Jeffrey M Donaldson

On 20 May 2020, the UK Government set out our approach to implementing the Northern Ireland Protocol in the Command Paper ‘The UK’s Approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol’. We are committed to meeting our obligations under the Protocol and, as we do, our priority remains protecting Northern Ireland’s place in our United Kingdom, and preserving the huge gains from the peace process and the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.

The EU published a technical note on the implementation of the Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland on 30th April, which can be found on the Commission’s website here.

The first meeting of the Specialised Committee on Northern Ireland took place on 30 April, following the first meeting of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee.

We stand ready to work with the EU in a constructive and collaborative spirit, building on our initial engagements in the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee and Ireland/Northern Ireland Specialised Committee.

On 20 May 2020, the UK Government set out our approach to implementing the Northern Ireland Protocol in the Command Paper ‘The UK’s Approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol’. We are committed to meeting our obligations under the Protocol and, as we do, our priority remains protecting Northern Ireland’s place in our United Kingdom, and preserving the huge gains from the peace process and the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.

The EU published a technical note on the implementation of the Protocol on Ireland / Northern Ireland on 30th April, which can be found on the Commission’s website here.

The first meeting of the Specialised Committee on Northern Ireland took place on 30 April, following the first meeting of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee.

We stand ready to work with the EU in a constructive and collaborative spirit, building on our initial engagements in the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee and Ireland/Northern Ireland Specialised Committee.

All centre assessment grades in England were signed off by head teachers or college principals who confirmed that they honestly and fairly represented the grades that these students would have been most likely to achieve if they had sat their exams as planned.

Following the release of A level results based on calculated grades, it became clear that there were far too many inconsistent and unfair outcomes for students. The Department agreed with Ofqual that grades for A levels and GCSEs should be awarded to students in England on the basis of students’ centre assessment grades or their calculated grades, whichever was higher. The Department believes this to be the fairest approach in the exceptional circumstances of this year, to avoid some students in England receiving grades that did not reflect their prior performance.

There was scope for schools to appeal where they believed that there had been errors of process, and students could also raise complaints if they had evidence of bias or discrimination. Schools have also been able to enter candidates for the exceptional autumn series to sit exams if they remain dissatisfied with their result.

The approach taken in Northern Ireland this summer was a matter for the Northern Ireland government and the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations & Assessment Regulation.

There are no plans to introduce a predicted grade results system in England for exams in the 2020-21 academic year. Exams and assessments are the best and fairest way of judging students’ performance, and we are clear in our intention that both the autumn and summer exam series should go ahead.

Most students taking exams in the autumn series received a centre assessment grade, based on an assessment of the likely grades that students would have obtained had exams gone ahead, or a calculated grade if that was higher. There is, therefore, no basis on which to award a different grade other than the student sitting the exam. Some students, for example some home-educated students, were not in a position to provide sufficient evidence for them to be able to receive a grade in the summer, and it remains the case that there would be insufficient evidence to award grades to those students unless they sit exams.

We continue to discuss arrangements for exams in summer 2021 with Ofqual, the exam boards, higher and further education representatives and other sector bodies to ensure that arrangements are fair and the 2021 cohort of students receive the qualifications they deserve.

The arrangements for awarding qualifications to students in Northern Ireland are a matter for the Northern Ireland government and the Council for Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment Regulation.

The Government is in regular dialogue with the food and farming industry in all parts of the UK as we forge ahead in our negotiations with the EU and other trading partners. We want a productive, profitable, resilient farming sector that is empowered to produce more of the high-quality food that is prized around the world and appreciated so much at home.

The UK is justly proud of its world-leading standards of food safety, animal welfare and environmental protection. These are the high standards British consumers expect from the food they eat and the high standards our hardworking farmers will continue to deliver. The Government’s manifesto made clear that we will not compromise on these high standards.

