Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the territorial extent to the proposed Brexit Freedoms Bill.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
Retained EU law applies in the whole of the UK. Accordingly, any legislation that allows for the amendment of retained EU law will need to make the appropriate provision for Northern Ireland.
Any legislation to address REUL is likely to have a UK extent. This is consistent with other Brexit legislation such as the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill and European Union (Future Relationship) Bill.
Asked by: Lord Empey (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government which provisions of the proposed Brexit Freedoms Bill (1) will, and (2) will not, apply to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Lord True - Shadow Leader of the House of Lords
Retained EU law applies in the whole of the UK. Accordingly, any legislation that allows for the amendment of retained EU law will need to make the appropriate provision for Northern Ireland.
Any legislation to address REUL is likely to have a UK extent. This is consistent with other Brexit legislation such as the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill, European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Bill and European Union (Future Relationship) Bill.
Asked by: Andrew Rosindell (Reform UK - Romford)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, whether his Department has made an assessment of the effect of the Northern Ireland Protocol on the UK Aerospace industry.
Answered by Lee Rowley
The Government continually assesses how UK industry adapts to and makes the most of Brexit and the Northern Ireland Protocol. The Department is fully engaged with the Northern Ireland Executive and aerospace businesses in Northern Ireland on how to strengthen this already world-class industrial sector. It is the Government’s priority to deal with issues arising from the Protocol and work with the EU to agree solutions that make the Protocol work better for business.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much funding has been provided in grants by the SME Brexit Support Fund to each region of the UK.
Answered by Lucy Frazer
As of 6 October 2021, 5,352 businesses have been offered a grant by the SME Brexit Support Fund.
A regional breakdown of the figures shows that businesses in England have been offered £7,289,018, in Scotland £476,539, in Wales £230,159 and in Northern Ireland £434,234.
Asked by: Lord Rogan (Ulster Unionist Party - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had, if any, with (1) Amazon, and (2) other suppliers, about the fall in volume of goods being delivered from Great Britain to Northern Ireland since the agreement of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland in December 2020.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Shadow Minister (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Government has been speaking with businesses regularly regarding shipment of goods to Northern Ireland (NI), including parcel operators and online marketplaces. We have working groups with business where they are updated on the latest guidance and have the opportunity to seek further clarity on operational related issues. Assistance is also available from the Trader Support Service, which guides businesses trading with NI through all import processes at no additional cost.
Furthermore, the Brexit Business Taskforce has held regular meetings between my noble Friend the Minister of State at the Cabinet Office (the Rt. Hon. Lord Frost), other Ministers, and key business sectors.
HMRC held constructive engagement with the postal and parcel industry in the run up to the 31 December 2020 announcement of temporary arrangements for express operators to continue moving the majority of goods with minimal requirements. This engagement will continue for the duration of the temporary arrangements.
Asked by: Hilary Benn (Labour - Leeds South)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, if he will publish the (a) total number of applications made by businesses to the SME Brexit Support Fund, (b) number of grants that have been approved, and (c) total amount of funding in grants provided to date for each region of the UK.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
As of 19 July 2021, 5,414 businesses completed applications for grants of up to £2,000. Of this number, 4,376 have been offered a grant.
A regional breakdown of the figures shows that businesses in England have been offered £5,862,213, in Scotland £387,387, in Wales £196,546 and in Northern Ireland £360,174.
Asked by: Richard Holden (Conservative - Basildon and Billericay)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
What steps he is taking to promote Northern Ireland's links with the (a) North East of England and (b) rest of the UK.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Government places great importance on the Union, and Northern Ireland’s integral place within it. We are using Northern Ireland’s centenary to promote Northern Ireland and showcase the contribution of its people and places to our United Kingdom.
Through the Union Connectivity Review, we are committed to continuing to find new ways to connect our towns and cities through better transport links. This will help not only to fuel economic recovery, but also to level up and seize the best opportunities for all communities across the UK. I am delighted that daily direct flights between Belfast City and Teesside resumed in February, operated by Loganair.
Our support to businesses post-Brexit further promotes these links. For example, under the support offered to businesses, the Trader Support Service has moved over 690,000 consignments between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, linked to over 13,500 businesses. A number of these businesses will be based in the North East of England.
Asked by: Dave Doogan (Scottish National Party - Angus and Perthshire Glens)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assistance is available to exporters in the UK who are struggling to ship goods to individual customers in Northern Ireland due to (a) an increase in shipping costs, (b) customers not having an EORI number and (c) not being registered with the TSS.
Answered by Jesse Norman - Shadow Leader of the House of Commons
The Northern Ireland Protocol entails some new administrative processes for traders, notably new digital import declaration requirements and digital safety and security information for goods entering Northern Ireland from the rest of the UK. Processes are fully digital and eligible to be facilitated by the Trader Support Service (TSS). There are no export or exit declarations needed for goods leaving Great Britain for Northern Ireland.
The TSS is a free, optional service which supports all businesses affected by the Protocol. It can complete declarations on behalf of traders so that they do not need to engage directly with new digital customs systems or processes and in most cases traders will not need their own XI EORI number. Traders can register by going to https://www.gov.uk/guidance/trader-support-service.
As well as the TSS, the Government has provided a range of support for traders affected by the Protocol, including:
Asked by: George Howarth (Labour - Knowsley)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what representations he has received from businesses in Great Britain on delays in the distribution of goods to Northern Ireland.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt
Government departments regularly engage with individual businesses to support the development of practical solutions to issues raised, to ensure the effective movement of goods between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The Government receives regular feedback on issues of concern through the Northern Ireland Secretary’s Business Engagement Forum and the dedicated Protocol sub-group of the Brexit Business Taskforce. This engagement supports ongoing UK-EU discussions on addressing outstanding concerns on the Protocol. Concerns raised are addressed through action, including continuous improvements to the Trader Support Service, which processes approximately 99% of declarations within 15 minutes.
Asked by: Bill Esterson (Labour - Sefton Central)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, what meetings he has had with representatives of the fashion industry on trade between businesses based in the UK and based in (a) the EU and (b) Northern Ireland since the end of the transition period.
Answered by Caroline Dinenage
The Government regularly engages with the fashion industry.
The fashion sector is represented in the DCMS-led working group, composed of creative and cultural sector representatives and other government departments, to look at issues regarding movement in the EU. The sector was also represented at the Brexit Business Taskforce (BBT) Meeting on 12th February, chaired by the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, which focused on the creative industries.
The Secretary of State met with the British Fashion Council recently to discuss the impact of Covid and Brexit.