Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
These initiatives were driven by Lord Morrow, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
A Bill to bring into force the remaining sections of Part 3 of the Digital Economy Act 2017
Lord Morrow has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
As the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office told the House of Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee on 10 September, the Government intends to publish the Dunlop Review before the end of the year.
HM Government is taking an inclusive approach to the ratification of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage across the whole UK. We want to engage with everyone, including the Ulster Scots community, and to provide the conditions to allow everyone to express, preserve, and develop their culture and identity within the UK’s implementation of the framework of the 2003 Convention.
HM Government has taken on board guidance from UNESCO which defines Intangible Cultural Heritage as ‘traditional, contemporary, and living at the same time’. In line with this, we want to ensure that newer practices of Intangible Cultural Heritage can be recognised as well as more long-standing ones.
HM Government aims to use the ratification of the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage to create a discussion about the role that living heritage of all sorts plays in the identity, pride and cohesion of all parts of the UK. To support this, we are taking an inclusive approach to the ratification and seeking to ensure as many people and groups as possible can be involved, which has included launching a public consultation on details of the ratification.
The Windsor Framework respects that for decades the island of Ireland has been treated as a single epidemiological unit, meaning that there have been additional requirements for the movement of livestock. In 2021 technical easements were agreed with the EU to simplify the movements of livestock moving from Northern Ireland (NI) to Great Britain (GB) and back. Cattle moving directly from GB to NI do not need to be sent to an approved test centre before moving to NI, but need to arrive into NI through a Point of Entry for relevant sanitary and phytosanitary checks, as they did pre-EU exit. We are working closely with the livestock sector in GB and NI to ensure movements can continue with as little friction as possible.
The Northern Ireland Protocol requires animals to attend approved assembly centres for a maximum of 6 days once they have remained in Great Britain for a period of 3-6 months, or from birth, depending on the reason for the movement to Northern Ireland.
The UK Government continues to discuss these extra burdens with the EU in an effort to reduce requirements.
Once an animal has been purchased at a show in Great Britain, this animal can then move to Northern Ireland, as long as it has fulfilled its residency requirements. This means the animal must have been a resident in GB for 3-6 months, or from birth, depending on the reason for movement. These requirements apply to GB originating animals that are intending to move into Northern Ireland after purchase.
In order to support the ability for Northern Ireland livestock (sheep, goats, cattle) to attend shows, sales and exhibitions in Great Britain an easement was formally agreed between the UK Government and EU Commission in January this year, which allows Northern Ireland livestock to attend shows and sales in Great Britain without being subject to a 6-month residency requirement in Great Britain, on the condition that they return to Northern Ireland after 15 days. This allows for livestock to return to Northern Ireland without having to spend 6 months in Great Britain.
Following their arrival in or return to Northern Ireland, DAERA then require livestock to be subject to 30 days in isolation with a minimum time lapse of 42 days between Tuberculosis tests.
The UK Government has not formally assessed the costs associated with the movements and checks of transporting livestock between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The UK Government does consider that the introduction of the protocol has had an effect on the costs involved in moving livestock between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The UK Government has therefore secured a derogation from EU rules for livestock moving from Northern Ireland to Great Britain for shows and sales. The derogation allows livestock to return to Northern Ireland within 15 days, which has reduced costs and burdens to traders.
Now the Transition Period has ended, the Government has the opportunity to manage our own pet travel and commercial importation rules. The Government has listened to the concerns of stakeholders and the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) select committee and has developed proposals to strengthen our efforts to tackle puppy smuggling.
We will legislate to bring in powers which enable us to bring in new restrictions on the commercial import and non-commercial movement of pets on welfare grounds in the future. This could include increasing the minimum age that dogs can be non-commercially moved or commercially imported into Great Britain.
We are not currently proposing to apply these rules on pets travelling from Northern Ireland to GB, via the commercial or the non-commercial route.
Access to new procurement procedures during the implementation period will continue as normal. For any procedures ongoing at the end of the implementation period the existing regime will continue up to award. Therefore, companies registered in Northern Ireland will be able to continue to tender for EU Commission contracts during the implementation period as they do now.
The SARS-CoV-2 Immunity & REinfection EvaluatioN (SIREN) study follows up healthcare workers across the United Kingdom to estimate reinfection risk following a natural infection with SARS-CoV-2. Preliminary results suggest that reinfection is possible, though rare. This is supported by several case reports on reinfection internationally.
