Lord Frost

This Government's priority is to reset the relationship with our European friends, including through a broad-based security pact and tackling barriers to trade.

On 2 October, the Prime Minister and the President of the European Commission met and released a joint statement on enhancing strategic cooperation.

The Minister for the Constitution and European Union Relations is taking forward this work with his counterpart, Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič, and we will hold a UK-EU Summit next year to review progress. We are committed to being as open and transparent as possible with Parliament.

The Government has already begun working to reset the relationship with our European friends and to put the UK’s relationship with the EU on a more solid, stable footing. The Prime Minister met with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels on 2 October and they agreed to strengthen the UK-EU relationship in areas including the economy, energy, resilience and security; and to hold the first UK-EU Summit in early 2025. The Minister for the Constitution and European Union Relations is taking forward this work with his counterpart in the European Commission Maroš Šefčovič, who was confirmed on 27 November.

On 14 October the Foreign Secretary attended the EU Foreign Affairs Council and agreed with the then High Representative, Borrell, to advance work towards a security partnership. They also agreed that the UK and EU will establish a biannual Foreign Policy Dialogue between the UK Foreign Secretary and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs to enable strategic cooperation on the highest priority issues, with the first meeting in early 2025. In addition, they also agreed to a number of regular UK-EU strategic consultations to sit underneath this on Russia/Ukraine, the Indo-Pacific, the Western Balkans and Hybrid threats. We are exploring with the EEAS how we progress this work.

This follows the Prime Minister’s meeting with Commission President von der Leyen on 2 October where the leaders agreed on the importance of the unique relationship between the European Union and the United Kingdom and resolved to strengthen ambitiously our structured strategic cooperation on shared global challenges.

The UK enjoys a high level of product safety. The updated GPSR therefore largely formalises the reality of how businesses are already operating across the UK, and many UK businesses will already be going further than many of these requirements.

The updated GPSR largely formalises the reality of how many businesses are already operating and the measures are therefore likely to have limited impact in practice. However, we understand that for some businesses, the regulation has required changes, and we take any concerns extremely seriously.

The department has issued guidance for businesses selling to Northern Ireland, which we will keep under review. DBT will continue to engage businesses directly to ensure they are familiar with the guidance and that the Government is supporting them to trade freely across the whole of the UK.

With respect to the EU market, British businesses may wish to contact the Government's Export Support service and the European Commission has also published guidance for businesses.

The Green Finance Institute was launched in 2019 to accelerate the transition to a sustainable economy. They are an independent private company that partner with financial organisations, corporates, NGOs, policymakers, academics and civil society experts. Their output supports several Government priorities across climate change, nature, international development, and economic growth.

Government has provided the following funding to the Green Finance Institute for a range of specific outputs to support Government policy making. Between 2019-2022 the Government provided a grant to support the establishment of the Green Finance Institute.

FY 2019-2020: £650,000

FY 2020-2021: £650,000

FY 2021-2022: £890,000 of which £650,000 was the core grant, and £240,000 was for specific projects

Since 2022 the Government has provided a grant to support specific projects through the Green Finance Institute.

FY 2022-2023: £1,565,500

FY 2023-2024: £1,460,467

TOTAL FY 2019-2024: £5,215,967

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs provide funding directly to a separate entity, called the GFI PMO Ltd, which was set up to host the Secretariat for the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures. To date, this funding amounts to:

FY 2021-22: £801,855

FY 2022-23: £1,155,000

FY 2023-24: £910,000

No directors of the Green Finance Institute Ltd (previously known as the Green Finance Initiative Ltd) or the GFI PMO have been appointed by the Government.

As announced at the UK-EU Leaders Summit on May 19, 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Zone. Routine SPS border checks will be eliminated, so fresh produce can hit supermarket shelves more quickly, with less paperwork and fewer costs.

Customs procedures are not included in scope of the agreement. The Government has been clear that there will be no return to the Customs Union.

As announced at the UK-EU Leaders Summit on May 19, 2025, the UK and EU have agreed to work towards a common Sanitary and Phytosanitary Zone. Once the agreement is in place, routine SPS checks for goods in scope will no longer be required.

Exporters to France will still need to meet French customs requirements including declarations and use of the Enveloppe Logistique Obligatoire system, as customs procedures are not included in scope of the agreement. The Government has been clear that there will be no return to the Customs Union.

The Government has been clear that a veterinary / sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement could boost trade and deliver significant benefits on both sides. It is also clear that we will not be re-entering the single market or customs union and will not return to freedom of movement. The terms of any SPS agreement with the EU are subject to negotiation.

The Government is not currently negotiating draft text relating to an SPS agreement with the EU.

The Government is committed to resetting relations between the United Kingdom and the European Union. As part of this reset, we believe the trading relationship can be improved. The UK and the EU are each other's largest agri-food markets; in 2023, 57% (£14 billion) of UK agri-food exports were to EU countries, and 72% (£43.8 billion) of UK agri-food imports were from EU countries. We have said we will seek to negotiate a veterinary/ sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement to boost trade and deliver benefits to businesses and consumers on both sides.

The table below shows the number of disqualifications from driving for each of the years requested. The figures also include disqualifications imposed in the Isle of Man, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland that apply in Great Britain, under arrangements for the mutual recognition of driving disqualifications.

These figures are for Great Britain only. Driver licensing is a devolved matter in Northern Ireland.

Specific practical arrangements have been agreed on the movement of people and goods to facilitate the removal of immigration and customs checks on people crossing the land border between Gibraltar and the EU. To enable this fluid movement, the Government of Gibraltar has agreed that all goods circulating in Gibraltar will be compliant with EU rules. This will be achieved by imported goods being pre-cleared in the EU before moving to Gibraltar. Movement of services and capital are not in scope of the UK-EU Agreement.

Yes. Under this Agreement Gibraltar will continue to have freedom to set its own indirect tax rates on the services industries that are critical to its economy and ongoing prosperity. As part of this Agreement, the Government of Gibraltar has chosen to align the rate of its import duty on goods to the minimum rate of Value Added Tax applied in the EU.

Sovereignty and jurisdiction over Gibraltar's airport are and will remain unchanged. The arrangements we have agreed to facilitate commercial passenger flights between Gibraltar and the European Union safeguard this. Military functions are out of scope of the arrangements foreseen under the UK-EU Agreement.

To ensure the safety and security of both Gibraltar and Spain, the Treaty will include provisions for enhanced police cooperation, including on 'hot pursuit'. This provision will be reciprocal, and will be governed by clear rules and procedures. As Gibraltar is not joining Schengen, Article 41 of the Schengen agreement will not apply.

Non-resident British nationals can currently visit Gibraltar for up to 90 days. The same will be the case under this agreement. As visitors will be free to cross into Spain without checks, time spent in Gibraltar will count towards the European Union's 90 in 180 requirement. Immigration into Gibraltar is, and will remain, the responsibility of the Government of Gibraltar. This agreement provides a solution to the unique situation in Gibraltar. It ensures a fluid border to deliver certainty for the people and businesses of Gibraltar and has the full support of its Government.

The figures relating to new trade barriers due to the UK leaving the EU are quoted from the “Big Brexit” report, produced by the Resolution Foundation thinktank.

The Government is committed to ensuring that the UK remains a leading AI nation and is currently assessing the content of the European Union’s notification. The substantive provisions of the EU AI Act do not apply in Northern Ireland and would only apply following an agreement at the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee.

Any decisions by the UK at the Joint Committee will be subject to the processes set out in Schedule 6B of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. We are not obliged to respond to the notification within any set timeframe and will continue to engage with the European Union on this matter.