10 Former APPG memberships
Antisemitism, Australia and New Zealand, Canada, Fit and Healthy Childhood, Flags and Heraldry, Folic Acid Fortification, Montserrat, Queen's University Belfast, Zoos, Zoos and Aquariums14:30
23 May 2022, 2:30 p.m.
Ensuring senior citizens avail themselves of means-tested benefits and allowances
View calendar
15:00
09:00
Subject: Follow-up inquiry on the impact of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland
26 May 2022, 9 a.m.
At 9.15am: Oral evidence
Rt Hon James Cleverly MP - Minister of State (Minister for Europe and North America) at Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
View calendar
voted Aye - against a party majority
One of 1 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes vs 3 Democratic Unionist Party No votes
Tally: Ayes - 219 Noes - 229
Would my noble friend the Minister confirm that the Assembly operates entirely with the consent of the majority of unionists, …
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to provide a list of those individual benefits set out in the …
That this House notes the 100th anniversary of the election of right hon. Sir Edward Henry Carson as Member of …
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will …
That this House recognises the dangerous working conditions in the Prison Service; expresses concern at the increasing number of violent …
Division Voting information
Lord Dodds of Duncairn voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 1 Democratic Unionist Party No votes vs 4 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 339 Noes - 235
Lord Dodds of Duncairn voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 1 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes vs 4 Democratic Unionist Party No votes
Tally: Ayes - 298 Noes - 259
Lord Dodds of Duncairn voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 1 Democratic Unionist Party No votes vs 4 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 216 Noes - 195
Lord Dodds of Duncairn voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 1 Democratic Unionist Party No votes vs 4 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 216 Noes - 195
Lord Dodds of Duncairn voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 1 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes vs 2 Democratic Unionist Party No votes
Tally: Ayes - 200 Noes - 160
Lord Dodds of Duncairn voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 1 Democratic Unionist Party No votes vs 3 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 207 Noes - 169
Lord Dodds of Duncairn voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 1 Democratic Unionist Party No votes vs 3 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 210 Noes - 169
Lord Dodds of Duncairn voted Aye - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 2 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes vs 2 Democratic Unionist Party No votes
Tally: Ayes - 213 Noes - 154
Lord Dodds of Duncairn voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 1 Democratic Unionist Party No votes vs 4 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 176 Noes - 151
Lord Dodds of Duncairn voted No - against a party majority and against the House
One of 1 Democratic Unionist Party No votes vs 3 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 156 Noes - 123
Lord Dodds of Duncairn voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 1 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes vs 2 Democratic Unionist Party No votes
Tally: Ayes - 24 Noes - 139
Lord Dodds of Duncairn voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 1 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes vs 3 Democratic Unionist Party No votes
Tally: Ayes - 194 Noes - 220
Lord Dodds of Duncairn voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 1 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes vs 3 Democratic Unionist Party No votes
Tally: Ayes - 169 Noes - 209
Lord Dodds of Duncairn voted No - against a party majority and in line with the House
One of 1 Democratic Unionist Party No votes vs 3 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes
Tally: Ayes - 196 Noes - 222
Lord Dodds of Duncairn voted Aye - against a party majority and against the House
One of 1 Democratic Unionist Party Aye votes vs 3 Democratic Unionist Party No votes
Tally: Ayes - 219 Noes - 229
Debates during the 2019 Parliament
Speeches made during Parliamentary debates are recorded in Hansard. For ease of browsing we have grouped debates into individual, departmental and legislative categories.
Sparring Partners
(23 debate interactions)
(14 debate interactions)
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
(11 debate interactions)
Department Debates
(31 debate contributions)
(15 debate contributions)
(14 debate contributions)
(8 debate contributions)
Legislation Debates
(4,883 words contributed)
(3,807 words contributed)
(1,476 words contributed)
(1,376 words contributed)
Commons initiatives
These initiatives were driven by Lord Dodds of Duncairn, and are more likely to reflect personal policy preferences.
MPs who are act as Ministers or Shadow Ministers are generally restricted from performing Commons initiatives other than Urgent Questions.
Lord Dodds of Duncairn has not been granted any Urgent Questions
Lord Dodds of Duncairn has not been granted any Adjournment Debates
1 Bill introduced by Lord Dodds of Duncairn
The Bill failed to complete its passage through Parliament before the end of the session. This means the Bill will make no further progress. A Bill to promote awareness of abuse of elderly people and adults at risk, to promote training on how to recognise and respond to such abuse amongst those who are likely to encounter abuse in the course of their work, to promote greater awareness and understanding of the rights of victims of abuse amongst agencies with responsibilities for providing, arranging, commissioning, monitoring and inspecting care services, to promote the development of local strategies for preventing abuse of elderly people and adults at risk and for ensuring that victims are assisted in recovering from the effects of abuse.
Wednesday 10th November 2010
Lord Dodds of Duncairn has not co-sponsored any Bills in the current parliamentary sitting
106 Written Questions in the current parliament
(View all written questions)4 Other Department Questions
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
Minister of State (Home Office)
On 25 March 2022 the UK Government and the Scottish Government jointly published the bidding prospectus for two Green Freeports in Scotland, inviting applicants to bid for Green Freeport Status. The bidding period will close on 20 June 2022. We aim to announce winning bids in late summer 2022.
The Secretary of State for the Department of Levelling Up has discussed establishing a Freeport in Wales with counterparts in the Welsh Government. Good progress is being made towards an agreement that would see a Freeport delivered in Wales as part of a shared endeavour between the UK Government and the Welsh Government.
The UK Government is committed to extending the Freeports programme to Northern Ireland as soon as possible.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The government has so far allocated almost £8m from the Community Ownership Fund and £220m from the one-year Community Renewal Fund to places and projects across the UK. Successful bids for the Community Renewal Fund were announced on 3 November 2021. The first batch of successful projects from round one of the Community Ownership Fund were announced in October 2021 with further announcements made December 2021 and March 2022. To date £125m has been paid to projects from the Community Renewal Fund and over £2.3m from the Community Ownership Fund. Details of all successful bids, from both funds, can be found on gov.uk.
Minister of State (Home Office)
Every place in the UK will receive a share of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund recognising that even the most affluent parts of the UK contain pockets of deprivation and need support.
UK-wide, funding for the UKSPF will ramp up to £1.5 billion per year by March 2025. Alongside commitments to support regional finance funds across the UK via the British Business Bank, this upholds the UK government's commitment to match EU structural fund receipts for each nation.
