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 - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
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 - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
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 - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
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 - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
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.
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 ruminant animals can move within Great Britain despite Bluetongue virus in Kent, but cannot be moved from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Douglas-Miller - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The findings of Bluetongue in England means that Great Britain is no longer recognised as free of Bluetongue disease and is therefore unable to export live susceptible animals.
Asked by: Baroness Hoey (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many cases of Bluetongue virus have been verified in Great Britain.
Answered by Lord Douglas-Miller - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
As of the 20 February, 112 Bluetongue serotype 3 cases have been found in England on 64 premises in 3 counties. This comprises 106 cases in cattle and 6 cases in sheep. The latest case figures and information are available online at GOV.UK.
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 plans they have, if any, to ensure that Northern Ireland operates under the same animal welfare standards as the rest of the UK during transport.
Answered by Lord Douglas-Miller - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Animal welfare in transport is a devolved matter, and we will continue to work closely with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in this area.
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 progress has been made to ensure that farmers in Northern Ireland can import cow embryos from North America, as can farmers in the rest of the UK.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Farmers in Northern Ireland can import cattle embryos from United States and Canada. These imports must meet the conditions set out by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA), including the requirement for an appropriate veterinary certificate.
Further information is available on the DAERA website.
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 assessment they have made of the geographical boundary at which Regulation (EU) 2017/625 and the associated EU acquis take effect so that food and agricultural products in Northern Ireland comply with that regulation.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
A range of regulations apply to goods in Northern Ireland: EU regulations only apply to the extent set out in the Windsor Framework, varying dependent on whether the goods were produced in Northern Ireland or how the goods were moved from Great Britain. Where goods are moved under the new, more facilitative green lane and are destined for Northern Ireland; they will face no certification requirements, reduced checks and can be produced to UK public health and consumer protection standards. Goods moved through the red lane, on the other hand, will face full EU Official Control requirements including needing to comply with all EU animal, plant and public health regulations. To allow access to the NI, GB and EU markets, Northern Irish food and agricultural products will be produced to EU standards.
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 Benyon on 15 September (HL9984), whether Northern Ireland for the purpose of EU regulation 2017/625 will be treated as the entry point into the territory of the EU.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Where goods are moved through the red lane, they will be able to move onwards from Northern Ireland into the EU without further checks or processes. Where goods are moved in the green lane, they are able to move only within the United Kingdom, in line with the entirely new set of arrangements the Windsor Framework puts in place to protect internal UK trade.