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, how much the US was charged for the use of Diego Garcia as a military base for each of the last five financial years.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer to question 81887 on 22 October.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with respect to the Windsor Framework Independent Monitory Panel Report on the first reporting period for the UK Internal Market Guarantee for 1 January to 30 June 2025, whether the 4% of movements that paid duty relates to all movements that involved the payment of duties or just those movements that involved the payment of duties and had not sought reimbursement under the duty reimbursement scheme.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I can confirm that 96% of the value of goods moving by freight did so within the UK internal market system, as set out in my Written Ministerial Statement laid in the House on 5 November (HCWS1021) on the Independent Monitoring Panel report covering the period of 1 January-30 June 2025.
Whilst I would emphasise that it remains a matter for the Panel to determine what it reports on and recommends to the Government, I can also confirm that the facilitations relevant to the Internal Market Guarantee are in accordance with the Windsor Framework.
Page 6 and 7 of the Panel’s report sets out the methodological basis of its reporting. Goods movements subject to tariffs are not counted toward the Guarantee, even when they are later provided with reimbursement. They are therefore counted within the 4% statistic of goods that did not move within the UK internal market system.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the Windsor Framework Independent Monitory Panel Report on the first reporting period for the UK Internal Market Guarantee for 1 January - 30 June 2025, what proportion of the 96% movements by value moved without the payment of a duty (a) were made in compliance with (i) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1128 of 24 March 2023 and (ii) Regulation (EU) 2023/1231 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2023 and (b) were made under the full EU Customs Code, Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 October 2013.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I can confirm that 96% of the value of goods moving by freight did so within the UK internal market system, as set out in my Written Ministerial Statement laid in the House on 5 November (HCWS1021) on the Independent Monitoring Panel report covering the period of 1 January-30 June 2025.
Whilst I would emphasise that it remains a matter for the Panel to determine what it reports on and recommends to the Government, I can also confirm that the facilitations relevant to the Internal Market Guarantee are in accordance with the Windsor Framework.
Page 6 and 7 of the Panel’s report sets out the methodological basis of its reporting. Goods movements subject to tariffs are not counted toward the Guarantee, even when they are later provided with reimbursement. They are therefore counted within the 4% statistic of goods that did not move within the UK internal market system.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the Windsor Framework Independent Monitory Panel Report on the first reporting period for the UK Internal Market Guarantee for 1 January - 30 June 2025, whether the more than 80% of all freight movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland referred to took place under the UK internal market system, in line with page 15 of the Safeguarding the Union Command Paper, as distinct from whether more than 80% of all freight movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland by value moved without paying any duty, and (b) what was the figure.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I can confirm that 96% of the value of goods moving by freight did so within the UK internal market system, as set out in my Written Ministerial Statement laid in the House on 5 November (HCWS1021) on the Independent Monitoring Panel report covering the period of 1 January-30 June 2025.
Whilst I would emphasise that it remains a matter for the Panel to determine what it reports on and recommends to the Government, I can also confirm that the facilitations relevant to the Internal Market Guarantee are in accordance with the Windsor Framework.
Page 6 and 7 of the Panel’s report sets out the methodological basis of its reporting. Goods movements subject to tariffs are not counted toward the Guarantee, even when they are later provided with reimbursement. They are therefore counted within the 4% statistic of goods that did not move within the UK internal market system.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, for what reason the Trader Support Service has not used the derogation to delay until 1 January 2026 the commencement of Import Control System 2 for the movement of goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
All businesses, including those using the Trader Support Service, have until midnight on 31 December 2025 to onboard onto the Import Control System 2 (ICS2), so they can continue to provide safety and security information for certain goods moving by road to Northern Ireland.
Traders can continue to move goods through the Trader Support Service using ICS NI until 31 December 2025.
The ICS2 system has been available for road movements since 1 April 2025, with operators initially having until 1 September 2025 to onboard to the new system. This has subsequently been extended to 31 December 2025 to give businesses more time to prepare.
