Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, with reference to Council Regulation amending Regulation (EC) No 1186/2009 as regards the elimination of the threshold-based customs duty relief, whether the duty to be paid on the movement of parcels from Great Britain to Northern Ireland will be paid by the person (a) sending the parcel in Great Britain and (b) receiving the parcel in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is aware of the EU's plans to remove its relief for low value imports from 1 July 2026.
The facilitations under the Windsor Framework are unaffected by this change, meaning goods can continue to move from Great Britain to Northern Ireland under the UK Carrier Scheme and the UK Internal Market Scheme without the need to pay duty. We continue to engage closely with the EU to understand the future arrangements and ensure we can minimise any potential impact on consumers and businesses in Northern Ireland. We will issue appropriate guidance in due course.
As announced at Budget, the Government will remove its low value imports relief by March 2029 at the latest. The Government is consulting on the design of its new arrangements and there is a live consultation open which closes on 6 March.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what guidance her Department plans to issue on whether the planned elimination of the threshold-based customs duty relief applies to (a) business to business, (b) business to consumer and (c) private individual parcel movements.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Government is aware of the EU's plans to remove its relief for low value imports from 1 July 2026.
The facilitations under the Windsor Framework are unaffected by this change, meaning goods can continue to move from Great Britain to Northern Ireland under the UK Carrier Scheme and the UK Internal Market Scheme without the need to pay duty. We continue to engage closely with the EU to understand the future arrangements and ensure we can minimise any potential impact on consumers and businesses in Northern Ireland. We will issue appropriate guidance in due course.
As announced at Budget, the Government will remove its low value imports relief by March 2029 at the latest. The Government is consulting on the design of its new arrangements and there is a live consultation open which closes on 6 March.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when his Department plans to refurbish the Boer War Memorial at St Lucia Barracks in Omagh, County Tyrone.
Answered by Louise Sandher-Jones - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence)
The Department has no plans to refurbish the War Memorial at St Lucia Barracks, as the site is currently in the process of disposal. Responsibility for any future refurbishment will fall to the new owner.
The memorial tablet to the fallen soldiers of the 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers is attached to a wall with listed status. It is itself considered to be part of that listed structure and therefore also protected.
Monthly site inspections are conducted by our personnel to assess the buildings safety and security.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, whether the PSNI informs her Department of the immigration status of victims and witnesses of crime in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Sarah Jones - Minister of State (Home Office)
PSNI may in the course of their duties refer individuals who are victims of crime to IE’s National Control and Command Unit for the purposes of establishing the individual’s immigration status and/or to support Home Office safeguarding processes.
The decision to refer any individual falls to the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Further guidance and policy in relation to PSNI referrals to IE will need to be addressed to PSNI directly.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, for what policy reason the Contracts for Difference (Sustainable Industry Rewards and Contract Budget Notice Amendments) Regulations 2026 do not apply to Northern Ireland; and what relevant legislation applies to Northern Ireland instead.
Answered by Michael Shanks - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In June 2022, following consideration of integrating Northern Ireland (NI) into the Great Britain Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme, former BEIS and Department for Economy (DfE) Ministers agreed that NI DfE would develop their own scheme with some advisory support from UK government. In September 2025, DfE published the Final Scheme Design for the Renewable Electricity Price Guarantee (REPG) scheme. Ports and factories in Northern Ireland remain eligible for the Clean Industry Bonus part of the CfD.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what review mechanisms are in place in respect of long term sealing of archived documents; for how long documents in respect of Kincora in Northern Ireland will be sealed; and for what reason this length of time has been chosen.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Records held by The National Archives in respect of Kincora are predominantly available to the public. They do however contain some extracts that have been closed for various lengths of time as they contain personal data. A list of these records and their opening dates can be found via this link to The National Archives’ online catalogue, Discovery. Members of the public may submit Freedom of Information requests in relation to information that has been withheld and they will then be re-reviewed to check if any further content can be released.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the status of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC); and what guidance her Department has issued to devolved institutions on engagement with that organisation.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government is committed to engaging respectfully and constructively with the Devolved Governments on international‑facing issues, recognising their interests and the value of working together where appropriate. Devolved Governments are appropriately briefed on the risks and opportunities of working with China. International relations, however, remain a reserved matter for the UK Government.
Engagement with China provides an important channel to address areas of concern and to cooperate where this aligns with UK interests.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent steps he has taken to help support (a) safeguarding reform in Northern Ireland and (b) cross‑border learning with safeguarding regulators in England, Scotland and Wales under the Four Nations Memorandum of Understanding.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Safeguarding is a devolved matter and the development of safeguarding policy and legislation is the responsibility of the Northern Ireland Executive.
This Government remains committed to working with partners across the UK to ensure the safety and protection of children and adults at risk. It is right that the four nations continue to collaborate to share best practices and maintain professional alignment across the United Kingdom.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the debate on the NI Remedial Order on 21 January 2026 and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland’s recital of 800 legacy civil cases, how many of these are against the Ministry of Defence.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
A total of 123 claims directed against the Ministry of Defence and other public bodies will be unfrozen under the Remedial Order. The Department is currently named as a defendant in 966 claims, including those restarting following the Remedial Order. However, itis not the primary or sole defendant in all of these cases.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Answer of 9 December to Question 97452 on Gambling Taxation, whether remote gambling licence holders are permitted under legislation to advertise in Northern Ireland; and what plans she has to allocate Northern Ireland a share of the Statutory Gambling Levy funds raised from remote licence holders.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
Section 5 of the Gambling (Licensing and Advertising) Act 2014 makes it an offence to advertise unlicensed remote gambling services in Northern Ireland. Any online operator who wishes to advertise their services in Northern Ireland must hold a licence from the Gambling Commission.
Wider gambling regulation is devolved in Northern Ireland and, as such, developing the most appropriate approach to tackle gambling-related harm to help residents in Northern Ireland is a matter for the Northern Ireland Executive. The Gambling Levy Regulations are subject to the jurisdiction of the Gambling Act 2005 and so profits levied in Great Britain will provide funding for projects and services in Great Britain only. However, it is likely that there will be some indirect benefits of levy funding for citizens in Northern Ireland.
DCMS officials have recently met with officials in Northern Ireland to discuss a wide range of issues. The Department stands ready to support the Northern Ireland Executive in their plans to strengthen gambling regulations.