Asked by: Lord Kinnock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much has been allocated from the £3 billion earmarked in the November 2017 Budget for 2018–20 to public bodies in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to assist with the costs of leaving the EU; and, of these provisions, how much will be available for border policing and security in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Bates
My Written Ministerial Statement[1] of 13 March 2018 set out that UK departments have been allocated £1.5bn to prepare for EU Exit and meet their responsibilities across the whole of the UK, including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Home Office was allocated £395m, which includes funding to take the steps necessary to prepare the UK border.
Where responsibilities are devolved, this generated Barnett Consequentials for each of the devolved administrations as set out in my Written Ministerial Statement.
[1] https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Lords/2018-03-13/HLWS521/
Asked by: Lord Kinnock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what funding they plan to allocate should it be necessary to develop a UK equivalent to the EU's Galileo satellite navigation system after Brexit.
Answered by Lord Henley
The UK Space Agency will lead a cross-Government taskforce, working with engineering and space experts in the UK, to rapidly develop plans for a British Global Navigation Satellite System with the aim of launching our own system from the mid-2020s onwards. Value for money will be a key consideration of this taskforce.
In the long term, we believe that such a system could be operated for around the same annual cost as the UK’s current contribution to the EU’s Galileo programme.
Asked by: Lord Kinnock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the reply by the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union on 5 September 2017 (HC Deb, col 55), what progress they have made in achieving a non-visible border between Northern Ireland and Ireland using the most up-to-date technology.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK Government has been clear that there will be no physical infrastructure or related checks and controls at the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.
As we have always said, the best solution is to solve the Northern Ireland and Ireland border through the deep and special partnership between the UK and EU, recognising the unique circumstances of Northern Ireland.
We have set out our clear commitments on the border as well as put forward two potential customs models. As the European Commission itself acknowledged, solutions to the Northern Ireland border can not be 'based on precedent'.
Asked by: Lord Kinnock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish examples of any communications from Government departments to representatives of industries and companies which set conditions of non-disclosure before meetings between those representatives and Her Majesty's Government.
Answered by Baroness Stedman-Scott
Many meetings between officials and suppliers regarding commercial matters are discussions relating to a specific contract. In this case, the confidentiality of any information exchanged is governed by clauses within the specific contract.
Where discussions cover topics related to more than one contract and relate to particularly sensitive matters or the exchange of commercially sensitive material those discussions may need the protection of a specific non-disclosure agreement. The Government Legal Department has recently produced a standard form of non-disclosure agreement which is recommended for use by Departments in these situations. This is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/non-disclosure-agreements
Asked by: Lord Kinnock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to reports that industry representatives in the UK have been asked by Her Majesty's Government to sign non-disclosure agreements before meetings with HM Treasury relating to the UK's departure from the EU.
Answered by Lord Bates
The government believes that businesses from across the UK have an important role to play in the policymaking process.
It is standard practice for the Government to use Non-Disclosure Agreements when appropriate. Non-Disclosure Agreements with industry representatives are crucial to open exchange of information on options and scenarios. They ensure that planning, negotiations and decisions are based on what is achievable and in the best interests of the UK when we leave the EU.
Asked by: Lord Kinnock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the statement by the Chief Executive of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to UK Transport in Europe on 5 September 2017 that the CAA was undertaking no preparatory work to assume the responsibilities of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) after Brexit because “it would be misleading to suggest that’s a viable option”, what alternatives to EASA participation they are considering.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
The Government and CAA have been clear that the preference is to remain a member of the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). However, as a responsible regulator, the CAA continues to undertake a significant amount of preparatory work for all potential outcomes of the Brexit negotiations. This includes a scenario that would see the CAA taking on EASA’s responsibilities.
If membership of EASA is not achievable, then the CAA would adopt the existing EASA regulatory system, rather than develop a new framework from scratch. This will deliver a continuity of service in safety regulation.
Asked by: Lord Kinnock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government what conditions, other than customary requirements of commercial confidentiality, are being attached to meetings between industry representatives and Her Majesty's Government about the UK's departure from the EU, before such meetings take place.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
We continue to engage regularly with companies and industry representatives across the economy, to discuss their priorities, inform our negotiating position and prepare for our departure from the EU.
Where used, Non-Disclosure Agreements are crucial to an open exchange of information and opinion on options and scenarios. They are standard practice for the Government, and ensure that all planning, negotiations and decisions are based on what is achievable and most appropriate for the UK.
Asked by: Lord Kinnock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the speech by the Prime Minister on 2 March, what estimate they have made of (1) the cost to public funds, (2) the number of personnel, and (3) the number of adapted or new UK institutions required, to operate "reciprocal binding commitments to ensure fair and open completion", to operate "an arbitration mechanism that is completely independent", "to ensure we have the means to consult each other regularly", to manage "an arrangement for data protection", and to maintain economic, cultural, and social links between the people of the UK and the EU following the end of freedom of movement of people.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The Prime Minister has set out five foundations that must underpin our future trading relationship with the EU. These are: reciprocal binding commitments to ensure fair and open competition; a completely independent arbitration mechanism; ongoing dialogue with the EU, in particular between our regulators; an arrangement for data protection that goes beyond an adequacy agreement and maintaining the links between our people.
The details underpinning how this will work - including funds, personnel and institutions required - will depend on the outcome of negotiations.
Asked by: Lord Kinnock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the speech by the Prime Minister on 2 March stating that "our access to each other's markets will be less than it is now", and to the remarks by the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union on 24 January 2017 (HC Deb, col 169), when the decision not to secure "comprehensive free trade agreements...and customs agreements" with the EU "that will deliver the exact same benefits as we have" was made.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Negotiating a comprehensive economic partnership with the EU is a priority for the Government as we leave the EU. We want to have the greatest possible tariff- and barrier-free trade with our European neighbours, as well as to negotiate our own trade agreements around the world.
As the Prime Minister reiterated in her Mansion House speech ‘we both want good access to each other’s markets and we want competition between us to be fair and open.’
The agreement we reach with the EU must respect the result of the referendum. It was a vote to take control of our borders, laws and money. We are committed to securing a bold and ambitious economic partnership with the EU that is of greater scope than any such existing agreement.
Asked by: Lord Kinnock (Labour - Life peer)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether any assurances about access to markets and component supplies following the UK's departure from the EU were given by the Prime Minister to senior representatives of Japanese vehicle manufacturing companies and other commercial concerns in their meeting at 10 Downing Street on 8 February; and if so, what they were.
Answered by Baroness Fairhead
The automotive sector including Japanese companies is of crucial importance to the UK economy. The Government recognises the importance of frictionless trade for the sector, with its globally integrated supply chains and just-in-time production models. At the meeting the Prime Minister reaffirmed the Government's commitment to securing a new deep and special partnership with the EU. She reiterated her agreement with Japan's Prime Minister to a UK-Japan trade agreement following EU exit. Businesses present agreed on the importance of the time-limited implementation period in providing clarity and certainty, and of moving quickly in the negotiations to secure a trading relationship thereafter with the EU that is as tariff-free and frictionless as possible. The Prime Minister committed to maintaining a constructive dialogue between Government and business as EU exit negotiations progress.