Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps she is taking to ensure that the imposition of EU tariffs on goods entering the Northern Irish market from Great Britain will not lead to Northern Irish businesses and consumers missing out on the benefits of the UK Global Tariff.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
Northern Ireland is, and remains, part of the United Kingdom’s customs territory.
Northern Irish businesses and consumers will?benefit from the United Kingdom’s Global Tariff – which is tailored for our economy and allows us to trade on our own terms – along with any preferential arrangements in place, such as free trade agreements.
The current intention is that EU tariffs should only be charged?on ‘at risk’ goods that are destined for the Republic of Ireland or elsewhere in the EU,?as the Protocol makes clear.?The?specific list of ‘at risk’ goods will be a matter for consideration in the Joint Committee.
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, what discussions he had with his Irish counterpart prior to his written statement of 18 March 2020, HCWS168, on Addressing Northern Ireland Legacy Issues, on the information retrieval provisions contained in that statement.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland spoke to the Irish Government prior to the publication of the Government’s Written Ministerial Statement on 18 March 2020, in which he outlined our proposals for dealing with legacy issues.
This marked the beginning of an ongoing period of engagement with the Irish Government and other key stakeholders, on these proposals, including information retrieval. We remain committed to making progress on this important issue, whilst being sensitive to the challenging context in which we are all working.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to support logistics networks between the UK and Ireland during the covid-19 outbreak; and if he will make a statement.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
On 24 April we announced a package of funding to support the movement of critical goods on freight routes between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Up to £17m of funding will be available to support up to 5 routes over the next 2 months, with the Northern Ireland Executive contributing 40%.
Furthermore, the Governments of Ireland, France and the United Kingdom have committed to supporting the continued movement of freight. Both the Irish and French governments have introduced measures to support freight movements, as we have.
These measures are in addition to the unprecedented support provided to UK companies in all sectors worth £350 billion.
Asked by: Julian Lewis (Conservative - New Forest East)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what financial support he is providing to small-to-medium transport companies that are substantially engaged in the importing and distribution of personal protective equipment and other essential medical supplies; and if he will make it his policy to offer such companies (a) business rate relief and (b) support grants similar to those available to retail, hospitality and tourism businesses.
Answered by John Glen - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government recently announced a trilateral agreement, with the French and Irish governments, committing to keeping freight routes open throughout the crisis. In addition, the Government has announced additional support to protect key maritime freight routes. This includes up to £17m to support routes between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and up to £10.5m for links to the Ilse of Wight and the Scilly Isles, to ensure the continued operation of essential services. The Department for Transport is continuing to engage with the haulage industry to understand the impact of Covid-19 on the sector.
The business rates relief and grant schemes for eligible retail, leisure and hospitality businesses have been designed to support the smallest businesses, and smaller businesses in some of the sectors which have been hit hardest by the measures taken to prevent the spread of Covid-19. Small and medium-sized businesses which are not eligible for these schemes may be able to benefit from other measures in the Government’s unprecedented package of support, including:
The Business Support website provides further information about how businesses can access the support that has been made available, who is eligible, when the schemes open and how to apply - https://www.businesssupport.gov.uk/coronavirus-business-support.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment his Department has made of the possible effect on (a) consumers and (b) the price of goods in Northern Ireland as a result of (i) Governments Brexit deal and (ii) a potential border in the Irish Sea.
Answered by Brandon Lewis
There will be no border down the Irish Sea. The Withdrawal Agreement means Northern Ireland and Great Britain remain part of one UK customs territory while Northern Ireland will continue to benefit from tariff free access to the UK Single Market.
The UK will ensure unfettered market access for goods moving from Northern Ireland to Great Britain and the Prime Minister has been clear that, beyond the limited changes introduced by the Protocol, there will be no changes to trade from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. The Government will be considering the best way to implement the Protocol in the best interests of the people of Northern Ireland and will be discussing this with the EU in the Joint Committee and Specialised Committee created under the Withdrawal Agreement.
Asked by: Chris Stephens (Scottish National Party - Glasgow South West)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many and what proportion of (a) new claimants of personal independence payment (PIP) and (b) new claimants of PIP identifying as having a primary condition of (i) sight loss and (ii) a visual impairment did not receive an award during their initial PIP assessment but received an award at (A) mandatory reconsideration and (B) tribunal in the UK since 2018.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
Initial decisions following a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment for Great Britain since 1st January 2018 up to 30th June 2019 are as shown in the table below. Figures are based on decisions where the primary health condition was classed as Visual Disease. This data is for new claims only; it excludes Disability Living Allowance (DLA) claims that have been reassessed for PIP.
Initial decisions following a PIP assessment – new claims – initial decisions made 1st January 2018 to 30th June 2019
| Visual Disease | All | ||
| Totals | % | Totals | % |
Initial decisions following PIP assessment | 5,230 |
| 531,000 |
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Awarded | 3,010 | 58% | 297,170 | 56% |
Disallowed | 2,220 | 42% | 233,830 | 44% |
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Of those disallowed at initial decision |
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Award changed at Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) | 100 | 5% | 12,360 | 5% |
Award unchanged at MR, appeal lapsed | 40 | 2% | 3,840 | 2% |
Award unchanged at MR, decision overturned at tribunal hearing | 100 | 4% | 10,580 | 5% |
Notes:
Data has been rounded to the nearest 10.
Percentages have been rounded to the nearest percent.
Data is for new claims only – it does not include DLA reassessment claims.
Great Britain only.
