Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much from the public purse the UK provided to the EU for any purpose in financial years (a) 2019-20, (b) 2020-21, (c) 2021-22, (d) 2022-23 and (e) 2023-24.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
As part of the Withdrawal Agreement, the UK agreed the Financial Settlement with the EU. This provides a methodology for settling pre-existing UK financial obligations and is not a fixed amount.
The European Union Finances Statement 2023 sets out HM Treasury’s estimates of the size of these obligations in more detail. As at 31st December 2023, the UK is estimated to have paid £23.8bn in net liabilities under the agreement since February 2020. HM Treasury will provide updated figures for 2024 in the next annual statement, expected in Spring 2025.
Other payments to the EU, such as those under the Trade and Cooperation Agreement, are reported in departments' annual accounts and normal budgetary disclosures.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 16 December 2024 to Question 19620 on Public Expenditure: Northern Ireland, if she will increase funding to Northern Ireland for the additional cost associated with changes to Employer National Insurance Contributions in the context of the higher proportion of public sector employees.
Answered by Darren Jones - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The UK Government has agreed to provide funding to the public sector to support them with the additional costs associated with changes to employer National Insurance Contributions policy.
The Northern Ireland Executive will receive funding through the Barnett formula for any additional support provided to UK Government departments in 2025-26 as a result of this policy change. This is the normal operation of the funding arrangements for the devolved governments as set out in the Statement of Funding Policy.
The Interim Fiscal Framework agreed by the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive recognises that Northern Ireland has a higher level of relative need compared to equivalent UK Government spending in the rest of the UK. A 24% needs-based factor is now included in the Barnett Formula for the Northern Ireland Executive, and the Executive is receiving over 24% more per person than equivalent UK Government spending in 2024-25 and 2025-26, including the 2024 restoration financial package.
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.