Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential divergence in laws and policies between Great Britain and Northern Ireland resulting from the review of EU retained law.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
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.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their paper The Benefits of Brexit: How the UK is taking advantage of leaving the EU, published on 31 January, which of the benefits identified will not apply to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
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.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what consultations were carried out with Northern Ireland (1) Ministers, and (2) stakeholders, prior to the publication of The Benefits of Brexit: How the UK is taking advantage of leaving the EU, published on 31 January.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
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.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact that ending the grace period for border checks and controls between Great Britain and Northern Ireland would have on the supply of medicines to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Frost
There would be clear risks to medicine supplies to patients in the absence of sustainable, long-term arrangements that take proper account of the nature of supplies of medicines as an inherent part of the delivery of national health services, such as those proposed by the Government in its Command Paper of 21 July.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what consultations they have had regarding who will represent the UK on the various bodies set up under (1) the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, and (2) the UK–EU Trade and Co-operation Agreement.
Answered by Lord Frost
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.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what role the (1) Northern Ireland Assembly, and (2) UK Parliament, have in consenting to the EU law affecting Northern Ireland under the terms of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Frost
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.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to publish all the EU law affecting Northern Ireland that is given effect under the provisions of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Frost
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.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether (1) a Member of Parliament in Northern Ireland, or (2) a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, will have a vote on new legislation brought forward to (a) amend, or (b) replace, the Annexes to the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Frost
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.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they are having with the Northern Ireland Executive about the white paper on the Levelling Up strategy.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
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.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which department leads on their Levelling Up strategy; and what consultations they will be undertaking with local government on that strategy.
Answered by Lord True - Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
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.