Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the money the Government has promised to allocate to the public sector in Northern Ireland to enable it to pay for the increase in employer contributions to National Insurance from April 2025 will be allocated on the basis of Barnett consequentials.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
At Autumn Budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer agreed to provide funding to the public sector to support them with the additional cost associated with changes to Employer National Insurance Contributions policy.
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 National Insurance Contributions. 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.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment her Department has made of the potential economic impact of the export procedures mandated by Section 45B (1) of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Windsor Framework guarantees our commitment to unfettered access, removing the requirement for export procedures, except in extremely limited exceptions (such as the movement of endangered species). Traders moving this limited range of goods can access support from the free-to-use Trader Support Service.
Under the unfettered access protections, which the Government is committed to on a permanent basis, qualifying Northern Ireland goods can move to Great Britain – either directly or via Ireland – without undergoing customs or SPS processes or controls.
The vast majority of goods move from Northern Ireland to Great Britain without any records being asked for or collected by any Government departments or agencies. Given the limited and specific requirements in place for export procedures, the proportion of goods moving which are subject to them is minimal.
Traders moving this limited range of goods may need to follow certain procedures prior to departure in Northern Ireland and further information can be found at Movement of goods from NI to GB - Northern Ireland Customs and Trade Academy (nicustomstradeacademy.co.uk)
Detailed guidance on the movement of qualifying Northern Ireland goods to Great Britain is available on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/moving-qualifying-goods-from-northern-ireland-to-the-rest-of-the-uk.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate her Department has made of the proportion of goods moving from Northern Ireland to Great Britain subject to the export procedures mandated by Section 45B (1) of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Windsor Framework guarantees our commitment to unfettered access, removing the requirement for export procedures, except in extremely limited exceptions (such as the movement of endangered species). Traders moving this limited range of goods can access support from the free-to-use Trader Support Service.
Under the unfettered access protections, which the Government is committed to on a permanent basis, qualifying Northern Ireland goods can move to Great Britain – either directly or via Ireland – without undergoing customs or SPS processes or controls.
The vast majority of goods move from Northern Ireland to Great Britain without any records being asked for or collected by any Government departments or agencies. Given the limited and specific requirements in place for export procedures, the proportion of goods moving which are subject to them is minimal.
Traders moving this limited range of goods may need to follow certain procedures prior to departure in Northern Ireland and further information can be found at Movement of goods from NI to GB - Northern Ireland Customs and Trade Academy (nicustomstradeacademy.co.uk)
Detailed guidance on the movement of qualifying Northern Ireland goods to Great Britain is available on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/moving-qualifying-goods-from-northern-ireland-to-the-rest-of-the-uk.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the export procedures required in relation to the movement of goods from Northern Ireland to Great Britain under the areas specified by Section 45B (1) of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 come into effect.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Windsor Framework guarantees our commitment to unfettered access, removing the requirement for export procedures, except in extremely limited exceptions (such as the movement of endangered species). Traders moving this limited range of goods can access support from the free-to-use Trader Support Service.
Under the unfettered access protections, which the Government is committed to on a permanent basis, qualifying Northern Ireland goods can move to Great Britain – either directly or via Ireland – without undergoing customs or SPS processes or controls.
The vast majority of goods move from Northern Ireland to Great Britain without any records being asked for or collected by any Government departments or agencies. Given the limited and specific requirements in place for export procedures, the proportion of goods moving which are subject to them is minimal.
Traders moving this limited range of goods may need to follow certain procedures prior to departure in Northern Ireland and further information can be found at Movement of goods from NI to GB - Northern Ireland Customs and Trade Academy (nicustomstradeacademy.co.uk)
Detailed guidance on the movement of qualifying Northern Ireland goods to Great Britain is available on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/moving-qualifying-goods-from-northern-ireland-to-the-rest-of-the-uk.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what export procedures will apply to goods moving from Northern Ireland to Great Britain in relation to each of the areas where export procedures are mandated by Section 45B (1) of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Windsor Framework guarantees our commitment to unfettered access, removing the requirement for export procedures, except in extremely limited exceptions (such as the movement of endangered species). Traders moving this limited range of goods can access support from the free-to-use Trader Support Service.
