Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the Written Answer by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park on 25 October regarding assistance animals travelling from the UK to the EU (HL2987), whether similarly stringent requirements are in place for pet movements from the EU to the UK.

Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park

Currently there are no changes to the pre-transition period pet travel requirements for entry into Great Britain (GB) from the EU or Northern Ireland. We continue to accept Pet Passports issued in the EU, Northern Ireland and Part 1 listed third countries and Pet Passports issued in GB prior to January 2021. We also accept Animal Health Certificates (AHC) issued in GB, and Great Britain Pet Health Certificates (which can be used when travelling from a Part 2 or ‘not listed’ country, or a ‘Part 1’ country that does not issue pet passports). Pets travelling from Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man do not need this documentation.

The pet health requirements remain in place to protect GB’s biosecurity from diseases such as rabies and the tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis. This means that all dogs, cats and ferrets entering GB from the EU must continue to be microchipped, have been vaccinated against rabies and for dogs, including assistance dogs, to have been treated against tapeworm (unless travelling from a tapeworm-free country).

We have extensive guidance on GOV.UK with detailed information on what pet owners must do to ensure a seamless journey for their pet into GB: https://www.gov.uk/bring-pet-to-great-britain.

We operate one of the most rigorous and robust pet checking regimes in the world for non-commercial pet travel movements. Every pet animal entering GB on approved routes under the pet travel rules undergoes documentary and identity checks. Any animals found to be non-compliant with the pet travel rules may be refused entry or detained until compliant.

The Government has a manifesto commitment to crack down on puppy smuggling. We are now making some significant changes to domestic law, with potential changes to our import requirements, through the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill. The Bill was introduced in Parliament on the 8 June and second reading took place on 25 October. The Bill will progress through Parliament when parliamentary time allows.

Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that qualified guide dogs, assistance dogs, and their disabled owners are not discriminated against when travelling to the EU by the (1) cost, and (2) bureaucracy, of obtaining an animal health certificate.

Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park

The UK has been formally ‘listed’ as a ‘Part 2’ third country for the purposes of the EU pet travel regulations, which means that new rules apply to pet movements from Great Britain (GB) to the EU and Northern Ireland (NI). The pet health and documentary requirements for such pet travel are set out under the EU Pet Travel Regulations.

Defra recognises the undue impact that these changes are having on pet owners and assistance dog users. Defra has been clear that there are no animal health or biosecurity justifications for these additional rules to travel to the EU or NI. We will continue to press the EU Commission in relation to securing ‘Part 1’ listed status and recognition of the UK’s tapeworm-free status, recognising that achieving this would alleviate some of the new requirements for pet owners and assistance dog users travelling, including the requirement for an Animal Health Certificate (AHC). We see no valid animal health reason for these to not be granted and we have one of the most rigorous pet-checking regimes in Europe to protect our biosecurity. We have submitted a detailed technical case setting this out and are continuing to engage with the EU on a workable solution.

We are proactively engaging with the assistance dog community and relevant stakeholders on the impacts on dog movements from Great Britain to the EU. We will continue to work closely with assistance dog organisations to share the latest advice and guidance (in accessible formats) with their members on pet travel requirements.

Our advice for pet owners and users of assistance dogs travelling is that they should continue to contact their vet at least one month in advance to ensure their pet has the correct vaccinations and paperwork to travel abroad. The costs of completing and issuing an AHC are commercial decisions, set by individual veterinary practices.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will apply for the extradition of Saleh Ibrahim Mabrouk from Libya, following the High Court ruling on 16 November.

Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)

Whether to seek extradition in a case is an operational decision for law enforcement and prosecution agencies. The UK Government, as a matter of longstanding policy and practice, will neither confirm nor deny whether an extradition request has been made or received until such time as an arrest has been made in relation to the request.

Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Georgian nationals resident in the UK are subject to government sanctions.

Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)

The Government is not aware of any Georgian nationals resident in the UK who have been designated under UK sanctions.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government why UK nationals returning to the UK are still required to complete Passenger Locator Forms following the removal of all other COVID-19 requirements.

Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)

To help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and respond effectively to any variants of concern, U.K. health authorities must have the correct contact and travel information for all passengers arriving into the U.K. Consequently, the completion of an accurate Passenger Locator Form (PLF) remains a mandatory requirement for travel.

The current international travel regulations require different measures to be taken dependant on a passenger’s vaccination status. The PLF enables passengers to verify their vaccine status through the form.

The PLF has recently been updated to simplify the form and extend the completion window. As other measures at the border are lifted, health measures remain under regular review and adjusted in line with the latest public health advice. The necessity of the form and its contents is kept under constant review.

Question to the Home Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by the Home Secretary on 8 March that they have “surged a Home Office team” to help at Calais, why Ukrainian refugees are unable to be processed more rapidly in Calais than at other locations.

Answered by Baroness Williams of Trafford - Captain of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms (HM Household) (Chief Whip, House of Lords)

Prior to the conflict the Home Office had one Visa Application Centre (VAC) based in France, that being the VAC in Paris.

To support people in Northern France who are eligible for the Ukraine Family Scheme, the Home Office has set up a new temporary Visa Application Centre (VAC) in Arras, replacing the interim site in Lille. The Arras VAC is now open. It will only be used for referrals from Border Force of Ukrainians arriving in Calais without visas. Individuals eligible for the Ukraine Family Scheme should not travel to Arras or Northern France, but instead apply online (if they hold a valid passport), or make an appointment to attend their nearest VAC in person which is an easier way of getting the permissions to travel to the UK needed.

Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take as a shareholder to ensure that NatWest Bank does not close accounts solely on the basis of their customers’ political views.

Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)

[1]. https://www.natwestgroup.com/news-and-insights/news-room/press-releases/our-updates/2023/jul/statement-on-review-of-bank-accounts-closure-process.html#:~:text=Customers%20have%20a%20right%20to,this%2C%20wider%20change%20is%20required.

[2]. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/payment-account-contract-termination-and-freedom-of-expression

Question to the Ministry of Defence:

To ask His Majesty's Government when they expect the aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales to be ready for active service.

Answered by Earl of Minto - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence)

The Royal Navy is one of only two navies in the world able to operate 5th generation aircraft from two carriers.

By maintaining two aircraft carriers, the UK has one carrier available at very high readiness for operational deployment, at all times.

Any decision to deploy the carriers will be made in conjunction with our allies and partners and will be based on operational need. This is kept under constant review.

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