Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government how the different standards between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK as a result of the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023 will be enforced; what paperwork will be required; and what checks will be carried out.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Departmental officials consulted with officials from the Department of Health in Northern Ireland about the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023.
No consultations have taken place as to whether regulatory changes in Northern Ireland should apply to heated tobacco products in Great Britain. Heated tobacco use remains low in Great Britain, but we will keep this under review, working with our counterparts in the devolved administrations.
The assessment given to regulatory divergence with the rest of the United Kingdom on the introduction of the regulation is that heated tobacco use throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland is low. From 23 October 2023, there may be heated tobacco products that are permitted on the Great Britain market but that are not on the Northern Ireland market. It continues to be policy of the Department in England to discourage people from taking up tobacco, and to help people quit the use of it.
It will be an offence for anyone to sell heated tobacco products prohibited in the regulations in Northern Ireland. Each district council in Northern Ireland will enforce the new requirements under existing funding. These new requirements are not expected to be a significant burden on each district council, given the low use of heated tobacco products in Northern Ireland.
To assist with regulatory compliance for businesses selling heated tobacco, the Department has sent communications information on the regulations to the Northern Ireland Retail body and the Federation of Small Businesses, along with the suppliers of heated tobacco products on the Northern Ireland market. Information was also shared through the Northern Ireland Business Information website. The changes were also communicated to Northern Ireland councils through the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives.
No new regulation has been created in the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023 regarding creating an independent advisory panel. Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/786 continues to apply in Northern Ireland and lays down the procedure for the establishment and operation of an independent advisory panel to assist in this determination.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to appoint the independent advisory panel required under the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023; what consultations have taken place about the membership; and who has so far been appointed to the panel.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Departmental officials consulted with officials from the Department of Health in Northern Ireland about the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023.
No consultations have taken place as to whether regulatory changes in Northern Ireland should apply to heated tobacco products in Great Britain. Heated tobacco use remains low in Great Britain, but we will keep this under review, working with our counterparts in the devolved administrations.
The assessment given to regulatory divergence with the rest of the United Kingdom on the introduction of the regulation is that heated tobacco use throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland is low. From 23 October 2023, there may be heated tobacco products that are permitted on the Great Britain market but that are not on the Northern Ireland market. It continues to be policy of the Department in England to discourage people from taking up tobacco, and to help people quit the use of it.
It will be an offence for anyone to sell heated tobacco products prohibited in the regulations in Northern Ireland. Each district council in Northern Ireland will enforce the new requirements under existing funding. These new requirements are not expected to be a significant burden on each district council, given the low use of heated tobacco products in Northern Ireland.
To assist with regulatory compliance for businesses selling heated tobacco, the Department has sent communications information on the regulations to the Northern Ireland Retail body and the Federation of Small Businesses, along with the suppliers of heated tobacco products on the Northern Ireland market. Information was also shared through the Northern Ireland Business Information website. The changes were also communicated to Northern Ireland councils through the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives.
No new regulation has been created in the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023 regarding creating an independent advisory panel. Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/786 continues to apply in Northern Ireland and lays down the procedure for the establishment and operation of an independent advisory panel to assist in this determination.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consultations they have carried out with District Councils in Northern Ireland about the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023; and what estimate they have made of the cost to councils of enforcing these regulations.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Departmental officials consulted with officials from the Department of Health in Northern Ireland about the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023.
No consultations have taken place as to whether regulatory changes in Northern Ireland should apply to heated tobacco products in Great Britain. Heated tobacco use remains low in Great Britain, but we will keep this under review, working with our counterparts in the devolved administrations.
The assessment given to regulatory divergence with the rest of the United Kingdom on the introduction of the regulation is that heated tobacco use throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland is low. From 23 October 2023, there may be heated tobacco products that are permitted on the Great Britain market but that are not on the Northern Ireland market. It continues to be policy of the Department in England to discourage people from taking up tobacco, and to help people quit the use of it.
It will be an offence for anyone to sell heated tobacco products prohibited in the regulations in Northern Ireland. Each district council in Northern Ireland will enforce the new requirements under existing funding. These new requirements are not expected to be a significant burden on each district council, given the low use of heated tobacco products in Northern Ireland.
To assist with regulatory compliance for businesses selling heated tobacco, the Department has sent communications information on the regulations to the Northern Ireland Retail body and the Federation of Small Businesses, along with the suppliers of heated tobacco products on the Northern Ireland market. Information was also shared through the Northern Ireland Business Information website. The changes were also communicated to Northern Ireland councils through the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives.