Under the unfettered access protections, which the Government is committed to on a permanent basis, qualifying Northern Ireland goods can move to Great Britain – either directly or via Ireland – without undergoing customs or SPS processes or controls.
The vast majority of goods move from Northern Ireland to Great Britain without any records being asked for or collected by any Government departments or agencies. Given the limited and specific requirements in place for export procedures, the proportion of goods moving which are subject to them is minimal.
Traders moving this limited range of goods may need to follow certain procedures prior to departure in Northern Ireland and further information can be found at Movement of goods from NI to GB - Northern Ireland Customs and Trade Academy (nicustomstradeacademy.co.uk)
Detailed guidance on the movement of qualifying Northern Ireland goods to Great Britain is available on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/moving-qualifying-goods-from-northern-ireland-to-the-rest-of-the-uk.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, (a) where and (b) how the checks on goods moving from Northern Ireland to Great Britain under the export procedures mandated by Section 45B (1) of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020 will take place.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Windsor Framework guarantees our commitment to unfettered access, removing the requirement for export procedures, except in extremely limited exceptions (such as the movement of endangered species). Traders moving this limited range of goods can access support from the free-to-use Trader Support Service.
Under the unfettered access protections, which the Government is committed to on a permanent basis, qualifying Northern Ireland goods can move to Great Britain – either directly or via Ireland – without undergoing customs or SPS processes or controls.
The vast majority of goods move from Northern Ireland to Great Britain without any records being asked for or collected by any Government departments or agencies. Given the limited and specific requirements in place for export procedures, the proportion of goods moving which are subject to them is minimal.
Traders moving this limited range of goods may need to follow certain procedures prior to departure in Northern Ireland and further information can be found at Movement of goods from NI to GB - Northern Ireland Customs and Trade Academy (nicustomstradeacademy.co.uk)
Detailed guidance on the movement of qualifying Northern Ireland goods to Great Britain is available on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/moving-qualifying-goods-from-northern-ireland-to-the-rest-of-the-uk.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of the availability of the funding required for the 5.5% pay increase recommended by the Pay Review Body for health workers in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Northern Ireland Executive (NIE) is being funded above its independently assessed relative need level of 124% in 2024-25 and 2025-26, including the 2024 restoration financial package. As a result of decisions taken at the Autumn Budget and Phase 1 of the Spending Review, the Northern Ireland Executive is receiving £18.2 billion in 2025-26. This represents the largest real-terms settlement since devolution.
The NIE is responsible for deciding how to allocate their funding across their devolved responsibilities, including the provision of pay awards for health workers.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the addition of VAT to school fees is compliant with section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
VAT is a reserved tax and the VAT changes will apply uniformly across the UK. Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 is not engaged by this policy.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of providing additional funding for the Bushmills area as part of the Causeway Coast and Glens growth deal.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
We are continuing to work closely with all Deal partners to understand the benefits of the City and Growth Deals programme, including the Causeway Coast and Glens Growth Deal.
Many of the City and Growth Deals have decades' worth of funding attached so it is right that we consider any remaining deals that haven't been signed yet in the round at the Spending Review, as we will have to do with many other long-term funding programmes.
We will provide certainty over the remaining Deals following phase 1 of the Spending Review which will conclude on 30 October.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps she took to raise awareness of the opportunity to tender for the provision of what became the Trader Support Service.
Answered by James Murray - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
In July 2020, HMRC advertised the opportunity to tender for the current Trader Support Service (TSS) on the government tender notice portal, Tenders Electronic Daily (TED), which has now been replaced by Find a Tender. Prior to the tender being published, HMRC issued a Prior Information Notice (PIN) on TED to identify potential suppliers, and interested suppliers were invited to engagement sessions on the requirements.