1-16 of 16 results for subject:Borders
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To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when she last met her Irish counterpart face to face to discuss people arriving illegally and crossing the border into Northern Ireland.
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, when she last met her Irish counterpart face to face to discuss people arriving illegally and crossing the border into Northern Ireland.
The current Foreign Secretary has not yet had a face-to-face meeting with her Irish counterpart but looks forward to doing so when schedules allow, and continuing the constructive discussions they have already had by telephone, on the range of subjects set out in previous answers. UK and Irish Ministers and officials regularly meet to discuss issues of importance, including on ensuring the integrity and security of the Common Travel Area.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what is the estimated total (a) construction and (b) annual running costs of the Border Posts being constructed at Belfast, Larne, Warrenpoint and Foyle ports.
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what is the estimated total (a) construction and (b) annual running costs of the Border Posts being constructed at Belfast, Larne, Warrenpoint and Foyle ports.
The estimated costs of SPS Inspection Facilities at Northern Ireland ports are:
(a) capital (financial years 2023/2024 to 2027/2028): £192.385m
(b) resource (each financial year): circa £33m
These costs include provision for optimism bias in accordance with HMT guidance and are expected to be the maximum costs.
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the Border Operating Model on the movement of (a) urgent medical supplies and (b) other goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for the Cabinet Office, what assessment he has made of the potential effect of the Border Operating Model on the movement of (a) urgent medical supplies and (b) other goods from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
The Border Operating Model, published 13 July, covers trade between Great Britain and the EU only. As for goods movements from Great Britain to Northern Ireland, guidance was published on 8 August. That guidance is being updated on an ongoing basis and in response to developments, including discussions in the UK-EU Joint Committee.
As for medical supplies, the Department of Health and Social Care, in consultation with the Devolved Administrations and Crown Dependencies, is working with trade bodies, product suppliers, and the health and care system in England to make detailed plans to help ensure continued supply of medicines and medical products to the whole of the UK, at the end of the transition period. With respect to Northern Ireland, guidance will be set out in due course, taking into account discussions in the Joint Committee as appropriate.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when and where the next meeting of the Northern Ireland Borders Steering Group is scheduled to take place.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when and where the next meeting of the Northern Ireland Borders Steering Group is scheduled to take place.
The Northern Ireland Steering Group does not have its next meeting date or location planned. Members of the Steering Group will continue to be included in future engagement.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Northern Ireland Borders Steering Group, run by the Borders Delivery Group has met since 7 December 2018.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether the Northern Ireland Borders Steering Group, run by the Borders Delivery Group has met since 7 December 2018.
The Northern Ireland Borders Steering Group, run by the Border Delivery Group met on 27 February 2019. Members of the Steering Group were also included in a wider stakeholder call on 15 March 2019.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the Border Delivery Group last met with representatives of (a) ports and (b) airports in Northern Ireland.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when the Border Delivery Group last met with representatives of (a) ports and (b) airports in Northern Ireland.
From the Minister’s discussions with ministerial colleagues, can he indicate whether they are indicating to him that, at this very late stage in our discussions with the European Union, a sliver of light is beginning to emerge that the EU understands the need for a fundamental change to the backstop?
From the Minister’s discussions with ministerial colleagues, can he indicate whether they are indicating to him that, at this very late stage in our discussions with the European Union, a sliver of light is beginning to emerge that the EU understands the need for a fundamental change to the backstop?
I suspect that is well above my paygrade. I am sure we would all want to hear what the Attorney General and the Prime Minister have to say when it comes to the meaningful vote next Tuesday.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will she hold discussions with the Irish Government on that country's recent mapping exercise of the Irish Border in advance of the UK leaving the EU.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, if she will she hold discussions with the Irish Government on that country's recent mapping exercise of the Irish Border in advance of the UK leaving the EU.
The mapping exercise carried out recently by the Irish Government is a matter for them.
The UK and the EU have agreed the terms of the UK’s smooth and orderly exit from the EU in the form of the Withdrawal Agreement, and a detailed political declaration on the terms of our future relationship. Delivering the settlement negotiated with the EU remains the Government’s top priority.
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what recent steps he taken to advise cross-border traders in Northern Ireland on the arrangements they need to put in place after the UK leaves the EU.
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what recent steps he taken to advise cross-border traders in Northern Ireland on the arrangements they need to put in place after the UK leaves the EU.
The Government reached an agreement with the EU that guarantees no hard border on the island of Ireland. Under this Protocol Northern Ireland businesses will continue to be able to trade freely across the Irish border. The government will continue to engage with Northern Ireland businesses.
The British Irish Chamber of Commerce has come out in support of the Withdrawal Agreement, stating “It is clear that businesses recognise the huge efforts made by the Prime Minister and across government to reach this milestone – and it is NI Chamber’s opinion that any deal is better than no deal for business".
Q14
.
Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry) (DUP):
This morning’s legal advice refers to the backstop as a permanent arrangement that will “endure indefinitely,” which repeats previous assertions. Does the Prime Minister agree, at this last moment, that the entire premise of the backstop has been based on a false assertion? It is a practical, physical and political impossibility, under any circumstances, for a hard border to emerge on the island of Ireland. Why has she allowed that to be used as a negotiating ploy by the EU against the United Kingdom?
Q14
.
