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 steps she has taken in response to recent reports of Blue Tongue Disease being detected in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Disease control is a devolved matter and it is for the Devolved Governments to assess the disease risks and impacts in relation to their national herds, alongside the impacts of controls, and respond accordingly. Defra works closely with the Devolved Governments with the aim of providing, where possible, a consistent and coordinated response across the UK.
Following the first suspected bluetongue case in Northern Ireland on 28 November 2025, Defra is working with the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to review policy regarding movement of bluetongue susceptible animals between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department has had discussions with Invest Northern Ireland on its Strategic Cooperation Framework Memorandum of Understanding with the China Chamber of Commerce in the UK.
Answered by Seema Malhotra - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
This Government supports UK businesses to do business with China – while being open-eyed to any risks.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the Answer of 18 November to Question 92336, on Asylum: Republic of Ireland, if she provide the exact date when her Department first briefed the Irish Government on her proposed changes on asylum.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The UK and Ireland share a unique relationship and a joint commitment to safeguarding the integrity and security of the Common Travel Area (CTA). This partnership includes close cooperation and the exchange of information on policies relevant to maintaining the CTA’s security and preventing abuse. Prior to the publication of the asylum and returns policy statement, Home Office officials engaged with their counterparts in Ireland on Friday 14th November 2025.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, when her Department first briefed the Irish Government on her proposed changes on asylum.
Answered by Alex Norris - Minister of State (Home Office)
The UK and Ireland have a close and collaborative working relationship on a range of issues, including migration and border security. That collaboration includes a joint commitment to protect the Common Travel Area from abuse while preserving the rights of British and Irish citizens.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps he is taking to ensure that deaf and disabled people and Deaf and Disabled People's Organisations from Northern Ireland can engage in the Timms Review, including through the proposed Panel.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Listening to the lived experience and expertise of disabled people will be critical to the Review’s success. Over the summer, I met with representatives from more than 50 organisations across the disability, welfare and co-production spaces, including organisations from all four nations.
While PIP is a transferred matter in Northern Ireland, there is a long-standing principle of parity between the social security systems of the Northern Ireland Executive and the UK Government. It is therefore important that the Review hears from disabled people in Northern Ireland and the organisations that represent them.
We have launched an open and accessible Expression of Interest to join the Review’s steering group, and we strongly encourage applications from people across the UK, regardless of background or location. The steering group will include a majority of disabled people or representatives of Disabled People’s Organisations.
Once in place, the steering group will oversee a programme of engagement and participation that brings together the full range of views and voices.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, with reference to the Timms Review what steps he has taken to engage with deaf and disabled people and Deaf and Disabled People's Organisations in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Stephen Timms - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Listening to the lived experience and expertise of disabled people will be critical to the Review’s success. Over the summer, I met with representatives from more than 50 organisations across the disability, welfare and co-production spaces, including organisations from all four nations.
While PIP is a transferred matter in Northern Ireland, there is a long-standing principle of parity between the social security systems of the Northern Ireland Executive and the UK Government. It is therefore important that the Review hears from disabled people in Northern Ireland and the organisations that represent them.
We have launched an open and accessible Expression of Interest to join the Review’s steering group, and we strongly encourage applications from people across the UK, regardless of background or location. The steering group will include a majority of disabled people or representatives of Disabled People’s Organisations.
Once in place, the steering group will oversee a programme of engagement and participation that brings together the full range of views and voices.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether she has received the feasibility study for the reopening of the Antrim to Lisburn rail line from the Northern Ireland Minister of Infrastructure.
Answered by Keir Mather - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
I can confirm that my officials have received a copy of the feasibility study from Translink. The Department will continue to contribute constructively to devolved transport priorities, fully respecting the devolved settlement.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether additional support will be given to NHS dentistry in the context of the decision at the Sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury on ending the use of dental amalgam.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Following the decision made at the sixth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Minamata Convention on Mercury, we are in the process of planning in detail the necessary steps. This includes establishing what changes may be required for National Health Service dentistry to move towards and implement a phase-out of dental amalgam by 2034.
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, with reference to the Farming Profitability Review, which stakeholders in Northern Ireland gave evidence to the Review.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Under the Terms of Reference, Baroness Batters’s Farming Profitability Review is an England-only review. Baroness Batters wrote an open letter to stakeholders and received responses from organisations that represent farmers in Northern Ireland. This included Northern Ireland-specific organisations, and organisations covering the whole of the UK. The department is considering her recommendations carefully.
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, pursuant to the Answer of 4 November 2025 to Question 85623 on Bovine Tuberculosis: Vaccination, for what reason Northern Ireland was not included in the marketing authorisation.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
To maintain Northern Ireland’s full access to the EU’s single market, from 1 January 2026, the movement of veterinary medicines into Northern Ireland must comply with relevant EU rules under the Windsor Framework. This includes the current EU-wide prohibition on the use of the bovine tuberculosis vaccine in cattle.