Data is based on primary disabling condition as recorded on the PIP computer systems. Claimants may often have multiple disabling conditions but only the primary condition is reflected in these statistics. It is not possible to break down the condition of “visual disease” into sight loss or visual impairment from the data.
A lapsed appeal is where DWP changed the decision in the customer’s favour after an appeal was lodged but before it was heard at tribunal.
Claimants who have received benefit decisions more recently may not yet have had time to complete the claimant journey and progress to appeal.
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
Asked by: Richard Graham (Conservative - Gloucester)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how many people in (a) Gloucester constituency and (b) the UK (i) applied for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) (ii) had their Personal Independence Payment (PIP) claim rejected and (ii) successfully contended a rejected Personal Independence payment (PIP) claim at appeal in the most recent period for which figures are available.
Answered by Justin Tomlinson - Minister of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The table below provides the information requested for initial decisions following a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment for the Gloucester Parliamentary constituency and Great Britain in 2018-19:
Initial decisions in 2018-19 | Gloucester | Great Britain |
PIP initial decisions following a PIP assessment | 1,320 | 630,260 |
Of which, disallowed | 430 | 222,930 |
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Of those disallowed at initial decision |
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Award changed at Mandatory Reconsideration (MR) | 40 | 15,940 |
Award unchanged at MR and decision overturned at a tribunal hearing | 20 | 14,510 |
Award unchanged at MR and appeal lapsed | 10 | 6,140 |
Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
Claimants who have received benefit decisions more recently may not yet have had time to complete the claimant journey and progress to appeal.
A lapsed appeal is where DWP changed the decision in the customer’s favour after an appeal was lodged but before it was heard at tribunal.
The Northern Irish Assembly has devolved responsibility for social security benefits. The responsibility for statistics in Northern Ireland lies with the Department for Communities:
https://www.communities-ni.gov.uk/articles/personal-independence-payment-statistics
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether there will be checks and controls for (a) people and (b) goods entering the island of Ireland from Great Britain after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by James Duddridge
Regarding the movement of people, the UK and Irish governments have made firm commitments to protect Common Travel Area arrangements, including the associated rights of British and Irish citizens in each other's state. Article 3 of the revised Protocol on Ireland and Northern Ireland allows the UK and Ireland to continue these arrangements after EU Exit.
Northern Ireland remains part of the UK’s single customs territory.The Prime Minister has been clear that, beyond the limited changes introduced by the Northern Ireland Protocol, there will be no changes to GB-NI trade in goods.
Under the terms of the Protocol no tariffs will be paid on goods moving within the United Kingdom unless they are destined to enter the EU via the Republic of Ireland.
Once we leave the EU, the UK will cease to be a Member State. Movements of goods from Great Britain to the Republic of Ireland will be subject to the arrangements concluded by the UK and the EU as part of the future relationship. We are aiming for an ambitious agreement with the EU with zero tariffs and quotas which could, depending on what is agreed, replace the Protocol.
In the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration, both sides have committed to use their best endeavours to negotiate that agreement by the end of this year.
Most importantly, the special arrangements provided for in the Protocol are subject to the democratic consent of the people of Northern Ireland, ensuring that if they find the arrangements of the Protocol unsatisfactory for any reason they have the choice to bring those arrangements to an end.
Asked by: Baroness Tonge (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the causes and consequences of the Irish famine are part of the current curriculum in English schools; and if not, whether they intend to add this to the curriculum.
Answered by Lord Agnew of Oulton
The history curriculum gives teachers and schools the freedom and flexibility to use specific examples from history to teach pupils about the history of Britain and the wider world. Schools and teachers can determine which examples, topics and resources to use to stimulate and challenge pupils and reflect key points in history.
There are opportunities within the themes and eras of the history curriculum for teachers and schools to teach the Irish Famine at key stages 1-3. Schools can teach it at key stage 1, about events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally and at key stage 2, within a study of an aspect or theme in British history that extends pupils’ chronological knowledge beyond 1066. There are also opportunities at key stage 3, within the ‘ideas, political power, industry and empire: Britain, 1745-1901’ theme – ‘Ireland and Home Rule’ is one of the example topics in this theme - or within a local history study. The Irish Famine also falls within the scope of the subject content set out for GCSE History.
One of the aims of the history curriculum is to ensure all pupils know and understand the history of these islands as a coherent, chronological narrative, from the earliest times to the present day: how people’s lives have shaped this nation and how Britain has influenced and been influenced by the wider world. This could also include teaching about Britain’s role in the abolition of slavery.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the data paper on Northern Ireland’s trade and investment under no deal, published by the Northern Ireland Department for the Economy, whether the figure of up to 40,000 jobs losses within key industries in the event that the UK leaves the EU without an agreement is the Government's current assessment; and what estimate his Department has made of the effect on Northern Ireland's (a) economy, (b) unemployment rate and (c) key industries of the UK leaving the EU without a deal.
Answered by Julian Smith
Overall, the cumulative impact from a ‘no-deal’ scenario is expected to be more severe in Northern Ireland than in Great Britain, and to last for longer. In a no-deal scenario there is an expectation of disruption to closely interwoven supply chains and increasing costs that would affect the viability of many businesses across Northern Ireland.
I have been working closely with colleagues across Government and engaging with the Northern Ireland Civil Service in our exit preparations.
The Government will continue to uphold the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement in all circumstances; it will continue to maintain existing Common Travel Area arrangements for British and Irish citizens between Ireland and the United Kingdom; and it is committed to doing everything in its power to preserve an open border in Northern Ireland, under no circumstances will it put in place infrastructure, checks, or controls at the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.