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Written Question
EU Staff: Pensions
Tuesday 8th October 2019

Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Callanan on 27 September (HL17569), whether the financial obligations the UK will have to the EU in the event of a no-deal Brexit will include an appropriate contribution towards the pension liabilities to existing and forthcoming EU pensions for staff and members of the various EU institutions.

Answered by Lord Bethell

It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Prorogation. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.


Written Question
EU Staff: Pensions
Friday 27th September 2019

Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to withhold any part of the money negotiated as part of the withdrawal agreement to cover the pension liabilities of present and former staff and office holders of the EU institutions in the event of a no-deal Brexit.

Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The original £39bn was part of the Withdrawal Agreement as negotiated. If the UK leaves without a deal, then that figure will no longer apply. In this scenario, the Government will have to determine what financial obligations the UK has to the EU. We will not simply accept the original £39bn figure in the Withdrawal Agreement.


Written Question
European External Action Service
Monday 19th November 2018

Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many UK nationals currently work for the European External Action Service (EEAS); how many of these staff are on secondment from the UK civil service; whether they have undertaken an assessment of how many of those (1) on secondment, and (2) directly employed by the EEAS plan to continue to work there after the UK leaves the EU; and if so, what were their findings.

Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Information provided by the EEAS shows that as of 14 November 2018 there were a total of 115 UK nationals working for the EEAS. Of these, 33 were seconded from the UK civil service.

The EEAS has informed staff of UK nationality that all HMG officials seconded to the EEAS will be required to end their role by 29 March 2019. Permanent Officials employed by the EEAS with UK nationality will be able to continue their employment in Headquarters in Brussels, but they will no longer be able to serve in EU Delegations overseas.

As set out in the Government’s White Paper on the future relationship between the UK and the EU, we hope to agree a programme for the reciprocal exchange of expertise and skills as part of the future UK-EU partnership. Our priority is agreeing mutually beneficial arrangements for the longer term, in line with our overall future partnership with the EU.


Written Question
Court of Justice of the European Union: Judgements
Wednesday 11th July 2018

Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the translation of EU legislation into UK domestic law, what plans they have to ensure that subsequent judgments of the Court of Justice of the European Union are taken into account in that translated law.

Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

As provided for in the EU (Withdrawal) Act, UK courts and tribunals will no longer be bound by judgments by the Court of Justice of the European Union after we leave the EU. However, section 6(2) of the Act provides that our domestic courts and tribunals can take into account anything done by the EU, the Court of Justice of the European Union, or any other EU entity after we leave the EU, if it is relevant to any matter before them. The Act’s position reflects the same approach UK courts and tribunals currently take to judgments made in other foreign jurisdictions.


Written Question
European Parliament
Thursday 17th May 2018

Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask Her Majesty's Government who participated in the UK delegation at the recent meeting held between the Prime Minister and representatives of the European Parliament; who participated on behalf of the EU; and whether they will publish a note of what was discussed and what conclusions were reached.

Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

Delegates to a conference in London organised jointly by the International Democrat Union and the European People’s Party attended a reception at Downing Street on 26 April hosted by the Minister for Small Business, Consumers, and Corporate Responsibility. It was attended by a number of MEPs as well as representative of European Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and European business associations.


Written Question
Brexit
Wednesday 16th May 2018

Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will place in the library of the House a copy of the document Draft agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community recently transmitted to the UK authorities for negotiation; and what plans they have for initiating, or involving the UK Parliament in, consideration of that document.

Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)

The Draft agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community was published on 19 March 2018 on gov.uk. It was accessible to peers in the Printed Paper office but will now be deposited in the library of the House.

The Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union has recently given evidence to the Exiting the EU Committee and the European Union Committee, on 25 April and 1 May respectively, where he discussed at length issues relating to the draft withdrawal agreement.

Lord Boswell of Aynho, as Chairman of the European Union Committee, wrote to the Secretary of State on 21 March with 24 questions regarding the draft withdrawal agreement. The Secretary of State responded in detail to the Committee's questions in writing on 19 April.

This is in addition to a wide range of other parliamentary activity undertaken by select committees in scrutinising particular elements of what is expected to constitute part of the eventual Withdrawal Agreement - and the Government has been clear that the withdrawal agreement will be subject to a vote in both Houses of Parliament.


Written Question
EU Institutions
Monday 20th February 2017

Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask Her Majesty’s Government at what point they envisage that EU agencies located in the UK will be required to relocate; and whether this will be effected within the two years set for the Brexit negotiations.

Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley

No decisions have been taken about the location of the UK based EU Agencies: the European Medicines Agency and the European Banking Authority.

As part of the exit negotiations the Government will discuss with the EU and Member States how best to continue cooperation in the field of medicines and banking regulation in the best interests of both the UK and the EU. It would not be appropriate to prejudge the outcome of the negotiations.


Written Question
EU Institutions
Monday 20th February 2017

Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask Her Majesty’s Government which EU agencies located in the UK will be affected by Britain's withdrawal from the EU.

Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley

No decisions have been taken about the location of the UK based EU Agencies: the European Medicines Agency and the European Banking Authority.

As part of the exit negotiations the Government will discuss with the EU and Member States how best to continue cooperation in the field of medicines and banking regulation in the best interests of both the UK and the EU. It would not be appropriate to prejudge the outcome of the negotiations.


Written Question
EU Institutions
Monday 20th February 2017

Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many staff are employed in EU agencies located in the UK which will be required to relocate from the UK; and of this total, how many of them are British staff and how many come from other EU countries.

Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley

No decisions have been taken about the location of the UK based EU Agencies: the European Medicines Agency and the European Banking Authority.

As part of the exit negotiations the Government will discuss with the EU and Member States how best to continue cooperation in the field of medicines and banking regulation in the best interests of both the UK and the EU. It would not be appropriate to prejudge the outcome of the negotiations.


Written Question
European Medicines Agency
Monday 13th February 2017

Asked by: Lord Balfe (Conservative - Life peer)

Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :

To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of paragraph 8.42 of the White Paper <i>The United Kingdom's exit from and new partnership with the European Union</i>, whether they intend to negotiate with the EU Commission for the European Medicines Agency to remain located in the UK.

Answered by Lord Bridges of Headley

No decisions have been taken about the location of the European Medicines Agency. The Government will discuss with the EU and Member States how best to continue cooperation in the field of medicines regulation in the interests of both the UK and the EU. It would not be appropriate to pre-judge the outcome of the negotiations.