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, how much funding his Department has provided to the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs in each of the last five years.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
In each of the last five financial years, Defra has provided the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC) with the following amounts of funding:
Financial Year | Funding Amount |
2020/21 | £30,000 |
21/22 | £30,000 |
22/23 | £31,000 |
23/24 | £27,545.93 |
24/25 | £29,982.93 |
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether her Department is taking steps to help prevent slugs entering traffic light controller boxes.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Responsibility for the design, installation and maintenance of traffic signal equipment, including controller cabinets, lies with the relevant local traffic authority. It is for them to ensure they procure equipment suitable for the conditions in which it is likely to be used.
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 recent assessment he has made of the (a) effectiveness (b) adequacy and (c) efficiency of the performance of the Motor Ombudsman in carrying out its functions.
Answered by Kate Dearden - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Motor Ombudsman is a non-statutory ombudsman, set up as a voluntary scheme by the industry and independent of government.
The Motor Ombudsman's activities are documented in their annual reports, complying with the Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015. These reports are accessible on its website.
DBT funds the Chartered Trading Standards Institute who accredit and regularly audit The Motor Ombudsman against key principles including neutrality and effective complaints handling under a voluntary framework in the 2015 ADR Regulations.
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, whether his Department has made an assessment of the value for money of funding the National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs.
Answered by Angela Eagle - Minister of State (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
Encouraging more young people into farming and land-based careers is vital to ensure a skilled workforce is in place and the longer-term viability of the sector.
Defra works closely with the National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC). Defra provides funding of up to £30,000 per year for specific project-based activity which supports skills development and training.
My officials continue to work very closely with the NFYFC to deliver the 2025-26 grant to ensure value for money.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if she will include motorcycling in all its forms as a specific element within the forthcoming integrated national transport strategy; and what her timetable is for publishing the strategy.
Answered by Simon Lightwood - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Transport)
Later this year, the department will publish the Integrated National Transport Strategy (INTS) and set the long-term vision for transport across England, placing people at the heart of how we plan, build, and operate transport. The Strategy will aim to address fragmentation and inefficiency across the transport system to ensure that people can easily, reliably, and safely carry out the journeys they want to make, however they choose to travel.
We have conducted extensive engagement with stakeholders and members of the public, including motorcyclists and motorcycle user representative groups, through a Call for Ideas, Regional Roadshows, and targeted sessions with seldom heard groups. As the Strategy is still in development, I am unable to comment on specific policy questions, but all the insights gathered through our engagement activities have been analysed and are being considered as the Strategy continues to evolve.
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 the Answer of 22 July to Question 68868 on Companies: Economic Crime, of the businesses dissolved, how many had five or more registered at one address.
Answered by Justin Madders
Between April 2024 and March 2025, there were 70 addresses where 5 or more companies were dissolved in Northern Ireland. This impacted a total of 852 companies.
A further 3,000 companies were located at the Companies House default address at the time of their dissolution during this period.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who directed the ICS2 system to go live in August 2025.
Answered by Dan Tomlinson - Exchequer Secretary (HM Treasury)
The Import Control System 2 (ICS2) is the new safety and security system for certain goods moving by air, maritime, road or rail into Northern Ireland. It is already in use for air and bulk maritime movements into Northern Ireland, replacing the existing Import Control System Northern Ireland (ICSNI).
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 to onboard to ICS2.
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, when his Department will launch the consultation on Hughs Law.
Answered by Justin Madders
A public consultation on further support for parents of seriously ill children, including Hugh's Law, will take place during 2026.
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 effectiveness of the (a) Chief Commissioner and (b) Commissioner of Investigations of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Recovery.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
A growing number of families are taking cases to the independent Commission and the Government has confidence in its team of dedicated staff to effectively deliver for them. The Court of Appeal has recognised the Commission’s structural independence and wide powers.
The confidence of families in the Commission’s work is paramount and that is why this Government is in the process of repealing and replacing the previous Government's Legacy Act, and is committed to reforming the Commission to further strengthen its powers and independence.
Asked by: Robin Swann (Ulster Unionist Party - South Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will publish a summary of the work completed by Intertrade UK since its appointment.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Terms of Reference and Work Programme for Intertrade UK were published online on 26 August 2025. The body is now focused on implementing its work programme, which is based on three priorities: overcoming barriers to trade, promoting UK internal market opportunities and enhancing infrastructure and connectivity.