Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask His Majesty's Government what actions they have taken to reverse the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from their game with Aston Villa.
Answered by Baroness Twycross - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answers I gave during the debate on the Urgent Question relating to this issue, held in the House on Wednesday 22 October 2025.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government when they plan to issue guidance to schools, colleges and universities about the provision of single sex-spaces.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Single-sex spaces are protected in law and will always be protected by this government.
The department is currently reviewing the draft non-statutory guidance for schools and colleges on gender questioning children. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education, has been clear that children’s wellbeing must be at the heart of this guidance and, as such, the government is looking carefully at the consultation responses, discussing with stakeholders and considering the relevant evidence, including the final report of the Cass Review which was published post-consultation, before setting out next steps.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with the government of Ireland about the introduction of digital identification cards.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We will ensure our commitments in the Good Friday Agreement, the Windsor Framework and the Common Travel Area are respected and maintained.
We will design this system to help ensure everyone who has a right to live and work in any part of the UK can do so easily and securely.
We are working with our counterparts in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and will continue to engage to ensure the system works for people on both sides of the border.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether workers from the Republic of Ireland will require digital identification cards to work in the United Kingdom when those cards are introduced.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We will ensure our commitments in the Good Friday Agreement, the Windsor Framework and the Common Travel Area are respected and maintained.
We will design this system to help ensure everyone who has a right to live and work in any part of the UK can do so easily and securely.
We are working with our counterparts in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and will continue to engage to ensure the system works for people on both sides of the border.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure the Common Travel Area is maintained for people travelling for work when digital identification cards are introduced.
Answered by Lord Collins of Highbury - Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
We will ensure our commitments in the Good Friday Agreement, the Windsor Framework and the Common Travel Area are respected and maintained.
We will design this system to help ensure everyone who has a right to live and work in any part of the UK can do so easily and securely.
We are working with our counterparts in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland and will continue to engage to ensure the system works for people on both sides of the border.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Education:
To ask His Majesty's Government what further measures will be taken in schools, colleges and universities to combat antisemitism.
Answered by Baroness Smith of Malvern - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
Education is a devolved matter, and the response outlines the information for England only.
The government has made available £7 million in funding to tackle antisemitism in education settings. £500,000 has been awarded to University Jewish Chaplaincy to support student welfare on campuses and, following a competitive procurement, we have awarded contracts to the Union of Jewish Students (£1 million) and Palace Yard Ltd (£1.32 million) to upskill and train university, college and school staff to recognise and address antisemitism.
In November, we will also launch a £4 million tackling antisemitism in education innovation fund, to test approaches to help young people spot mis- and dis-information and improve their media literacy, and to strengthen interfaith collaboration.
On 7 October 2025, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Education wrote to Vice Chancellors, urging them to take immediate action to protect Jewish students following the appalling terrorist attack at Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue. She highlighted the need for enhanced security, community engagement, and staff training to ensure campuses are safe, inclusive, and respectful spaces. She has also made clear that universities should not hesitate to use the full force of their disciplinary processes to deal with acts of harassment and abuse on campus.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are the items of primary and secondary legislation that have passed through Parliament to implement the Northern Ireland Protocol and the Windsor Framework.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Windsor Framework is implemented in domestic law through a variety of legislative instruments, encompassing both bespoke instruments and provisions integrated into broader legislation. Any compilation of laws would not accurately reflect this fact.
Legislation relevant to the Windsor Framework and the UK’s exit from the European Union can be found on the "legislation.gov.uk" website. The Government will continue to take forward any legislation required in future to give effect to any of our international obligations, in line with usual parliamentary procedure.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what primary and secondary legislation is required in the future to implement the Northern Ireland Protocol and the Windsor Framework fully.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Windsor Framework is implemented in domestic law through a variety of legislative instruments, encompassing both bespoke instruments and provisions integrated into broader legislation. Any compilation of laws would not accurately reflect this fact.
Legislation relevant to the Windsor Framework and the UK’s exit from the European Union can be found on the "legislation.gov.uk" website. The Government will continue to take forward any legislation required in future to give effect to any of our international obligations, in line with usual parliamentary procedure.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business and Trade:
To ask His Majesty's Government what engagement they have had directly with companies in Northern Ireland to ensure they are directly represented in trade negotiations between the UK and Israel.
Answered by Lord Stockwood - Minister of State (HM Treasury)
The UK Government is responsible for negotiating international trade agreements on behalf of all the nations and regions in the UK.
This Government, however, suspended trade negotiations with Israel on 20th May, owing to the actions of this Israeli Government in Gaza and the West Bank.
Asked by: Lord Weir of Ballyholme (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether the co-directors of the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery will be required to take decisions jointly.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The Northern Ireland Troubles Bill sets out specific circumstances in which the Directors must act jointly. These include clause 29 (deciding the form and manner in which requests for investigations are to be made), clause 30 (accepting and rejecting requests for investigations), clause 32 (power of the Directors of Investigations to initiate investigations), and clause 35 (determining the order in which investigations are to be carried out).
Other clauses in the Bill set out the circumstances in which the Director allocated an investigation should act alone. These include clauses 33 (notifying family members and others about new investigations), clause 36 (determining whether the investigation should be carried out as a criminal investigation etc), and clause 37 (notifying family members and others about the conduct of investigations).