Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of proposed fuel duty on (a) biodiesel, (b) bio blends and (c) fuel substitutes used in heating on the attractiveness of transitioning to lower carbon fuels as part of a transition to net zero emissions.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
At Budget 2020, the Chancellor announced that the Government will remove the entitlement to use rebated diesel and biofuels from most sectors from April 2022. This will more fairly reflect the negative environmental impact of the emissions they produce and help to ensure that the tax system incentivises the development and adoption of greener alternative technologies. As part of the changes, duty will also be extended to biodiesel used for heating.
The Government recognised that these reforms would be a significant change for some businesses and ran a consultation to gather information on the expected impact and make sure it had not overlooked any exceptional reasons why affected sectors should be allowed to continue to use rebated diesel and biofuels beyond April 2022. During the consultation period, the Government engaged directly with a wide variety of organisations from all parts of the UK, including sectors which consume rebated diesel and biofuels, and fuel suppliers.
Following the consultation, the Chancellor granted entitlements to use rebated diesel and biofuels after April 2022 for a limited number of users, including for use in non-commercial heating and power generation. In the case of non-commercial heating, the Government felt there was a risk that removing entitlement would significantly increase the heating bills of households that use diesel, especially those in areas off the gas grid where there is no alternative.
The Government did not believe that the cases made by sectors that will not retain their red diesel entitlement outweighed the need to ensure fairness between the different uses of diesel fuels and the Government’s environmental objectives.
To support the development of alternatives that affected businesses can switch to, the Government is at least doubling the funding provided for energy innovation through the new £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio. From that portfolio, the Government announced the £40 million Red Diesel Replacement Competition, which will provide grant funding for projects that develop and demonstrate lower carbon, lower cost alternatives to red diesel for the construction, and mining and quarrying sectors.
HMRC have published interim guidance on the implementation of the changes to the tax treatment of rebated fuels, which is available at:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-rebated-fuels-entitlement-from-1-april-2022
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the changes to rebated diesel and biofuels scheduled for April 2022 on (a) consumers and (b) suppliers in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Helen Whately - Shadow Secretary of State for Transport
At Budget 2020, the Chancellor announced that the Government will remove the entitlement to use rebated diesel and biofuels from most sectors from April 2022. This will more fairly reflect the negative environmental impact of the emissions they produce and help to ensure that the tax system incentivises the development and adoption of greener alternative technologies. As part of the changes, duty will also be extended to biodiesel used for heating.
The Government recognised that these reforms would be a significant change for some businesses and ran a consultation to gather information on the expected impact and make sure it had not overlooked any exceptional reasons why affected sectors should be allowed to continue to use rebated diesel and biofuels beyond April 2022. During the consultation period, the Government engaged directly with a wide variety of organisations from all parts of the UK, including sectors which consume rebated diesel and biofuels, and fuel suppliers.
Following the consultation, the Chancellor granted entitlements to use rebated diesel and biofuels after April 2022 for a limited number of users, including for use in non-commercial heating and power generation. In the case of non-commercial heating, the Government felt there was a risk that removing entitlement would significantly increase the heating bills of households that use diesel, especially those in areas off the gas grid where there is no alternative.
The Government did not believe that the cases made by sectors that will not retain their red diesel entitlement outweighed the need to ensure fairness between the different uses of diesel fuels and the Government’s environmental objectives.
To support the development of alternatives that affected businesses can switch to, the Government is at least doubling the funding provided for energy innovation through the new £1 billion Net Zero Innovation Portfolio. From that portfolio, the Government announced the £40 million Red Diesel Replacement Competition, which will provide grant funding for projects that develop and demonstrate lower carbon, lower cost alternatives to red diesel for the construction, and mining and quarrying sectors.
HMRC have published interim guidance on the implementation of the changes to the tax treatment of rebated fuels, which is available at:
www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-rebated-fuels-entitlement-from-1-april-2022
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether people travelling from non red list countries and who have connecting flights in English airports with final destinations in Northern Ireland are required to quarantine in England or in their end destination in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Maggie Throup
Travellers from non ‘red list’ countries travelling to Northern Ireland via England must observe the regulations in both England and Northern Ireland.
Those who are fully vaccinated are required to take a day two polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and self-isolate at the address provided on their passenger locator form. They may leave quarantine if their day two PCR result is negative.