The Government will publish a full Prospectus on the fund including allocations shortly.
Minister of State (Home Office)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The ‘Benefits of Brexit’ paper, published on 31 January, illustrates how the UK is taking advantage of leaving the EU and sets out how the Government will use new freedoms in each sector to make the UK become the best regulated economy in the world. We recognise that Northern Ireland is not able to enjoy all of the benefits of Brexit at quite the same time as the rest of the UK because of the Northern Ireland Protocol, which is why we are seeking changes to it.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Government has now delivered the review into the status and substance of retained EU law and is using the outcome of both reviews to inform the content of the ‘Brexit Freedoms Bill’.
We remain committed to engaging with devolved governments using Common Frameworks and other existing intergovernmental structures.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Government has now delivered the review into the status and substance of retained EU law and is using the outcome of both reviews to inform the content of the ‘Brexit Freedoms Bill’.
We remain committed to engaging with devolved governments using Common Frameworks and other existing intergovernmental structures.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
My officials undertake regular engagement with the Devolved Administrations, including on the Brexit Freedoms Bill and the reviews of retained EU law, and will continue to do so. They last met representatives from the Scottish Government, along with the Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive on 30 March.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Beyond the Protocol itself, which outlines in its annexes the EU law that applies to Northern Ireland, the Government has not so far published any further material regarding rules applied by the Protocol.
The Government’s Command Paper [CP 502] published on 21 July sets out alternative proposals for the basis on which EU law might apply in Northern Ireland, potentially involving the Northern Ireland institutions. This could have a significant effect on the visibility of new rules applied in Northern Ireland and how they are brought into force in UK law.
Pending agreement on this potential new settlement, it is entirely right that people in Northern Ireland should be able to be fully aware of the law applying where it derives from EU acts which are not the subject of specific domestic legislation to transpose them into UK law. We will consider the best way of enabling this. We continue to urge the EU to ensure that there is proper notice of such legislation and that appropriate information is provided through the structures established by the Withdrawal Agreement.
As to the bodies established under the Protocol, in line with commitments made in the New Decade, New Approach deal, representatives from the Northern Ireland Executive are invited to attend all Joint Committee and Specialised Committee meetings as part of the UK delegation when the Irish Government are attending. Representatives from the Northern Ireland Executive also form part of the UK delegation at the Joint Consultative Working Group.
Beyond the Protocol itself, which outlines in its annexes the EU law that applies to Northern Ireland, the Government has not so far published any further material regarding rules applied by the Protocol.
The Government’s Command Paper [CP 502] published on 21 July sets out alternative proposals for the basis on which EU law might apply in Northern Ireland, potentially involving the Northern Ireland institutions. This could have a significant effect on the visibility of new rules applied in Northern Ireland and how they are brought into force in UK law.
Pending agreement on this potential new settlement, it is entirely right that people in Northern Ireland should be able to be fully aware of the law applying where it derives from EU acts which are not the subject of specific domestic legislation to transpose them into UK law. We will consider the best way of enabling this. We continue to urge the EU to ensure that there is proper notice of such legislation and that appropriate information is provided through the structures established by the Withdrawal Agreement.
As to the bodies established under the Protocol, in line with commitments made in the New Decade, New Approach deal, representatives from the Northern Ireland Executive are invited to attend all Joint Committee and Specialised Committee meetings as part of the UK delegation when the Irish Government are attending. Representatives from the Northern Ireland Executive also form part of the UK delegation at the Joint Consultative Working Group.
Beyond the Protocol itself, which outlines in its annexes the EU law that applies to Northern Ireland, the Government has not so far published any further material regarding rules applied by the Protocol.
The Government’s Command Paper [CP 502] published on 21 July sets out alternative proposals for the basis on which EU law might apply in Northern Ireland, potentially involving the Northern Ireland institutions. This could have a significant effect on the visibility of new rules applied in Northern Ireland and how they are brought into force in UK law.
Pending agreement on this potential new settlement, it is entirely right that people in Northern Ireland should be able to be fully aware of the law applying where it derives from EU acts which are not the subject of specific domestic legislation to transpose them into UK law. We will consider the best way of enabling this. We continue to urge the EU to ensure that there is proper notice of such legislation and that appropriate information is provided through the structures established by the Withdrawal Agreement.
As to the bodies established under the Protocol, in line with commitments made in the New Decade, New Approach deal, representatives from the Northern Ireland Executive are invited to attend all Joint Committee and Specialised Committee meetings as part of the UK delegation when the Irish Government are attending. Representatives from the Northern Ireland Executive also form part of the UK delegation at the Joint Consultative Working Group.
The Levelling Up unit has been established to produce the Levelling Up White Paper, working closely with Neil O’Brien MP (PM’s Levelling Up adviser) and departments.
Strengthening the Union is at the heart of this agenda and the White Paper will be informed by engagement across the UK nations, working with departments, including the Territorial Offices. The Unit has and will continue to engage with representatives from the local government sector and with all other relevant stakeholders across the public, private and third sectors.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Levelling Up unit has been established to produce the Levelling Up White Paper, working closely with Neil O’Brien MP (PM’s Levelling Up adviser) and departments.
Strengthening the Union is at the heart of this agenda and the White Paper will be informed by engagement across the UK nations, working with departments, including the Territorial Offices. The Unit has and will continue to engage with representatives from the local government sector and with all other relevant stakeholders across the public, private and third sectors.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Government will publish a landmark Levelling Up White Paper later this year, setting out bold new policy interventions to improve livelihoods and opportunity in all parts of the UK. This will be informed by engagement across the UK nations and, to fulfil our ambitions, the UK Government will engage with representatives from the devolved governments, including the Northern Ireland Executive, and with all other relevant stakeholders across the public, private and third sectors.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
In such situations, new EU law within the scope of the Protocol takes effect in line with Articles 13(3) and 13(4) of the Protocol. For any changes requiring further implementing legislation in the UK Parliament or the Northern Ireland Assembly, the ordinary scrutiny processes apply. Otherwise, the amending EU law applies directly.
It is because this situation is so unusual from the democratic perspective that the Protocol incorporates a consent mechanism to allow for the Northern Ireland Assembly to determine whether Articles 5-10 should continue to apply.
It is a matter for the UK Parliament, which is of course composed of members across the UK, reflecting views from across the UK, to consider the potential shape of the Parliamentary Partnership Assembly, within the framework set out in the Trade and Cooperation Agreement.
