Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have received a legal opinion on the Privacy Shield framework between the EU and the US; whether they have taken independent legal advice on that framework; if so, what was the content of that (1) opinion, and (2) advice; and whether they will place a copy of that (1) opinion, and (2) advice in the Library of the House.
Answered by Lord Ashton of Hyde
The Government has no intention of commenting on or publishing any legal advice that may have been received on these matters.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) which EU states have not complied with the sow stall ban under EU Directive 2008/120/EC, (2) what steps they have taken in relation to any non-compliance, and (3) whether the UK allows pork to be imported from non-compliant countries.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
A Report from the European Commission to the European Parliament and to the Council in September 2016 states that the Commission’s actions to encourage all Member States to enforce the 2012 ban on the keeping of laying hens in conventional (‘battery’) cages, and the 2013 partial ban on the keeping of sows in sow stalls proved effective.
According to information available to the Commission, all Member States are now compliant with the cage ban. In terms of the sow stall ban, the Commission is checking the documentation of the last three Member States to see if they are now fully compliant.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask Her Majesty's Government (1) which EU states have not complied with the conventional cage ban for hens, (2) what steps they have taken in relation to any non-compliance, and (3) whether the UK still allows eggs to be imported from non-compliant countries.
Answered by Lord Gardiner of Kimble
A Report from the European Commission to the European Parliament and to the Council in September 2016 states that the Commission’s actions to encourage all Member States to enforce the 2012 ban on the keeping of laying hens in conventional (‘battery’) cages, and the 2013 partial ban on the keeping of sows in sow stalls proved effective.
According to information available to the Commission, all Member States are now compliant with the cage ban. In terms of the sow stall ban, the Commission is checking the documentation of the last three Member States to see if they are now fully compliant.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of arrangements for the payment of healthcare costs for EU pensioners living in the UK and UK pensioners living in the EU after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
The Department, on behalf of the United Kingdom Government, reimburses other European Economic Area (EEA) countries and Switzerland for the cost of providing treatment to people we are responsible for under European Union law, based on pension and benefit eligibility, and irrespective of nationality. In the same way, other EEA countries and Switzerland reimburse the Department, on behalf of the UK Government, for the cost of the National Health Service providing treatment to people they are responsible for under EU law, irrespective of nationality and including UK nationals insured in another EEA country or Switzerland.
Member state claims against the UK are in local currency, so totals are significantly affected by the exchange rate at the time of payment and can mean a difference of millions of pounds. Member states can submit claims up to 18 months in arrears, so claims for any 12 month period do not necessarily reflect treatment provided in that period.
Due to the size of the data, figures for the amount paid by the UK to each EU member state for healthcare in 2016/17 are provided in the attached table. These figures are the latest available and rounded to the nearest pound.
After the UK leaves the EU, and in a reciprocal deal, the UK will continue to export and uprate the UK state pension and to provide associated healthcare cover on behalf of the UK within the EU.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much was paid (1) by the UK to each EU member state for healthcare provided to (a) UK citizens, and (b) UK pensioners resident in of those states in the last year; and (2) by each EU member state to the UK for healthcare provided to (a) their citizens, and (b) pensioners resident in the UK.
Answered by Lord O'Shaughnessy
The Department, on behalf of the United Kingdom Government, reimburses other European Economic Area (EEA) countries and Switzerland for the cost of providing treatment to people we are responsible for under European Union law, based on pension and benefit eligibility, and irrespective of nationality. In the same way, other EEA countries and Switzerland reimburse the Department, on behalf of the UK Government, for the cost of the National Health Service providing treatment to people they are responsible for under EU law, irrespective of nationality and including UK nationals insured in another EEA country or Switzerland.
Member state claims against the UK are in local currency, so totals are significantly affected by the exchange rate at the time of payment and can mean a difference of millions of pounds. Member states can submit claims up to 18 months in arrears, so claims for any 12 month period do not necessarily reflect treatment provided in that period.
Due to the size of the data, figures for the amount paid by the UK to each EU member state for healthcare in 2016/17 are provided in the attached table. These figures are the latest available and rounded to the nearest pound.
