Written questions by Lockhart.

Innovation and Technology, whether her Department plans to increase investment in digital connectivity and broadband infrastructure in rural Northern Ireland.

According to the independent website, ThinkBroadband.com, 97% of premises in Northern Ireland already have access to gigabit-capable broadband. This is the highest of any of the four UK nations.Project Stratum, which has had £199 million of UK government funding, completed delivery in June 2025. This delivered gigabit-capable broadband to almost 81,100 premises in Northern Ireland that previously did not have access to superfast broadband.The Northern Ireland Department for the Economy (DfE) is currently undertaking a Project Gigabit procurement to help fill remaining gaps in gigabit broadband coverage. This will predominantly target rural and hard to reach areas.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps are being taken to ensure that Northern Ireland producers are not placed at a structural disadvantage relative to counterparts in Great Britain as a result of the new veterinary medicines supply arrangements.

We appreciate that accessibility to obtain veterinary medicines for pet owners is of great importance. Through our extensive engagements, we are aware of multiple companies who are either already established in Northern Ireland or are planning to set up as online retailers in Northern Ireland. This is expected to ensure medicines remain available through these online channels. We are also working to ensure that the Veterinary Medicine Internal Market Scheme operates in a way that reflects how consumers obtain medicines at present.

Food and Rural Affairs, what direct engagement the Veterinary Medicines Directorate has undertaken with frontline veterinary practices in Northern Ireland to support practical preparedness for the end of the veterinary medicines grace period on 31 December 2025.

Our stakeholder engagement continues to be extensive. In addition to recent in person meetings in Northern Ireland and webinars planned for the end of November, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate meet monthly with wholesalers based in Northern Ireland and relevant industry bodies such as the British Veterinary Association, Northern Ireland Veterinary Association and the Association of Veterinary Surgeons Practicing in Northern Ireland. Through these channels we have been able to address issues and concerns that stakeholders are facing which is reflected in the guidance that was recently updated.

Food and Rural Affairs, what arrangements the Department has put in place to provide real-time operational guidance to veterinary practices and Suitably Qualified Persons in Northern Ireland if product availability changes faster or more widely than anticipated after 31 December 2025.

The Department will continue to engage extensively with stakeholders across the sector beyond 31 December, including those representing vets and SQPs. Should unanticipated disruptions emerge, the Government will work closely with industry, as we are doing now, to address the issues and communicate promptly to stakeholders. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) currently already seek feedback on supply issues with the 'report a supply problem' form, and this has been promoted to all stakeholders as one of their routes to notify us of any issues. The Government remains confident that the two schemes being introduced can address any supply gaps if they emerge. The Veterinary Medicine Health Situation list will be updated as necessary.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure that veterinary practices and farm businesses in Northern Ireland receive advance notification of changes to the availability of veterinary medicines.

Guidance was issued in a timely manner; first published in June and updated in October and November. Updated guidance included specific references to vets and Suitably Qualified Persons (SQPs). Continued access to veterinary medicines for Northern Ireland is a government priority and the department will continue to engage extensively with stakeholders across the supply chain regarding the supply of veterinary medicines beyond 2025. This includes the Veterinary Medicines Working Group, in person in Northern Ireland and through meetings with industry bodies and businesses, including vets and farming businesses. Where it concerns key industry bodies, such as the Northern Ireland Veterinary Association, we have established regular meetings into the new year. The published guidance targets the full sector breadth, including specific information for farmers and vets. Defra will host webinars later this month and intend to provide further information on products suitable for the Veterinary Medicines Health Situation Scheme next month.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether her Department will assess the effect of the Veterinary Medicines Internal Market Scheme and the Veterinary Medicines Health Situations Scheme on the agri-food supply chain in Northern Ireland during the first year of implementation.

We are confident in the two schemes being introduced by the Government and will continue to closely monitor the situation over the upcoming year and beyond. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) will be conducting an assessment of the effectiveness/use of the two schemes in 6-12 months after first implementation. Our current assessment is that there will be minimal disruptions to veterinary medicines in Northern Ireland and the agri-food supply chain will continue as it is now. The use of these schemes will not in any way impair the ability of businesses in Northern Ireland to sell to businesses and consumers in the EU, including live animals or products of animal origin. They will be able to sell in the EU as they do now, and they do not need to make any changes. The two schemes will take effect from 1 January, and we will monitor their effectiveness.

