Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what discussions he has had with the Northern Ireland's road haulage industry on the Windsor Framework since 27 February 2023.
Answered by Steve Baker - Minister of State (Northern Ireland Office)
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland meets regularly with Northern Ireland stakeholders, including representatives of the road haulage industry to discuss a range of relevant issues, including following the announcement of the Windsor Framework.
The Windsor Framework restores the free flow of trade from Great Britain to Northern Ireland with a first-of-its-kind green lane that will enable goods destined for NI to move easily without burdensome customs bureaucracy.
Customs paperwork will be scrapped and replaced with data sharing of ordinary, existing commercial information. This information will be provided from sales invoices and transport contracts – information that businesses will already hold and use for the movement of goods.
In other words, the only data traders will need to move from Birmingham to Belfast is the same as if they were going to the Isle of Wight.
We have also secured complete unfettered access for NI goods on the UK market, with no export processes required.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, pursuant to the Answer of 13 March 2023 to Question 161247 on Windsor Framework, if he will publish a list of the less than three percent of EU rules that now apply to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 March 2023 to Question 161247 [https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2023-03-08/161247].
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what estimate he has made of the costs to (a) hauliers and (b) traders of using the green lane proposed in the Windsor Framework.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The green lane will mean that goods being sold in Northern Ireland will be freed of unnecessary paperwork, checks and duties, using only ordinary commercial information rather than customs processes or complex certification requirements for agrifood. Goods moved in the green lane will face no tariffs or no rules of origin requirements. Sanitary and Phytosanitary goods in the green lane will move on the basis of a simplified single certificate per lorry, removing the need for costly veterinary certificates. And movements in the green lane will continue to benefit from the existing Trader Support Service. Further guidance on the green lane will be provided in due course.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the qualification requirements are that a carrier must fulfil in order to obtain approval under the proposed Trusted Trader Scheme in the Windsor Framework.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The requirements include having a system in place to maintain appropriate control of their operations and having no recent history of serious infringements related to their economic activity.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to paragraph 8 of The Windsor Framework: a new way forward, CP806, what the more than 1,700 pages of EU rules are; and if he will place copies of them in the Library of the House.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
We have published the legal instruments that make up the Windsor Framework, which set out how the relevant EU rules are disapplied, and both the UK and EU will respectively take forward further legislative measures to translate those solutions into law. The legal text on the agrifood green lane, for example, lists the 67 EU rules which are disapplied there. Through these changes we have ensured that it is UK authorities which approve medicines for the whole UK market; that changes on alcohol duties and VAT rates on the installation of energy-saving materials apply UK-wide; ensure consumer parcels are moved without customs processes; allow plants, trees and seeds to be able to move under the same UK plant passport arrangements as for elsewhere in the UK; and for agrifood products in the green lane to meet UK food and drink safety standards.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, with reference to paragraph 57 of The Windsor Framework: a new way forward, CP806, what the evidential basis is for the statement that the Windsor Framework narrows the range of EU rules applicable in Northern Ireland to less than 3 per cent overall; and if he will publish a list of those rules.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
The old Protocol already stripped EU rules from a series of key areas: with the full freedom to regulate for the services industries of the future; to control United Kingdom waters; to remain outside of the Common Agricultural Policy permanently; and to avoid alignment on social, broader environmental, consumer or competition law. The Windsor Framework goes further and disapplies a range of further EU rules on medicines, VAT and excise, the movement of goods and food and drink safety standards. By the EU's own calculations, that means less than 3 percent of EU rules now apply, with those that remain the bare minimum required to secure Northern Ireland's access to the EU market and avoid a hard border. The people of Northern Ireland, of course, retain the right to reject the application of those rules through next year's consent vote. Furthermore through the Stormont Brake we have ended the automatic presumption of any dynamic alignment for the future, putting democratic oversight and control at the heart of the Windsor Framework.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 29 November 2022 to Question HL3547 on Committee on Privileges, whether the second legal opinion produced by Lord Pannick on 12 October 2022 was commissioned at public expense.
Answered by Jeremy Quin
As the Government set out in its response to HL3547, it remains the case that the Government does not comment on legal advice that may or may not have been sought or received. This is in line with the long-standing policy under successive administrations.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, on what terms the UK will join the EU Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) arrangements on military mobility.
Answered by James Heappey
Joining the Dutch-led PESCO Military Mobility project would enable the UK to better shape the rules and requirements that impact the movement of forces across the EU at pace, and to reinforce NATO's flanks if required. Joining the project would not in any way effect the UK's sovereign control over defence, obligate us to adopt EU defence policy, or participate in other projects. It does not involve financial commitments beyond sending representatives to meetings. We are currently negotiating administrative arrangements with participating states in line with those already agreed with the US, Canada and Norway.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what recent discussions his Department has had with its US counterparts on the participation by the UK and US in the EU Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) arrangements.
Answered by James Heappey
The UK Government regularly discusses defence and security issues with our NATO Allies and European partners. We have discussed the UK's application to join the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) Military Mobility project with the US as an existing third country participant. We have also kept NATO informed throughout the application process.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Ministry of Defence:
To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to EU Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) arrangements on military mobility, whether his Department plans to participate in any other PESCO arrangements.
Answered by James Heappey
The UK continues to monitor Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) projects as they develop, but has no intention to apply for any other PESCO projects at this time.