After the UK leaves the EU, and in a reciprocal deal, the UK will continue to export and uprate the UK state pension and to provide associated healthcare cover on behalf of the UK within the EU.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether the Belfast Agreement ensures equality between the Irish and Ulster Scots languages.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
The Belfast Agreement recognised the importance of respect, understanding and tolerance in relation to linguistic diversity, including the Irish language and Ulster Scots.
The Government is fully committed to the Belfast Agreement.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 6 July (HL206), whether they have had any discussions with (1) the Commonwealth Secretariat, (2) the governments of other Commonwealth nations, and (3) any other persons or bodies, concerning the Republic of Ireland re-joining the Commonwealth.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government has had no discussions with the Commonwealth Secretariat, the governments of other Commonwealth nations, or any other persons or bodies concerning the Republic of Ireland re-joining the Commonwealth. This is a matter for the Irish Government to discuss with the Commonwealth Secretariat. Decisions on membership are made by consensus by the Heads of all Commonwealth members.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
Her Majesty's Government how much the Republic of Ireland owes the UK relating to the £338 million loan provided following the financial crisis; and what are the arrangements for repayment.
Answered by Lord Bates
I refer the noble Lord to the most recent statutory report which the Treasury provided to Parliament as required by Section 2 of the Loans to Ireland Act 2010. The last report was laid in Parliament on 18 April 2017 and is available in the Printed Paper Office.
The timetable for repayment set out in this report remains unchanged.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
Her Majesty's Government how many proxy votes were (1) applied for, and (2) granted, in each Northern Ireland constituency in (a) the 2015 general election, (b) the 2017 general election, (c) the 2016 Northern Ireland Assembly election, and (d) the 2017 Northern Ireland Assembly election.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
The Electoral Office for Northern Ireland does not have a readily accessible record of the number of proxy votes applied for the 2015 Parliamentary election, or the Northern Ireland Assembly elections in 2016 and 2017. It would not be possible to provide the information for the number of proxy votes applied for at any election, other than the 2017 UK Parliamentary General Election, other than at disproportionate cost. The number of proxy votes granted in each of the elections requested are set out below.
Asked by: Lord Laird (Non-affiliated - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
Her Majesty's Government How many EU nationals, other than Irish, Cypriot, Maltese and UK citizens, are on the electoral register in Northern Ireland, broken down by constituency; what is the distinction between the G and K markings placed against EU citizens on the electoral register; and what are the differences in the eligibility to vote between such EU nationals and UK citizens.
Answered by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
The G markings placed against EU citizens on the electoral register denotes their eligibility to vote at local and Assembly elections. The K marking denotes an EU citizen who has confirmed that they intend to vote in Northern Ireland, rather than their home state, at a specific European Parliamentary election. The K designation only lasts for one year and consequently there are currently no individuals with a K marking on the Northern Ireland register.
UK, Irish and Commonwealth citizens are eligible to register to vote in UK General Parliamentary Elections. Citizens of EU countries other than the UK, Ireland, Cyprus and Malta (the latter of which are Commonwealth as well as EU countries) cannot vote in UK General Parliamentary Elections, although they can register to vote at local government, and Northern Ireland Assembly elections.
The number of EU nationals, other than Irish, Cypriot, Maltese and UK citizens, on the electoral register are shown below.
Constituency | EU nationals on the electoral register (other than Irish, Cypriot, Maltese and UK citizens) |
Belfast East | 1943 |
Belfast North | 1617 |
Belfast South | 2857 |
Belfast West | 462 |
East Antrim | 597 |
East Londonderry | 1044 |
Fermanagh & South Tyrone | 3801 |
Foyle | 636 |
Lagan Valley | 1330 |
Mid Ulster | 1919 |
Newry & Armagh | 3017 |
North Antrim | 1928 |
North Down | 708 |
South Antrim | 1233 |
South Down | 1165 |
Strangford | 591 |
Upper Bann | 4563 |
West Tyrone | 1114 |
Total | 30,525 |