Food and Rural Affairs, how the proposed changes to veterinary medicines supply routes will impact the ability of pet owners in Northern Ireland to fill veterinary prescriptions from online veterinary pharmacies when online pharmacies delivering veterinary medicines are located in Great Britain.

We appreciate that accessibility to obtain veterinary medicines for pet owners is of great importance. Through our extensive engagements, we are aware of multiple companies who are either already established in Northern Ireland or are planning to set up as online retailers in Northern Ireland. This is expected to ensure medicines remain available through these online channels. We are also working to ensure that the Veterinary Medicine Internal Market Scheme operates in a way that reflects how consumers obtain medicines at present.

Food and Rural Affairs, whether she has made an estimate of the number of veterinary medicine products expected to be (a) withdrawn and (b) altered in Northern Ireland after 31 December 2025.

Many businesses have already taken the steps to make the required adjustments so we are confident that the disruption to veterinary medicines supply will be limited. After extensive stakeholder engagement, our current estimate remains that between 10-15% of authorised products that are currently supplied will be discontinued. However, most of these discontinued products are not currently sold in Northern Ireland or are generics with multiple alternatives available. We have identified fewer than 20 products where discontinuation would pose significant risks to animal health and welfare if these risks were not addressed; the two schemes that we are introducing will serve to address those risks. Although these figures may change as pharmaceutical companies take steps to adjust before the end of the year, we are not expecting to see a significant change and continue to monitor the situation closely.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps the Government will take to ensure that pet owners in Northern Ireland are not faced with increased cost or reduced access to familiar medicines following changes to veterinary medicine supply arrangements after 31 December 2025.

We appreciate that affordability and accessibility to obtain veterinary medicines for pet owners is of great importance. We also understand that online retailers may offer more affordable options. Through our extensive engagement across the supply chain, we have heard positive news from several pharmaceutical companies on their commitments not to raise prices. Also, through our engagements, we are aware of multiple companies who are either already established in Northern Ireland or are planning to set up as online retailers in Northern Ireland. This is expected to ensure medicines remain available through these online channels. We are also working to ensure that the Veterinary Medicine Internal Market Scheme operates in a way that reflects how consumers obtain medicines at present.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department will take to ensure veterinary medicine supply via Suitably Qualified Persons will continue in Northern Ireland and not diverge from what happens across the United Kingdom from 1 January 2026.

The guidance we published on the two schemes in June was recently updated and reflects industry feedback; the updated guidance includes specific reference to Suitably Qualified Persons (SQPs). The two schemes will take effect from 1 January; where there is, or likely to be, a significant animal health issue, and it is appropriate to do so, products under the Veterinary Medicines Health Situation Scheme could be made available for supply by SQPs. More broadly, the rules for supply by SQPs will not change from 1 January. In addition, we continue to engage extensively with the Animal Health Distribution Association who represent SQPs.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of (a) the establishment of (i) online and (ii) centralised distributors and (b) other market concentration in the veterinary medicines supply chain in Northern Ireland after 31 December 2025 on consumer choice.

The Government is committed to ensuring the continued supply and availability of veterinary medicines to Northern Ireland at the end of the grace period. Through our extensive engagement, we are aware of multiple companies who are either already established in Northern Ireland or are planning to set up as online retailers in Northern Ireland. This is expected to ensure medicines remain available through these online channels. From 1 January, the Veterinary Medicines Internal Market Scheme (VMIMS) and the Veterinary Medicines Health Situation Scheme will exist to plug any supply gaps that emerge. However, based on our current assessment, we do not expect a significant number of discontinuations to occur. We are also working to ensure that the VMIMS operates in a way that reflects how consumers obtain medicines at present.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the adequacy of the readiness of veterinary practices and farm businesses in Northern Ireland for the end of the grace period on veterinary medicines.

The Government continues to engage extensively with industry stakeholders across the supply chain to support them with continued availability of veterinary medicines beyond the grace period. This includes engagement with veterinary and farmer associations and businesses to discuss their preparedness and any concerns they might have. The Government has also issued extensive guidance and intends to publish several webinars shortly. This guidance provides information to help veterinary practices and farm businesses prepare.

Food and Rural Affairs, when final commercial decisions from manufacturers on veterinary medicine product availability in Northern Ireland will be communicated to veterinary practices and Suitably Qualified Persons.