Mr Gregory Campbell (East Londonderry) (DUP):
This morning’s legal advice refers to the backstop as a permanent arrangement that will “endure indefinitely,” which repeats previous assertions. Does the Prime Minister agree, at this last moment, that the entire premise of the backstop has been based on a false assertion? It is a practical, physical and political impossibility, under any circumstances, for a hard border to emerge on the island of Ireland. Why has she allowed that to be used as a negotiating ploy by the EU against the United Kingdom?
This is not a negotiating ploy by the European Union against the UK. It is our commitment, as a UK Government, to the people of Northern Ireland. The hon. Gentleman says that the political assertion that there will be no hard border is sufficient to give people reassurance for the future. I say no. What people want to know is that arrangements will be in place. It does not have to be the backstop. The future relationship will deal with this. The extension of the implementation period could deal with the temporary period. Alternative arrangements could deal with it. But people need to know it is beyond a political assertion that there is that commitment there to the people of Northern Ireland to ensure that we have no hard border.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress has been made in the Border Delivery Group since July 2018.
To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what progress has been made in the Border Delivery Group since July 2018.
The Border Delivery Group has met with Northern Ireland ports and airports and other stakeholders three times, including twice as part of a Northern Ireland Borders Steering Group. It has also visited, with Border Force colleagues, each of the seven main Northern Ireland ports and airports to work through the potential impact of EU Exit at each location (based on the same assumptions as we have applied to other UK ports and airports), and to enable each port or airport to develop their own plans to address identified impacts, especially in respect of a potential No Deal. The Border Delivery Group has further meetings scheduled with Northern Ireland ports and airports, Northern Ireland Civil Service, and the Police Service of Northern Ireland, on operational planning for EU exit.
Our Government, the Dublin Government and Brussels have all said that they do not want a hard border. Does the Minister have an understanding from the EU that a hard border, whoever might want it, would be totally impossible to police because of the hundreds of crossing points that everyone in Northern Ireland would use, even if someone tried to implement a hard border on the ground?
Our Government, the Dublin Government and Brussels have all said that they do not want a hard border. Does the Minister have an understanding from the EU that a hard border, whoever might want it, would be totally impossible to police because of the hundreds of crossing points that everyone in Northern Ireland would use, even if someone tried to implement a hard border on the ground?
The hon. Gentleman speaks with considerable experience and knowledge of the issue. He is absolutely right. That is why, from what I have seen and conversations I have had, London, Dublin, Belfast and Brussels have all been clear about the need to avoid the creation of a hard border.
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what recent assessment he has made of the potential economic effect of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland after the UK leaves the EU.
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what recent assessment he has made of the potential economic effect of a hard border between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland after the UK leaves the EU.
The Prime Minister reaffirmed her commitments to the Northern Ireland and Ireland border in her speech at Mansion House, recognising the unique circumstances in Northern Ireland, and commitment to avoiding a hard border.
The Joint Report also made clear that it is our intention to avoid a hard border and any physical infrastructure or related checks and controls between Northern Ireland and Ireland.
We have pledged to translate all of the commitments made in the Joint Report we published with the EU Commission in December into a legally binding Withdrawal Agreement. This includes all of those on Northern Ireland and Ireland. We remain absolutely committed to doing so. We have always been clear that we will not agree anything that threatens the constitutional or economic integrity of the UK.
We recognise the unique economic circumstances of Northern Ireland. Last summer we published a trade data and statistics paper alongside the Northern Ireland and Ireland position paper.
Monsieur Barnier was at the border last week, and I am afraid that his diplomatic skills were found wanting yet again. Does the Minister agree that Monsieur Barnier should, in the intensive discussions that he is having, take some time to look at the massive hole that will be left in the EU budget after we leave and perhaps turn his mind to the political problems that there will be in Hungary, France, Germany, Poland and elsewhere, with the far right turning away from Europe, after he is done with ours?
Monsieur Barnier was at the border last week, and I am afraid that his diplomatic skills were found wanting yet again. Does the Minister agree that Monsieur Barnier should, in the intensive discussions that he is having, take some time to look at the massive hole that will be left in the EU budget after we leave and perhaps turn his mind to the political problems that there will be in Hungary, France, Germany, Poland and elsewhere, with the far right turning away from Europe, after he is done with ours?
The hon. Gentleman makes a powerful point. We need to ensure that we progress the negotiations in the interests of the United Kingdom and have a strong, friendly partnership with the EU after we leave. That should be our focus, and issues relating to the Irish border are a key part of that engagement.
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has made of the number of (a) official and (b) unofficial crossing points between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland on the viability of any hard border between the UK and the EU.
To ask the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, what assessment he has made of the number of (a) official and (b) unofficial crossing points between the Irish Republic and Northern Ireland on the viability of any hard border between the UK and the EU.
As we made clear in both in our position paper and the Prime Minister’s speech in Florence, we must aim to avoid any physical infrastructure on the land border between Northern Ireland and Ireland and we welcome the Commission’s commitment to this in their Guiding principles paper.
The UK was also clear in the White Paper that we want to continue to see the everyday movements across the land border, and we recognise the importance of these movements to the economy in Northern Ireland.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment she has made of the implications for border security arrangements of recent gangland-related murders in the Irish Republic.
To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, what assessment she has made of the implications for border security arrangements of recent gangland-related murders in the Irish Republic.
There are long-established and effective working relationships between the police and intelligence agencies of the UK and Ireland to mitigate threats in both countries. The UK Government takes protecting our border security very seriously and there is a high level of co-operation and on-going work with the Irish Government strengthening the external border of the Common Travel Area.