Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what consultations they have had with the Northern Ireland Executive about its negotiations with the European Union on trade.

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

The Government is committed to working with the Northern Ireland Executive and the other devolved administrations to ensure that every part of the UK benefits from an improved trading relationship with the EU, as part of our wider reset

The Paymaster General and Minister for EU Relations most recently chaired a meeting of the Interministeral Group on UK-EU Relations in December 2024, which was attended by the First Minister and the deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. The Government will seek to continue this cooperation as the UK-EU reset progresses.

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government in what circumstances the arrangements for the movement from Great Britain to Northern Ireland of medicinal products and medical devices set out in EU Regulation 2023/1182 can be revoked.

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

1 January marked the start of the new arrangements for medicines under the Windsor Framework, ensuring that all medicines can be supplied UK-wide in the same packaging under a single UK licence. The new arrangements have resolved the supply risks created by the Northern Ireland Protocol. The UK Government has worked intensively with industry to ensure a smooth transition.

The UK supplied a Written Guarantee to the EU in accordance with Regulation 2023/1182, following receipt of which, the measures came into force on 1 January 2025.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether any physical checks are required on medical products or medical devices moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland; and, if so, which legislation requires them.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Internal market movements of medical devices and products follow the same rules as other goods and can avail the support provided by the United Kingdom’s Government to move goods into Northern Ireland free of unnecessary paperwork, checks, and duties.

Regarding specific regulations for medical devices or medicines, no regulatory declarations are required for the movement of medicines or medical devices from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. Medical devices across the whole of the UK are highly regulated, and devices placed in the Northern Irish market must be accompanied by a declaration of conformity in line with the EU Medical Device Regulations (2017/745) and EU In Vitro Device Regulations (2017/746), which apply under the Windsor Framework, in order to ensure dual market access to the UK’s internal market and the European Union's single market. Regulations in Great Britain are broadly similar to those applying in the Northern Ireland, including the conformity assessment process.

No physical checks are required for medicines or medical devices moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what declarations are required for the movement of medical products, including medical devices, from Great Britain to Northern Ireland; and which legislation requires them.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

Internal market movements of medical devices and products follow the same rules as other goods and can avail the support provided by the United Kingdom’s Government to move goods into Northern Ireland free of unnecessary paperwork, checks, and duties.

Regarding specific regulations for medical devices or medicines, no regulatory declarations are required for the movement of medicines or medical devices from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. Medical devices across the whole of the UK are highly regulated, and devices placed in the Northern Irish market must be accompanied by a declaration of conformity in line with the EU Medical Device Regulations (2017/745) and EU In Vitro Device Regulations (2017/746), which apply under the Windsor Framework, in order to ensure dual market access to the UK’s internal market and the European Union's single market. Regulations in Great Britain are broadly similar to those applying in the Northern Ireland, including the conformity assessment process.

No physical checks are required for medicines or medical devices moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the application of section 7A of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 on the introduction of a generational smoking ban in Northern Ireland, as proposed in the Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

Answered by Baroness Merron - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Government intends to apply the Tobacco and Vapes Bill across the United Kingdom and it has been developed in partnership with the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive.

In the drafting of the Bill, the Government has considered all its domestic and international obligations.

Question to the Northern Ireland Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have created the £10 million fund to boost investment in strategically important ports linking Northern Ireland and Great Britain as set out in Annex B of Safeguarding the Union (CP 1021); and if not, why not.

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

The Safeguarding the Union command paper was clear that the commitment ‘to propose the creation of a dedicated fund worth £10 million to support infrastructure development, including green growth opportunities at a small number of strategically important NI ports’ would be carried out in conjunction with the Northern Ireland Executive and Northern Ireland ports.

We are considering how the aim of supporting infrastructure development can be achieved in the most impactful way across the UK - including as part of the Government’s Growth Mission and Infrastructure and Industrial Strategies.

Found: February 2025) Lord Carlile of Berriew CBE KC (Chair) • No relevant interests to declare Lord Dodds of Duncairn

No description available