Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether, as part of the reset of relations with the EU, they are seeking to remove the requirement for animal health certificates when travelling with pets to the EU.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government is seeking to negotiate a SPS agreement to help boost trade and deliver benefits to businesses and consumers in the UK and the EU. As like-minded partners with similarly high standards, the Government has been clear that an SPS agreement that removes barriers and protects our collective biosecurity and public health will benefit both sides.
It is too early to comment on the outcome of discussions linked to the UK/EU Summit that takes place on 19 May.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many lorries have been prevented from entering Northern Ireland and returned to Great Britain as a result of internal UK market checks in the past 12 months.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In line with the commitments we have made, as we move to our new UK internal market system, we will ensure that the only checks when goods move within the UK internal market system are those conducted by UK authorities as part of a risk-based or intelligence-led approach to tackle criminality, abuse of the scheme, smuggling and disease risks. But in order not to undermine that approach, as is the case across the UK we do not disclose the specific number or nature of interventions made by UK authorities.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Hayman of Ullock on 25 February, what steps they are taking to ensure unfettered access of chemical products from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The UK Government underlines its commitment to ensure the smooth flow of chemical products from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. This includes applying a consistent approach to the regulation of chemical products across the whole of the UK where it is necessary to do so.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what was the tonnage of seed potatoes which (1) Northern Ireland sent to Scotland, and (2) Scotland sent to Northern Ireland, in the past five years, broken down by seed classification
Answered by Baroness Hayman
The following table shows the tonnage of seed potatoes moved in the past five years broken down by seed classification (data from 2020 for Northern Ireland to Scotland is unavailable due to COVID related disruption):
Seed Classification | Northern Ireland to Scotland Quantity (Tonnes) | Scotland to Northern Ireland Quantity (Tonnes) |
Pre basic (PB) | 0 | 826.2 |
Basic (S) | 17.5 | 1415.3 |
Basic (SE) | 0 | 695.7 |
Basic (E) | 0 | 3387 |
Total | 17.5 | 6324.1 |
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to protect the unfettered flow of supplies to Northern Ireland in chemical industries.
Answered by Baroness Hayman of Ullock - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Northern Ireland has unfettered access to the whole UK internal market, this ensures a smooth flow of goods, including in relation to chemical industries. The UK Government is steadfastly committed to continue protecting Northern Ireland’s unfettered access which has been guaranteed in perpetuity
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the EU to enable consumers in Northern Ireland to receive plants and seeds directly from businesses in Great Britain.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
Under the Windsor Framework professional operators, including growers and garden centres, can move plants (including trees) and seeds between Great Britain and Northern Ireland via the new Northern Ireland plant health label scheme.
Consumers wishing to source plants and seeds direct from GB growers will be able to do so through a registered operator in Northern Ireland. We maintain a close working relationship with the horticultural industry to ensure that consumers can access plants and trees from a wide variety of sources.
We continue to have regular conversations with the EU on a wide range of issues related to the application of the Windsor Framework and its impacts on consumers in Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much funding has been allocated for (1) 2023–24, and (2) 2024–25, to the scheme providing funding to businesses for "Not for EU" product labelling.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
To support traders in making the labelling changes for the Windsor Framework we are providing £50m of funding for the 2023-24 financial year. As this funding is to support businesses in making the transition to the new labelling requirements no further funding will be offered in 2024-25.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the plant health labelling scheme for Northern Ireland confers upon businesses all the rights available under the UK Plant Passport scheme.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
The Northern Ireland plant health label (NIPHL) scheme operates in a similar way to the existing UK plant passport regime for goods moved across other parts of the UK and is integrated with the UK scheme.
A NIPHL can be attached to goods prior to their movement to Northern Ireland by an authorised GB seller - in the same way as the current UK plant passport regime. This arrangement reduces the burden on businesses, who will be authorised to issue and/or attach the NIPHL in a similar manner as is required under the current UK plant passport.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether funding provided to businesses for "Not for EU" product labels will be ongoing mainstreamed funding or a one-off fund.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
The funding for traders is being offered to support the transition to the new labelling requirements. As the “Not for EU” labelling requirements will be a standard part of doing business in the UK after this transition there is no intention to offer ongoing funding.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have in the current session of Parliament either to reintroduce the Hunting Trophies (Import Prohibition) Bill or to support its reintroduction.
Answered by Lord Benyon - Lord Chamberlain (HM Household)
We are disappointed that the Hunting Trophies Bill failed to progress in the House of Lords in the previous session, in spite of overwhelming support from MPs for our proposals. We are committed to delivering on our manifesto pledge to ban the import of hunting trophies and will continue to explore ways to bring this forward.