Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 17 November 2025 to Question 90013 on UK Internal Trade, with reference to the Windsor Framework Independent Monitory Panel Report on the first reporting period for the UK Internal Market Guarantee for 1 January - 30 June 2025, what proportion of the 96% movements by value moved without the payment of a duty (a) were made in compliance with (i) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1128 of 24 March 2023 and (ii) Regulation (EU) 2023/1231 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2023 and (b) were made under the full EU Customs Code, Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 October 2013.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The role of the Independent Monitoring Panel does not cover reporting on the legislative basis under which movements between Great Britain and Northern Ireland take place.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with respect to the Windsor Framework Independent Monitory Panel Report on the first reporting period for the UK Internal Market Guarantee for 1 January to 30 June 2025, whether the 4% of movements that paid duty relates to all movements that involved the payment of duties or just those movements that involved the payment of duties and had not sought reimbursement under the duty reimbursement scheme.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I can confirm that 96% of the value of goods moving by freight did so within the UK internal market system, as set out in my Written Ministerial Statement laid in the House on 5 November (HCWS1021) on the Independent Monitoring Panel report covering the period of 1 January-30 June 2025.
Whilst I would emphasise that it remains a matter for the Panel to determine what it reports on and recommends to the Government, I can also confirm that the facilitations relevant to the Internal Market Guarantee are in accordance with the Windsor Framework.
Page 6 and 7 of the Panel’s report sets out the methodological basis of its reporting. Goods movements subject to tariffs are not counted toward the Guarantee, even when they are later provided with reimbursement. They are therefore counted within the 4% statistic of goods that did not move within the UK internal market system.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the Windsor Framework Independent Monitory Panel Report on the first reporting period for the UK Internal Market Guarantee for 1 January - 30 June 2025, what proportion of the 96% movements by value moved without the payment of a duty (a) were made in compliance with (i) Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1128 of 24 March 2023 and (ii) Regulation (EU) 2023/1231 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 June 2023 and (b) were made under the full EU Customs Code, Regulation (EU) No 952/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 October 2013.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I can confirm that 96% of the value of goods moving by freight did so within the UK internal market system, as set out in my Written Ministerial Statement laid in the House on 5 November (HCWS1021) on the Independent Monitoring Panel report covering the period of 1 January-30 June 2025.
Whilst I would emphasise that it remains a matter for the Panel to determine what it reports on and recommends to the Government, I can also confirm that the facilitations relevant to the Internal Market Guarantee are in accordance with the Windsor Framework.
Page 6 and 7 of the Panel’s report sets out the methodological basis of its reporting. Goods movements subject to tariffs are not counted toward the Guarantee, even when they are later provided with reimbursement. They are therefore counted within the 4% statistic of goods that did not move within the UK internal market system.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, with reference to the Windsor Framework Independent Monitory Panel Report on the first reporting period for the UK Internal Market Guarantee for 1 January - 30 June 2025, whether the more than 80% of all freight movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland referred to took place under the UK internal market system, in line with page 15 of the Safeguarding the Union Command Paper, as distinct from whether more than 80% of all freight movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland by value moved without paying any duty, and (b) what was the figure.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
I can confirm that 96% of the value of goods moving by freight did so within the UK internal market system, as set out in my Written Ministerial Statement laid in the House on 5 November (HCWS1021) on the Independent Monitoring Panel report covering the period of 1 January-30 June 2025.
Whilst I would emphasise that it remains a matter for the Panel to determine what it reports on and recommends to the Government, I can also confirm that the facilitations relevant to the Internal Market Guarantee are in accordance with the Windsor Framework.
Page 6 and 7 of the Panel’s report sets out the methodological basis of its reporting. Goods movements subject to tariffs are not counted toward the Guarantee, even when they are later provided with reimbursement. They are therefore counted within the 4% statistic of goods that did not move within the UK internal market system.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, whether his Department held a pre-publication briefing of the Independent Review of the Windsor Framework with representatives of the Alliance Party.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
As stated previously, the Northern Ireland Office speaks to parties regularly and does not give a running commentary on those discussions.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the Answer of 10 September 2025 to Question 74994 on the Independent Review of the Windsor Framework, which hon. Members from Northern Ireland were given an advanced briefing on the reports contents by the Northern Ireland Office.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
As stated previously, the Northern Ireland Office speaks to parties regularly and does not give a running commentary on those discussions.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, which parties were offered an advance briefing on the Independent Review of the Windsor Framework.
Answered by Hilary Benn - Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Rt Hon Lord Murphy engaged widely across the political spectrum during the Independent Review.
The Northern Ireland Office speaks to parties regularly and does not give a running commentary on those discussions.