Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, if he will list the independent studies commissioned by his Department on the effect of the UK leaving the EU on the devolved administrations.
Answered by Suella Braverman
The Government is undertaking a wide range of analysis and preparatory work that will contribute to our exit negotiations with the EU, define our future partnership with the EU, and inform our understanding of how EU exit will affect the UK’s domestic policies and frameworks. It is not however standard practice to provide a running commentary on ongoing analysis.
We are committed to positive and productive engagement with the devolved administrations as we seek a deal that works for the entire United Kingdom.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions he has had with mobile telephone operators on mobile data roaming charges after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Steve Baker - Minister of State (Northern Ireland Office)
Ministers across Government have carried out extensive engagement on EU exit with businesses and industry bodies from all sectors of the economy and all regions of the UK. This includes civil society groups such as consumer bodies, trade unions, charities and academia.
Following the UK’s exit from the EU, arrangements on mobile roaming will be subject to negotiations as part of our future economic partnership. In these negotiations, the Government is committed to securing the best deal on roaming for British consumers.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions his Department has had with the road haulier industry on access to EU member states after 2019.
Answered by Robin Walker
Officials and ministers in the Department for Exiting the European Union and the Department for Transport engage with stakeholders in the road haulage industry, as well as wider groups reliant on road haulage, on a regular basis.
We have conducted a number of informal bilaterals and roundtables with hauliers and trade associations as well as attending a number of conferences organised by the sector. In particular:
Secretary of State for Transport has held roundtables with road industry leaders from the motoring, freight and logistics sectors to discuss EU Exit. Issues discussed have included: access to EU Member States; road haulage on the island of Ireland; vehicle standards; customs; and opportunities from EU exit. They have also discussed the Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Bill. Officials from DExEU have attended these events.
The Government engages regularly with the Freight Transport Association (FTA), who are one of the UK’s largest trade associations and represent the transport interests of companies moving goods by road, rail, sea and air. I met with them in December 2017 and discussed their interests and concerns around EU exit, including the Haulage Permits and Trailer Registration Bill. Former Minister the Rt Hon. David Jones, Member for Clwyd West, also attended their annual conference last year and gave the keynote speech.
The Government has also close and constructive links with the Road Haulage Association (RHA) - a UK trade association dedicated to the needs of UK road transport operators.
We will continue to engage with the haulage industry and seek views from across the sector in preparing for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU.
Details of ministerial meetings are published in the Department’s Quarterly Transparency Returns, which are publicly available on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, whether the Government's negotiating position is that the provisions of any implementation agreement will extend to the countries within the EEA.
Answered by Robin Walker
Our aim is to ensure continuity during the implementation period, with international partners and the EU, and certainty for businesses and individuals.
As such, our existing international agreements should continue to apply during the proposed time-limited implementation period.
This includes the EEA Agreement and other important agreements which govern crucial elements of our trading and non-trading relationship with the three EEA EFTA states - Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.
Once the implementation period ends, we will no longer participate in the EU's international agreements. We will instead seek to put in place new arrangements to maintain our relationships with these countries.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what plans he has to consult (a) the PSNI, (b) the Northern Ireland Department of Justice and (c) other bodies in Northern Ireland on the proposals contained in his Department's future partnership paper on security, law enforcement and criminal justice, published on 18 September 2017.
Answered by Robin Walker
We are committed to securing a deal that works for the entire United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland. We have been clear from the start that the devolved administrations should be fully engaged in this process. For the future partnership paper on security, law enforcement and criminal justice, both the Department for Exiting the European Union and the Home Office have engaged at an official level with the Northern Ireland Civil Service, in the absence of a Northern Ireland Executive.
We are committed to positive and productive engagement with the devolved administrations, including a restored Northern Ireland Executive, as we take forward this important work. We are also determined to hear from as many organisations, companies and institutions as possible to build a national consensus around our negotiating position.
Asked by: Lord Dodds of Duncairn (Democratic Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Exiting the European Union :
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the future use of funding held as part of the UK share in the capital of the European Investment Bank.
Answered by David Jones
The Department is working closely with the Treasury and other Departments across Whitehall as we prepare our negotiating position. Collectively, we are working to ensure that people and businesses have stability and certainty in the period leading up to our departure from the EU and that we secure a deal in the best interests of the UK.