Asked by: Drew Hendry (Scottish National Party - Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what steps her Department is undertaking to ensure that Border Force staff provide airlines with accurate information when they are contacted on the use of National Identification documents by people with Settled Status travelling to the EU.
Answered by Kevin Foster
Documentary requirements for passengers seeking to travel from the UK are a matter for the destination country, and passengers should ensure they meet those requirements. The Home Office does not routinely engage with carriers in relation to documentary requirements for outbound travel as we are not responsible for or set the rules related to this.
GOV.UK does, however, provide advice for British citizens planning to travel to the EU. This advice can be viewed here: Visiting the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein: Checks for all types of travel - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Asked by: Stuart C McDonald (Scottish National Party - Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if she will make it her policy to enable people transitioning to the Ukraine Extension Scheme to be joined by family members under the Ukraine Family Scheme.
Answered by Kevin Foster
The UK-based family member for individuals applying to the Ukraine Family Scheme must be: a British National; someone settled in the UK; someone from the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland who has pre-settled status and started living in the UK before 1 January 2021; or someone with refugee status or humanitarian protection in the UK. The Government has no plans to change these criteria.
However, individuals with at least six months’ permission to be in the UK can sponsor other Ukrainians under the Homes for Ukraine Scheme, provided they meet the eligibility criteria.
Asked by: Sarah Olney (Liberal Democrat - Richmond Park)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether she has plans to make an assessment of the potential merits of introducing measures to assist companies that wish to relocate their employees to Europe for work purposes.
Answered by James Cleverly - Shadow Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government
We recognise how important it is for UK businesses to continue to be able to send their employees to the EU, for example for business meetings or fulfilling a contract. The UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement includes reciprocal arrangements for business visitors between the UK and the EU, covering: short-term business visitors; travel for establishment purposes; intra-company transferees; contractual service suppliers and self-employed professionals. EU Member States may require a visa and/or work permit for some of these activities, and this will vary by country. UK nationals should check the entry requirements and rules of the country they intend to travel to well ahead of time, in case they need to apply for a visa, work permit or provide other documentation. They should also check that their passport has at least six months validity for the duration of their stay.
The Government has published information about entry requirements, including for companies that wish to relocate their employees to Europe for work purposes, covering all EU Member States and the EFTA countries. This guidance can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/travelling-to-the-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-or-liechtenstein-for-work.
Asked by: Gareth Thomas (Labour (Co-op) - Harrow West)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what the Preference Utilisation Rates are in total for UK trade with (a) Egypt, (b) Faroe Islands, (c) Georgia, (d) Ghana, (e) Israel, (f) Jordan, (g) Kenya, (h) Kosovo, (i) Lebanon and (j) Liechtenstein for each of the last five years; and if she will make a statement.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
Data up to the end of January 2020 is publicly available, but no comparable data is available for after this period.
Exports analysis 2017-19: https://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/html/159047.htm
Imports analysis 2017-19: https://trade.ec.europa.eu/doclib/html/159046.htm
Eurostat preference utilisation data for all periods 2000 to end January 2020: Easy Comext, Adjusted extra-EU imports since 2000 by tariff regime (DS-059281).
Asked by: Earl of Leicester (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to recognise full COVID-19 vaccination status for British citizens who have had one COVID-19 vaccination administered in England and the other vaccination administered abroad.
Answered by Lord Kamall - Shadow Minister (Health and Social Care)
A service has been in place since 11 October for individuals residing in England who received one or more Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Janssen vaccines in the United States of America, the European Union, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Australia or Canada to record their vaccination in the National Immunisation Management Service (NIMS). If they have received one vaccination overseas of a two-dose course, they will be offered a second dose of a Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency-approved equivalent vaccine. Once an individual has a NIMS record, they can access a NHS COVID Pass.
The service currently has seven sites capable of reviewing vaccination evidence, with 13 additional sites pending. Further expansion of the service is planned in due course.
Asked by: Stella Creasy (Labour (Co-op) - Walthamstow)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to enable individuals who have received covid-19 vaccinations outside the UK to access the NHS vaccine pass; and what his timetable is for the implementation of this change.
Answered by Maggie Throup
Currently, United Kingdom residents vaccinated in the United States of America, the European Union, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Australia and Canada with the Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Janssen vaccines can be certified using the NHS COVID Pass. A National Immunisation Management Service record is required, which can be obtained by calling 119 and will include attending a regional vaccination centre.
The service currently has seven sites capable of reviewing vaccination evidence with further expansion of the service planned in due course.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans his Department has to recognise covid-19 vaccinations administered outside the UK for use with the NHS Covid Pass.
Answered by Maggie Throup
Currently, United Kingdom residents vaccinated in the United States of America, the European Union, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Australia and Canada with the Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Janssen vaccines can be certified using the NHS COVID Pass. A National Immunisation Management Service record is required, which can be obtained by calling 119 and will include attending a regional vaccination centre.
The service currently has seven sites capable of reviewing vaccination evidence with further expansion of the service planned in due course.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 22 November 2021 to Question 76833, on Coronavirus: Vaccination, whether he plans to extend the system for recording overseas vaccinations for UK residents who have received (a) Pfizer, (b) AstraZeneca, (c) Moderna and (d) Janssen vaccines in countries other than (i) the United States of America, (ii) Iceland, (iii) Norway, (iv) Liechtenstein, (v) Switzerland, (vi) Australia, (vii) Canada and (viii) the EU.
Answered by Maggie Throup
From 25 November, people residing in England and vaccinated overseas with Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Janssen vaccines can now be certified using the NHS COVID Pass. Individuals should contact their general practitioner or 119 for an appointment at a regional vaccination centre to record their vaccinations in the National Immunisation Management Service. Further expansion of the service is planned in due course.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what progress her Department has made in securing free trade agreements.
Answered by Ranil Jayawardena
We have made great progress in securing trade deals around the world; to date, we have agreed deals with 70 countries, plus the EU, covering trade worth £766 billion last year.
This year, we signed a new deal with the European Economic Area (Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein) and we have reached Agreement-in-Principle with both Australia and New Zealand.
We have begun the accession process for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP); are preparing for negotiations with India, Canada and Mexico; and have also launched a public consultation on a trade deal with the Gulf Cooperation Council. We are due to begin work next year on an enhanced and improved FTA with Israel too.
Asked by: Daisy Cooper (Liberal Democrat - St Albans)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 22 September 2021 to Question 47056, what progress he has made on enabling UK residents who have received one or more vaccinations overseas to demonstrate their vaccination status through the NHS Covid Pass.
Answered by Maggie Throup
Following the completion of a pilot, a service has been in place since 11 October for United Kingdom residents who received Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Janssen vaccines in the United States of America, European Union, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Australia or Canada to record their vaccination in the National Immunisation Management Service (NIMS). Once an individual has a NIMS record, they can gain access to an NHS COVID Pass.
The service currently has seven sites, with 13 further locations pending to support improved geographical coverage. Further expansion of the service is planned in due course.