Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many citizens of China are resident in the United Kingdom.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority.
Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National Statistician
The Lord Empey Kt OBE
House of Lords
London
SW1A 0AA
1 May 2025
Dear Lord Empey,
As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Questions asking how many citizens of Russia are resident in the United Kingdom (HL6884), and how many citizens of China are resident in the United Kingdom (HL6885).
Census 2021 country of birth data is currently our best estimate of the population of England and Wales by citizenship. At the time of Census 2021, there were 56,053 usual residents in England and Wales that were born in Russia and 182,376 usual residents in England and Wales that were born in China.
In the longer term, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) aims to develop high-quality outputs using DPM (Demographic Population Model) stocks. It should deliver, in due course, a coherent stock estimate alongside population flows, enhancing the quality and reliability of population statistics.
Country of birth[1] is the country in which a person was born. This is different to nationality which is the country or countries where a person can have a legal status, although they may not reside in that country.
Country of birth does not change, except due to an international boundary change. As a person's country of birth typically does not change, it is sometimes preferable to use when analysing the UK resident population. As it remains constant across time it is a consistent measure of long-term migration and is not affected by rates of successful British citizenship applications. Statistics by country of birth are useful in understanding the longer-term contribution of international migration to the UK, including people who have moved to the UK and since changed their nationality.
While this source provides the best picture of society at a moment in time, we acknowledge that there is a need for more timely and frequent statistics at a consistent level of quality. Provisional estimates for the year ending June 2022, produced by rolling forward Census 2021 estimates and accounting for population change, were published in International migration research, progress update: November 2022[2].
The ONS will also look at the feasibility of using the Annual Population Survey (APS) for this kind of output going forward. The findings will be included in a research report to be published in May 2025. If the proposed solutions are deemed suitable by both the ONS and its users, a UK-wide population estimate will be added to the publication suite in November 2025.
The data provided in this response is for England and Wales. Northern Ireland and Scotland conduct their own censuses. Equivalent data can be obtained from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency[3] and the National Records of Scotland[4] respectively.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Sir Ian Diamond
[3]https://www.nisra.gov.uk/contact
[4]https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/contact-us/
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many citizens of Russia are resident in the United Kingdom.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority.
Please see the letter attached from the National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority.
Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National Statistician
The Lord Empey Kt OBE
House of Lords
London
SW1A 0AA
1 May 2025
Dear Lord Empey,
As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority, I am responding to your Parliamentary Questions asking how many citizens of Russia are resident in the United Kingdom (HL6884), and how many citizens of China are resident in the United Kingdom (HL6885).
Census 2021 country of birth data is currently our best estimate of the population of England and Wales by citizenship. At the time of Census 2021, there were 56,053 usual residents in England and Wales that were born in Russia and 182,376 usual residents in England and Wales that were born in China.
In the longer term, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) aims to develop high-quality outputs using DPM (Demographic Population Model) stocks. It should deliver, in due course, a coherent stock estimate alongside population flows, enhancing the quality and reliability of population statistics.
Country of birth[1] is the country in which a person was born. This is different to nationality which is the country or countries where a person can have a legal status, although they may not reside in that country.
Country of birth does not change, except due to an international boundary change. As a person's country of birth typically does not change, it is sometimes preferable to use when analysing the UK resident population. As it remains constant across time it is a consistent measure of long-term migration and is not affected by rates of successful British citizenship applications. Statistics by country of birth are useful in understanding the longer-term contribution of international migration to the UK, including people who have moved to the UK and since changed their nationality.
While this source provides the best picture of society at a moment in time, we acknowledge that there is a need for more timely and frequent statistics at a consistent level of quality. Provisional estimates for the year ending June 2022, produced by rolling forward Census 2021 estimates and accounting for population change, were published in International migration research, progress update: November 2022[2].
The ONS will also look at the feasibility of using the Annual Population Survey (APS) for this kind of output going forward. The findings will be included in a research report to be published in May 2025. If the proposed solutions are deemed suitable by both the ONS and its users, a UK-wide population estimate will be added to the publication suite in November 2025.