On 16 December 2020, the EU unilaterally introduced Regulation 2020/2170 on the application of Union tariff rate quotas (TRQs) and other import quotas.
The UK has underlined to the Commission that this is a matter requiring urgent consideration as part of addressing issues with the operation of the Protocol. If strictly applied, the Regulation would mean that importing goods subject to any EU tariff rate quotas or other import quotas directly into Northern Ireland would be unable to access either EU or Great Britain quotas, and would need to pay the EU tariff. This would leave Northern Ireland importers in a uniquely disadvantaged position compared to their counterparts in Great Britain and the EU.
We have already taken steps to put arrangements in place to ensure that steel from the United Kingdom or the Rest of the World can be brought into Northern Ireland without being subject to tariffs. This avoids disruption to businesses and operators in Northern Ireland.
However, this is an issue requiring a broader and more permanent solution and we continue to discuss this with the EU.
The relevant implementing legislation for rules applied in Northern Ireland was brought forward and passed through the UK Parliament and Northern Ireland Assembly. This will continue to be the case for the transposition of any new rules made applicable by the Protocol which require domestic implementation.
Where new EU legislation is brought forward which amend or replace acts contained within the Annexes to the Protocol, Article 15 provides for appropriate information and exchanges of information through the Joint Consultative Working Group. A representative of the Northern Ireland Executive forms part of the UK delegation to this group. Where a new EU law is brought forward that is within scope of the Protocol but which neither amends nor replaces an EU act listed in the Protocol, Article 13 provides that Joint Committee agreement is required for it to be applied in Northern Ireland. Again the Northern Ireland Executive will form part of the UK’s delegation at the Joint Committee and will be consulted as part of the position to be adopted in such cases. We have committed to providing the appropriate means for Parliamentary scrutiny of legislation within scope of the Protocol.
The relevant implementing legislation for rules applied in Northern Ireland was brought forward and passed through the UK Parliament and Northern Ireland Assembly. This will continue to be the case for the transposition of any new rules made applicable by the Protocol which require domestic implementation.
Where new EU legislation is brought forward which amend or replace acts contained within the Annexes to the Protocol, Article 15 provides for appropriate information and exchanges of information through the Joint Consultative Working Group. A representative of the Northern Ireland Executive forms part of the UK delegation to this group. Where a new EU law is brought forward that is within scope of the Protocol but which neither amends nor replaces an EU act listed in the Protocol, Article 13 provides that Joint Committee agreement is required for it to be applied in Northern Ireland. Again the Northern Ireland Executive will form part of the UK’s delegation at the Joint Committee and will be consulted as part of the position to be adopted in such cases. We have committed to providing the appropriate means for Parliamentary scrutiny of legislation within scope of the Protocol.
The Protocol has had a direct impact on businesses moving goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. That is why we have provided extensive support to such businesses, including the Trader Support Service (TAS) - which has supported over 400,000 consignments since 1 January, the Movement Assistance Scheme (MAS) - to support traders with new requirements for moving agri-food goods and, in due course, a new Digital Assistance Scheme to support supermarkets and their suppliers.
The TSS and MAS not only assist traders with any relevant paperwork but also cover the related costs, including the costs of any veterinary inspections, required for Export Health Certificates.
We continue to engage intensively with businesses to understand the challenges faced and find solutions.
Our priority throughout 2020 was to give effect to unfettered access in UK law. This has now been done: the definition of “qualifying Northern Ireland goods” to apply from 1 January, as part of our phased approach has been set out; and we have included protections via the UK Internal Market Act 2020 to prohibit new checks and controls, and ensure Northern Ireland goods can continue to access the whole UK market.
During the first phase, we have implemented measures to ensure there are no tariffs due on qualifying goods moving via the Republic of Ireland. Otherwise those movements will be subject to the requirements of our overall phased controls model. This process will be further simplified during the course of 2021 as we bring forward the second, longer-term phase of our unfettered access model. That second phase will identify “qualifying” goods moved by businesses established in Northern Ireland and will be given effect in a light-touch using existing port and airport check-in processes. This will apply whether goods are moved directly from NI to GB, or indirectly via the Republic of Ireland.
Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
1 Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Questions
(View all Lord Dodds of Duncairn's BEIS questions)The UK Government has been engaging regularly with the Northern Ireland Executive on the Subsidy Control Bill, at official and ministerial level. BEIS officials have met with Northern Ireland Executive officials 23 times since September 2020. BEIS Ministers have also met with Northern Ireland Executive Ministers 6 times since September 2020. The primary purpose of these discussions has been to discuss the detail of the Subsidy Control Bill, and to invite feedback from Northern Ireland Executive Ministers and officials. We are committed to continuing our close engagement with the Northern Ireland Executive, including as the Bill passes through Parliament.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy)
2 Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Questions
(View all Lord Dodds of Duncairn's DCMS questions)The safety of all those who attend sporting fixtures is a priority for the government. We fund the Sports Grounds Safety Authority (SGSA) whose purpose is to ensure sports grounds are safe for everyone. While it is the responsibility of individual clubs and venue owners to take the necessary steps to put in place reasonable protection for spectators at events, the SGSA provides support to minimise risk and help deliver safe events. It does this by setting high standards for safety in its internationally-renowned Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds, and through its expert team of inspectors who provide first-rate advice across all areas of sports grounds safety to individual clubs and grounds.
Additionally, the SGSA enforces the Government’s all-seater policy by issuing annual licenses to all grounds of clubs in the Premier League and Football League along with Wembley and the Principality Stadium. Under the Football Spectators Act 1989, the clubs of these grounds are unable to admit spectators without a licence issued by the SGSA.
Following incidents of public disorder at the UEFA EURO 2020 finals held at Wembley on 11 July, all key local partners and expert bodies, including the FA, UEFA, City Hall, the Metropolitan police, local authority and SGSA are investigating the events that took place in and around the stadium to ensure that robust plans are in place to prevent a recurrence.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
We regularly engage with the Northern Ireland Executive, as well as the other Devolved Administrations, on a range of sporting matters. This includes discussions around a potential UK and Ireland bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup which is being coordinated across the five Football Associations in the UK and Ireland.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
9 Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Questions
(View all Lord Dodds of Duncairn's Defra questions)We are processing Ukrainian pet import applications as quickly as possible, whilst maintaining our biosecurity standards. The UK has been rabies-free for many years, and we wish to remain so.