Forty four potential cases of reinfections were detected among 6,614 participants who had evidence of a past infection, contributing 1,339,078 days of follow-up. Those who had antibodies upon enrolment had a rate of becoming (re)infected that was 83% lower than that among those who had no antibodies upon enrolment. No estimate has been made of the number of people who have contracted COVID-19 for a second time in the general population.
The Block Grant Transparency publication sets out a full breakdown of funding for the Welsh Government, including the impact of the 5% uplift.
The publication is regularly updated after each UK Budget. The next update is expected before summer recess following Spring Budget 2023.
The most recent publication can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/block-grant-transparency-december-2021
The Government are aware of the allegations of fraud made against the German Property Group (GPG), formerly known as the Dolphin Trust.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) are working closely with financial advisers who have advised customers to make these investments and operators of Self Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs) whose customers currently hold investments with GPG.
The FCA have published a joint statement with the Financial Services Compensation Scheme and the Financial Ombudsman Service. The statement sets out what UK consumers should do if they invested in GPG via an FCA authorised firm, either a financial adviser firm or a SIPP operator, and they believe they were mis-sold. It can be accessed on the FCA’s website.
Companies under the German Property Group are incorporated in Germany and have never been authorised by the FCA. However, consumers should be assured that the FCA are working closely with all relevant external stakeholders on this matter and will share any further updates as and when they are able to.
There are 207.93 full-time equivalent (FTE) decision makers working in the Single Competent Authority. There are 111.87 decision makers working within the Immigration Enforcement Competent Authority. Both Competent Authorities carry a number of vacancies being filled through recruitment activity.
It is not possible to provide a breakdown of only Conclusive Grounds Decision Makers; staff can be dual skilled and will work on both, Reasonable Grounds decision and Conclusive Ground decision, workstreams according to business needs.
It is not possible to provide a breakdown of decision maker numbers for the past five years.
The attached supporting table details the number of UK regulars and Future Reserves 2020 (FR20) personnel stationed in Northern Ireland by service as at 1 January 2023.
The figures are based on Service personnel's stationed location and not their location of residence - where personnel work isn't necessarily where they live. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location. The Royal Navy/Royal Marines personnel on sea service are included against the local authority containing the home port of their ship.
In accordance with the Gender Recognition Act 2004, transgender people may apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate. Prisoners and staff members in receipt of a GRC have the legal right to be treated as their acquired gender in every respect.
The national policy on the searching of prisoners, staff and visitors (PSI 07/2016 – Searching of the Person) is currently under review and it is intended to publish a revised version later this year.
The updated policy will include direction on transgender staff conducting searches. This policy will encompass staff with or without a Gender Recognition Certificate.
In reviewing the policy, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has consulted with the Government’s Legal Department and HMPPS Equalities Team. The new policy will be compliant with the Equality Act 2010, the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and the European Convention of Human Rights.
The Prison Service Instruction PSI48/2010 Searching of the Person was replaced in 2016 by PSI07/2016 Searching of the Person.
This policy, which has been in place since 1992, allows for male officers to conduct rub down searches on the same sex only and female officers to conduct rub down searches on both sexes. Full searches must only be conducted by a person of the same sex.
The national policy on the searching of prisoners, staff and visitors (PSI 07/2016 – Searching of the Person) is currently under review and it is intended to publish a revised version later this year.
The updated policy will also include direction on transgender staff conducting searches. This will encompass staff with or without a Gender Recognition Certificate.
In reviewing the policy, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has consulted with the Government’s Legal Department and HMPPS Equalities Team. The new policy will be compliant with the Equality Act 2010, the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and the European Convention of Human Rights.
The national policy on the searching of prisoners, staff and visitors (PSI 07/2016 – Searching of the Person) is currently under review and it is intended to publish a revised version later this year.
The updated policy will include direction on transgender staff conducting searches. This will encompass staff with or without a Gender Recognition Certificate.
In reviewing the policy, Her Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) has consulted with the Government’s Legal Department and HMPPS Equalities Team. The new policy will be compliant with the Equality Act 2010, the Gender Recognition Act 2004 and the European Convention of Human Rights.