The data provided in this response is for England and Wales. Northern Ireland and Scotland conduct their own censuses. Equivalent data can be obtained from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency[3] and the National Records of Scotland[4] respectively.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Sir Ian Diamond
[3]https://www.nisra.gov.uk/contact
[4]https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/contact-us/
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what preparations they are making for the review of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the European Union due to take place in 2026.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We are committed to fulfilling the obligations set out in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement including, in due course, the 2026 review of implementation as per Article 776. The Government is committed to resetting relations with the European Union and enhancing our safety, security and prosperity.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to raise issues pertaining to the terms and operation of the Windsor Framework in their discussions with the European Union as part of the upcoming review of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
In its manifesto, the Government set out its commitment to implementing the Windsor Framework and protecting the UK internal market – as well as improving the UK’s trade relationship with the EU. The Government will continue to have regular and constructive dialogue with the EU on a wide variety of matters, including the Windsor Framework.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many civil servants they currently employ to implement all aspects of the Windsor Framework, broken down by Department.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
There is a proportionate level of resource allocated to ensure that the Windsor Framework is implemented. Many of those whose work concerns the Framework also work on a range of other issues including wider Northern Ireland-related matters, as well as wider UK-EU issues. It is therefore not possible to give a specific number of civil servants employed to implement the Windsor Framework.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much expenditure they have incurred since 2020 assisting businesses engaging with rules and regulations pertaining to the movement of goods between (1) Northern Ireland and Great Britain, and (2) Great Britain and Northern Ireland, following agreement with the EU on the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, and subsequently the Windsor Framework.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
The Government is committed to supporting industry in moving goods smoothly between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, including through schemes such as the Trader Support Service and Movement Assistance Scheme. There is no central provision made for support schemes.
As the Government announced in September last year, the current term of Trader Support Service will run to December 2024. Information about the costs of the Trader Support Service is published annually at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrcs-annual-report-and-accounts. The total cost of the Movement Assistance Scheme up to the end of January 2024 was £29.8m. The Government also launched a £50m labelling financial assistance scheme, to assist businesses with the costs of meeting labelling requirements.
We have always been committed to taking steps necessary to support businesses - both through the WF arrangements for internal trade but also for those whose business models may not fall within them. This is entirely excepted funding support and so has no negative implications for the NI block grant, where of course the Government has also provided an unprecedented £3.3bn as part of the recent efforts to restore the Executive.
It is not the case that the money available to support schemes would be diverted to any other project in Northern Ireland - if the support scheme were to be withdrawn then no additional funding of any kind would be available in NI as a result.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are (1) the value, and (2) the term length, of each contract awarded to private sector companies to assist with the implementation of the Windsor Framework.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
The Government is committed to supporting industry in moving goods smoothly between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, including through schemes such as the Trader Support Service and Movement Assistance Scheme. There is no central provision made for support schemes.
As the Government announced in September last year, the current term of Trader Support Service will run to December 2024. Information about the costs of the Trader Support Service is published annually at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrcs-annual-report-and-accounts. The total cost of the Movement Assistance Scheme up to the end of January 2024 was £29.8m. The Government also launched a £50m labelling financial assistance scheme, to assist businesses with the costs of meeting labelling requirements.
We have always been committed to taking steps necessary to support businesses - both through the WF arrangements for internal trade but also for those whose business models may not fall within them. This is entirely excepted funding support and so has no negative implications for the NI block grant, where of course the Government has also provided an unprecedented £3.3bn as part of the recent efforts to restore the Executive.
It is not the case that the money available to support schemes would be diverted to any other project in Northern Ireland - if the support scheme were to be withdrawn then no additional funding of any kind would be available in NI as a result.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what financial provision they have made for the 2024–25 financial year to assist businesses dealing with the requirements of the Windsor Framework for the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
The Government is committed to supporting industry in moving goods smoothly between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, including through schemes such as the Trader Support Service and Movement Assistance Scheme. There is no central provision made for support schemes.
As the Government announced in September last year, the current term of Trader Support Service will run to December 2024. Information about the costs of the Trader Support Service is published annually at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/hmrcs-annual-report-and-accounts. The total cost of the Movement Assistance Scheme up to the end of January 2024 was £29.8m. The Government also launched a £50m labelling financial assistance scheme, to assist businesses with the costs of meeting labelling requirements.
We have always been committed to taking steps necessary to support businesses - both through the WF arrangements for internal trade but also for those whose business models may not fall within them. This is entirely excepted funding support and so has no negative implications for the NI block grant, where of course the Government has also provided an unprecedented £3.3bn as part of the recent efforts to restore the Executive.
It is not the case that the money available to support schemes would be diverted to any other project in Northern Ireland - if the support scheme were to be withdrawn then no additional funding of any kind would be available in NI as a result.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment, if any, they have made of the funding of the activities of All-Party Parliamentary Groups by hostile states.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
It is, and always will be, an absolute priority to protect the UK from foreign interference. We know that some states seek to interfere in our democratic institutions and processes. This is unacceptable and the government is taking robust action to safeguard our national security.
The regulation of All-Party Parliamentary Groups (APPGs) is a matter for Parliament and in July 2023 the House of Commons approved a new rule that APPGs must not accept the provision of a secretariat by a foreign government, or accept the services of a secretariat funded by a foreign government.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to introduce legislation to strengthen Northern Ireland's place within the Union in light of the adoption of the Windsor Framework; and whether any such legislation will affect the operation and implementation of the Windsor Framework.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Shadow Minister (Treasury)
The Government is committed to ensuring the timely and successful implementation of the Windsor Framework and to seeing the restoration of an Executive in Northern Ireland as soon as possible. We are in regular contact with the Northern Ireland political parties about these matters and how we may best secure both objectives.