The current requirements for a cat, dog or ferret to enter the United Kingdom from Ukraine are as follows:
- they have been identified by a microchip or a clearly readable tattoo applied before 03 July 2011 prior to vaccination;
- after 12 weeks of age, have been vaccinated against rabies;
- at least 30 days after the preceding primary vaccination within a current valid vaccination series (or the last of the primary course of vaccinations) a blood sample must be drawn and sent to a European Union (EU) approved laboratory for testing;
- a satisfactory blood test result must show the rabies antibody titre was equal to or greater than 0.5 IU/ml;
- the animal must complete a waiting period of 3 calendar months after the date that the sample was drawn;
- in the case of dogs be treated for Echinococcus multilocularis (tapeworm) with an approved product not less than 24 hours and not more than 120 hours prior to arrival in UK.
However, the Government recognises that people fleeing Ukraine with their pets may not have been able to complete this process, or may not have paperwork verifying their pet’s health status. We have therefore put in place new emergency support for those fleeing Ukraine with their pets. Using an emergency licence, people fleeing Ukraine can bring their non-compliant pets to the UK with any quarantine costs met by the Government.
The maximum stay in quarantine for a pet which has received no rabies vaccination is four months. England, Wales and Scotland have introduced a new rabies ELISA blood test that confirms rabies vaccination through detection of rabies antibodies. This will help in instances where refugees have travelled without vaccination paperwork.
Results can be turned around in a minimum of 3 days with some animals then moving to isolation if they pass the test. This will help maintain our strict biosecurity measures and allow people to be reunited more quickly with their pets when possible. This test is not available in Northern Ireland which remains aligned with the EU.
These new arrangements are only in place for people fleeing Ukraine with their pets. It is not available to rescue animals, commercial movements or to pets travelling apart from their owners, all of whom must continue to meet the full health requirements before entering the UK.
England and Scotland have temporarily suspended the commercial import of dogs, cats and ferrets if they originate from or have been dispatched from Ukraine, Belarus, Poland or Romania, until 14 May 2022.
There are no other differences to the rabies import requirements of pets between the Devolved Administrations.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
We recognise the importance of ensuring the Jewish community in Northern Ireland can continue to access kosher meats.
We have been made aware that a supplier decided to stop supplying kosher meat to Northern Ireland. They explained that this was owing to difficulty for them complying with the Official Controls Regulation which applies in Northern Ireland by virtue of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
We have been working with those concerned to identify alternative options. An alternative GB supplier of kosher meats has now been identified.
Goods moving from GB-NI would not need any certification under the proposal set out in the Government’s July 2021 Command Paper, Northern Ireland Protocol – the way forward.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government does not hold the information on how many common health entry documents (CHEDs) were presented and processed for goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain, as common health entry documents are submitted to Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).
According to DAERA’s estimations, if the grace periods were not in place, it is estimated that Northern Ireland’s Points of Entry would be required to process in excess of 12,500 CHEDs per week across all consignment types. These would also require a significant number of identity and physical checks.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The Government does not hold the information on how many common health entry documents (CHEDs) were presented and processed for goods entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain, as common health entry documents are submitted to Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA).
According to DAERA’s estimations, if the grace periods were not in place, it is estimated that Northern Ireland’s Points of Entry would be required to process in excess of 12,500 CHEDs per week across all consignment types. These would also require a significant number of identity and physical checks.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The total cost of the Movement Assistance Scheme up to 31 January 2022, the latest date for which data is available, was £12.36 million. Of this total, £8.83 million has been expended in the current financial year. The forecast expenditure for the next financial year, 2022/23, is £13.1 million.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
At the end of February 2022, 31 people were directly employed on either a full-time or a part-time basis in the operation of the Movement Assistant Scheme across both Defra and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), including APHA helplines. It is not possible to indicate how many are indirectly so employed.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
There is currently nothing to prevent goods from Northern Ireland from using GB packaging.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
UK officials are continuing intensive discussions with EU counterparts regarding the NI Protocol and proposals as outlined in the Government's Command Paper. These will continue in the New Year.
Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Traders importing into Northern Ireland can access UK TRQs by moving goods to Great Britain and clearing customs, then moving to Northern Ireland under the UK Trader Scheme, provided the goods moved meet wider requirements to be not “at risk,” as outlined on GOV.UK: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-can-declare-goods-you-bring-into-northern-ireland-not-at-risk-of-moving-to-the-eu
At present, EU regulation 2020/2170, passed unilaterally by the EU in December 2020, significantly limits the terms on which NI traders can access quotas under the UK’s new trade agreements directly.
The UK put forward proposals to address this issue in our Command Paper of July 2021 and is continuing to press for solutions in negotiations with the EU on the Protocol.
Minister of State (Department for International Trade)
The UK-Australia FTA applies to all four parts of the UK, including Northern Ireland.
There are some specific instances where Australian importers will see differences when moving goods into Northern Ireland as a result of the Northern Ireland Protocol. However, the Protocol did not prevent the UK from including Northern Ireland in the market access granted to Australia in the FTA.
Minister of State (Department for International Trade)
We have provided for the application of the UK-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to all four parts of the UK, which includes Northern Ireland. The FTA also takes into account the effects of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland by allowing the UK to take measures under the Protocol designed to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland and to protect the peace process.
Exporters in Northern Ireland will benefit from this FTA in the same way as exporters in England, Scotland and Wales.
Minister of State (Department for International Trade)
The Government engages extensively with the Department of the Economy in Northern Ireland on Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) negotiations and has done since the start of the process to join the agreement.
The CPTPP team’s extensive programme of engagement with the Department for Economy includes meetings every six weeks that provide updates on the progress of negotiations providing opportunities for officials to ask questions to technical policy leads.
The Ministerial Forum for Trade gives updates on CPTPP at ministerial level with the most recent taking place on 26th January 2022.
Minister of State (Department for International Trade)
The Government is clear that the UK must function as a single customs territory. Therefore, we will ensure the application of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to all four constituent nations of the UK, takes into account the effects of the Ireland/Northern Ireland (NI) Protocol. The Protocol mainly concerns trade in goods, and only for imports. NI businesses will therefore be able to benefit from the lower tariffs we will be able to deliver for exporters as a result of joining CPTPP.
Minister of State (Department for International Trade)
The impact of a second wave of COVID and the need for the Government to respond has impacted on the aviation sector.
