To match an exact phrase, use quotation marks around the search term. eg. "Parliamentary Estate". Use "OR" or "AND" as link words to form more complex queries.


Keep yourself up-to-date with the latest developments by exploring our subscription options to receive notifications direct to your inbox

Written Question
Borders: Northern Ireland
Thursday 25th March 2021

Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

What progress has been made by the UK-EU Joint Committee on revising the Northern Ireland Protocol.

Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons

The Joint Committee has been working on the many difficulties presented to the operation of the Northern Ireland Protocol by the EU’s decision to activate Article 16 on 29 January. There are outstanding issues to be resolved and we have taken temporary operational steps to avoid disruption to everyday life. We remain committed to working within the Joint Committee process to find solutions.


Written Question
Duty Free Allowances: Northern Ireland
Monday 11th January 2021

Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish further information on duty free arrangements for Northern Ireland to and from (a) Great Britain, (b) the EU and (c) the Rest of the World.

Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons

All guidance on duty free arrangements for Northern Ireland traders has been published, and can be found at https://www.gov.uk/duty-free-goods.


Written Question
Cabinet: Lord Saville of Newdigate
Monday 8th June 2020

Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what (a) discussions, (b) meetings and (c) correspondence took place between members of the Cabinet and Lord Saville in (i) 1997, (ii)1998 and (iii) 1999.

Answered by Chloe Smith

The information requested is not held centrally. It could be held across a very wide range of paper files and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Under the Public Records Act, the records from 1997-1999 will be reviewed and transferred to The National Archives by 2022.


Written Question
Bloody Sunday Tribunal of Inquiry
Thursday 27th June 2019

Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what (a) meetings, (b) correspondence and (c) other communication occurred between former Prime Minister Tony Blair and Baron Saville of Newdigate (i) before, (ii) during and (iii) after the Saville Inquiry into Bloody Sunday.

Answered by David Lidington

Information about correspondence and other communication between Mr Blair (as Prime Minister) and Lord Saville (as Head of the Inquiry) is not readily available. The information is contained in paper records of the Inquiry for a 12-year period and records of the Prime Minister's Office covering a 10-year period. For this reason an answer could only be provided at disproportionate cost.


Written Question
Elections: Proof of Identity
Wednesday 16th May 2018

Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

Whether he has made an assessment of the operation of recent voter ID pilots; and if he will make a statement.

Answered by Chloe Smith

The data so far from the five voter ID pilots and statements by the Returning Officers indicate successful pilots, with most people’s experience being overwhelmingly positive.

We will evaluate the pilots before announcing the next steps in delivering voter ID. The Electoral Commission will publish its evaluation in July.


Written Question
Public Sector: Employment
Thursday 26th April 2018

Asked by: Gavin Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party - Belfast East)

Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the process is for deciding which public sector jobs are reserved and require British citizenship.

Answered by Oliver Dowden - Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

Section 3 of the Civil Service Nationality Rules Guidance sets out the criteria for those posts which are, and those which are capable of being reserved for UK nationals in the Civil Service. Reserved posts are generally those which, due to the sensitive nature of the work, require special allegiance to the Crown such that they can only be held by a UK national. Where a post falls within one of the categories listed in paragraph 3.6. of this guidance, the Minister responsible for the department or agency must consider whether it is necessary to reserve that post for UK nationals only. A small number of public sector bodies are also able to apply the Civil Service Nationality Rules, however the Cabinet Office does not hold information on the extent that these rules are applied in these organisations.