No new regulation has been created in the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023 regarding creating an independent advisory panel. Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/786 continues to apply in Northern Ireland and lays down the procedure for the establishment and operation of an independent advisory panel to assist in this determination.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what further assessment they have given to regulatory divergence with the rest of the UK as a result of the application of the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023 to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Departmental officials consulted with officials from the Department of Health in Northern Ireland about the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023.
No consultations have taken place as to whether regulatory changes in Northern Ireland should apply to heated tobacco products in Great Britain. Heated tobacco use remains low in Great Britain, but we will keep this under review, working with our counterparts in the devolved administrations.
The assessment given to regulatory divergence with the rest of the United Kingdom on the introduction of the regulation is that heated tobacco use throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland is low. From 23 October 2023, there may be heated tobacco products that are permitted on the Great Britain market but that are not on the Northern Ireland market. It continues to be policy of the Department in England to discourage people from taking up tobacco, and to help people quit the use of it.
It will be an offence for anyone to sell heated tobacco products prohibited in the regulations in Northern Ireland. Each district council in Northern Ireland will enforce the new requirements under existing funding. These new requirements are not expected to be a significant burden on each district council, given the low use of heated tobacco products in Northern Ireland.
To assist with regulatory compliance for businesses selling heated tobacco, the Department has sent communications information on the regulations to the Northern Ireland Retail body and the Federation of Small Businesses, along with the suppliers of heated tobacco products on the Northern Ireland market. Information was also shared through the Northern Ireland Business Information website. The changes were also communicated to Northern Ireland councils through the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives.
No new regulation has been created in the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023 regarding creating an independent advisory panel. Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/786 continues to apply in Northern Ireland and lays down the procedure for the establishment and operation of an independent advisory panel to assist in this determination.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask His Majesty's Government what consultations they carried out with departments in Northern Ireland regarding the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023.
Answered by Lord Markham - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Departmental officials consulted with officials from the Department of Health in Northern Ireland about the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023.
No consultations have taken place as to whether regulatory changes in Northern Ireland should apply to heated tobacco products in Great Britain. Heated tobacco use remains low in Great Britain, but we will keep this under review, working with our counterparts in the devolved administrations.
The assessment given to regulatory divergence with the rest of the United Kingdom on the introduction of the regulation is that heated tobacco use throughout Great Britain and Northern Ireland is low. From 23 October 2023, there may be heated tobacco products that are permitted on the Great Britain market but that are not on the Northern Ireland market. It continues to be policy of the Department in England to discourage people from taking up tobacco, and to help people quit the use of it.
It will be an offence for anyone to sell heated tobacco products prohibited in the regulations in Northern Ireland. Each district council in Northern Ireland will enforce the new requirements under existing funding. These new requirements are not expected to be a significant burden on each district council, given the low use of heated tobacco products in Northern Ireland.
To assist with regulatory compliance for businesses selling heated tobacco, the Department has sent communications information on the regulations to the Northern Ireland Retail body and the Federation of Small Businesses, along with the suppliers of heated tobacco products on the Northern Ireland market. Information was also shared through the Northern Ireland Business Information website. The changes were also communicated to Northern Ireland councils through the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives.
No new regulation has been created in the Tobacco and Related Products (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2023 regarding creating an independent advisory panel. Implementing Decision (EU) 2016/786 continues to apply in Northern Ireland and lays down the procedure for the establishment and operation of an independent advisory panel to assist in this determination.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether any changes to the criteria against which the Trader Support Service should be audited have been made since the time the tender was first awarded.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
No changes were made to the award criteria.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many tender applications for the provision of the Trader Support Service were received.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
Four tender responses were received for the provision of Trader Support Service.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government what are their criteria for assessing tenders for running the Trader Support Service.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
HMRC’s followed its standard evaluation award criteria for Trade Support Service (TSS) which split it into the following 2 areas including the weighting of each:
The quality measures were around the Design of Service ‘Build’, Live Service ‘Run’ – declaration system availability/fix incident response times etc, Capacity, SME (Subject Matter Expertise) - skills knowledge and capability eg Tariff/Comm Codes, Ability to mobilise and Exit Approach.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government against what criteria was it agreed that they should audit the provision of the Trader Support Service at the time the tender was awarded.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
HMRC’s followed its standard evaluation award criteria for Trade Support Service (TSS) which split it into the following 2 areas including the weighting of each:
The quality measures were around the Design of Service ‘Build’, Live Service ‘Run’ – declaration system availability/fix incident response times etc, Capacity, SME (Subject Matter Expertise) - skills knowledge and capability eg Tariff/Comm Codes, Ability to mobilise and Exit Approach.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much public money was spent on designing the Trader Support Service; which organisations received public monies as a result of this; and how much each organisation received.
Answered by Baroness Penn - Minister on Leave (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State)
I refer the Noble Lord to the answer given to PQ UIN 146816 on 22 February 2023.