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 Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what recent estimate his Department has made of the potential impact of trade deals negotiated since 2020 on economic growth in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland.
Answered by Douglas Alexander - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Department of Business and Trade (DBT) does not hold an aggregated value for the impact of the signed trade deals on the UK’s nations and regions. Instead, the Department publishes individual Impact Assessments (IAs) for new free trade agreements (FTAs) which set out the potential economic impacts on the UKs nations and regions. These show that all English regions and UK nations are expected to benefit from the new FTAs signed with Japan, Australia, New Zealand and CPTPP.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential impact of (a) eBay and (b) other sellers based in Great Britain turning off their seller accounts to Northern Ireland because of the costs of compliance with the General Product Safety Regulations 2023 on consumers in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Our assessment of the impact of the updated GPSR remains that it largely formalises how businesses are operating in the UK and that where businesses need to make changes, in most cases, they will be adapting to continue trading with the EU. The measures are therefore likely to have limited impact in practice. We are providing guidance which we will keep under review as we continue to engage businesses – including online marketplaces – to ensure we are supporting them to trade freely across the whole of the UK.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what discussions he has had with (a) eBay and (b) other online sellers on the potential impact of the General Product Safety Regulations 2023 on the ability of consumers in Northern Ireland to continue to buy goods from Great Britain.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
My fellow ministers and I undertake regular engagement with businesses, including online marketplaces and those who sell products online, to listen to their concerns.
In addition, officials in my Department have regular discussions with business representatives, including online marketplaces and businesses that sell products online, on a range of issues, including the impact of the EU’s new General Product Safety Regulations. This engagement allows businesses to raise specific issues directly with the Government.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of (a) eBay and (b) other sellers based in England, Wales and Scotland turning off their seller accounts to Northern Ireland because of the costs of having to comply with the General Product Safety Regulations 2023 on (i) the supply of goods and (ii) price levels in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Our assessment of the impact of the updated GPSR remains that it largely formalises how businesses are operating in the UK and that where businesses need to make changes, in most cases, they will be adapting to continue trading with the EU. The measures are therefore likely to have limited impact in practice. We are providing guidance which we will keep under review as we continue to engage businesses – including online marketplaces – to ensure we are supporting them to trade freely across the whole of the UK.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if he will make an assessment of the potential implications for his policies of (a) eBay and (b) other sellers based in England, Wales and Scotland turning off their seller accounts to Northern Ireland because of the costs for compliance with the General Product Safety Regulations 2023.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Our assessment of the impact of the updated GPSR remains that it largely formalises how businesses are operating in the UK and that where businesses need to make changes, in most cases, they will be adapting to continue trading with the EU. The measures are therefore likely to have limited impact in practice. We are providing guidance which we will keep under review as we continue to engage businesses – including online marketplaces – to ensure we are supporting them to trade freely across the whole of the UK.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, if his Department will make an estimate of the potential (a) direct cost to (i) producers, (ii) retailers and (iii) consumers in Northern Ireland and (b) economic impact to Great Britain of compliance with the General Product Safety Regulations 2023.
Answered by Justin Madders - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Our assessment of the impact of the updated GPSR remains that it largely formalises how businesses are operating in the UK and that where businesses need to make changes, in most cases, they will be adapting to continue trading with the EU. The measures are therefore likely to have limited impact in practice. We are providing guidance which we will keep under review as we continue to engage businesses – including online marketplaces – to ensure we are supporting them to trade freely across the whole 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 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.