Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what is required for an airport to be designated as a level 3 airport.
Answered by Mike Kane - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
For an airport to be designated as Level 3 slot coordinated, and therefore requiring the formal allocation of slots by an independent coordinator, the demand for operating services should exceed the airport infrastructure’s capacity for at least one scheduling period. Secretary of State approval is required to designate any airport as Level 3 slot coordinated.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, if he will make an assessment of the potential merits of reviewing the mandatory retirement age for reservists.
Answered by Al Carns - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for Veterans)
As the Minister for Veterans and People, I have commissioned an internal review in Defence to ensure that we are making the most of the unique contribution our Reserve Forces offer. The review will examine the Reserves landscape and will include some aspects of their terms and conditions of Service, such as normal retirement age.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether he has received representations on the feasibility of proposals for the Dáil to sit in Northern Ireland; and whether he has made an assessment of the compatibility of those proposals with the Belfast Agreement.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I have received no such representations.
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 he has had discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive on the development of its international relations strategy.
Answered by Hamish Falconer - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office has held official-level discussions with the Northern Ireland Executive (NIE) on their proposal to develop an international relations strategy. We look forward to continuing that engagement with the NIE in due course as its Strategy is further developed.
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 his Department's press release entitled, Government introduces import ban of cattle, pigs and sheep from Germany to protect farmers after Foot and Mouth case, published on 14 January 2025, whether the import ban will apply to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
The measures announced on 14 January 2025 apply to imports into Great Britain. For Northern Ireland the controls on meat and live animals will apply to a 3 kilometres protection zone and 10 kilometres surveillance zones surrounding the infected premises in Germany. Products from the zones cannot move to Northern Ireland. Meat from outside these disease control zones can move into Northern Ireland, as can personal movements of food products. Additional health requirements will apply for movement of live animals from outside of these zones. The measures in place to protect farmers in Northern Ireland are strong. Given the strict prohibitions on the imports of animals and products of animal origin from countries in which foot and mouth disease is present, goods which transit Great Britain when moving from Germany to Northern Ireland are also subject to the same restrictions as imports into Great Britain.
Qualifying Northern Ireland goods will continue to have full unfettered access to the rest of the UK, these provisions are unaffected by these new control measures.
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 recent discussions Ministers in his Department have had with their counterparts in the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in the Northern Ireland Executive on the foot and mouth outbreak in Germany.
Answered by Daniel Zeichner - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In response to the outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Germany, we are in contact with German counterparts to understand the latest situation and, as is routine procedure, we are working closely with the Devolved Governments to understand the risks to the UK and prevent an incursion from imported goods.
On 21 January, the situation and the need for ongoing collaboration and vigilance was also discussed at a meeting between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Baroness Hayman of Ullock; Andrew Muir MLA; and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, the Rt Hon Member for Leeds South (Hilary Benn).
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 discussions he has had with the First and deputy First Minister on the continuing vacancy in the office of the Commissioner of Public Appointments for Northern Ireland.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The appointment of a new Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland is a matter for the First Minister and deputy First Minister.
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 assessment he has made of the adequacy of the Safeguarding the Union command paper, published on 31 January 2024.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Government is committed to implementing the Windsor Framework and to taking all steps necessary to protect Northern Ireland’s place in the UK internal market. Commitments made in the Safeguarding the Union command paper support this objective, and the Government continues to make progress in delivering them.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask the Secretary of State for Education, whether she had discussions with the Minister of Education in Northern Ireland on Clause 56 of the Children's Wellbeing and Schools Bill.
Answered by Janet Daby - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Education)
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.
The department has engaged with the devolved governments during the development of the Bill.
The department is committed to keeping our devolved government colleagues properly engaged on matters with cross-border impact and will continue to do so throughout the progression of the Bill and our implementation planning.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether the Independent Review of the Windsor Framework will consider the (a) operation and (b) output of the Northern Ireland Assembly Windsor Framework Democratic Scrutiny Committee.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
It will be a matter for Lord Murphy to consider the programme of work of the Review. In line with the Terms of Reference, the Review will be obliged to consult with a range of stakeholders, including Northern Ireland political parties, and can engage with the Assembly and its committee functions as it considers appropriate.