Asked by: Alister Jack (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps her Department is taking to increase cross border trade between Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Answered by Shailesh Vara
The Government is committed to building an economy that works for everyone, in Northern Ireland and the whole of our United Kingdom.
The Government’s Industrial Strategy is a vital part of the plan to drive growth across the whole United Kingdom and create more high skilled, high paid jobs and opportunities. We are committed to working with all relevant stakeholders in Northern Ireland to ensure that this Strategy aligns with the strategic priorities of Northern Ireland, to maximise the opportunities available and enable NI business to boost innovation, trade and investment opportunities across the whole of the UK.
Asked by: Alister Jack (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions her Department has had with the Scottish Government on future border arrangements between Scotland and Northern Ireland after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by Shailesh Vara
The Government has been very clear that as we leave the EU we will not do anything that threatens the constitutional and economic integrity of the United Kingdom’s internal market.
We have agreed with the EU that the Common Travel Area, which has served us well long before we joined the EU, will continue to operate once we leave the EU.
Asked by: Alister Jack (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential economic effect on the surrounding area of the opening of Carlisle Airport to domestic flights.
Answered by John Hayes
The Department for Transport has not made such an assessment. Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership has made £4.75 million available from its Local Growth Fund towards infrastructure improvements at Carlisle Airport. It would be a matter for airlines to decide which commercial flights they operate from the airport.
Asked by: Alister Jack (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Scottish Government about regeneration of the A75 euro-route from Gretna to Stranraer.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Road investment in Scotland is a devolved matter and as such any plans to regenerate the A75 euro-route fall to the Scottish Government.
Where there are areas of cross border interest, such as in the case of the A1 north of Newcastle, UK ministers are keen to collaborate with their Scottish counterparts.
Asked by: Alister Jack (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to upgrade the A75 euro-route from Gretna to Stranraer.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Road investment in Scotland is a devolved power and as such any plans to upgrade the A75 fall to the Scottish Government.
Asked by: Alister Jack (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what discussions he has had with his counterpart in the Scottish Government about regeneration of the A75 euro-route from Gretna to Stranraer.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Road investment in Scotland is a devolved matter and as such any plans to regenerate the A75 euro-route fall to the Scottish Government.
Where there are areas of cross border interest, such as in the case of the A1 north of Newcastle, UK ministers are keen to collaborate with their Scottish counterparts.
Asked by: Alister Jack (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans he has to upgrade the A75 euro-route from Gretna to Stranraer.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Road investment in Scotland is a devolved power and as such any plans to upgrade the A75 fall to the Scottish Government.
Asked by: Alister Jack (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions officials of his Department have had with officials from the Scottish Government on UK common agricultural frameworks after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Eustice
Ministers and officials are in regular discussion with their Scottish counterparts on future agriculture policy after the UK leaves the EU. Meetings were held over the summer between Defra and Scottish Government officials, along with their counterparts from Wales and Northern Ireland, on UK common agricultural frameworks. Further discussions have taken place on 14 and 15 November.
The Secretary of State met Fergus Ewing, the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity, on 6 November to discuss future agricultural policy, along with Lesley Griffiths, the Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs and Noel Lavery, the Permanent Secretary in the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland.
The Government is committed to delivering an approach that works for the whole of the UK and reflects the needs and individual circumstances of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Alister Jack (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the Scottish Government on designing a new agricultural subsidy system for Scotland after the UK leaves the EU.
Answered by George Eustice
Ministers and officials are in regular discussion with their Scottish counterparts on future agriculture policy after the UK leaves the EU. Meetings were held over the summer between Defra and Scottish Government officials, along with their counterparts from Wales and Northern Ireland, on UK common agricultural frameworks. Further discussions have taken place on 14 and 15 November.
The Secretary of State met Fergus Ewing, the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Rural Economy and Connectivity, on 6 November to discuss future agricultural policy, along with Lesley Griffiths, the Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs and Noel Lavery, the Permanent Secretary in the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) in Northern Ireland.
The Government is committed to delivering an approach that works for the whole of the UK and reflects the needs and individual circumstances of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Alister Jack (Conservative - Dumfries and Galloway)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the Irish Government on tackling the smuggling of puppies from the Republic of Ireland into the UK.
Answered by George Eustice
The UK Chief Veterinary Officer (CVO) has regular meetings with the Ireland CVO which cover a range animal health and welfare issues. At their most recent meeting on 25 July 2017 they discussed operations to tackle the smuggling of puppies into the United Kingdom from the Republic of Ireland and elsewhere.