The Government has therefore announced through the Global Travel Taskforce, a number of measures to assist the sector to restart over the winter period. This includes the ‘Test to release for international travel’ (TTR) scheme to be launched on 15 December, which will boost consumer confidence in air travel.
Following the successful implementation of these measures, the government will then put forward of its strategic framework for the medium and long-term recovery of the aviation sector.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
The Government has announced through the Global Travel Taskforce, a number of measures to assist the sector to restart over the winter period. This includes the ‘Test to release for international travel’ (TTR) scheme to be launched on 15 December, which will boost consumer confidence in air travel.
Following the successful implementation of these measures, the Government will then put forward its strategic framework for the medium and long-term recovery of the aviation sector.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
No such assessment has been made.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
According to the latest data, 770,000 people are eligible non-recipients of Pension Credit for the financial year ending 2020. The published data tables can be accessed here: Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up: financial year 2019 to 2020 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
One of the benefits covered by the Social Security (Up-rating of Benefits) Bill - survivors’ benefits in Industrial Death Benefit - is devolved to the Scottish Parliament. The Department is temporarily delivering them on behalf of the Scottish Ministers under an Agency Agreement which provides that legislative parity must be maintained, of which there are around 300 recipients of these benefits in Scotland. The Secretary of State therefore wrote to the relevant Cabinet Secretary in the Scottish Government ahead of its introduction seeking a decision on whether they would be taking primary legislation in the Scottish Parliament or through a Legislative Consent Motion to allow this Bill to provide the appropriate powers to enable Scottish Ministers to deliver uprating legislation in tandem. The other benefits in the Bill are reserved matters in Scotland.
Social security is a transferred matter in Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Executive has the power in section 132A of the Social Security Administration (Northern Ireland) Act 1992 to mirror the Up-rating Order in Great Britain made under section 150A (in this case, as temporarily amended). Therefore, the draft Bill does not need to extend to Northern Ireland and no primary legislation is required in Northern Ireland. However, the Northern Ireland Act 1998 sets out that the Secretary of State and the Northern Ireland Minister will seek to maintain a single system of social security, to the extent agreed between them. Officials in the Department for Work and Pensions in Great Britain and the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland have therefore been in discussion on the issue.
Social security is a reserved matter in Wales.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
The information requested is not available.
Data related to Pension Credit is published at Great Britain level. The latest estimates were published in October 2020 and relate to the financial year 2018/19 and can be found in the “Income-related benefits: estimates of take-up” publication in the statistics section of gov.uk.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
In the last 5 years the overall benefit expenditure in England and Wales can be found on the table below.
Great Britain welfare spending, | 2015/16 | 2016/17 | 2017/18 | 2018/19 | 2019/20 | 2020/21 |
| Outturn | Outturn | Outturn | Outturn | Outturn | Forecast |
People of working age and children | 94.4 | 93.7 | 94.6 | 95.2 | 97.1 | 113.4 |
Pensioners | 116.4 | 118.0 | 119.9 | 122.0 | 124.0 | 125.5 |
Total | 210.7 | 211.7 | 214.4 | 217.2 | 221.1 | 238.9 |
of which DWP | 171.8 | 173.9 | 178.1 | 183.8 | 192.4 | 213.1 |
of which Non-DWP | 38.9 | 37.9 | 36.4 | 33.4 | 28.7 | 25.7 |
Further detailed information relating to benefit expenditure can be found in our published expenditure tables.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Work and Pensions)
10 Department of Health and Social Care Questions
(View all Lord Dodds of Duncairn's DHSC questions)On 17 December 2021, the European Union issued unilateral measures intended to address the barriers created by the Protocol to supplying medicines from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. The Government is working with industry to assess these measures in detail and monitor industry behaviour and the impact on patients. We will consider whether the changes to EU law would sufficiently address the issues that the UK Government and stakeholders have identified on the operation of the Protocol.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government has had regular meetings with the devolved administrations since April 2021 to discuss the policy of making vaccination a condition of deployment in care homes in England. The devolved administrations are able to choose whether to adopt a similar policy.
We are committed to maintaining parity of access to medicines across the United Kingdom. In circumstances where the approval dates for products in Great Britain and Northern Ireland differ, doctors can prescribe medicines outside of the label in areas of unmet medical need. The General Medical Council provides clear recommendations to physicians on prescribing medicines which they consider is in the patient’s best interest but may not carry the specific indication. We continue to work with colleagues in Europe to ensure that approval for medicines in Great Britain and Northern Ireland are aligned in the future.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency recently authorised a new indication for Tagrisso in Great Britain to help treat early stage non-small cell lung cancer patients. This indication for Tagrisso has been authorised by the European Medicines Agency and can be prescribed to patients in Northern Ireland on the same basis as in Great Britain.
We are continuing to engage with the European Union on the movement of medicines into Northern Ireland, as part of conversations regarding outstanding issues on the Protocol. Whilst these discussions are ongoing, we have not made a full assessment of the impact of the Protocol. However, we remain committed to maintaining the availability of medicines and drugs in Northern Ireland and actively monitor the situation.
Due to commercial sensitivities, the Department cannot comment on the status of the development and supply of any individual medicine. However, we are continuing to work closely with industry partners to help ensure the continuity of supply of medicines to Northern Ireland.
The United Kingdom Government is continuing to engage with the European Commission on this matter to ensure that there is no impediment to securing access to vital medicines across the UK, including Northern Ireland.
The Department, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the Northern Ireland Department of Health are continuing to work closely with industry partners and will continue to do so throughout 2021 to help ensure the continuity of supply of medicines to Northern Ireland. This includes regular and intensive engagement with industry to understand any issues and to support them in their preparations to comply with the Protocol.
Each region within England and each of the devolved administrations have different population levels, clinical needs and logistical challenges to meet when deploying COVID-19 vaccines. The Government assesses the efficiency of the programme against these and other factors.
The Government works with the devolved administrations to ensure the vaccine programme is rolled out as quickly and efficiently as possible in each region. Allocation of vaccines is based upon the Barnett Formula. This ensures that all of the United Kingdom receives a fair share of vaccines. Approximately 27.1 million people in England, 838,000 in Northern Ireland, 2.6 million people in Scotland and 1.6 million in Wales have now received their first dose.
10 Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Questions
(View all Lord Dodds of Duncairn's FCDO questions)Explanatory notes accompanying all Government Bills, and explanatory memoranda accompanying all secondary legislation, should set out any potential implications that the legislation may have on regulatory divergence between Great Britain and Northern Ireland in areas where the Protocol applies. Any operational differences that materialise as a result of legislative changes are detailed in the relevant gov.uk guidance. We work with other Government departments to ensure that explanatory notes and memoranda provide clear information.
