Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the UK Government’s response to each of the proposed amendments to the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol made by the European Commission on 12 June 2020.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The Government is not seeking to renegotiate the Protocol, which depends on the consent of the elected representatives of the people of Northern Ireland. The Protocol must be implemented in a way that upholds the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement and respects the unique circumstances of Northern Ireland.
In terms of the proposed amendments, we will provide a fuller response once further discussions have taken place.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what the date is of the next scheduled meeting of the Specialised Committee on the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster updated the House on the second meeting of the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee in a Written Statement of 15 June (HCWS291).
Further to that update, the specialised committee will meet in the coming weeks. As with the Specialised Committee, the Working Group will be co-chaired by the UK and EU and made up of officials from both sides.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, when the first meeting of the Joint Consultative Working Group on the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol will take place; and who will be invited to attend that meeting.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster updated the House on the second meeting of the UK-EU Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee in a Written Statement of 15 June (HCWS291).
Further to that update, the specialised committee will meet in the coming weeks. As with the Specialised Committee, the Working Group will be co-chaired by the UK and EU and made up of officials from both sides.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, to whom did Dominic Cummings report to in his role as Special Adviser during the period when the Prime Minister was incapacitated with covid-19.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The Prime Minister was still in office; special advisers stayed in post, and remained accountable to their appointing Minister.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the implications for the (a) ministerial, (b) special adviser and (c) civil service (i) codes and (ii) operational practice of the final report and recommendations of the Renewable Heat Initiative inquiry in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Chloe Smith
The recommendations of the Renewable Heat Initiative inquiry were aimed principally at the devolved administration in Northern Ireland, which operates its own Codes. The Government maintains awareness of relevant lessons learned in the devolved administrations, including from the inquiry, and keeps under review the Codes and operational practices that apply within the UK Government.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, who the proposed participants are who are not civil servants for the meeting of the Specialised Committee on the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol scheduled for 30 April 2020.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
As set out in the New Decade, New Approach deal, the Government will ensure that representatives from the Northern Ireland Executive are invited to be part of the UK delegation in any meetings of the UK-EU Specialised or Joint Committees discussing Northern Ireland specific matters which are also being attended by the Irish Government as part of the European Union’s delegation. This applied to the meeting on the 30 April 2020.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, which (a) members of the UK delegation and (b) other participants excluding civil servants were present at (i) the first meeting and (ii) any subsequent meetings of the Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The first Withdrawal Agreement Joint Committee meeting was co-chaired by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Rt Hon Michael Gove MP. I accompanied him, as alternate co-chair. The meeting was attended by a small UK delegation, which included two ministers from the Northern Ireland Executive.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, how many civil servants are working on the (a) negotiations for and (b) planning of the future relationship with the EU, broken by down (a) department and (b) grade.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The Task Force Europe team in No 10 consists of 48 civil servants (as at 20 March) across all civil service grades. The Unit works closely with colleagues from across Whitehall on negotiations on our future relationship with the EU.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to his oral contribution of 27 February 2020, Official Report, column 484, what his definition is of appropriately implemented in relation to the Northern Ireland/Ireland Protocol.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
I refer the Hon. Member to the oral statement made by my Rt Hon friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 27 February 2020 (Official Record, Vol.672 Col.467-470)
The Government will ensure that representatives from the Northern Ireland Executive are invited to be part of the UK delegation in meetings of the UK-EU Specialised or Joint Committees discussing Northern Ireland specific matters which are also being attended by the Irish Government as part of the European Union’s delegation.
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister has been clear in his statement given on 19 October 2019 (Official Record, Vol. 666, Col. 570-572) that Northern Ireland remains part of the UK customs territory.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, with reference to the document entitled Future relationship with the European Union, published February 2020, what additional checks across the Irish Sea arising from the Northern Ireland/Ireland Protocol will be required.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
I refer the Hon. Member to the oral statement made by my Rt Hon friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 27 February 2020 (Official Record, Vol.672 Col.467-470)
The Government will ensure that representatives from the Northern Ireland Executive are invited to be part of the UK delegation in meetings of the UK-EU Specialised or Joint Committees discussing Northern Ireland specific matters which are also being attended by the Irish Government as part of the European Union’s delegation.
My Rt. Hon. Friend the Prime Minister has been clear in his statement given on 19 October 2019 (Official Record, Vol. 666, Col. 570-572) that Northern Ireland remains part of the UK customs territory.