Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, who the Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service is responsible to in terms of performance.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Responsibility for the Northern Ireland Civil Service is a transferred matter and civil service reporting lines are, consequently, a matter for the First Minister and deputy First Minister.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to WPQ 124367, answered 13th April at 11:04, to detail the date when the open book exercise was completed for each Northern Ireland Department.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The open-book review was a condition of the £400m reserve claim the Northern Ireland Executive received at Supplementary Estimates 2025-26. The review’s Terms of Reference were agreed between HM Treasury and the Northern Ireland Executive.
The exercise has now concluded, and HM Treasury has shared the report with the Northern Ireland Department of Finance.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, pursuant to WPQ 126941, answered on the 20th April 2026 at 14:14; to detail any direct intervention on behalf of consumers they have had with suppliers or stakeholders from Northern Ireland.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
In enforcing compliance with the Groceries Supply Code of Practice (“the Code”), the GCA aims to ensure that large supermarkets do not impose excessive risks and unexpected costs on their direct suppliers which would adversely affect competition and, ultimately, consumers. It is not the role of the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) to intervene directly on consumer matters. The GCA publishes an Annual Report and Accounts which sets out its priorities and performance.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what the legal status is of the remedial order brought against the Northern Ireland Legacy Bill.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Remedial Order was laid on 14 October 2025 as part of the Government’s commitment to repeal and replace the Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023. The Remedial Order does not yet have legal effect, whilst it awaits the consideration of the House of Lords.
The Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) concluded in their report that there are compelling reasons for proceeding by way of Remedial Order for the purposes of Section 10(2) of the Human Rights Act 1998.
The Remedial Order passed with a large majority in the House of Commons and I am committed to seeing it debated and passed in the House of Lords, at which point it will become law.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the Answer of 13 April 2026 to Question 124367, what the terms of reference were for the open book exercise.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The open-book review was a condition of the £400m reserve claim the Northern Ireland Executive received at Supplementary Estimates 2025-26. The review’s Terms of Reference were agreed between HM Treasury and the Northern Ireland Executive.
The exercise has now concluded, and HM Treasury has shared the report with the Northern Ireland Department of Finance.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to WPQ 124367, answered 13th April at 11:04, who commissioned the initial open book exercise.
Answered by James Murray - Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The open-book review was a condition of the £400m reserve claim the Northern Ireland Executive received at Supplementary Estimates 2025-26. The review’s Terms of Reference were agreed between HM Treasury and the Northern Ireland Executive.
The exercise has now concluded, and HM Treasury has shared the report with the Northern Ireland Department of Finance.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what conditions are necessary to import juvenile trout from fish farms in Northern Ireland for stocking purposes in rivers, lakes or fish farms in i) England or ii) Scotland.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Movements into GB from Northern Ireland of live fish (including eggs and gametes) that are susceptible to or vectors for listed aquatic animal diseases must be accompanied by an animal health certificate issued by thecompetent authority in the place of origin. The certificate must confirm that the animals or goods meet the animal health requirements for entry into Great Britain. Certificate GBHC674 sets out the requirements for placing on the market aquaculture animals from Northern Ireland and the Crown Dependences into GB for farming, ornamental use, relaying or depuration, put and take fisheries and other purposes, this includes juvenile trout from fish farms in Northern Ireland moving to fisheries in GB for stocking purposes.
Notification to the relevant Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) (Cefas FHI in England and Wales; Marine Scotland FHI in Scotland) is required at least 24 hours before importing live fish. As required by The Aquatic Animal Health (England and Wales) Regulations 2009 and The Aquatic Animal Health (Scotland) Regulations 2009 the destination premises must also be authorised by the relevant FHI. Further guidance on movements of fish into Great Britain from Northern Ireland has been published on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what (a) fuel duty and (b) other tax treatment is applicable to hydrotreated vegetable oil used in (i) road fuel and (ii) home heating fuel.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
Hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) is taxed in line with other fuels according to its use.
For fuel duty purposes, HVO is treated as a diesel-equivalent “heavy oil” in the Hydrocarbon Oils Duty Act 1979. When used as a road fuel, it is therefore liable to the standard rate of fuel duty applicable to diesel which is 52.95p per litre. When used for domestic heating, HVO benefits from the rebated duty rate of 10.18p per litre.
For VAT, HVO is subject to the standard rate when used as a road fuel. When supplied for domestic heating, it is eligible for the reduced rate of VAT, subject to the same conditions that apply to other heating fuels, including applicable quantity thresholds.
The Government currently encourages the use of HVO through the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO), which incentivises the use of low carbon fuels and reduces emissions from fuel supplied for use in transport and non-road mobile machinery. The RTFO has been very successful in supporting a market for renewable fuel since its introduction in 2008. Renewable fuels supplied under the RTFO currently contribute a third of the savings required for the UK’s transport carbon budget.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what role the Grocery Code Adjudicator has in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) ensures the UK’s largest grocery retailers comply with the Groceries Supply Code of Practice (Groceries Code). The Groceries Code is a competition measure owned by the independent Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Competition policy is a UK reserved matter. The GCA operates across the whole of the United Kingdom and regularly engages with Northern Irish suppliers and stakeholders.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, how much funding has been allocated through the Places of Worship Renewal Fund to places of worship in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Ian Murray - Minister of State (Department for Science, Innovation and Technology)
The Places of Worship Renewal Fund is England only as Heritage is a devolved policy area. The Northern Ireland Government received Barnett consequentials at the Spending Review, taking into account any changes to DCMS’ overall settlement. It is for the Northern Ireland government to consider whether to set up new arrangements should they so wish.
We are working closely with other funders in the sector to ensure that opportunities for funding places of worship throughout the UK are maximised. The NLHF already offers grants for places of worship across all the UK and is currently investing £100m over 3 years through National Lottery Heritage Grants and a strategic initiative designed to provide targeted support to build capacity.