Our priority is a productive, competitive farming sector – one that will support farmers to provide more home grown food produced to higher environmental and animal welfare standards. The Government has committed to a serious and rapid examination of what could be done through labelling in the UK market to promote these high standards and high welfare goods.

Defra is working closely with the devolved administrations to agree the common frameworks that we will need for those returning EU powers that intersect with Devolved competence. The set of principles agreed at the Joint Ministerial Committee for EU negotiations (JMC (EN)) in October 2017 guide Defra in the development of these frameworks. This includes enabling the function of the UK internal market.

At the end of the transition period, the Withdrawal Act will convert all EU standards into domestic law. This includes a ban on using artificial growth hormones in both domestic and imported products. Nothing apart from potable water may be used to clean chicken carcasses. Any changes to these standards would have to come before Parliament.

The Government has also committed to a rapid review and a consultation on the role of labelling to promote high standards of animal welfare.

As part of usual Government business, the Environment Secretary has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues and members of the Northern Ireland Executive (NIE) on the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol, including the elements relating to the movements of agri-food and animal products.

On 20th May, we published the Command Paper, The UK’s Approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol (CP226).

We have always been clear that checks on live animals and agri-food will be needed for goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, building on what already happens at ports like Larne and Belfast. The Government is taking this forward with the NIE. We want to ensure new administrative procedures are streamlined and do not affect the flow of trade. The engagement forum announced in the Command Paper will enable business to put forward proposals in this regard.

There will be no new regulatory checks or export declarations as goods leave Northern Ireland for Great Britain. The UK’s Approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol reaffirms the Government’s commitment, first set out in New Decade, New Approach, to legislate to guarantee unfettered access for Northern Ireland’s businesses to the whole of the UK internal market and will ensure that this legislation is in force for 1 January 2021.

As part of usual Government business, the Environment Secretary has regular discussions with Cabinet colleagues and members of the Northern Ireland Executive (NIE) on the implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol, including the elements relating to the movements of agri-food and animal products.

On 20th May, we published the Command Paper, The UK’s Approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol (CP226).

We have always been clear that checks on live animals and agri-food will be needed for goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, building on what already happens at ports like Larne and Belfast. The Government is taking this forward with the NIE. We want to ensure new administrative procedures are streamlined and do not affect the flow of trade. The engagement forum announced in the Command Paper will enable business to put forward proposals in this regard.

There will be no new regulatory checks or export declarations as goods leave Northern Ireland for Great Britain. The UK’s Approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol reaffirms the Government’s commitment, first set out in New Decade, New Approach, to legislate to guarantee unfettered access for Northern Ireland’s businesses to the whole of the UK internal market and will ensure that this legislation is in force for 1 January 2021.

Oral antiviral treatments are available through the PANORAMIC national study, run by the University of Oxford. The study is open to individuals across the United Kingdom. General practitioner practices in Northern Ireland are expected to begin contacting patients eligible to enrol in the PANORAMIC study directly to increase recruitment.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), with advice from the Commission on Human Medicines, has closely evaluated the safety of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine since the vaccination programme was first introduced in the United Kingdom in 2008 and since Gardasil has been in routine use from 2012. Extensive reviews of Gardasil vaccine safety have also been undertaken by other independent health bodies/authorities worldwide, including the European Medicines Agency, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization. This continuous surveillance has found no evidence of serious harm or chronic illness caused by any HPV vaccine and is supported by published epidemiological studies from health authorities, including the MHRA and other independent academic researchers.

The Government has had four meetings with the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to monitor the evidence on the safety of abortion pills taken at home since 30 March 2020.

The Department continues to closely monitor the impact of the temporary approval for women’s homes to be classed as a place where both sets of medication for early medical abortion can be taken up to 10 weeks gestation. Officials have regular meetings on abortion issues more generally at which the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the CQC and abortion service providers are present and the evidence on the safety of abortion pills taken at home may have been discussed at these meeting in addition to the meetings outlined.

