Colum Eastwood

The Office for Product Safety and Standards was appointed by MHCLG in April 2021 as the national regulator of construction products, overseeing conformity of construction products with designated standards under the Construction Products Regulations 2013. In this role, OPSS has not made any estimates of the number of constructions in Northern Ireland using Mica, Pyrite or defective materials.

The Government assesses export licences against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. We will continue to monitor developments as part of the assessment process. The Foreign Secretary met with President Netanyahu in Israel on 14 July and pushed for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages, the upholding of international law, and a rapid increase of aid into Gaza.

The Government is taking a range of action to support the transformation of the low-carbon heating market. Further detail on the government’s approach to support the transition to cleaner, energy-secure homes and buildings will be set out in the government’s Warm Homes Plan.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is the Government’s flagship heat pump scheme. Installers participating in the scheme must be MCS or equivalent certified as well as being a member of an appropriate consumer code. MCS, the Microgeneration Certification Scheme, is a nationally recognised quality assurance scheme for renewable technologies setting high standards for products and installations.

We welcomed the Colombian government's announcement of a new rapid response plan for implementation of the 2016 Agreement at the UN Security Council (UNSC) Session in July. In particular, we welcomed its focus on territorial transformation and the appointment of a senior Cabinet Minister responsible for its implementation. We continue to engage with the Colombian government to support them on this. During her visit to Colombia in November, Baroness Chapman met with Interior Minister Cristo to discuss the rapid response plan and reiterated our commitment to implementing the 2016 Peace Agreement. The Foreign Secretary also met with Foreign Minister Murillo in September, to reiterate the UK's commitment towards the peace process in Colombia.

The Famine Review Committee's warning that areas of northern Gaza likely face imminent famine is appalling. At a UK-chaired meeting of the UN Security Council on 12 November, Lord Collins called on Israel to finally, and immediately, make good on its commitment to flood Gaza with aid. The Prime Minister stressed this in a call with Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu on 19 October; the Foreign Secretary reiterated this in his call with the then Foreign Minister Israel Katz on 27 October. We continue to play a leading role in alleviating the suffering in Gaza, including by matching up to £10 million of public donations to the Disasters Emergency Committee's Middle East humanitarian appeal.

The Government has encouraged Azerbaijan to provide clarity on the rights and security of ethnic Armenians displaced by conflict who wish to return to Nagorno-Karabakh. The UK continues to urge Azerbaijan to ensure that those detained during September 2023's military action in Nagorno-Karabakh are afforded a fair trial and provided safe conditions. Regarding the remaining prisoners of war, we have been consistent in calling for their release and for the return of the remains of the deceased throughout the period of conflict in the region. I discussed these issues with Azerbaijani counterparts in the run-up to COP29.

In order to repair the public finances and help raise the revenue required to increase funding for public services, the UK Government has taken the difficult decision to increase employer National Insurance contributions (NICs).

The UK Government recognises the need to protect charities, which is why we have more than doubled the Employment Allowance to £10,500, meaning more than half of employers with NICs liabilities either gain or see no change next year.

In addition, charities will still be able to claim employer NICs reliefs including those for under 21s and under 25 apprentices, where eligible.

The devolved governments will receive funding through the Barnett Formula in 2025-26 for any changes to UK Government department budgets, including support for employer NICs. This is the normal operation of the funding arrangements as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy.

This funding will be in addition to the devolved governments’ record Spending Review settlements for 2025-26, which are the largest in real terms of any settlements since devolution.

I regularly engage with the Minister of Finance for Northern Ireland on a variety of issues, including the impact of Autumn Budget 2024 in Northern Ireland.

I refer the Honourable Member to the PQ referenced 12861 published on 15^th November 2024 at https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2024-11-05/12861.

The Chancellor also recently wrote to the Chair of the Treasury Select Committee, and her letter may be of interest: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/45691/documents/226235/default/.

As has been confirmed, the UK Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional employer National Insurance contributions costs. The detail of this policy change is being worked through thoroughly.

My department will continue to engage with the devolved governments.

