Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to discuss the requirement for export declarations on goods moving between Northern Ireland and Great Britain as part of negotiations on the future UK–EU relationship.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
As set out in the Command Paper ‘The UK’s approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol’, we will ensure unfettered access for Northern Ireland goods moving from Northern Ireland to Great Britain, and enshrine this in legislation by the end of the year. The document set out our approach, including that we will not require exit summary declarations on those movements.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the legal status of the common travel area between the UK, the Crown Dependencies and Ireland.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
The Common Travel Area (CTA) is an arrangement between the UK, the Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey, and Ireland. It is underpinned by domestic law in each jurisdiction.
Both the UK and Irish Governments have committed to taking all necessary measures to ensure that the Common Travel Area and its associated rights and privileges are protected and maintained, including entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 8 May 2019. We are not aware of any significant disputes that have arisen between the UK Government and Ireland over the operation of the Common Travel Area, nor of cases when a UK citizen has taken legal action against the UK Government over the operation of the Common Travel Area.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what mechanism exists to resolve disputes between the UK Government and the government of Ireland over the operation of the common travel area.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
The Common Travel Area (CTA) is an arrangement between the UK, the Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey, and Ireland. It is underpinned by domestic law in each jurisdiction.
Both the UK and Irish Governments have committed to taking all necessary measures to ensure that the Common Travel Area and its associated rights and privileges are protected and maintained, including entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 8 May 2019. We are not aware of any significant disputes that have arisen between the UK Government and Ireland over the operation of the Common Travel Area, nor of cases when a UK citizen has taken legal action against the UK Government over the operation of the Common Travel Area.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what, if any, disputes have arisen between the UK Government and the government of Ireland over the operation of the common travel area.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
The Common Travel Area (CTA) is an arrangement between the UK, the Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey, and Ireland. It is underpinned by domestic law in each jurisdiction.
Both the UK and Irish Governments have committed to taking all necessary measures to ensure that the Common Travel Area and its associated rights and privileges are protected and maintained, including entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 8 May 2019. We are not aware of any significant disputes that have arisen between the UK Government and Ireland over the operation of the Common Travel Area, nor of cases when a UK citizen has taken legal action against the UK Government over the operation of the Common Travel Area.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether a UK citizen has ever taken legal action against the UK Government over the operation of the common travel area.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
The Common Travel Area (CTA) is an arrangement between the UK, the Isle of Man, Guernsey, Jersey, and Ireland. It is underpinned by domestic law in each jurisdiction.
Both the UK and Irish Governments have committed to taking all necessary measures to ensure that the Common Travel Area and its associated rights and privileges are protected and maintained, including entering into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 8 May 2019. We are not aware of any significant disputes that have arisen between the UK Government and Ireland over the operation of the Common Travel Area, nor of cases when a UK citizen has taken legal action against the UK Government over the operation of the Common Travel Area.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which customs regulations will be enforced at border control posts in Northern Ireland after 1 January 2021.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
The Northern Ireland Protocol guarantees the place of Northern Ireland within the UK customs territory and internal market, upholding the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement. The Protocol will prevent a hard border on the island of Ireland, while explicitly recognising Northern Ireland’s integral place in the UK. Further details on the Government’s approach to the Protocol are outlined in our Command Paper, The UK's Approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which court would determine the outcome of a dispute between Customs Officers and a person moving goods via a Border Control Post in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
Any such disputes would be a matter for UK authorities and UK courts.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what sanctions they will apply to persons who breach customs regulations at border control posts in Northern Ireland after 1 January 2021.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
The New Decade, New Approach agreement recognised the need to implement the Northern Ireland Protocol in a way that works for the restored Executive and Northern Ireland’s businesses. The Protocol text itself is explicit that its implementation “should impact as little as possible on the everyday life of communities”.
We are committed to implementing the Protocol in a manner that best serves the needs of the people and businesses in Northern Ireland. This includes continuing to tackle serious and organised crime, including in respect of breaches of applicable customs rules, from January 2021 as we are today.
We also note, as underlined in ‘The UK’s Approach to implementing the NI Protocol’, that we are committed to using the latest technology, risk and compliance techniques as part of our efforts. The Government will work closely with the Northern Ireland Executive and businesses on this.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to establish customs posts at ports and airports in Northern Ireland; and if so, (1) where those posts will be located, and (2) what will be the function and purpose of those posts.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
On 20 May 2020 the UK Government set out our approach in the Command Paper ‘The UK’s Approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol’ confirming there will be no new physical customs infrastructure in Northern Ireland (or in Great Britain ports facing Northern Ireland). The limited additional processes required by the Protocol should be implemented in a way that takes account of all available flexibilities, and respects Northern Ireland’s place in the UK’s customs territory.
As ministers set out, we will expand some existing entry points for agrifood goods to provide for proportionate additional controls, in locations where these already take place such as Larne and Belfast. We will continue to work closely with the NI Executive to take that work forward.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what documentation businesses will have to provide to send goods from Northern Ireland to Great Britain after 1 January 2021.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
The Protocol makes clear that Northern Ireland is and remains part of the UK’s customs territory and allows the UK to ensure unfettered market access for goods moving from Northern Ireland to Great Britain.
The Government has set out its approach clearly to implementing unfettered access in the Northern Ireland Protocol, first in the ‘New Decade, New Approach’ power-sharing deal, and last week in the Command Paper, ‘ The UK’s Approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol’. Our publication makes clear that we will not require exit declarations or any other regulatory processes or checks as these goods enter the rest of the UK from NI. We committed to legislate to guarantee unfettered access for NI businesses to the whole of the UK internal market, and ensure that this legislation is in force for 1 January 2021.