Asked by: Richard Thomson (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if his Department will provide guidance on what changes if any the Windsor Framework will make to the checking of products exported from Northern Ireland to Great Britain.
Answered by Leo Docherty
The Windsor Framework ensures unfettered access for Northern Ireland's businesses to the UK market on a permanent basis. It removes the requirement to provide export declarations, or any equivalent information, for businesses moving goods from Northern Ireland to Great Britain, with controls applied only where strictly necessary to manage our international obligations, such as for movements of endangered species. In those very narrow range of cases where any process applies, it will be UK authorities responsible for managing them (with the relevant UK authority as specified within the relevant regulations).
Asked by: Richard Thomson (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the Windsor Framework with the requirements for documents to help prevent illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing.
Answered by Leo Docherty
Under the Windsor Framework, Northern Ireland fishing vessels can continue to fish and land their catch in the same way as they do today.
Asked by: Richard Thomson (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if he will provide guidance on the Northern Irish Retail Movement Scheme in relation to (a) operations, (b) funding and (c) delivery implications.
Answered by Leo Docherty
Further detail and guidance on the arrangements for green lane trade will be provided in due course.
Asked by: Richard Thomson (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what the source of funding is for any checks on non-Northern Irish goods at Scottish ports under the proposed arrangements in the Windsor Framework.
Answered by Leo Docherty
The Windsor Framework does not change the arrangements for goods moving from Northern Ireland directly to Great Britain which do not qualify for unfettered access.
Asked by: Richard Thomson (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, which authority will check any non-Northern Irish products which enter Great Britain from ports in Northern Ireland under the proposed arrangements in the Windsor Framework.
Answered by Leo Docherty
The Windsor Framework ensures unfettered access for Northern Ireland's businesses to the UK market on a permanent basis. It removes the requirement to provide export declarations, or any equivalent information, for businesses moving goods from Northern Ireland to Great Britain, with controls applied only where strictly necessary to manage our international obligations, such as for movements of endangered species. In those very narrow range of cases where any process applies, it will be UK authorities responsible for managing them (with the relevant UK authority as specified within the relevant regulations).
Asked by: Richard Thomson (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the legislation required to implement in full the Windsor Framework will be (a) primary or (b) secondary legislation.
Answered by Leo Docherty
We will set out further details on the specific nature and form of legislation to give effect to the Windsor Framework domestically in due course.
Asked by: Richard Thomson (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to support UK pensioners in Commonwealth countries.
Answered by David Rutley
We support around 30,000 British nationals and their families each year. Our services are set out in our published guide on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/support-for-british-nationals-abroad#about-our-consular-services. The location of our offices is also available on gov.uk: https://www.gov.uk/world/embassies. Our consular staff are contactable 24/7, 365 days a year and strive to provide the right tailored assistance to those who request our help, doing more for those who need more help.
Asked by: Richard Thomson (Scottish National Party - Gordon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent discussions he has held with his Canadian counterpart on a reciprocal social security agreement.
Answered by David Rutley
The Foreign Secretary has not held recent discussions on a reciprocal social security agreement with his Canadian counterpart.