Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the recent flow of freight vehicles travelling between the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain.
Answered by Lord Frost
Government continues to monitor the flow of freight vehicles travelling between the UK and EU nations, including those travelling between the Republic of Ireland, Great Britain and continental Europe. Landbridge traffic is being monitored for the movements between EU Nations and the Island of Ireland.
Published DfT data can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/road-goods-vehicles-travelling-to-europe-july-2020-to-june-2021.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many UK veterans are currently resident in Northern Ireland; and how that number is identified.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
The UK Government has no current means to identify UK veterans who are resident in Northern Ireland. Due to the sensitivities of the legacy of Northern Ireland’s past, many who served and now reside there do not feel safe disclosing their veteran status, and the question was not included in the 2021 Census in Northern Ireland as it was in England and Wales.
The Office for Veterans’ Affairs is working with the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency on alternative solutions.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on the volume of trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland since the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland entered into force on 1 January.
Answered by Lord Frost
Goods are moving effectively between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and there are no significant queues at Northern Ireland’s ports. Overall freight flow between Great Britain and Northern Ireland appears to have returned to normal levels. We are continuing to monitor and assess the situation, including any potential change in trade patterns.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the level of consent granted by representatives of the people of Northern Ireland for the implementation of a regulatory border in the Irish Sea.
Answered by Lord Frost
The Protocol is explicit that it rests on the democratic consent of the people and elected representatives across Northern Ireland. All sides need to be sensitive to the social and political realities, including the reality that any arrangements involving Northern Ireland depend on cross-community confidence if they are to work successfully. We are listening carefully to the concerns of the people of Northern Ireland. Our actions are aimed at restoring that confidence and we have urged the EU to do the same.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the arrangements contained in the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland constitute a regulatory border in the Irish Sea.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
Every part of the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, is an integral part of the Kingdom. As a result of the devolution settlements, there are legal and regulatory differences between the constituent nations. The Northern Ireland Protocol and the United Kingdom Internal Market Bill ensure unfettered access for goods from Northern Ireland to the rest of the Kingdom. The Protocol does make specific provisions in relation to the movement of goods, but it does not constitute a "border". The UK government has made extensive investment and arrangements to facilitate free movement of goods to Northern Ireland, and, working with the devolved administration, will keep under review all necessary actions to ensure that is delivered.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to allow the EU to open an office in Northern Ireland; and what kind of presence in Northern Ireland the EU has requested.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
As is detailed in the Command Paper published on Gov.uk on 10 October, the arrangements we have reached in principle with the European Commission, are clear that there will be no EU Belfast embassy or mission. Instead, the arrangements we have agreed will enable the EU to exercise their rights under Article 12, including with appropriate access to the information needed to do so, while fully respecting the sovereignty of the United Kingdom.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what the role of the Court of Justice of the European Union will be in relation to Northern Ireland from 1 January 2021.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
The rules that apply to businesses and citizens in Northern Ireland derive from UK law, including rules given effect by the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018. The rules on how to interpret rules given effect by retained EU law, which the courts must follow, are set out in section 6 of the EU Withdrawal Act. Section 6 of the 2018 Act also sets out the role of the Court of Justice of the European Union.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord True on 25 November, (HL10219), to (1) list the subset of rules concerning goods and electricity markets applying as a result of the Northern Ireland Protocol, (2) set out what, if any, consent arrangements were established for these rules to apply in Northern Ireland, and (3) set out what assessment they have made, if any, of the implications of these rules with regard to the European Commission exercising executive authority over Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
The rules applied by the Protocol are outlined in its text and Annexes. Parliament was provided with the assessments made regarding its implications during the passage of the EU (Withdrawal) Act 2020 which ratified the Withdrawal Agreement.
The consent arrangements are outlined in Article 18 of the Protocol and the Declaration of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland concerning the operation of the ‘Democratic consent in Northern Ireland’ provision of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland. These arrangements are being provided in domestic law through The Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland (Democratic Consent Process) (EU Exit) Regulations 2020, which is presently making its way through both Houses.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what powers will be exercised by the European Commission in Northern Ireland after the end of the transition period of the UK's departure from the EU; and within what legal framework any such powers will be exercised.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
Further to my answer to PQ HL9634, all rules applied in Northern Ireland will be administered by the UK authorities.
As the Government set out in its Command Paper in May, the Northern Ireland Protocol applies a small subset of EU rules concerning goods and electricity markets for so long as the people of Northern Ireland vote to keep such arrangements in place.
Furthermore, in the case of any breach related to the Protocol the UK Government would always activate the appropriate formal dispute settlement mechanisms established under the Protocol in order to seek an appropriate solution.
Otherwise, the rules that apply to businesses and citizens in Northern Ireland derive from UK law, including rules given effect by EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018. The rules on how to interpret rules given effect by retained EU law, which the courts must follow, are set out in section 6 of the EU Withdrawal Act. The 2018 Act also provides for the dedicated mechanism, which also protects citizens in NI from any diminution of their human rights as a result of the UK's withdrawal from the EU.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government to which courts any citizen or business in Northern Ireland may apply for relief if they disagree with a European Commission decision in Northern Ireland after the end of the transition period for the UK's departure from the EU; and whether the relevant courts will refer to UK or EU law.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
Further to my answer to PQ HL9634, all rules applied in Northern Ireland will be administered by the UK authorities.
As the Government set out in its Command Paper in May, the Northern Ireland Protocol applies a small subset of EU rules concerning goods and electricity markets for so long as the people of Northern Ireland vote to keep such arrangements in place.
Furthermore, in the case of any breach related to the Protocol the UK Government would always activate the appropriate formal dispute settlement mechanisms established under the Protocol in order to seek an appropriate solution.
Otherwise, the rules that apply to businesses and citizens in Northern Ireland derive from UK law, including rules given effect by EU (Withdrawal) Act 2018. The rules on how to interpret rules given effect by retained EU law, which the courts must follow, are set out in section 6 of the EU Withdrawal Act. The 2018 Act also provides for the dedicated mechanism, which also protects citizens in NI from any diminution of their human rights as a result of the UK's withdrawal from the EU.