Non-vaccinated arrivals must quarantine for 10 days at the address provided on the passenger locator form and take day two and day eight PCR tests. They have the option to take the day five test to release, if the day two test is negative.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent discussions she has had with her US counterpart on the Northern Ireland Protocol; and what effect concerns raised by the US administration on the Northern Ireland Protocol and Article 16 have on the Government's negotiating position in respect of EU proposals which would lead to an 80 per cent reduction in checks on food products arriving in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
As stated on 2nd December by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Member for Portsmouth North, discussions with the European Union on the Northern Ireland Protocol and discussions with the United States on a prospective Free Trade Agreement are two entirely separate issues. We do not see any connection between them and will not perpetuate such false narratives.
The Secretary of State for International Trade remains in regular contact with her counterpart, United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai, on our bilateral relationship. During their meeting on 20th September, they discussed a range of topics including the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, and they met again on 7th December.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what recent assessment she has made of the impact of negotiations on the Northern Ireland Protocol on the prospects of a trade deal with the US.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
As stated on 2nd December by my Rt Hon. Friend, the Member for Portsmouth North, discussions with the European Union on the Northern Ireland Protocol and discussions with the United States on a prospective Free Trade Agreement are two entirely separate issues. We do not see any connection between them and will not perpetuate such false narratives.
The Secretary of State for International Trade remains in regular contact with her counterpart, United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai, on our bilateral relationship. During their meeting on 20th September, they discussed a range of topics including the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, and they met again on 7th December.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what progress the Government has made on negotiations with the EU on the Northern Ireland Protocol; and what effect concerns raised by the US administration have on the Government's negotiating position with regards to the EU's proposals to reduce custom checks and supply chain issues in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Michael Ellis
Lord Frost last spoke to European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič on Friday 10 December. They covered the full range of outstanding issues and Lord Frost welcomed the Commission's professed readiness to make progress on them.
Nevertheless, whilst there has been some potential convergence on medicines, no agreement has been reached. The gap between our positions is still significant and progress on important issues remains limited.
We and the US have made clear the paramount need to protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in all its dimensions. The UK has been consistently clear that significant changes are needed to the Protocol in order to protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and Northern Ireland’s place in the UK internal market. Negotiations with the EU commission are focused solely on resolving these issues.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what effect the continuation of the imposition of the 25 per cent tariff on US imported whiskies has had on the Government's negotiating position on proposals by the EU to resolve issues in respect of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We and the US have made clear the paramount need to protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in all its dimensions. The UK has been consistently clear that significant changes are needed to the Protocol in order to protect the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and Northern Ireland’s place in the UK internal market. The tariff on imported US whisky is a completely separate issue.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the US State Department on the Government’s proposed legacy plans for Northern Ireland.
Answered by Wendy Morton
The Foreign Secretary and US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken speak regularly on a broad range of issues, including Northern Ireland. Our Embassy in Washington regularly engages with the US Administration and Congress on Northern Ireland. The Government wants to work with all our partners in the United States, the European Union and Ireland to ensure that Northern Ireland can continue to prosper.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions the Government has had with political representatives in the United States on the Government’s proposed legacy plans for Northern Ireland; and what assessment he has made of the implications for any legislative proposals of the views of members of the US Congress on on the Government's legacy proposals.
Answered by Conor Burns
The UK Government welcomes the deep and ongoing interest of US representatives in Northern Ireland issues.
Since the publication of the Command Paper in July, we have listened carefully to many different views on the Government’s legacy proposals, including from US political representatives.
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has undertaken significant engagement with US stakeholders that form part of our wider engagement, which will inform our next steps.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Prime Minister, what discussions he has had with President Biden on the Government’s proposed legacy plans for Northern Ireland; and what assessment he has made of the implications for any legislative proposals of the views of members of the US Congress on those plans.
Answered by Boris Johnson
President Biden and I speak regularly on a broad range of issues, including Northern Ireland which was raised in our last in-person meeting on 21 September. I reiterated the Government’s unshakable commitment to the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and we agreed on the importance of protecting peace in Northern Ireland. Our Embassy in Washington regularly engages with the US Administration and Congress on Northern Ireland. The Government wants to work with all our partners in the United States, the European Union and Ireland to ensure that Northern Ireland can continue to prosper.