Asked by: Louise Haigh (Labour - Sheffield, Heeley)
Question to the HM Treasury:
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what estimate HMRC have made of the number of traders who will be required to complete the additional processes required on trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland outlined in the Command Paper entitled, The UK’s approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol, published 20 May 2020.
Answered by Jesse Norman
Declaration volumes will depend on how businesses choose to operate, and HMRC are engaging with industry to understand their operating models. As announced in the Command Paper, HMRC will soon set out more detailed plans for extensive support for businesses engaged in the limited additional processes on goods arriving into Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Stephen Farry (Alliance - North Down)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, for what reasons the UK Government did not meet the 30 June deadline for the submission of proposals for the designation of Border Control Posts in Northern Ireland to the European Commission.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The UK submitted applications to the European Commission on 30 June for approval of facilities to conduct checks on agrifood goods at points of entry to Northern Ireland. These are for the purposes of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures at Larne and Foyle ports, and for existing SPS inspection posts to be expanded at Belfast and Warrenpoint ports. These applications fulfil our obligations under the Northern Ireland Protocol.
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: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent discussions his Department has had with the EU commission on border control posts in Northern Ireland.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Command paper The UK’s Approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol (CP226) acknowledged the particular requirements under the Protocol on agrifood movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. It also said that the Government would make proposals to minimise requirements on agrifood movements.
The UK’s applications to the European Commission for approval of facilities to conduct checks on agrifood goods at points of entry to Northern Ireland reflect those proposals. We are engaging with the Commission on both. The Government has confirmed to the Northern Ireland Executive in principle it will fund the costs of implementing agrifood checks, subject to business case approval.
Asked by: Sammy Wilson (Democratic Unionist Party - East Antrim)
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate he has made of the additional staff required by his Department to support the manning of border control posts at Northern Ireland ports after the transition period.
Answered by Victoria Prentis - Attorney General
The Command paper The UK’s Approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol (CP226) acknowledged the particular requirements under the Protocol on agrifood movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland. It also said that the Government would make proposals to minimise requirements on agrifood movements.
The UK’s applications to the European Commission for approval of facilities to conduct checks on agrifood goods at points of entry to Northern Ireland reflect those proposals. We are engaging with the Commission on both. The Government has confirmed to the Northern Ireland Executive in principle it will fund the costs of implementing agrifood checks, subject to business case approval.
Asked by: Mary Glindon (Labour - North Tyneside)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what discussions she has had with the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on the Government’s (a) operational plans, (b) timeframes and (c) risks associated with the UK’s new customs border with the EU and implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol from 1 January 2021.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
Specifics of any discussions between the Secretary of State and the Chancellor of the Dutchy of Lancaster cannot be disclosed.
The Command Paper published on 20th June sets out a pragmatic and proportionate way to implement the Northern Ireland Protocol (the Protocol), whilst maintaining the priority to protect Northern Ireland (NI’s) place in our United Kingdom.
The Department for International Trade (DIT) is working closely with officials in both the Border and Protocol Delivery Group and HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) to implement all border delivery plans and timelines, including in relation to the delivery of tariff declaration systems, in the lead up to the end of the transition period.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what steps she is taking to mitigate the risk of a legal challenge at the WTO as a result of the (a) UK’s new border regime and (b) implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The Government complies with its international obligations. The Department for International Trade continues to work with relevant government departments on the UK’s WTO compliance, as a result of the UK’s new border regime and the Northern Ireland Protocol. The Government will discharge its responsibilities in a way that is effective; which upholds our international obligations; and which respects the unique circumstances of Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Paul Blomfield (Labour - Sheffield Central)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what estimate she has made of the potential cost to her Department of a defensive trade dispute brought against the UK at the WTO as a result of the UK's new border regime and implementation of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Answered by Greg Hands - Minister of State (Department for Business and Trade)
The litigation costs associated with defensive trade disputes vary significantly depending on the nature and complexity of the individual dispute. This department has established the processes and procedures necessary to ensure that the UK will effectively represent itself independently in trade disputes from the end of the Transition Period. The Department for International Trade will continue to work with all Government departments to prepare for any potential defensive trade disputes, including ensuring appropriate provision is made to meet the costs.
Asked by: Ruth Jones (Labour - Newport West)
Question to the Northern Ireland Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what recent discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on border infrastructure in Northern Ireland in the event of the UK leaving the transition period without a deal.
Answered by Robin Walker
The Government remains optimistic and is working hard to reach an agreement with the EU on our future relationship. That is why we have agreed to an intensified talks process throughout July.
The Ireland and Northern Ireland Protocol will be delivered by the end of the Transition Period. There will be no new physical customs infrastructure in Northern Ireland and we see no need to build any.
We will be making the necessary adjustments to existing entry points for agrifood goods to provide for proportionate additional controls, including some checks to help movements of live animals and agri-food from Great Britain into Northern Ireland. This is in order to respect the pre-existing status of the island of Ireland as a single epidemiological unit. We will also work closely with the Northern Ireland Executive, and with the EU in the Joint Committee, to seek to simplify and minimise any requirements.
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is working closely with colleagues across Cabinet and with minsters from the Northern Ireland Executive in support of this, taking account of the unique circumstances of Northern Ireland.
Asked by: Philippa Whitford (Scottish National Party - Central Ayrshire)
Question to the Cabinet Office:
To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what his response is to the call all for a six-month delay to checks in the Irish Sea in the document entitled: Implementing the Northern Ireland Protocol: What Business in Northern Ireland needs & why published by the NI Business Brexit Working Group.
Answered by Penny Mordaunt - Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons
The UK Government will continue to prepare to meet our obligations under the Northern Ireland Protocol, in line with the approach set out in the 20 May Command Paper, the UK’s Approach to the Northern Ireland Protocol. In this paper, we committed to providing guidance to business, including our plans for extensive HMRC support for Northern Ireland businesses engaging in any new processes under the Protocol. We will publish that guidance this summer.
We will also continue to engage with business through the Business Engagement Forum, which met for the first time on 10 June and which will play an important part in our thinking as we implement the Protocol.