Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he has taken with Cabinet colleagues in response to reports of suppliers in Great Britain ceasing trade with businesses based in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government continues to take practical action to protect and facilitate trade across the UK internal market. At Budget 2025, the Government announced £16.6 million to strengthen the UK internal market, including funding for an enhanced ‘one stop shop’ regulatory support service and a dedicated budget for Intertrade UK, the non-statutory advisory body established under Safeguarding the Union to help boost trade across the UK. On a wide range of regulatory areas, the Government has been taking action to account for the views of industry and smooth flows of trade within the UK market, including in pharmaceuticals, toy safety, and the labelling of chemicals.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what guidance he has provided to businesses in Great Britain on the Windsor Framework and Northern Ireland's access to the UK internal market.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Extensive guidance is available on GOV.UK for businesses moving goods under the Windsor Framework, alongside support from the Trader Support Service.
At Autumn Budget 2025, the Government announced £16.6 million to strengthen the UK internal market and help boost trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. This will include a comprehensive ‘one stop shop’ regulatory support service that will provide additional guidance beyond what is currently available on GOV.UK, supporting businesses in Great Britain to trade with Northern Ireland and take advantage of the facilitations made available under the Windsor Framework.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential merits of the UK becoming a signatory to the Fossil Fuels Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Answered by Katie White - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The UK has not endorsed the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty, but we will keep the potential for such initiatives under review. We are committed to working with all alliances where our interests align in delivering the outcomes of the Paris Agreement.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Ministry of Justice:
To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what steps he is taking with Cabinet colleagues to ensure that its legal obligations under the Good Friday Agreement are met when discussing Article 3 of the ECHR with European counterparts.
Answered by Jake Richards - Assistant Whip
This Government is committed to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the Good Friday Agreement (GFA). We are working with international partners to modernise the application of the ECHR, ensuring it remains effective in addressing challenges like illegal migration and cross-border crime. In any such discussions we are mindful of our wider legal obligations, including under the GFA.
On Article 3 of the ECHR, we are seeking to address the application of the prohibition on inhuman or degrading treatment in expulsion and extradition cases, for example where it blocks removal because of prison conditions or access to healthcare abroad. This is entirely consistent with our obligations under the GFA.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how many and what proportion of eligible households in Belfast South and Mid Down, West Belfast, North Belfast and East Belfast constituencies are availing of the Tax Free Childcare scheme.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The number of families that use Tax Free Childcare in these constituencies each year is published in table 12 of Tax Free Childcare statistics (Tax-Free Childcare Statistics, December 2025 - GOV.UK).Eligible population data is not broken down at constituency level so it is not possible to calculate the proportion that are using the scheme.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps she is taking to help ensure Northern Irish residents who hold only Irish passports will be supported for evacuation, by the British government, from locations in the middle east impacted by the ongoing conflict.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Anyone who is eligible for British nationality can use the Register Your Presence service, including those with birthright citizenship under the Good Friday agreement, irrespective of whether or not they have a British Passport. If a constituent does not have a British Passport but wishes to register their presence, they can call the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office 24/7 Consular Call Centre +44 (0)7008 5000, who will advise them how to do so. We maintain regular contact with the Northern Ireland Executive about these matters, including the provision of consular assistance to Irish passport holders.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the needs of British nationals without access to flights to Britain who are in the Maldives due to the conflict in the Middle East.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The safety of British nationals remains the Government's top priority. I refer the Hon Member to the statement I gave to the House on 5 March, and the answers provided to questions raised in response. Assisted departures have now taken place from both Oman and Dubai. We will provide further updates on a regular basis, including details of our ongoing evacuation flights, as well as our efforts to secure an end to Iran's attacks on countries in the region, and the full resumption of normal commercial flights.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what plans her Department has to provide evacuation flights to British Nationals in the Maldives who are impacted by conflict in the Middle East.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The safety of British nationals remains the Government's top priority. I refer the Hon Member to the statement I gave to the House on 5 March, and the answers provided to questions raised in response. Assisted departures have now taken place from both Oman and Dubai. We will provide further updates on a regular basis, including details of our ongoing evacuation flights, as well as our efforts to secure an end to Iran's attacks on countries in the region, and the full resumption of normal commercial flights.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential implications for her policies of the EU’s adoption of a ban on the sale of intentionally added microplastics.
Answered by Mary Creagh - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In 2022, Defra initiated a research proposal to investigate the risks of intentionally added microplastics. The evidence project reviewed their emissions, the risks they pose both to human health and the environment, and included a socio-economic assessment of different policy options, including restricting primary microplastics in line with the EU. This was published on 12 May 2025. Defra welcomed the findings of the report, which provides important analysis of the UK-specific emissions of, and policy options for, intentionally added microplastics.
Asked by: Claire Hanna (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Belfast South and Mid Down)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether she plans to establish a commissioner for covert law enforcement in Northern Ireland that could help ensure covert surveillance techniques are only used within the law.
Answered by Dan Jarvis - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Oversight of the use of investigatory powers in Northern Ireland is provided by the UK-wide Investigatory Powers Commissioner.
The Commissioner’s role is to ensure that such use is necessary and proportionate and in accordance with the law. This arrangement also has the benefit of ensuring the scrutiny of these powers is consistent across the United Kingdom.