UK Defence Doctrine (Joint Doctrine Publication 0-01, 5th Edition, November 2014) defines war as 'a state of armed conflict between different countries, or different groups within a country'.

The EU-US Privacy Shield contains protections only available to those within the EU. We will therefore discuss with the US how best to ensure that the current protections afforded to UK citizens can be maintained post exit. We want a smooth and orderly transition to our new arrangements.

Clause 6 of the EU (Withdrawal) Bill provides that UK courts must continue to interpret unmodified retained EU law in accordance with retained EU case law and retained EU general principles, so far as they are relevant to that retained EU law. EU case law is retained to the extent it relates to anything falling within clauses 2-4 of the Bill, and is not excluded by clause 5 and Schedule 1.

Clause 6 also provides that the UK Supreme Court and High Court of Justiciary will be able to depart from pre-exit CJEU case law, using the the same tests they do when departing from their own case law.

This is without prejudice to the detail of the implementation period, which will be for negotiations.

The Data Protection Bill, which includes the implementation of GDPR into UK law, will apply to Northern Ireland post Brexit. We have engaged with Northern Ireland Executive in the creation of the Bill.

The Data Protection Bill was introduced on 13 September. The Bill is intended to create a new data protection framework fit for the digital age, which incorporates the provisions of the EU’s GDPR into domestic law. It builds on existing standards for protecting personal data, in accordance with the GDPR, giving people more control over use of their data, and providing new rights to move or delete personal data.

The EU (Withdrawal) Bill will ensure that the remainder of the GDPR is incorporated into domestic law.

In leaving the European Union, we will bring about an end to the direct jurisdiction of the CJEU in the UK.

The Civil Service is committed to building the capability of all its employees and supporting their development. Our core learning offer provided via Civil Service Learning (CSL) incorporates 130 topics including leadership and management, customer service, finance and policy development. Learning is provided via free online modules, workshops and practical exercises. Job specific/technical learning is developed in partnership with professions and functions. To support easier access, a new Learning Platform for Government will begin rollout in 2018.

Civil servants discuss their development with their manager and can access an online self-assessment tool to help identify their learning needs. A key manager role is building capability in others and a ‘Management Fundamentals’ package linked to the Chartered Management Institute’s Level 3 (Team Leader) has been available since December 2017.

Our 4000 Senior Civil Servants now have access to the Civil Service Leadership Academy (CSLA), launched in October 2017. The CSLA offers a wide range of learning approaches tailored to SCS needs, including case study events, master-classes, newsletters, coaching, peer mentoring and 360 degree feedback.

All departments take Performance management (PM) seriously; it is a key element of development and building. The Civil Service PM policy, introduced in 2012, has helped identify different levels of performance and ensure people are able to continuously develop. Where performance and/or capability is below the required standard, departments have policies and measures in place to ensure individuals are given the support and learning they need to improve. Further action is taken where performance does not improve within acceptable timescales.

The new Performance Management Framework introduced in 2017 continues to identify different levels of performance and also places a greater focus on coaching and supporting civil servants to help them perform effectively.

The Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016 prescribe the traffic signs and road markings that can be used on the UK road network including those used for cycle lanes. Local authorities are responsible for the design and installation of cycle lanes and for ensuring that they are signed and marked in compliance with the legislation.

The Government continues to provide leadership and guidance on the most effective interventions, ensuring that the new legislation is implemented well and that organisations with national responsibilities are joined up and effective in achieving these ambitions. We will aim to provide access to training for all health professionals on how to help patients quit, promote links to stop smoking services across the health and care system and strive to achieve a smokefree National Health Service.

We will support local councils to identify local solutions, particularly where prevalence remains high so they can help people to quit. The Government will maintain high duty rates for tobacco products to make tobacco less affordable and will ensure that sanctions in current legislation are effective and fit for purpose. Our end goal is a smoke-free generation.

Since the introduction of the 5 pence carrier bag charge in October 2015, retailer reporting shows a dramatic drop in the consumption of single use plastic carrier bags, with the seven major retailers distributing around nine billion fewer single use plastic bags (a reduction of around 83%) compared to typical pre-charge levels.

The Single Use Carrier Bags Charges (England) Order 2015 requires the Secretary of State to carry out a review of this order before 5 October 2020.

