Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the effect of the SPS agreement with the EU of 19 May 2025 on the requirement for (a) customs declarations and (b) inspections for the trade of sanitary and phytosanitary goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The new Windsor Framework customs arrangements introduced on 1 May will remain in place, in addition to the arrangements agreed in the SPS deal. The arrangements introduced on May 1 ensure that goods sent to or from consumers will not be subject to customs declarations or duty. The Government has also introduced a range of schemes to support businesses by removing unnecessary checks and paperwork; over 10,000 businesses are already signed up to the UK Internal Market Scheme.
The new UK-EU Common Understanding agrees to remove a broad and wide-ranging set of requirements for sanitary and phytosanitary goods and plants moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
When implemented, there will be no need for SPS paperwork such as health certificates to move agrifood or plant products to Northern Ireland, no mandatory identity or physical checks on those goods, no need for Plant Health Labels when moving plants for planting, seed potatoes, and used agricultural machinery, and no bans on ‘high risk’ plants.
The continued application of the Windsor Framework would provide for Northern Ireland maintaining its privileged unique dual access to both the European Union Single Market and the United Kingdom internal market.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the UK-EU deal on the (a) applicability and (b) operation of the Official Controls Regulation (EU) 2017/625 in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government has agreed in its new Common Understanding with the EU a new SPS agreement which makes it easier for food and drink to be imported and exported by reducing the red tape that placed burdens on businesses and led to lengthy lorry queues at the border. This agreement will have no time limit, giving vital certainty to businesses.
The SPS Agreement will facilitate the smooth flow of agrifood and plants from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, protecting the UK’s internal market, reducing costs for businesses and improving consumer choice by applying a consistent regulatory framework for official controls across the United Kingdom.
There will be no need for SPS paperwork such as health certificates to move agrifood or plant products to Northern Ireland, no mandatory identity and physical checks on those goods, no need for Plant Health Labels when moving plants for planting, seed potatoes, and used agricultural machinery, and no bans on ‘high risk’ plants.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what function will the border posts being built at Northern Ireland’s ports now perform in light of the UK-EU deal.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
This will depend on the final shape of a deal, however, the Government is clear that its priority is to reduce barriers to trade and red tape at the border.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to the Answer of 24 October 2024 to Question 10214 on Crafts: Northern Ireland, whether the Government has made a decision on the vote in the Northern Ireland Assembly on the applicability motion in relation to EU Regulation 2023/2411 on 19 March 2024.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
As set out in my response to your question of October 2024, the Government continues to evaluate the implications of Regulation 2023/2411, reflecting the applicability motion vote in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the conditions set out in Schedule 6B of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the Answer of 22 February 2023 to Question 146816 on Northern Ireland Protocol and Trader Support Service: Costs, what the cost to the public purse was of (a) Trader Support Services operations, (b) Movement Assistance Scheme operations and (c) the Digital Assistance Scheme between August 2020 and February 2025.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government is committed to supporting industry in moving goods smoothly between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, including through the use of schemes such as the Movement Assistance Scheme (MAS) and the Trader Support Service (TSS). The costs of the MAS, TSS, and Digital Assistance Scheme (DAS) are set out below:
| FY 2020/21 | FY2021/22 | FY2022/23 | FY2023/24 | FY2024/25 |
MAS | £3.53 million | £9.78 million | £8.75 million | £9.64 million | £8.30 million (up to 30/01/2025) |
TSS | £100.62 million | £148.80 million | £114.68 million | £105.19 million | £73.18 million (up to 30/01/2025) |
DAS | £3.45 million | £13.73 million | £16.6 million | £18.4 million | £15.2 million (up to 28/02/2025) |
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, if he will publish the dates of meetings of the Veterinary Medicine Working Group.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Veterinary Medicines Working Group consists of political and industry representatives and veterinary experts and plays a critical role in advising the Government on its plans to safeguard the supply of veterinary medicines to Northern Ireland. The Government re-established the Working Group shortly after the elections and it has met twice so far (on 11 September and 21 November) with a third meeting scheduled for 4 March.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what information his Department holds on the number of people nominated for the Elizabeth Emblem by (a) organisations and (b) private individuals in (i) Northern Ireland and (ii) the UK.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
Elizabeth Emblem nominations can only be made by the next-of-kin of the deceased individual. It is, however, open to them to seek the help of an appropriate organisation when completing the form. Organisations may also approach them to suggest that an application be made.
To date, 38 of the 187 nominations across the United Kingdom have been related to Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many people have been awarded the Elizabeth Emblem in recognition of the sacrifice of a loved one who died in the course of providing services in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
In November, the government announced that thirty eight individuals would be honoured with the Elizabeth Emblem. None were related to Northern Ireland in this first announcement but I understand that several cases from Northern Ireland are currently being processed for a future announcement.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how much (a) his Department has and (b) his Department's arms length bodies have spent on hospitality in (i) each of the last five years and (ii) since 5 July 2024.
Answered by Georgia Gould - Parliamentary Secretary (Cabinet Office)
We do not routinely publish this data, as has been the case under successive administrations. All Business Units within the Cabinet Office have a responsibility to carefully manage official hospitality costs and demonstrate good value for money.
Details of ministerial and senior official hospitality are published on a quarterly basis, and are available on GOV.UK.
Asked by: Jim Allister (Traditional Unionist Voice - North Antrim)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, whether, in the context of the vote in the Northern Ireland Assembly on the applicability motion in relation to EU Regulation 2023/2411 on 19 March 2024, whether he has made a decision on the application of that regulation to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Nick Thomas-Symonds - Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office
The Government continues to evaluate the implications of Regulation 2023/2411, reflecting the applicability motion vote in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the conditions set out in Schedule 6B of the Northern Ireland Act 1998.