The information is not held in the format requested.

The Department does not hold this information centrally.

The Government has committed to implementing in full the recommendations in the Bishop of Truro's review, and work continues to implement them in a way that will bring real improvement to the lives of those persecuted due to their faith or belief. Of the 22 recommendations we have fully delivered ten, made good progress on a further eight, and are confident that all 22 will be delivered by the time of the independent review in 2022. At a country level, Ministers and officials regularly raise specific cases of concern, and discuss practices and laws that discriminate on the basis of religion or belief.

On recommendation 11, the FCDO is currently working with an external implementer to develop training for staff on religion for international engagement. The implementer, the Edward Cadbury Centre at the University of Birmingham, is consulting with a wide range of external stakeholders, including those that work specifically on Christian Persecution. The training will support our work on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all, including amplifying the FoRB toolkit.

Posts across the FCDO network regularly report on the local human rights situation, including in relation to the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of religion or belief, and reflect engagement with the host government, religious leaders, civil society and NGOs. Staff make use of the Freedom of Religion or Belief Toolkit to establish a baseline for their reporting. In line with recommendation 12 of the Bishop of Truro's review, good progress is being made on developing a framework for reporting on FoRB. It will include guidance on who to engage with, and how to form recommendations for action.

The Government has committed to implementing in full the recommendations in the Bishop of Truro's review, and work continues to implement them in a way that will bring real improvement to the lives of those persecuted due to their faith or belief. Of the 22 recommendations we have fully delivered ten, made good progress on a further eight, and are confident that all 22 will be delivered by the time of the independent review in 2022. At a country level, Ministers and officials regularly raise specific cases of concern, and discuss practices and laws that discriminate on the basis of religion or belief.

On recommendation 11, the FCDO is currently working with an external implementer to develop training for staff on religion for international engagement. The implementer, the Edward Cadbury Centre at the University of Birmingham, is consulting with a wide range of external stakeholders, including those that work specifically on Christian Persecution. The training will support our work on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all, including amplifying the FoRB toolkit.

Posts across the FCDO network regularly report on the local human rights situation, including in relation to the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of religion or belief, and reflect engagement with the host government, religious leaders, civil society and NGOs. Staff make use of the Freedom of Religion or Belief Toolkit to establish a baseline for their reporting. In line with recommendation 12 of the Bishop of Truro's review, good progress is being made on developing a framework for reporting on FoRB. It will include guidance on who to engage with, and how to form recommendations for action.

The Government has committed to implementing in full the recommendations in the Bishop of Truro's review, and work continues to implement them in a way that will bring real improvement to the lives of those persecuted due to their faith or belief. Of the 22 recommendations we have fully delivered ten, made good progress on a further eight, and are confident that all 22 will be delivered by the time of the independent review in 2022. At a country level, Ministers and officials regularly raise specific cases of concern, and discuss practices and laws that discriminate on the basis of religion or belief.

On recommendation 11, the FCDO is currently working with an external implementer to develop training for staff on religion for international engagement. The implementer, the Edward Cadbury Centre at the University of Birmingham, is consulting with a wide range of external stakeholders, including those that work specifically on Christian Persecution. The training will support our work on freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all, including amplifying the FoRB toolkit.

Posts across the FCDO network regularly report on the local human rights situation, including in relation to the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of religion or belief, and reflect engagement with the host government, religious leaders, civil society and NGOs. Staff make use of the Freedom of Religion or Belief Toolkit to establish a baseline for their reporting. In line with recommendation 12 of the Bishop of Truro's review, good progress is being made on developing a framework for reporting on FoRB. It will include guidance on who to engage with, and how to form recommendations for action.

The UK remains deeply concerned about the appalling human rights situation in the DPRK. Its Government must address the many reports of continued and widespread human rights violations in the country, including the arbitrary detention of its citizens. That is why, in July 2020, the UK designated two DPRK entities through the Global Human Rights sanctions regime, including the Ministry of State Security Bureau 7 and Ministry of People's Security Correctional Bureau.

