Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the feasibility of the Smart Freight system.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Further to the comments of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 23 September 2020, the 'Check an HGV is ready to cross the border' service is being developed in accordance with the rigorous standards applied to the development of any digital Government service. This includes consultation and engagement with users as well as internal testing. The service has passed successfully into the “beta” phase and is now being subjected to operational testing with users, including businesses. It is on schedule to be ready for December 2020.
On 12 July, the Government announced a funding package in 20/21 for border infrastructure, staffing and IT to ensure GB border systems are fully operational when the UK takes back control of its border after the end of the transition period.
A breakdown will be provided, port by port and region by region, in due course.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps his Department is taking to ensure the success of the Smart Freight system.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Further to the comments of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 23 September 2020, the 'Check an HGV is ready to cross the border' service is being developed in accordance with the rigorous standards applied to the development of any digital Government service. This includes consultation and engagement with users as well as internal testing. The service has passed successfully into the “beta” phase and is now being subjected to operational testing with users, including businesses. It is on schedule to be ready for December 2020.
On 12 July, the Government announced a funding package in 20/21 for border infrastructure, staffing and IT to ensure GB border systems are fully operational when the UK takes back control of its border after the end of the transition period.
A breakdown will be provided, port by port and region by region, in due course.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department has contingency plans to minimise disruption at UK borders in the event that the Smart Freight system fails to work effectively.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Further to the comments of the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 23 September 2020, the 'Check an HGV is ready to cross the border' service is being developed in accordance with the rigorous standards applied to the development of any digital Government service. This includes consultation and engagement with users as well as internal testing. The service has passed successfully into the “beta” phase and is now being subjected to operational testing with users, including businesses. It is on schedule to be ready for December 2020.
On 12 July, the Government announced a funding package in 20/21 for border infrastructure, staffing and IT to ensure GB border systems are fully operational when the UK takes back control of its border after the end of the transition period.
A breakdown will be provided, port by port and region by region, in due course.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the policy paper entitled, The Border Operating Model Border, published on 13 July 2020, whether Smart Freight Service would be required for vehicles travelling from Welsh ports to (a) the Republic of Ireland and (b) via the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The use of the Smart Freight Service will be recommended but not compulsory in respect of the movement of goods between Welsh ports and the Republic of Ireland, and will not apply to the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Government has invited businesses, including businesses in Wales, to participate in user testing for the Smart Freight Service, and continues to engage with the Welsh Government regarding preparations for the end of the Transition Period.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the policy paper entitled, The Border Operating Model Border, published on 13 July 2020, whether the use of the Smart Freight System will apply in Wales; and what consultation it has had with (a) the Welsh Government and (b) businesses in Wales on the Smart Freight System.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The use of the Smart Freight Service will be recommended but not compulsory in respect of the movement of goods between Welsh ports and the Republic of Ireland, and will not apply to the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Government has invited businesses, including businesses in Wales, to participate in user testing for the Smart Freight Service, and continues to engage with the Welsh Government regarding preparations for the end of the Transition Period.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what recent assessment the Government has made of the preparedness of the ports of (a) Holyhead, (b) Milford Haven, (c) Cardiff, (d) Newport, (e) Port Talbot, (f) Fishguard and (g) Swansea to adapt to changes to customs rules and physical checks requirements following the end of the transition period.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
Further to the answer by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, the Cabinet Office's Border and Protocol Delivery Group is working with Government departments and with Welsh Government officials and with ports in Wales on their requirements for the end of the Transition Period.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 4 May 2020 to Question 40518 on Coronavirus: Wales, when his Department plans to publish disaggregated data on Government expenditure as at May 2020 on the placing of advertisements in (a) national Welsh media, (b) local and regional Welsh media and (c) Welsh language media since the start of the covid-19 public information campaign.
Answered by Chloe Smith
This is a national campaign, taking place on multiple channels in all four nations of the UK. We will publish expenditure on the whole campaign on a rolling monthly basis on GOV.UK as part of routine government transparency arrangements.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will ensure that the future agreement between the UK and EU contains a clause confirming the parties’ legal commitment to the provisions of the Paris Climate Agreement.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The UK is committed to tackling climate change and as COP26 President will work with all partners to deliver the Paris Agreement. As set out in the document outlining our approach to negotiations, the agreement we reach with the EU should reaffirm both parties’ commitments to the Paris Agreement and recognise both sides’ right to decide their own regulation to meet our respective climate goals.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether his Department is responsible for co-ordinating the covid-19 public information campaign in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Northern Ireland.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The Government has developed a strong national campaign across all four nations of the UK to provide information and reassurance to the public about COVID-19.
This is a cross-government campaign involving multiple departments. It is being coordinated centrally by the Cabinet Office who are working closely with the Devolved Administrations, including with the Welsh Government to ensure campaign materials are translated for use in Wales.
The Cabinet Office publishes expenditure, including on public information campaigns, on a rolling monthly basis on gov.uk as part of routine government transparency arrangements.
Asked by: Hywel Williams (Plaid Cymru - Arfon)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much the Government has spent on placing advertisements in (a) national Welsh media, (b) local and regional Welsh media and (c) Welsh language media since the start of the covid-19 public information campaign.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The Government has developed a strong national campaign across all four nations of the UK to provide information and reassurance to the public about COVID-19.
This is a cross-government campaign involving multiple departments. It is being coordinated centrally by the Cabinet Office who are working closely with the Devolved Administrations, including with the Welsh Government to ensure campaign materials are translated for use in Wales.
The Cabinet Office publishes expenditure, including on public information campaigns, on a rolling monthly basis on gov.uk as part of routine government transparency arrangements.