Asked by: Carla Lockhart (Democratic Unionist Party - Upper Bann)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the Irish Republic's Central Statistics Office showing the value of Irish Republic exports to Northern Ireland increasing between January to April 2021 by 40 per cent to €977 million, what steps the Government is taking to ensure the Northern Ireland Protocol is not causing the displacement of Great Britain to Northern Ireland trade with Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland trade.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Protocol is a delicate balance, designed to support the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement in all its parts and avoid disruption. This means that East-West political, economic and social links are safeguarded as well as North-South.
The statistics in question do not specify the end destination of goods and do not show what proportion are being sent into the rest of the UK. They also do not include trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and without this, the scale of any displacement is difficult to estimate.
However, longstanding trade flows are being disrupted. The UK is working hard and in good faith to find solutions. Last week’s Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee allowed for an open and frank discussion on the progress made to date and the challenges ahead, emphasising the need for urgent solutions.
To support the significant trade between Northern Ireland and Great Britain we have launched the UK Trader Scheme and the Movement Assistance Scheme to support traders operating under the Protocol. We will also establish a reimbursement scheme for goods that attract a tariff, but which can subsequently be shown to have remained in the UK customs territory and further details will be announced in due course.
Asked by: Beth Winter (Labour - Cynon Valley)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of personal independence payment claimants have had their claim accepted at appeal following an initial rejection in (a) Cynon Valley, (b) Wales, and (c) the UK in 2020.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The table below gives the number of Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claimants who had an initial disallowance decision changed at appeal in 2020.
| Appeals Lapsed | Appeals Overturned at Tribunal Hearing |
Cynon Valley | 60 | 90 |
Wales | 1,060 | 1,780 |
Great Britain | 12,930 | 23,860 |
Due to the time taken for an appeal to be lodged and then cleared after the initial decision, information for appeals as a percentage of initial decisions made in 2020 is not shown.
The Northern Irish Assembly has devolved responsibility for social security benefits. The responsibility for statistics in Northern Ireland lies with the Department for Communities: http://www.communities-ni.gov.uk
Notes:
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions are taking place with the Irish Government and the European Commission to enable pet and guide/assistance dog movements between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The health and documentary requirements for pet travel to the EU are set out under the EU Pet Travel Regulations. Under the Northern Ireland Protocol, EU rules also apply to the non-commercial movements of pets into Northern Ireland from Great Britain. There are no derogations for assistance dogs under the legal framework of the EU Pet Travel Regulations.
We will continue to press the European Commission in relation to securing Part 1 listed status, recognising that achieving this would alleviate some of the new requirements for pet owners and assistance dog users travelling to the EU and to Northern Ireland. We are clear that we meet all the animal health requirements for this, and we have one of the most rigorous pet checking regimes in Europe to protect our biosecurity.
The Government is engaging with the Northern Ireland Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) to explore means to streamline pet travel between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland, recognising the high standards of animal health that the Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland share. The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has also written to the European Vice-President seeking to ensure that an agreement can be made to address the barriers imposed on pet travel between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland. Current guidance on pet travel to Northern Ireland is available on DAERA’s NIDirect website, and to Ireland on DAFMs website.
In the meantime, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland have recently published guidance on a pragmatic enforcement approach to pets entering from Great Britain. NI-based pets/assistance dogs returning to Northern Ireland from Great Britain can continue to use an NI-issued EU Pet Passport to re-enter Northern Ireland and will not need an animal health certificate.
We are proactively engaging with the assistance dog community and relevant stakeholders on the impacts on dog movements from Great Britain to the EU and to Northern Ireland. We will continue to work closely with assistance dog organisations to share the latest advice and guidance (in accessible formats) with their members on pet travel requirements.
Asked by: Lord Kilclooney (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of changes to the sale of Northern Ireland dairy milk products in (1) Great Britain, (2) the EU, (3) nations with which the UK has a trade agreement, and (4) nations with which the EU but not the UK has a trade agreement, that will take effect after 31 December.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK Government has guaranteed in legislation, via the Internal Market Bill, unfettered access for Northern Ireland's businesses to the rest of the UK internal market from 1 January 2021, ensuring that trade from Northern Ireland to Great Britain continues as it does now. That will mean no declarations, tariffs, new regulatory checks or customs checks, or additional approvals for goods from Northern Ireland businesses to be placed on the UK market. The UK Government has also laid a Statutory Instrument, ensuring a continuity of arrangements for goods from Northern Ireland moving directly into Great Britain from 1 January 2021. This will be available only to Northern Ireland businesses.
There will be no change to the movement of goods between Northern Ireland and EU Member States, including Ireland. The EU is obliged under Article 5 of the Northern Ireland Protocol (NIP) to guarantee tariff free, frictionless access to the Single Market in any scenario from 31 December 2020.
The NIP ensures that Northern Ireland remains in the UK's customs territory. We will negotiate and deliver trade deals on behalf of the whole United Kingdom. Northern Ireland exporters will therefore enjoy the preferential access we negotiate with trading partners around the world.