HMRC has an extensive communications and engagement plan to support business readiness for the changes, and businesses moving goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland are encouraged to start using ICS2 before 31 December 2025 if they are ready to do so.
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 the introduction of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism on the functioning of the UK Internal Market for (a) the period 1 January 2026 - 31 December 2026 and (b) the period 1 January 2027 onwards, and what steps he taken to prepare businesses for the legislation.
Answered by Chris Bryant - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) will apply in its definitive regime from January 2026 but will not apply in Northern Ireland. It could only apply with UK agreement and under Windsor Framework democratic safeguards. From 2027, UK CBAM will apply across the entire UK, including Northern Ireland, ensuring consistent requirements for businesses.
To support business readiness for EU CBAM, the Department for Business and Trade has compiled a comprehensive support package, including Export Support Service (ESS), webinars, and an upcoming explainer on business.gov.uk, signposting to relevant European Commission resources. This package is informed by extensive engagement with businesses.
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 potential impact of the introduction of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism mandated by Regulation (EU) 2023/956 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10 May 2023 on trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland from 1 January 2026 for the period (a) between 1 January 2026 and 31 December 2026 and (b) from from 1 January 2027 onwards.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
From January 2027, the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (UK CBAM) will apply across the whole of the UK, including Northern Ireland. The UK Government included an assessment of business impacts in the 2024 consultation 'Introduction of a UK carbon border adjustment mechanism from 2027'.
The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (EU CBAM) will apply in its definitive regime from January 2026 and does not apply in Northern Ireland.
To support business readiness for the EU CBAM, the Department for Business and Trade offers a comprehensive support package, including the Export Support Service (ESS), webinars, and an upcoming digital explainer on business.gov.uk, signposting to relevant European Commission resources.
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 potential impact of the introduction of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism on businesses in Northern Ireland in (a) 2026 and (b) 2027; and what steps her Department is taking to help prepare businesses in Northern Ireland for the implementation of that mechanism.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
From January 2027, the UK Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (UK CBAM) will apply across the whole of the UK, including Northern Ireland. The UK Government included an assessment of business impacts in the 2024 consultation 'Introduction of a UK carbon border adjustment mechanism from 2027'.
The EU Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (EU CBAM) will apply in its definitive regime from January 2026 and does not apply in Northern Ireland.
To support business readiness for the EU CBAM, the Department for Business and Trade offers a comprehensive support package, including the Export Support Service (ESS), webinars, and an upcoming digital explainer on business.gov.uk, signposting to relevant European Commission resources.
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, pursuant to the Answer of 28 February 2025 to Question 31221 on Carbon Emissions: UK Trade with EU, if he will make a comparative estimate of the potential impact of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism on the price of electricity in (a) Northern Ireland and (b) Great Britain after 1 January 2026.
Answered by Martin McCluskey - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
I refer the Hon. Member to the answer given on 28 February 2025 to Question 31221
The EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) is in an implementation period until January 2026 and applies to exports of electricity to the EU but not electricity for the UK market. The EU Commission has said that it intends to finalise the regulation via legislation over 2025. It remains difficult to conduct an accurate assessment of any potential impacts.
The UK will continue to engage closely with the EU as it finalises the CBAM and will continue to raise the need for clarity on the practical implementation of the CBAM for trade in electricity, given the challenges involved. Alongside this, to support business readiness for the EU CBAM, the Department for Business and Trade offers a comprehensive support package through business.gov.uk, signposting to relevant European Commission resources.
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 protocols govern the President of the Republic of Ireland carrying out engagements in Northern Ireland; and whether the UK Government is (a) notified and (b) required to consent in advance of such visits.
Answered by Stephen Doughty - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
There is no formal requirement for a Head of State to notify the UK Government ahead of a visit to the UK. In practice, most foreign governments do notify the UK government ahead of visits, particularly to discuss security arrangements.