Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will publish the engagements he has had with stakeholders on the 25 per cent tariff on steel moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Government wrote to affected businesses to set out routes for bringing UK-origin and EU-origin steel into Northern Ireland tariff-free.
The Government also set out how relevant quotas can be accessed when businesses in Northern Ireland import steel from the rest of the world.
We will continue to engage on this issue with industry, the European Commission, and the Northern Ireland Executive.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what plans his Department has to (a) seek removal of the 25 per cent tariff on steel moving between Great Britain and Northern Ireland and (b) mitigate the effects of that tariff through provision of financial support.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Government wrote to affected businesses to set out routes for bringing UK-origin and EU-origin steel into Northern Ireland tariff-free.
The Government also set out how relevant quotas can be accessed when businesses in Northern Ireland import steel from the rest of the world.
We will continue to engage on this issue with industry, the European Commission, and the Northern Ireland Executive.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether retailers in Northern Ireland importing cosmetic goods from suppliers in Great Britain can be classified as responsible persons under the new import arrangements; and if he will provide financial assistance to offset any additional costs resulting from new or increased indemnities from acting as a responsible person.
Answered by Robin Walker
Northern Ireland businesses that bring cosmetic products from Great Britain into Northern Ireland will automatically become the Responsible Person unless they designate this role in writing to another person established within the EEA or Northern Ireland who must in turn formally accept the role in writing. The Government has provided comprehensive guidance to businesses placing goods on the Northern Ireland market at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cosmetic-products-enforcement-regulations-2013
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps the Government has taken to ensure that there are no food shortages in Northern Ireland as a result of the UK-EU Trade and Co-operation Agreement.
Answered by Robin Walker
The UK-EU Trade and Co-operation Agreement is based on friendly cooperation between sovereign equals, centred on free trade and inspired by our shared history and values. This is the first free trade agreement the EU has ever reached based on zero tariffs and zero quotas and it is fantastic news for families and businesses in every part of the UK, including Northern Ireland.
The deal we have reached on the Northern Ireland Protocol provides a sensible, phased solution under which trusted traders such as supermarkets and their suppliers will benefit from a three month grace period from official certification. We will continue to work closely with traders as they adapt to the new arrangements
From all accounts these grace periods are working well, and where issues do arise, the government has well-established ways of working with the food industry. This includes extensive and ongoing engagement to support industry in preparedness for, and response to, potential food supply chain disruptions.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if he will publish his Department's correspondence with the Treasury on changes to the VAT margins scheme regarding VAT on second hand cars purchased in Great Britain and imported to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I regularly liaise with Her Majesty’s Treasury on a wide range of issues affecting Northern Ireland.
During an Urgent Question on 18 November, I committed to engaging with the Treasury on this very issue, however it would not be appropriate to disclose inter-departmental discussions at this time.
We are committed to implementing the Protocol in a flexible and proportionate way and to deliver unfettered access for Northern Ireland business to the whole UK market. Talks are ongoing as part of the Joint Committee process on the impact for certain industries at the end of the transition period, including the re-sale of second-hand cars.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what additional support his Department is providing to assist the Northern Ireland Executive in acquiring covid-19 vaccines.
Answered by Robin Walker
The UK Government is working with several potential vaccine suppliers with the ambition to roll out an immunisation programme on a UK-wide basis as soon as regulatory approval is granted. We have secured early access to over 350 million vaccine doses through a portfolio of promising new vaccines to ensure we are in the best place, and we are taking every possible step to ensure we can move as quickly as possible to deploy a vaccine if and when one is found to work.
We have invested over £140m into manufacturing any successful vaccine and an enormous amount of planning and preparation has taken place across Government to be able to quickly roll out the vaccine, including ensuring we have adequate provision, transport, PPE and logistical expertise to do so.
Once any vaccine is approved, the Government will distribute these equitably amongst the four nations, for the Devolved Administrations to then administer roll out to the public.
The UK Government has been in constant communication with the NI Executive over the progress on the acquisition, and potential approval, of any vaccine to assist in planning and preparation for their roll out. The UK Government stands ready to assist the Devolved Administrations concerning a vaccine roll out.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment his Department has made of the potential for Northern Ireland to be operating in a different time zone from the rest of the island of Ireland in the event that the EU goes ahead with plans not to continue daylight savings hours as proposed by the EU Parliament.
Answered by Robin Walker
The setting of time zones is a devolved matter for the locally elected political institutions in Northern Ireland to consider.
The Withdrawal Agreement does not require Northern Ireland to align with the European Union approach to time zones.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with Northern Ireland’s business community in areas of localised covid-19 lockdown on the provision of additional financial support to businesses and employees in those areas.
Answered by Robin Walker
The UK Government remains committed to supporting businesses in Northern Ireland, and across the UK, as they continue to deal with the impact of Covid-19.
We continue to regularly engage with business representatives and businesses on a range of issues, including the response to Covid-19. We will continue to work closely with the Executive to support businesses, jobs and the economy in Northern Ireland.
The Government has provided some of the most generous support packages in the world to support the economy through the pandemic. This includes UK-wide measures such as the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, the Self-Employed Job Support Scheme and the Job Support Scheme. On 9 October, the Chancellor announced that the Job Support Scheme will be extended so that firms in areas affected by local restrictions will be able to pay staff up to two thirds of employee wages, to a maximum of £2,100 a month, should they legally be required to close. We will continue to support businesses in Northern Ireland and across the UK to build back better.
In addition to these measures, the Government has provided £2.4bn in additional funding to the Northern Ireland Executive as part of our response to Covid-19. This additional funding is being used by the Executive to help support businesses as they deal with the impact of this crisis.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what meetings he has held with human rights organisations based in Northern Ireland to discuss the UK's exit from the EU and the Northern Ireland protocol.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I, along with departmental officials continue to engage on the Protocol with stakeholders across Northern Ireland to ensure that it is implemented effectively. This includes engaging with human rights organisations on issues such as our commitment to ensure that no diminution of certain rights, safeguards or equality of opportunity protections results from the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.
Northern Ireland Office officials are in frequent contact with relevant organisations, the Secretary of State spoke with the Chief Commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission on 3 March 2020, and a number of further engagements are planned in the coming weeks and months.
Asked by: Colum Eastwood (Social Democratic & Labour Party - Foyle)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what steps he plans to take to support border areas in Northern Ireland after the end of the transition period.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Protocol provides a practical solution to avoid a hard border on the island of Ireland in a way that preserves the Belfast (“Good Friday”) Agreement and continues to protect the interests of people and businesses in Northern Ireland. The Government will continue to support East-West and North-South cooperation to protect communities and individuals, including in border areas.
We have already guaranteed that businesses will face no tariffs for movement of goods within the UK, will have unfettered access to the whole UK market for NI goods, and will benefit from the lower tariffs we deliver through our new Free Trade Agreements with third countries. In addition, the Government remains committed to a New Deal for Northern Ireland to help boost economic growth, competitiveness and to support infrastructure and connectivity North-South and East-West.
We have also committed to participation in the Peace Plus programme. The programme will support activities to promote peace and reconciliation and contribute to the cross-border economic and territorial development of the region.