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Iran's decision to proceed with these baseless charges against Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is an appalling continuation of the cruel ordeal she is going through. Instead of threatening to return Nazanin to prison Iran must release her permanently so she can return home. The Foreign Secretary raised her case, and the cases of Anoosheh Ashoori and Morad Tahbaz, with Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian on 22 September and 8 November. We continue to engage with Iran at the most senior levels and our Ambassador in Tehran continues to regularly raise our detainees with the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ministers hold regular meetings with officials to direct activity across the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office aimed at securing her release.
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign Secretary raised her case, and the cases of Anoosheh Ashoori and Morad Tahbaz, with Foreign Minister Amir-Abdollahian on 22 September and 8 November. The Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa met with Deputy Foreign Minister Bagheri Kani on 11 November. We continue to engage with Iran at the most senior levels and our Ambassador in Tehran continues to raise regularly our detainees with the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Her Majesty's Government considers the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue. The UK Government is in regular contact with like-minded partners on our shared priorities.
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Her Majesty's Government considers the Taiwan issue one to be settled peacefully by the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait through constructive dialogue. The UK Government is in regular contact with the US Government on our shared priorities. We underscored the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait alongside the US and other partners in the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' communique in May and G7 Leaders' communique in June.
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK continues to monitor closely the terrorist threat from Afghanistan, including from Al Qaeda and ISKP, and has proscribed both of these organisations and their associated groups. These topics are routinely discussed at NATO meetings, and bilaterally with NATO allies including US, Canada, Turkey, France and Germany at Foreign Minister and Head of State level. We are working with our international partners to stop Afghanistan from again becoming a haven and inspiration for terrorism and thereby reduce the terrorist risk to the UK and the international community.
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
On 3 September FCDO announced £30 million in additional humanitarian funding to assist the regional response to the surge in refugees. £10 million was immediately made available to humanitarian partners, such as the UNHCR, to enable essential supplies such as shelters, sanitation and hygiene facilities to be erected at the Afghanistan border. The remaining £20 million of funding is flexible to rapidly scale up the response to hosting communities in affected countries if a mass movement of population takes place.
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The former Foreign Secretary met with Prime Minister Imran Khan and Foreign Minister Qureshi and discussed working together to support the people of Afghanistan and to ensure safe passage out of the country.
We will continue to explore all routes (air or land) with neighbouring countries, and what means can be put in place for Afghans to come to the UK, where that is their most appropriate destination.
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK government regularly raises these important issues with the Cuban Government. On 12 July, the UK was one of the first countries to publicly reaffirm the Cuban people's right to peaceful protest. Officials from the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office spoke to the Cuban Ambassador on the same day, urging respect for fundamental human rights. On 14 July, the British Ambassador in Havana met with officials in the Cuban Government, and urged them to uphold freedom of expression in Cuba.
Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Treasury discussed the Spring Statement measures with the Northern Ireland Executive on the day of the Statement.
The Treasury regularly discusses fiscal event measures with stakeholders, including the devolved administrations. There will be and is ongoing engagement with the Northern Ireland Civil Service as required.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As part of the UK’s departure from the EU, the government announced a number of changes to the movement of excise goods (including alcohol) to and from Northern Ireland, which took effect at 11pm on 31st December 2020. More information about post-transition changes is available on gov.uk and from HMRC. There have been no further changes to alcohol duties since 1 January 2021 that exclude Northern Ireland or do not fully apply in Northern Ireland.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Under the Northern Ireland Protocol, EU VAT rules concerning goods – which restrict the introduction of new zero rates - continue to apply in Northern Ireland (NI).
We have been clear that a constructive solution must be found that ensures the whole of the UK can benefit from these reforms. The Government will raise this with the European Commission as soon as possible, within wider discussions regarding the NI Protocol.
In the interim, the Northern Ireland Executive will receive a Barnett share of the value of this relief.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As of 28 March 2022, the Trader Support Service had processed a total of 5,407,838 customs declarations for goods movements on behalf of its users since it was created in 2020. 802 customs declarations were processed in 2020, 4,391,432 declarations in 2021, and 1,015,604 declarations in 2022.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
There are 45,077 Traders currently registered with the Trader Support Service. 17,394 Traders are located in Northern Ireland, 26,653 are located in Great Britain, and 1,030 are located in Rest of World. These details are correct as of 25 March 2022.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
There are 44,977 traders registered with the Trader Support Service as of 22 March 2022.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Trader Support Service (TSS) is delivered and operated by the Trader Support Service Consortium members of Fujitsu, McKinsey and Company, the Customs Clearance Consortium, the Institute for Export & International Trade and HGS. Each of these businesses have their own staff working on TSS in locations across Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As of 22 March 2022, the Trader Support Service had processed a total of 5,324,676 customs declarations for goods movements on behalf of its users since it was created in 2020. 802 customs declarations were processed in 2020, 4,391,432 declarations in 2021 and 932,442 declarations in 2022.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
HMRC and the Trader Support Service continually assess customer satisfaction and the operation of the service to improve user experience and ensure value for money. From those assessments we know that the service is valued by businesses, that it helps traders manage the customs requirements under the NI Protocol and that the current customer satisfaction score is over 75%.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
There are no measures announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget Statement in October 2021 which are not applicable to Northern Ireland because of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.
Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The current contract with the Trader Support Service (TSS) is due to end in December 2022. We continue to work up options for the end of the TSS’s initial two-year contract period to December 2022 and await the outcome of the negotiations currently underway for the Northern Ireland Protocol.
The total estimated spend for the Trader Support Service (TSS) in the year 2022-23 is £99 million. There is currently no projected spend in the subsequent two years. We continue to work up options for the end of the TSS’s initial two-year contract period to December 2022 and await the outcome of the negotiations currently underway for the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Since its commencement to November 2021, the total spend on Trader Support Service is £204 million.
Trader Support Service (TSS) has handled just under 1.4 million Supplementary Declarations since 1 January 2021, with approximately 44,000 traders registered to use the service.
Just over 16,800 of our traders are registered in Northern Ireland, with just over 11,500 of those traders actively using the service.