The UK, in conjunction with partners including the US and Canada, have announced targeted sanctions against nine high-ranking military officials and two military conglomerates for their role in serious human rights violations in Myanmar. We are consulting with partners on further measures, including additional sanctions. There will be a cost on the Myanmar military, and we will consider all tools at our disposal to do so. These sanctions follow the 16 individuals from the Myanmar military who were previously listed by the UK for human rights violations.

We are deeply concerned by Eritrean involvement in the conflict in Tigray. The Minister for Africa has made clear to the Eritrean Ambassador the UK's concern about reports of human rights violations by all parties to the conflict, the dire humanitarian conditions in Tigray, and the need for the withdrawal of Eritrean troops from Tigray. Perpetrators of human rights abuses and violations must be held to account, whoever they are.

The Government has committed to implementing the Bishop of Truro's recommendations in full, and work continues to implement them in a way that will bring real improvement to the lives of those persecuted due to their faith or belief. Of the 22 recommendations we have fully delivered ten, made good progress on a further eight, and are confident that all 22 will be delivered by the time of the independent review in 2022. At a country level, Ministers and officials regularly raise specific cases of concern, and discuss practices and laws that discriminate on the basis of religion or belief.

On 20 December 2020, the Prime Minister reaffirmed his commitment to FoRB by appointing Fiona Bruce MP as his Special Envoy for FoRB. Mrs Bruce works with the Minister of State responsible for Human Rights, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, to continue work on delivering the recommendations.

I welcome the restoration of the Northern Ireland Executive.

The UK Government is providing £2 billion of financial support to the re-formed Executive as part of the New Decade, New Approach Agreement to transform public services and address Northern Ireland’s unique circumstances.

The responsibility for the Troubles-related incident victims payment scheme sits with the Northern Ireland Executive.

During the last five financial years HMRC collected the following total cash receipts for the Aggregates Levy (AGL) from UK taxpayers:

2014/15 = £342 million

2015/16 = £356 million

2016/17 = £374 million

2017/18 = £376 million

2018/19 = £367 million

HMRC publish this information within the Aggregates Levy Bulletin:

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/aggregates-levy-bulletin

No disaggregation of AGL receipts collected from quarries and sandpits in Northern Ireland is available, as this information is not recorded on trader returns or cash receipts.

As with most taxes, the revenue raised from the Aggregates Levy goes into the Consolidated Fund, which is used to finance public services and the Government’s priorities. The Barnett formula is applied in the normal way on all planned changes in UK government departmental budgets.

As a result of UK Government decisions at this Budget, the Northern Ireland Executive will benefit from a funding boost of over £210 million, on top of the £430 million additional funding in 2020-21 provided at Spending Round 2019. Taken together, the Northern Ireland Barnett-based block grant will rise to over £13 billion in 2020/21.

Resolution 2318 concerns the protection of freedom of religion or belief in the workplace. Both the Equality and Human Rights Commission and ACAS have published guidance for employers and employees about this matter.

Additionally, ACAS offers online training for employers on religion or belief in the workplace.

The guidance and the online training are available at: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/religion-or-belief-workplace ; and https://elearning.acas.org.uk/login/index.php

The right hon. Member will be aware that the full conclusions of the Integrated Review will be published next week, and the Defence Secretary intends to set out his plans for Defence shortly afterwards. It would not be appropriate for me to pre-empt these announcements in any way however you can rest assured that the Government is absolutely committed that the UK continues to have a world class Armed Forces based across all of our Nations, and that we remain resolute in our intent to protect and promote the combined strengths of our Union.