Most pharmaceutical companies have already taken or are taking steps to make the required adjustments so we are confident that the disruption to veterinary medicines supply will be limited. Several larger companies have also communicated these decisions publicly. For those that have not, we continue to strongly encourage them to inform businesses as soon as possible about their intentions. Although these figures may change as pharmaceutical companies take steps to adjust before the end of the year, we are not expecting to see a significant change and continue to monitor the situation closely. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate is working with pharmaceutical companies to determine the information that can be placed in the public domain concerning product availability.

Food and Rural Affairs, what steps she is taking to ensure cross-departmental decision-making between the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Veterinary Medicines Directorate, the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs and the Northern Ireland Office in the implementation of the Veterinary Medicines Internal Market Scheme and the Veterinary Medicines Health Situations Scheme from 1 January 2026.

Cross-departmental decision-making arrangements are an internal Government matter.

Food and Rural Affairs, what arrangements are being put in place to ensure clear and timely public communication to farmers and pet owners in Northern Ireland on any changes to the availability or prescribing of veterinary medicines after 31 December 2025.

The Government has been taking steps to support businesses and end-users in preparation ahead of 1 January. This includes communications to the farming sector and pet owners. In addition to guidance, we published a manual with specific information for pet owners and farmers. We also visited Northern Ireland in early November and met several stakeholders, and much feedback is that many businesses are in a good place for the 1 January. Planned engagement over the next month via webinars will provide further information.

Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of changes to pack sizes, prescribing routes and product availability after 31 December 2025 on farm businesses and pet owners in Northern Ireland.

We continue to engage with businesses across the supply chain to support the transition at the end of this year to ensure that vets, farmers and pet owners continue to have the access to medicines that they need from 1 January. We are aware of the impact that the potential of limited pack sizes may have on certain industry sectors in Northern Ireland and we are monitoring this closely. Our evidence does not currently suggest this is a widespread issue, although we appreciate individual companies may be affected. We understand that typically the most popular pack sizes will continue to be supplied. We remain confident in our assessment that the vast majority of veterinary medicines will continue to be supplied and that the schemes we are introducing from1 January can address supply gaps if they emerge.

How many asylum seekers have been relocated to Northern Ireland since January 2024.

Northern Ireland is not a dispersal area and asylum seekers are therefore not routed between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Only those claiming asylum in Northern Ireland are accommodated there. Northern Ireland’s asylum population is however, proportionate to its population when compared to the UK. Data on the number of supported asylum seekers in accommodation, including hotels, and by local authority can be found within the Asy_D11 tab for our most recent statistics release: Immigration system statistics data tables - GOV.UK

How many Border Force officers are deployed in Northern Ireland.

As an intelligence-informed organisation, Border Force do not disclose specific details regarding the deployment of resources to individual border threats. This is to ensure the integrity of our operations, and avoid compromising the effectiveness of our security response, which is based upon real time intelligence and operational sensitivity.Officers who work on the primary control ensure that all passengers are dealt with efficiently as possible to ensure border security.We also use dynamic deployment to staff the immigration control when required.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of immigration controls to prevent human trafficking over the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland.

As part of the Common Travel Area (CTA) arrangements, the UK does not operate routine immigration controls on journeys from Ireland to the UK, with no immigration checks being undertaken on the Ireland-Northern Ireland land border.The UK carries out intelligence led operations to target potential abuse of CTA routes, including between Ireland and Northern Ireland but away from the land border.There is a high level of cooperation on migration and border security between the UK and Ireland. We regularly monitor and review any identified trends and we work closely with our Irish colleagues in taking action to address this.

What recent assessment she has made of the adequacy of border security measures at (a) ports and (b) airports in Northern Ireland.

Border Force performs checks on 100% of passengers arriving at the UK border on scheduled services, enabling interventions against those known or suspected to pose a risk to the national interest.The UK and Ireland have a close and collaborative relationship on migration and border security, and we are jointly committed to protecting the Common Travel Area and safeguarding it from abuse.Officers who work on the primary control ensure that all passengers are dealt with efficiently as possible to ensure border security. We also use dynamic deployment to staff the immigration control when required.The UK’s border and immigration system is changing. We are transforming our border through automation and digitisation to make it quicker and more secure for the millions of people who pass through each year.