The Trader Support Service (TSS) contract was awarded to a consortium of Fujitsu, who was the majority member, McKinsey and Company, Customs Clearance Consortium, Institute for Export and International Trade, and Hinduja Global Solutions Limited. There are 759 staff employed across Fujitsu and other consortium members supporting TSS as of the week ending 17 December 2021.
Trader Support Service (TSS) has handled just under 1.4 million Supplementary Declarations since 1 January 2021, with approximately 44,000 traders registered to use the service.
Just over 16,800 of our traders are registered in Northern Ireland, with just over 11,500 of those traders actively using the service.
For 2022-23, receipts from the increase in National Insurance contributions (NICs) will go to the NHS or equivalent in each part of the UK. This builds on existing arrangements whereby a proportion of NICs is legally required to be allocated in this way. From April 2023, there will similarly be a legal requirement to allocate the Levy revenues to health and social care in each part of the UK.
The overall level of funding provided to the devolved administrations will continue to be determined through the Barnett formula, including at the upcoming spending review.
Levelling Up the whole of the UK is a key priority for this government and the responsibility of a wide range of government departments – I understand your question to be referring to the specific Levelling Up Fund announced at Spending Review 2020.
The Levelling Up Fund, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the UK Community Renewal Fund will operate UK-wide, extending the benefits of funding for local priorities across all parts of the UK, including Northern Ireland.
As they are UK-wide programmes, they do not result in any Barnett consequentials for the Northern Ireland Executive or other devolved administrations.
The National Infrastructure Commission is responsible for economic infrastructure across six sectors: transport, energy, digital, water, floods, and waste management. Responsibility for most of these areas, excluding digital connectivity and nuclear energy, is devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly. The Commission will engage with stakeholders in Northern Ireland on these issues as it prepares its second National Infrastructure Assessment. The Commission’s first National Infrastructure Assessment can be found at https://nic.org.uk/studies-reports/national-infrastructure-assessment/.
The UK Government has been unequivocal in its commitment to unfettered access for Northern Ireland (NI) goods moving to the rest of the UK market.
After the Transition Period, under the Government’s phased approach, unfettered access will apply to all goods in free circulation in NI moving directly from NI to GB. This will ensure maximum continuity and avoid disruption.
In order to ensure that this special treatment is available only to Northern Ireland businesses, the Government will introduce an anti-avoidance requirement which will prevent businesses from moving goods via Northern Ireland if they do this in order to avoid paying import duties.
The first phase of unfettered access is intended to be a bridge to a longer-term regime that will focus its benefits on Northern Ireland businesses. The second phase will be introduced in 2021 and is being developed as a result of engagement with Northern Ireland businesses and the Northern Ireland Executive.
Ministers and officials are meeting Northern Ireland businesses regularly to provide clarity on approach and to allow for detailed discussion of proposals related to the Northern Ireland Protocol.
To give the devolved administrations the upfront certainty to plan and deliver their coronavirus response, the UK Government guaranteed they would receive at least £16 billion in additional resource funding this year on top of their Spring Budget 20 funding. This provides at least £2.8 billion of additional funding for the Northern Ireland Executive, £5.0 billion for the Welsh Government, and £8.2 billion for the Scottish Government.
Spending Review 2020 is providing the devolved administrations with £2.6 billion of Covid funding through the Barnett formula in 21-22. This allocates £540 million for the Northern Ireland Executive, £770 million for the Welsh Government, and £1.3 billion for the Scottish Government.
Unexplained Wealth Orders have been granted in four cases to date; all of those have been in England and Wales. No Unexplained Wealth Orders have been granted in Scotland.
Minister of State (Home Office)
It is my intention that the outstanding provisions in the Criminal Finances Act 2017 will be commenced on 28 June 2021. This is subject to Parliamentary approval.
Minister of State (Home Office)
Law Enforcement in Northern Ireland have a range of appropriate and effective powers available to them to recover criminals’ ill-gotten gains.
No formal assessment has been made as to the value of proceeds of crime which have not been seized as a result of the delay in operation of the Criminal Finances Act 2017 to Northern Ireland.
Minister of State (Home Office)
As part of the Common Travel Area (CTA) arrangements, the UK does not operate routine immigration controls on journeys from within the CTA, with no immigration checks whatsoever on the Northern Ireland-Ireland land border. However, everyone entering the UK, regardless of where they enter from, is required to meet UK immigration framework. The UK does conduct intelligence-led controls on CTA routes, including away from the land border in Northern Ireland. This is to detect those who intend to abuse CTA arrangements. Anyone identified attempting to circumvent UK border controls is liable to be removed, if they are not lawfully present within the UK.
We also work closely with Ireland to secure the external CTA border, including data sharing and operational co-operation.
Minister of State (Home Office)
As part of the Common Travel Area (CTA) arrangements, the UK does not operate routine immigration controls on journeys from within the CTA, with no immigration checks whatsoever on the Northern Ireland-Ireland land border. However, everyone entering the UK, regardless of where they enter from, is required to meet UK immigration framework. The UK does conduct intelligence-led controls on CTA routes, including away from the land border in Northern Ireland. This is to detect those who intend to abuse CTA arrangements. Anyone identified attempting to circumvent UK border controls is liable to be removed, if they are not lawfully present within the UK.
We also work closely with Ireland to secure the external CTA border, including data sharing and operational co-operation.
Minister of State (Home Office)
4 Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities Questions
(View all Lord Dodds of Duncairn's DLUHC questions)Although open to all places, to ensure the UK Community Renewal Fund funding reaches the most in need, we have identified 100 priority places based on an index of economic resilience across Great Britain. The UK Community Renewal Fund will prioritise applications that target these 100 places, as well as having a good contribution to strategic fit and delivery / effectiveness. The lead authority of each of the 100 priority places will also receive capacity funding to help them with the required bid coordination and appraisal for that place.
We are taking a different approach to delivering the UK Community Renewal Fund in Northern Ireland, to take account of the different local government landscape in Northern Ireland compared to Great Britain. Project applicants in Northern Ireland will submit bids directly to the UK Government for assessment and approval.
We will announce all funding decisions from later this year.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The UK Community Renewal Fund aims to support people and communities most in need across the UK to pilot programmes and new approaches and will invest in skills, community and place, local business, and supporting people into employment.
The UK Government is running a national competition against a fixed national allocation in Northern Ireland, equating to £11 million of funding. All areas in Northern Ireland are eligible for funding and project applicants should submit bids directly to the UK Government for assessment and approval, by 18 June 2021. The UK Government will issue grant agreements to successful projects in Northern Ireland.