As part of the UK's customs territory, after 31 December 2020, Northern Irish producers will no longer be able to access preferential trading arrangements under the EU's free trade agreements. As part of the UK's ability to pursue an independent trade policy, the UK Government has, in under two years, agreed trade agreements with 51 countries that have agreements with the EU. Total UK trade with these countries was worth £144 billion in 2019.
Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the Agreement between the Government of Ireland and the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland establishing the Independent Commission on Information Retrieval, how many discussions he had with his Irish counterpart on addressing Northern Ireland legacy issues, on the information retrieval provisions contained in that statement.
Answered by Robin Walker
Ministers and officials regularly meet with counterparts in the Irish Government to discuss a range of issues, including legacy. The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and officials from the Northern Ireland Office last met with the Irish Government’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and his officials on 8 October 2020.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Sugg on 15 June (HL4960), 29 June (HL5655), 22 July (HL6669) and 6 August (HL7207), whether they will now answer the questions put, in particular, on what date they were informed by the government of Ireland of its plans for passengers travelling from Great Britain to the Republic of Ireland to be subject to quarantine restrictions in Ireland; and how those plans were communicated.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
Restrictions for passengers travelling from Great Britain to Ireland consisting of a requirement to complete a passenger locator form detailing arrangements for fourteen days' self-isolation came into effect from 26th April. Her Majesty’s Government was notified by the Irish Authorities of their intention to introduce these on 23rd April. The Irish authorities communicated these plans initially through discussions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and subsequently with our Embassy in Dublin and other UK Government Departments.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to Command Paper 258 entitled UK points-based immigration system: further details, whether passport checks will take place on on (a) air and (b) sea travel between (i) Northern Ireland to Great Britain and (ii) Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Universal Permission to Travel requirement will require everyone wishing to travel to the UK (except British and Irish citizens) to seek permission in advance of travel. We will introduce Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) for visitors and passengers transiting through the UK who do not currently need a visa for short stays or who do not already have an immigration status prior to travelling, which will act as their permission.As now, the UK will not operate routine immigration controls on journeys from within the Common Travel Area, with no immigration controls whatsoever on the Republic of Ireland-Northern Ireland land border. However, individuals arriving in the UK must continue to enter in line with the UK’s immigration framework including the Universal Permission to Travel requirement.The CTA has never required the UK and Ireland to have entirely harmonised immigration arrangements for non-British or non-Irish citizens. Key to this is the high level of cooperation on border security to ensure that legitimate travel is facilitated while those who intend to abuse the arrangements are prevented from entering.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, with reference to the July 2020 Command Paper entitled UK Points Based System Further Details, CP 258, whether she plans to include in a universal permission to travel requirement (a) EU nationals without settled status and (b) other non-visa nationals wishing to travel from the Republic of Ireland to (i) Northern Ireland and (ii) Great Britain.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The Universal Permission to Travel requirement will require everyone wishing to travel to the UK (except British and Irish citizens) to seek permission in advance of travel. We will introduce Electronic Travel Authorisations (ETAs) for visitors and passengers transiting through the UK who do not currently need a visa for short stays or who do not already have an immigration status prior to travelling, which will act as their permission.
As now, the UK will not operate routine immigration controls on journeys from within the Common Travel Area, with no immigration controls whatsoever on the Republic of Ireland-Northern Ireland land border. However, individuals arriving in the UK must continue to enter in line with the UK’s immigration framework including the Universal Permission to Travel requirement.
The CTA has never required the UK and Ireland to have entirely harmonised immigration arrangements for non-British or non-Irish citizens. Key to this is the high level of cooperation on border security to ensure that legitimate travel is facilitated while those who intend to abuse the arrangements are prevented from entering.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers by Baroness Sugg on 15 June (HL4960), 29 June (HL5655) and 22 July (HL6669), whether they will now answer the questions put, in particular, on what date they were informed by the government of Ireland of its plans for passengers travelling from Great Britain to the Republic of Ireland to be subject to quarantine restrictions in Ireland; and how those plans were communicated.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
We had a number of conversations with the Irish Government, including at Ministerial level, discussing our responses to the Covid-19 pandemic ahead of their decision to introduce a fourteen-day quarantine for all travellers coming into Ireland from 26 April.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Sugg on 1 June (HL4768), whether they were consulted in advance by the government of Ireland about its decision to introduce a fourteen-day quarantine period on all passengers travelling to Ireland from Great Britain; and if so, when they received advance notice of this specific decision.
Answered by Baroness Sugg
Given our close relationship with the Irish Government we have regular conversations about emerging policy responses, including ahead of Ireland's decision to introduce a fourteen-day quarantine for all travellers coming into Ireland from 26 April. We continue to remain in regular contact at the highest levels with the Government of Ireland on our joint response to the Covid-19 pandemic, including discussions on the public health measures at the border.