Raising the revenue required to fund public services and restore economic stability requires difficult decisions on tax, which is why we are asking employers to contribute more. A Tax Information and Impact Note will be published in due course alongside the legislation when it is introduced to Parliament.

The UK Government will provide support for departments and other public sector employers for additional employer National Insurance contributions costs. This funding will be allocated to UK Government departments, with the Barnett formula applying in the usual way for the devolved governments.

This funding will be in addition to the £1.5 billion in Barnett consequentials the NIE is receiving in 2025-26 as a result of decisions taken at Autumn Budget. The NIE’s settlement for 2025-26 delivers a real-terms increase and is the largest in real terms of any settlement since devolution.

The Government has made important changes to the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Bill since it was published in draft, particularly to the standard tier, to ensure that the requirements strike a better balance between protecting the public and avoiding undue burden on premises.

The requirements for smaller premises are focused on simple, low-cost activities to enact policies and procedures. The smaller premises on the standard tier will be required to have in place appropriate and reasonably practicable public protection procedures to reduce the risk of physical harm in the event of an attack. Some actions could be as simple as locking doors, closing shutters and identifying a safe route to cover.

Direct financial support for mitigating measures is not proposed. However, the Government will consider how and where it can otherwise support those in scope, for example through developing supporting tools, guidance and templates where appropriate, and considering how training needs can be supported. The guidance and support is being designed so that it is self-explanatory and easy to follow.

The Government is extremely mindful of the many community and voluntary-run premises across the UK. It has been conscious of the need to ensure the Terrorism (Protection of Premises Bill) strikes the right balance between public protection and avoiding undue burdens on premises and events. That is why important changes were made to the Bill since it was published in draft, particularly to the standard tier which comprises the smaller premises, many of which may be utilised by small voluntary groups.

We have doubled the qualifying threshold at which premises will come within scope of the Bill (at the standard tier) to where it is reasonable to expect that 200 people may be present at the same time. This has removed the smallest premises from scope, and made the requirements less prescriptive. The focus is on having procedures that are intended to be simple and low cost. For example, we have removed the requirement for a specific, prescribed form of training in recognition that a one-size-fits-all approach is not appropriate. Additionally, the Bill will not require premises in the standard tier to purchase or install any additional physical measures.

Dedicated guidance and support will be provided for those in scope of the Bill, to ensure that they have the required information on what to do and how best to do it. The guidance will be easy to follow, needing no particular expertise.

Pregabalin is currently controlled under Class C of the Misuse of Dugs Act 1971. The Government takes expert advice from the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), which is the independent advisory body on drugs, on the classification of substances under the 1971 Act and scheduling under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.

Controlled drugs are placed in the appropriate class and schedule following consideration of advice from the ACMD on the potential harms of misuse, and an assessment of their medicinal or therapeutic usefulness and the need for legitimate access. The ACMD announced in February this year that they are looking to launch an updated harms assessment for gabapentinoids, which includes pregabalin, to review the position of these drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The Government will consider the findings of the ACMD’s review once published.

The ACMD’s work programme is available on the Gov.UK website: ACMD work programme 2024 - GOV.UK

Spiking is an abhorrent crime and illegal in any form, whether through vape, food, drink or needle. The Government’s manifesto and the King’s Speech committed to strengthening spiking legislation to help the police better respond to this crime. We are currently working across Government to consider the best way to achieve that.

In addition, the Home Office is currently supporting a range of work to tackle spiking, including specific training for people working in the night-time economy, testing the efficacy of commercial drug test kits and supporting police intensification weeks to increase understanding and awareness of this crime.

As part of the criteria for a person to act as a referee to a passport application, His Majesty’s Passport Office requires that the referee must hold a passport that it can validate to confirm that person’s identity. In addition to British passport holders, Irish passport holders can act as a passport referee.

For a British passport holder, an automated check is conducted through the interface with HM Passport Office systems. However, this system interface is not in place for the external checks against the Irish passport database, and these checks can currently only be conducted through the manual input of information. However, a range of technical options are being explored to enable Irish passport holders to verify UK passport applications using the online verification system in due course.