Where appropriate, the UK Government will seek advice from the Devolved Administrations -including Northern Ireland- on shortlisted projects to ensure that the project is deliverable and complementary to other provision.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) will help to level up and create opportunity across the UK in places most in need such as ex-industrial areas, deprived towns and rural and coastal communities, and for people who face labour market barriers.
The Fund will operate UK-wide. We will continue to engage the devolved administrations and other key stakeholders as we develop the fund's investment framework and in advance of its publication.
To help local areas prepare over 2021-22 for the introduction of the UKSPF, the government will provide additional funding to support our communities to pilot programmes and new approaches. We will work closely with stakeholders on how best to use this additional funding to prepare for the introduction of the UKSPF.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) will help to level up and create opportunity across the UK in places most in need such as ex-industrial areas, deprived towns and rural and coastal communities, and for people who face labour market barriers. It will operate UK-wide.
The Spending Review recognised that many policy challenges require cooperation across multiple departments. The Government published its Heads of Terms for the UK Shared Prosperity Fund at Spending Review 2020 and to help local areas prepare over 2021-22 for the introduction of the UKSPF, the Government will provide additional funding to support our communities to pilot programmes and new approaches. Further details will be published in the new year.
Minister of State (Home Office)
The New Decade, New Approach deal helped to restore a fully functioning Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive in January 2020. A key priority for the Executive was to begin the urgent task of strengthening public services and delivering essential infrastructure projects, including the York Street Interchange. In 2020, an assurance review into the scheme was commissioned. Following the reporting of the review in 2021, the Northern Ireland Infrastructure Minister asked for further work to be undertaken on the project proposals to maximise ambition on what can be delivered for connectivity and communities.
Delivering essential infrastructure projects including York Street Interchange is, of course, primarily a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive. The Government will encourage all parties to form an Executive as soon as possible following the Northern Ireland Assembly elections in May.
The Government’s priority is for a strong, functioning Executive delivering a better, more prosperous, shared future for the people of Northern Ireland. To support this priority, the Government has provided the NI Executive with £15 billion per year over the next three years. This is the largest funding settlement for Northern Ireland since devolution and highlights once again the strength and security that Northern Ireland gains from being an integral part of the world’s fifth largest economy.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Northern Ireland Office)
The Government remains committed to addressing the legacy of the past in a way that focuses on reconciliation and helping society in Northern Ireland look to the future. Since the publication of the Government’s Command Paper in July, we have engaged bilaterally and multilaterally with stakeholders from Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland on our legacy proposals - including political parties, victims groups and other representatives from across the Northern Ireland community.
The Government continues to engage and reflect on the many different perspectives we have heard, while being clear that we will never accept any equivalence between those who perpetrated violence in Northern Ireland, and those who sought to uphold the law or abide by it.
The Government also continues to invest in social development across Northern Ireland, strengthening social cohesion and building stronger, safer communities, including through the £730 million PEACE PLUS programme announced in September 2021 to support economic stability, peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government recognises the positive achievements of Operation Kenova in terms of building relationships with victims and survivors, and helping them to understand the circumstances around what happened to their loved ones.
However, it is clear that with the passage of time, the chances of successful prosecution from even the most robust of investigations is vanishingly small.
That is why, as outlined in the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland’s oral statement of 14 July and in the command paper published afterwards, the Government wants to move away from a focus on criminal justice outcomes - which is delivering for nobody - and instead focus on effective information recovery and reconciliation measures.
The Government’s proposals are intended to inform ongoing intensive engagement with the Irish Government, Northern Ireland parties and other stakeholders with an interest in this issue. All elements of these proposals - including their practical application - are subject to ongoing consideration and discussion.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government do not recognise the concept of a co-legislator. The legislatures for Northern Ireland are the Assembly and the Houses of Parliament. The Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol gives effect to a limited group of technical EU legal rules considered necessary to facilitate trade and the movement of agrifoods.
The Protocol provides for forums in which forthcoming legislation can be discussed, including whether new areas of law should be applied. New pieces of EU legislation that amend or replace acts referred to in the Protocol are notified to the Joint Consultative Working Group. New EU legislation that is within the scope of the Protocol but does not amend or replace acts listed in the Annexes of the Protocol, does not apply unless there is a Joint Committee decision to add the new act.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As set out under Schedule 2 of the Terrorism Act 2000 and published on gov.uk, the following groups linked to Northern Ireland Related Terrorism are proscribed:
Continuity Army Council
Cumann na mBan
Fianna na hEireann
Irish National Liberation Army
Irish People's Liberation Organisation
Irish Republican Army
Loyalist Volunteer Force
Orange Volunteers
Red Hand Commando
Red Hand Defenders
Saor Eire
Ulster Defence Association
Ulster Freedom Fighters
Ulster Volunteer Force
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Prime Minister announced the Union Connectivity Review on 3 October 2020. The review, which is chaired by Sir Peter Hendy CBE, aims to support the Government's work to build a stronger, fairer economy for the future by establishing how the quality and availability of transport infrastructures can support economic growth and quality of life across the whole of the UK. The review is considering transport connectivity between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland via road, rail and air, and across the Irish Sea.
Sir Peter Hendy is being supported by an advisory panel of experts, which includes a Commissioner for the National Infrastructure Commission. The terms of reference for the review also ask Sir Peter to consult widely with relevant government agencies, including the National Infrastructure Commission, alongside the devolved administrations, local authorities and their infrastructure commissions.
The Union Connectivity Review interim report was published on 10 March 2021 and the final report will be published in the summer. The Government will carefully consider the report and recommendations.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Government has been working closely with the NI Executive to maintain UK connectivity between Great Britain and Northern Ireland throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
Thanks to a generous £5.7m financial support package agreed by the Government and the Executive, the air bridge between GB and NI was maintained at the height of disruptions this year, ensuring that critical routes to London from both City of Derry and Belfast City airports remained open to support the movement of key workers within the United Kingdom.
The aviation industry has also been able to draw on the unprecedented package of economic measures the Government has put in place during this time, including a Bank of England scheme for firms to raise capital and the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme that facilitates access to finance for businesses affected by the outbreak.
The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) has also been available to support wages during this time. On 5 November, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that workers across the United Kingdom would benefit from increased support with a five-month extension of the CJRS until the end of March 2021, with employees receiving 80% of their current salary for hours not worked.
The Government continues to work closely with the Executive to ensure critical routes remain open.
Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)