Asked by: Norman Lamb (Liberal Democrat - North Norfolk)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, who is responsible for digitisation in his Department; and what mechanisms the person with responsibility for digitisation uses to champion digitisation.
Answered by James Duddridge
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Dissolution.
Asked by: Mark Menzies (Independent - Fylde)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what estimate he has made of the cost of holding a second referendum on EU withdrawal in (a) 2020 and (b) 2021.
Answered by James Duddridge
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Dissolution.
Asked by: Seema Malhotra (Labour (Co-op) - Feltham and Heston)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what proportion of staff in his Department in receipt of each category of Honour in (a) December 2018 and (b) June 2019 were (i) from ethnic minority backgrounds and (ii) female aged (A) under 30, (B) 31 to 40, (C) 41 to 50 and (D) aged over 50.
Answered by James Duddridge
It has not proved possible to respond to the hon. Member in the time available before Dissolution.
Asked by: Lord Anderson of Ipswich (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 17 January (HL12669) and the Written Statement by Lord Callanan on 20 December 2018 (HLWS1187), whether (1) the text of the EEA EFTA Separation Agreement has been amended since 20 December 2018, and (2) the EEA EFTA Separation Agreement has been signed by the UK; if so, when; whether the EEA EFTA Separation Agreement is subject to section 20 of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010; and whether a copy of the EEA EFTA Separation Agreement has been laid before Parliament by a Minister of the Crown within the meaning of section 20(1)(a) of the Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
It has not proved possible to respond to this question in the time available before Dissolution. Ministers will correspond directly with the Member.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) how, and (2) which, goods and agricultural products will be treated differently (a) in, and (b) from, Northern Ireland as a result of Northern Ireland (i) remaining in the EU Single Market, and (ii) implementing EU Customs protocols, as outlined in the latest EU Withdrawal Agreement.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In the new Northern Ireland/Ireland Protocol, Northern Ireland will only be aligning with those EU rules on goods necessary to remove the need for regulatory checks at the land border. Goods and agricultural products entering Northern Ireland will need to be compliant with the rules of the regulatory zone. Northern Ireland will remain in the UK customs territory but will apply EU customs rules, which are well understood by businesses in Northern Ireland that already trade with the Rest of the World.
The Government has made clear commitments to ensure unfettered access for Northern Ireland businesses to the whole UK internal market. Some practical information will need to be provided electronically on movement of goods West-East, but Northern Ireland will have tariff-free access to the whole UK market.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask Her Majesty's Government what consultation they undertook in regard to Northern Ireland's interests before finalising the latest the EU Withdrawal Agreement.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
The department has engaged extensively with representatives of businesses, industry groups and trade unions from Northern Ireland. This includes through the government’s Alternative Arrangements Business Advisory Group and Technical Advisory Group. Ministers are continuing to engage with representatives from all sectors of the Northern Ireland economy.
We also liaised extensively with Northern Ireland Civil Service and the Police Service of Northern Ireland as we developed the UK’s negotiating position on the NI border.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds Central)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will list the international obligations which will require declarations in respect of goods moving from Northern Ireland to GB under the Irish protocol of the Withdrawal Agreement.
Answered by James Duddridge
The deal negotiated by the Government with the EU explicitly allows the UK to ensure unfettered market access for goods moving from Northern Ireland to Great Britain. The UK does not therefore intend to carry out checks on such movements of goods.
There will be a minimal administrative process which is designed to prevent, for example, trade in endangered species. We will work with the EU to eliminate this limited process as soon as possible after Brexit.
These arrangements automatically dissolve after four years unless a majority of the Northern Ireland Assembly in Stormont votes to keep them.
Asked by: Jeff Smith (Labour - Manchester, Withington)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has made of the potential effectiveness of the provisions in the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill for Parliament to scrutinise the UK-EU free trade agreement negotiations.
Answered by James Duddridge
The European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill, introduced on 21 October included a clause intended to give Parliament a crucial role in shaping and agreeing the UK’s future relationship with the European Union. This clause would require:
that Parliament signs off of the final objectives for the negotiations, before negotiations EU-UK can begin.
that Parliament sign off on the final deal, once political agreement has been reached.
that the Government formally reports on progress of negotiations against the objectives set by Parliament every three months.
Asked by: Christian Matheson (Independent - City of Chester)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, how many meetings on the UK leaving the EU his Department has had with businesses with supply chains connected to the EU in (a) Chester and (b) the North West to help prepare those businesses for the UK leaving the EU.
Answered by James Duddridge
Since July 2016, the Department for Exiting the European Union has organised over 850 recorded engagements with business and civil society stakeholders from every sector and major region of the UK economy. DExEU Ministers have attended over 120 roundtable meetings on preparedness and a wide range of other EU exit topics, and have met national business and sectoral organisations that represent the key industries of the North West’s economy.
Ministers continue to conduct an extensive programme of visits across the UK to engage with business and civil society stakeholders on EU exit. Ministers have visited Chambers of Commerce across the North West, and organisations with supply chains closely connected to the European Union.
Asked by: Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat - Carshalton and Wallington)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, with reference to the Answer of 4 October 2019 to Question 290576 on Low incomes: Food, how many exit scenarios the Government has planned for; what the cost of those plans are; and what form those plans take.
Answered by James Duddridge
The Prime Minister has negotiated a new deal which would ensure that the UK leaves the EU in an orderly and friendly way.
However, the Government is also well prepared for a no deal scenario. The Treasury has made over £8.3 billion available to prepare for Brexit, including £2.1 billion in August this year to increase preparations for leaving without a deal.
The food industry is experienced in dealing with scenarios that can affect food supply, from adverse weather damaging crops in other countries to transport issues abroad. The Government has been meeting weekly with industry and retailers to make sure we are prepared for all exit scenarios.
The Government remains committed to providing support to those who need it most, and the national benefit system will continue to provide a strong safety net, delivering over £200 billion in support this year. In particular, the Government continues to spend over £95 billion a year on welfare benefits. This includes a well-established system of hardship payments, benefit advances and budgeting loans as an additional safeguard for those who need them.