Freedom of religion or belief is a fundamental human right, and one which underpins many of the others. Britain has a proud tradition of religious tolerance, within the law. The UK is committed to defending Freedom of Religion or Belief and promoting respect between communities of different religions and those of no religion. Promoting the right to Freedom of Religion or Belief is one of the UK’s human rights policy priorities. In the UN, OSCE, Council of Europe and other multilateral fora, the UK works with like-minded partners on Freedom of Religion or Belief.

The Government is committed to ensuring that people are protected against discrimination because of religion or belief, and that they?are able to?exercise the right to hold and manifest their beliefs in a reasonable manner.

Resolution 2318 concerns the protection of freedom of religion or belief in the workplace. Domestic anti-discrimination provisions covering religion or belief are contained in the Equality Act 2010. Anyone who feels that they have suffered discrimination because of religion or belief can contact either The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS), for issues related to the workplace, or the Equality Advisory and Support Service (EASS) for non-employment matters. Both services provide free advice to members of the public.

ACAS and the EASS refer appropriate cases to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which is the country’s national equality and enforcement body. Both the EHRC and ACAS have published guidance for employers and employees about religion or belief and the workplace.

The UK Government thanks the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) for its recent debate, report, and Resolution 2318 (2020) on the protection of freedom of religion or belief in the workplace. Working with partners and key stakeholders, the UK Government will continue to consider actively, and across departments, the important topics raised by Resolution 2318 (2020).

The UK Government recognises the importance of ensuring proper provision of, and access to, health services right across the UK. That is why it is important we continue to see a functioning Executive delivering for all the people of Northern Ireland and tackling these crucial issues.

The Executive’s focus over the past year has been on responding to the Covid-19 pandemic but as we now recover, the Executive must ensure that they Build Back Better to deliver the public services that the people of Northern Ireland deserve.

I welcome the plan to address waiting times in Northern Ireland and reform the health and social care system through the Elective Care Framework announced by the Executive’s Health Minister and I look forward to engaging with him on it in the near future.

The UK Government is providing substantial funding to the Executive of £15.6bn in 2021/22 to enable it to deliver excellent public services. This is in addition to the £445m explicitly to support the transformation of public services from NDNA and Confidence and Supply. It is for the Executive to make the necessary decisions to ensure this funding is used effectively.

I have held, and will continue to hold, engagements with colleagues across the UK Government, the Northern Ireland Executive and with other stakeholders in Northern Ireland on the Levelling Up Fund.

The Levelling Up Fund will invest in local infrastructure that has a visible impact on people and their communities. It will run from 2021/22 to 2024/25, and drive regeneration in places in need. The prospectus for the Levelling Up Fund was published last week and sets out that the Fund will focus on three themes in its first year: smaller transport projects that make a genuine difference to local areas; town centre and high street regeneration; and support for maintaining and expanding the UK’s world-leading portfolio of cultural and heritage assets.

The Fund is being delivered as part of a broad package of complementary UK-wide interventions, including the UK Community Renewal Fund and the UK Community Ownership Fund.

Freeports will be national hubs for international trade, innovation and commerce, regenerating communities across the UK; attracting new businesses, spreading jobs, investment and opportunity to towns and cities across the country.

We want to ensure that the whole of the UK can benefit, and we are working with HM Treasury and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, as well as working constructively with the Northern Ireland Executive, to establish at least one Freeport in Northern Ireland as soon as possible.

The Government has been clear that it will bring forward legislation to address the legacy of the troubles that focuses on reconciliation, delivers for victims, and ends the cycle of investigations.

We continue to engage with victims groups and civic society stakeholders, as well as the Irish Government and Northern Ireland parties in order to find a way forward as soon as possible. We will provide further details in due course.

The Government has been clear that we will introduce legislation to address the legacy of the Troubles in Northern Ireland in a way that focuses on reconciliation, delivers for victims, and ends the cycle of reinvestigations that has failed victims and veterans alike.

We remain committed to making progress and engaging on these issues with the Northern Ireland parties, the Irish Government, and stakeholders from across the community including victims groups as quickly as possible.