authorities and required as part of a risk-based or intelligence-led approach to tackle criminality, abuse of the schemes, smuggling and disease risks. We will set out further information on the transition to these new arrangements shortly.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether checks are still made on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland via the UK Internal Market Scheme.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
As set out in the Safeguarding the Union Command Paper, the internal market system will ensure the smooth flow of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland for internal UK trade. In line with the Government’s commitments since 2021, these arrangements establish individual schemes that can be used only by UK internal market traders, to preserve those benefits for UK traders and to maintain the smooth flow of that trade. Checks on internal UK movements under the schemes will be removed except those conducted by UK authorities and required as part of a risk-based or intelligence-led approach to tackle criminality, abuse of the schemes, smuggling and disease risks. We will set out further information on the transition to these new arrangements shortly.