Technical standards for noise from new motorcycles are set at an International level by both the European Union (EU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). These provisions were updated in 2014 and took effect for new machines from 2016.

The European Commission is planning to introduce new legislation concerning emissions and noise from motorcycles. An independent research-based investigation is currently underway to establish the noise limits and these are expected to take effect in 2020. We anticipate these will be implemented through the UNECE where the UK will continue to play a key role beyond our withdrawal from the EU.

The motorcycle industry are represented at the UNECE discussions and Department for Transport officials also hold routine discussions with them outside this forum.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland holds a range of meetings on developments and policy, including regular events for Parliamentarians with an interest in Northern affairs.

External meetings are published on the Northern Ireland Office website, which can be found here:

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/northern-ireland-office.

It is the long-standing policy of successive Governments not to comment in detail on matters of intelligence.

The Department, on behalf of the United Kingdom Government, reimburses other European Economic Area (EEA) countries and Switzerland for the cost of providing treatment to people we are responsible for under European Union law, based on pension and benefit eligibility and irrespective of nationality. In the same way, other EEA countries and Switzerland reimburse the Department, on behalf of the UK Government, for the cost of the NHS providing treatment to people they are responsible for under EU law, irrespective of nationality and including UK nationals insured in another EEA country or Switzerland.

Requested figures for 2016-17, the latest available, are provided in the following table, rounded to the nearest pound. Member states can submit claims up to 18 months in arrears so claims for any 12 month period do not necessarily reflect treatment provided in that period.

Source: Resource Accounting and Budgeting exercise. Totals are based on estimates of the costs of EEA healthcare claims made annually for the purposes of provisions made in the Department of Health accounts in accordance with HM Treasury resource accounting rules.

Notes: Article 93 claims are combined claims for healthcare costs relating to temporary visitors (via European Health Insurance Cards), workers temporarily posted abroad by their employer, referrals for treatment in other EEA countries, or equivalent claims calculated on a formula basis under bilateral arrangements. Due to the nature of the claims system between member states, it is not currently possible to disaggregate the data consistently for all member states by either type of claim or type of treatment.

Article 94 claims are healthcare costs relating to dependents of workers not resident in same member state as the worker.

Article 95 claims are for healthcare costs relating to pensioners and dependents of pensioners.

Article 22.1c refers to patient referral claims.

I refer the noble Lord to the most recent statutory report which the Treasury provided to Parliament as required by Section 2 of the Loans to Ireland Act 2010. The last report was laid in Parliament on 7 November 2017 and is available in the Printed Paper Office.

Table 2.A of the report provides the details of each of the loan disbursements made to Ireland by the Treasury, and the dates on which each tranche is due to be repaid.

Table 2.A

Brazil, Canada, Thailand and the US all have laws designed to protect farm animals, and in the case of the United States they vary from state to state. Defra is not aware of any detailed comparative analysis of these countries’ welfare standards.

All produce imported into the EU must comply with EU rules and these standards will apply to imports into the UK and domestic production when we leave the EU. As we move towards a new relationship with Europe and the rest of the world, we are determined to maintain our high standards and improve them where appropriate.

Any future trade agreements must work for consumers, farmers, and businesses in the UK. We will not water down our standards on food safety, animal welfare and environmental protection as part of any future trade deals.

The ICO, as an independent regulator, would need to consider itself what liabilities, if any, it might have as a result of any judgments. The Government expects the ICO to comply with all of its legal obligations. However, it is not the Government's duty to advise an independent regulator on what these are.

The Privacy Shield is a statement of principles issued by the US Department for Commerce, following on from an agreement between the US and the European Union. The EU-US Privacy Shield is accompanied by a decision of the European Commission under articles 25(6) of Directive 95/46 EC. The Commission Decision addresses the CJEU's invalidation of the previous Commission Decision - the Safe Harbor framework in the Schrems judgment of 2015. In this respect, any subsequent examination of the legal status of matters concerning the EU-US Privacy Shield would be a matter for the CJEU in the face of a legal challenge being brought against it.

The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply, and will place a copy of their letter in the House library.

Any taxi, private hire car, self-employed driver (including Uber drivers) or any other type of taxi or private hire vehicle where the annual taxable turnover exceeds £85,000 must register and charge VAT on their supplies.

The table below contains the number of UK passports issued by Belfast Passport Office since 2007.

*2017 information is up to and including June 2017.