Jim Allister

The UK does not have a trade remedy measure in place against imports of electric buses.

In setting tariffs, the Government takes into account the interests of UK consumers, producers, productivity, competitiveness, and external trade, as well as wider considerations such as strategic trade objectives.

As with all policy, the Government welcomes feedback and monitors these requests closely. Feedback can be submitted on specific tariff lines via the UKGT feedback form available at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tariffs-on-goods-imported-into-the-uk.

The updated GPSR largely formalises the reality of how businesses are already operating in the UK and the measures are therefore likely to have limited impact in practice. Where businesses need to make changes, we expect that they will be adapting anyway to be compliant with the new Regulation to continue trading with the EU. However, we are providing more guidance in this area, will keep this under review and continue to engage businesses directly to ensure we are supporting them to trade freely across the whole of the UK.

In 2023, the value of goods associated with full declarations cleared by HMRC on GB to NI movements was £17.8bn, increasing by £3.6bn (26%) from 2022. More detail can be found here.

The Department for Business and Trade continues to work closely with the Northern Ireland devolved government and all other stakeholders to ensure the Windsor Framework delivers positive outcomes for the people and businesses of Northern Ireland.

The Net Zero Hydrogen Fund, launched in 2022, aims to support the commercial deployment of new low carbon hydrogen production projects during the 2020s. Through strands one and two of this scheme, two projects in Northern Ireland have been offered a total of £5.1m in funding following successful applications through a competitive process. Total expenditure for the fund is yet to be finalised.

Further support for hydrogen production is being delivered through Hydrogen Allocation Rounds.

We have set out significant detail on Great British Energy (GBE) after only three weeks in office, including that GBE will benefit all four corners of our United Kingdom whilst respecting the devolution settlements. We are resetting our approach to working with the devolved nations, because meaningful cooperation centred on respect will be key to delivering change across our United Kingdom. We are committed to close collaboration with Northern Ireland’s Ministers on GBE. We will work with the Northern Ireland Executive on the scope of GBE’s activities and the opportunities for Northern Ireland. We will set out further detail in due course.

Ministers are currently considering our approach to the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) in Northern Ireland, and the Government will communicate relevant arrangements at the earliest possible opportunity.

Ministers are currently considering our approach to the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) in Northern Ireland, and the Government will communicate relevant arrangements at the earliest possible opportunity.

Ministers are currently considering our approach to the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) in Northern Ireland, and the Government will communicate relevant arrangements at the earliest possible opportunity.

Ministers are currently considering our approach to the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) in Northern Ireland, and the Government will communicate relevant arrangements at the earliest possible opportunity.

Ministers are currently considering our approach to Regulation 2023/1115 in Northern Ireland, and the Government will communicate relevant arrangements at the earliest possible opportunity.

Ministers in the two Departments have discussed eligibility for Winter Fuel Payments in England and Wales, as part of continuing engagement between the UK Government and the Northern Ireland Executive.

Winter Fuel Payments are a transferred matter in Northern Ireland, but the delivery infrastructure is provided by the Department for Work and Pensions. This includes the use of administrative data necessary to make the payments on behalf of the Department for Communities.

Bereavement Support Payment (BSP) helps people through the immediate period following a bereavement by way of an initial lump sum followed by up to 18 monthly instalments. Where longer-term financial support is needed, benefits such as Universal Credit have been specifically designed to provide assistance with ongoing living costs. We have no current plans to change the duration of Bereavement Support Payment.

The rate of Bereavement Support Payment is reviewed on a discretionary basis as part of the annual uprating process, but there is no legal requirement to uprate it. BSP is not a cost-of-living benefit like Universal Credit, which has been increased in line with inflation. We will review the rate of Bereavement Support Payment later this year as part of the annual uprating process.

The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, has made clear his intention to consult on putting in place a permanent ban subject to the outcome of legal proceedings.

As this is matter is subject to legal proceedings, it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time.

The arrangements for sending parcels from Great Britain to Northern Ireland under the Windsor Framework will represent a significant improvement on those set out in the Northern Ireland Protocol.

