Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask His Majesty's Government what further action they plan to take to protect members of the security forces from vexatious court proceedings.
Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)
The Government brought in The Overseas Operations (Service Personnel and Veterans) Act 2021, which reduces the uncertainty faced by our Service personnel and veterans in relation to historical allegations and claims arising from overseas operations. This legislation provides a better legal framework for dealing with allegations or claims from any future overseas conflicts. The Government is committed to ensuring our Service personnel and veterans have access to the legal protections they deserve.
We are acutely aware of the individual human impact that historical investigations can place on those affected by them, and we are committed to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of all Service personnel.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether, given UK internal market requirements, the EU still has any control of trade from Great Britain to Northern Ireland through Regulations 2023/1231 and 2023/1128.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The EU does not have control over the movement of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. The operation of the UK internal market system is the responsibility of UK competent authorities.
The Government has guaranteed the smooth flow of these and other goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland through the new UK internal market system, which complements the Windsor Framework and its associated legislation. Taken together, these will protect historic trade flows and reduce burdens and formalities on businesses seeking to trade across the UK, backed by a UK internal market guarantee and independent scrutiny.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the Irish sea border has been removed.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
By any sensible comparison with any other trade border in the world, there is no sense of a trade border for goods moving within the UK internal market. The smooth flow of goods within the UK internal market is secured and strengthened through our commitments in the Safeguarding the Union Command Paper.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they have sole responsibility for regulating Northern Ireland VAT or whether the EU has any authority relating to VAT matters in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
The arrangements in Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework guarantee Northern Ireland’s position within the UK’s VAT area. The freedoms secured under the Windsor Framework have already delivered benefits for NI people and businesses, including the application of zero rates on the installation of energy-saving materials and the UK-wide application of the changes agreed at Autumn Statement 2023, such as the removal of VAT on period underwear. All the VAT and excise measures announced at Spring Budget 2024 apply UK-wide.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government, following the judgment of the High Court in Northern Ireland on 28 February, whether they will proceed with implementation of the Northern Ireland (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023.
Answered by Lord Caine - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We remain committed to implementing the Legacy Act and delivering the ICRIR to provide better outcomes for victims and survivors of the Troubles by giving them more information about what happened to their loved ones.
The Government has considered all aspects of the judgment, including those in relation to Article 2 of the Windsor Framework. The Government has considered all aspects of the judgment, and is applying for an appeal with the Northern Ireland Court of Appeal.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to make cross-community consent mandatory in all Stormont decisions.
Answered by Lord Caine - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The principle of cross-community consent applies to matters for which the Northern Ireland Assembly is responsible. Trade is not one of those matters. This approach is entirely compatible with the Belfast Agreement.
We remain fully committed to the Agreement which ensures that the future of Northern Ireland is decided by the democratically expressed wishes of the people of Northern Ireland and reaffirms our commitment to the principle of consent.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to enforce the generational ban on tobacco products.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Smoking is responsible for around 80,000 deaths a year in the United Kingdom and causes around one in four cancer deaths in the UK. It also costs our country £17 billion a year and puts a huge burden on the National Health Service.
This is why the Government is planning to create a smokefree generation by bringing forward legislation so that children turning 14 years old or younger this year will never be legally sold tobacco products.
The Government will provide £30 million additional funding per year to support enforcement agencies such as trading standards, Border Force and HM Revenue and Customs to implement and enforce the law, including enforcement of underage sales, and tackle illicit trade. The additional funding will help boost enforcement capacity across the country.
We are also providing £5 million this year and £15 million thereafter to support new national marketing campaigns. These campaigns will help to explain the legal changes of the smokefree generation, and prepare the public, retailers, and other relevant stakeholders for the future changes.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of recent research conducted by Imperial College London entitled Mortality from leading cancers in districts of England from 2002 to 2019: a population-based, spatiotemporal study, published in The Lancet Oncology on 11 December, which found that the risk of dying from cancer in poorer areas of England is more than 70 per cent higher than in wealthier areas; and what is the comparison between England and Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Reducing inequalities and variation in cancer waiting times and treatment is a priority for the Government. Increasing early cancer diagnosis is a key contributor to reducing cancer health inequalities and is one of the five clinical areas of focus in NHS England’s Core20PLUS5 approach to reducing health inequalities. Efforts are focused on diagnosing 75% of cancers at stage 1 or 2 by 2028 as set out in the NHS Long Term Plan.
To support this, NHS England introduced the Faster Diagnosis Standard (FDS) which sets a target of maximum 28 day wait from urgent suspected general practitioner or screening referral to patients being told they have cancer, or that cancer is ruled out. The FDS also intends to reduce unwarranted variation in England by understanding how long it is taking people to receive a diagnosis or ‘all clear’ for cancer.
On 24 January 2023, the Government announced that it will publish a Major Conditions Strategy to consider the six conditions, including cancer, that contribute most to morbidity and mortality across the population in England, including cancer. The Major Conditions Strategy will apply a geographical lens to each condition to address regional disparities in health outcomes, supporting the levelling up mission to narrow the gap in healthy life expectancy by 2030.
As health is a transferred matter in Northern Ireland, the Government has not made any comparison between Northern Ireland and England.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what further steps they are taking to tackle anti-Semitism in universities.
Answered by Baroness Barran - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
This government takes antisemitism extremely seriously. The department is deeply concerned about the growth in antisemitic incidents on campus since the 7 October terrorist attacks against Israel. That is why, on 22 November, my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, announced in his Autumn Statement an additional £7 million over 3 years to tackle antisemitism in education.
My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, wrote to all schools, colleges and universities on 11 October, urging them to respond swiftly to hate-related incidents and actively reassure Jewish students that they can study without fear of harassment or intimidation. The department wrote again to Vice Chancellors on 16 November, further emphasising the use of disciplinary measures and the importance of police engagement, as well as the suspension of student visas where the student is a foreign national. This was one of the key actions set out in the five-point plan for tackling antisemitism in higher education, which was published on 5 November 2023.
Asked by: Lord McCrea of Magherafelt and Cookstown (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact of gambling advertisements on gambling harm.
Answered by Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Culture, Media and Sport)
His Majesty’s Government recognises that, while millions of people gamble online without experiencing problems, for some it becomes an addiction with serious consequences. It is particularly important to take steps to protect those most at risk of problem gambling.
There are robust rules in place to ensure that gambling advertising is socially responsible and that it cannot be targeted at or strongly appeal to children. Gambling advertising is covered by the UK Advertising Codes which are regulated by the Advertising Standards Authority, and there are also specific Gambling Commission licence conditions which regulate how gambling operators advertise. The UK Advertising Codes were strengthened last year, with new protections for children and vulnerable adults.
Earlier this year, HM Government published a White Paper on gambling which outlined a comprehensive package of reforms to make gambling safer. This included measures to tackle the most aggressive and harmful advertising practices by preventing bonuses being constructed and targeted in harmful ways, giving customers more control over the marketing they receive, and introducing messaging about the risks associated with gambling.
The Gambling Commission has already consulted on improving marketing consents, and we are working closely with it and others to bring the changes into force as quickly as possible.