If fully implemented, the Northern Ireland Protocol would have required full customs declarations for all parcel movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

Under the Windsor Framework, parcels sent to or from consumers will not be subject to customs declarations or duty, allowing them to move as smoothly as they currently do. Parcels sent between businesses will be treated in line with equivalent freight movements.

As set out in the Statement of Funding Policy, the UK Government has committed to fund the direct costs associated with reaching the required level of compliance to implement its obligations under the Windsor Framework.

The provision under this commitment is set out in the Northern Ireland Office’s Main Estimates 2024-25 Memoranda.

The below table shows the number of UK Regular personnel stationed in Northern Ireland by Service as at 1 July 2024.

The figures provided are based on Service personnel's stationed location and not their location of residence - where personnel work isn't necessarily where they live. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location. The Royal Navy/Royal Marines personnel on sea service are included against the local authority containing the home port of their ship.

Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure. However, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias. Figures between 1 and 5 inclusive are rounded to 5 to prevent possible disclosure. Totals have been rounded separately, and so Totals may not equal the sums of their rounded parts.

The below table shows the number of UK Regular personnel with a registered home address in Northern Ireland by Service as at 3 September 2024.

This data is based on the Permanent Home Address in Northern Ireland recorded on the Joint Personnel Administration system (JPA).

Northern Ireland plays an important role in defending the UK, particularly through its defence industry which continues to contribute to the support provided to Ukraine. The Strategic Defence Review, launched by the Prime Minister on 16 July, will determine the roles, capabilities and reforms required by UK Defence to meet the challenges, threats and opportunities of the twenty-first century.

The below table shows the number of UK Regular personnel stationed in Northern Ireland by Service as at 1 July 2024.

The figures provided are based on Service personnel's stationed location and not their location of residence - where personnel work isn't necessarily where they live. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location. The Royal Navy/Royal Marines personnel on sea service are included against the local authority containing the home port of their ship.

Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure. However, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias. Figures between 1 and 5 inclusive are rounded to 5 to prevent possible disclosure. Totals have been rounded separately, and so Totals may not equal the sums of their rounded parts.

The below table shows the number of UK Regular personnel with a registered home address in Northern Ireland by Service as at 3 September 2024.

This data is based on the Permanent Home Address in Northern Ireland recorded on the Joint Personnel Administration system (JPA).

The below table shows the number of UK Regular personnel stationed in Northern Ireland by Service as at 1 July 2024.

The figures provided are based on Service personnel's stationed location and not their location of residence - where personnel work isn't necessarily where they live. Personnel deployed on operations to an area away from their stationed location are shown against their most recent stationed location. The Royal Navy/Royal Marines personnel on sea service are included against the local authority containing the home port of their ship.

Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 to prevent inadvertent disclosure. However, numbers ending in "5" have been rounded to the nearest 20 to prevent systematic bias. Figures between 1 and 5 inclusive are rounded to 5 to prevent possible disclosure. Totals have been rounded separately, and so Totals may not equal the sums of their rounded parts.

The below table shows the number of UK Regular personnel with a registered home address in Northern Ireland by Service as at 3 September 2024.

This data is based on the Permanent Home Address in Northern Ireland recorded on the Joint Personnel Administration system (JPA).

The Northern Ireland Office invites a wide range of news outlets to its departmental press conferences.

During press conferences, as many news outlets as possible are given an opportunity to ask a question. However, it is not always possible for every media outlet to ask a question due to time constraints.

News outlets can pose questions at any time to the department’s press office.

The Windsor Framework (Implementation) Regulations are intended to assist with the delivery of the arrangements adopted between the UK and EU as set out in the Windsor Framework and, more specifically, the operation of arrangements under the Windsor Framework concerning the movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The Government does not routinely publish details of discussions with officials working under its direction, whether under the terms of these regulations or otherwise.

The Government is committed to implementing the Windsor Framework in good faith and to taking all necessary steps to protect the UK internal market.